EXTRAVANGANT WORSHIP

As I step into the New Year 2015, I was asking the Lord what would be a good resolution that would help me to maintain my desire to be a Lifestyle Worshipper?

 "Extravagant Worship!" - that's what the Lord has challenged me to do. Some of us could immediately identify the book "Extravagant Worship" written by Darlene Zschech... as you read this book, there is one common ingredient found in most extravagant worshippers and that is PASSIONATE about worship.

It is easier said than done because it would take quite a bit of DISCIPLINE to be a PASSIONATE WORSHIPPER. So the Lord reminded me to get back to what I had posted in my first article in TPWC's blog in the year 2006:

THE DISCIPLINE OF WORSHIP - "To The degree You Are Willing To Discipline Your Life, God Will Be Able To Accomplish His Desired Plan For You. To Bring To Pass Those Desires That He Has Placed In Your Heart And To Bring About Those Things For Which You Are Believing Him. It Doesn't Happen Merely Because God Said It Was Going To Happen. A Lot Depend Upon You And Me." 
(The 2nd Flood - The Discipline of Worship by John W. Stevenson)

To this day I can never forget meeting pastor John Stevenson (1991 in Kent Henry's Worship Seminar in Missouri USA). There in the midst of one of the worship, workshops, pastor John was playing the keyboard and leading worship, singing "I Worship You Almighty God" and the glory of the Lord fell in that room of about 80 believers. We stood for the whole session for about one and half hour just immersed in His holy awesome presence! Later I met pastor John in person; he is such a humble person and you could just sense that sweet spirit of a passionate lifestyle worshipper in him.

Some of the ways we can maintain the Discipline of Worship:

- DAILY replace the spirit of grumblings with the spirit of thanksgiving
- In EVERYTHING give thanks (1 Thess 5:18)
- Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS! (Phil 4:4)
- CONTINUALLY offer to God a sacrifice of praise (Heb 13:15) 
- At ALL TIMES - Bless The Lord and CONTINUALLY - Let His Praise Be In Our Mouth (Psalm 34:1)
- Each day offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable WORSHIP (Romans 12:1) 
- Whenever OPPORTUNITY ARISES, lavish upon the Lord, worship because it belongs to God.
- In His dealings, CHOOSE to bow down and worship the ways of God. 

"Come Let Us Bow Down In Worship, Let Us Kneel Before The Lord Our maker; For He Is Our God And We are The People Of His Pasture." (Psalm 95:6-7)

We can be like Mary in the Bible who anointed and lavished Jesus with worship (John 12:3). Be blessed by this song: "Pour My Love On You" by Phillips, Craig and Dean.

Blessed New Year!
TPWC

ARE YOU A WORSHIPER?

Profile Of A Worshiper

If someone ask a teacher what he does for a living, he will reply, "I am a teacher." He says that because he works or spends most of his time teaching. Similarly, you know you are a worshipper when what you do the most is worship.

Worshippers don't just worship on weekends. They don't need a bulletin, or a "call to worship" or a worship leader to encourage them to go vertical. They can worship in any place and at any time because they are worshippers.

Continual worship is central to the life of a worshipper. A worshipper offers the sacrifice of praise to God continually. "From the rising of the sun to it's going down the Lord's name is to be praised" (Psalm 113:3). Endless eulogy, ceaseless celebration and perpetual praise are the earmarks of a worshipper.

Worshipers don't wait for perfect circumstances to worship, and they don't let current situations keep them from worshiping.

There is a song in the Bible that says, "Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls - yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

Though I have no money in the savings account and my cheque book is overdrawn, though the fridge and cupboard are empty and I just got laid off, yet I will worship and rejoice in my Lord.

The first step in becoming a worshiper is worshiping in spite of bad circumstances.

An extract from - Exploring the Mysteries of Worship by Larmar Boschman
TPWC

THE PRAISE SERIES (PART 20) - PRAISE IS GOD'S RESET BUTTON

Are you trapped in a prison of despair, doubt or anxiety? Learn to release the power of praise. The apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians is one of the Bible's most unique books. Some scholars call it "the epistle of joy" because the word "joy" or "rejoice" appear in it 16 times. Yet what is amazing is that this letter about Christian joy was written from a prison cell! While Paul was under the watchful eye of Roman guards, bound in chains, he wrote some of the most uplifting spiritual words ever penned. In the letter's four short chapters the author continually exhorts us to praise God no matter how dark our circumstances are. He writes: "I will rejoice" (Philippians 1:18, NASB), "I rejoice and share my joy with you all" (Philippians 2:17), "I urge you, rejoice in the same way" (Philippians 2:18), "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord" (Philippians 3:1) and "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)."Paul always looked for the hidden blessing in every trial. Have you been complaining about your situation? Grumbling short-circuits faith, but joy revives it."Like a broken record, Paul hammers the same theme over and over and over. REJOICE! The word "rejoice" actually means "to re-joy." It's like a reset button on a computer. When any type of electronic equipment goes out of whack, a reset button will get it back online. That is what happens when we rejoice: The joy we've lost is restored and our feeble faith rises again.
Perhaps Paul wrote this message to the Philippians because he remembered his first visit there. It was in Philippi that Paul and Silas were arrested and thrown into jail by the city's magistrates. Yet while the two men sat with their feet fastened in stocks, they began to pray and sing hymns. Long before the invention of sub-woofers, this Holy Ghost jam session triggered an earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison and shattered everyone's chains (see Acts 16:25-26).
Do you feel bound by your circumstances? I know I do. Sometimes I feel literally trapped in a tiny prison of limitation and delay. And because of today's weak economy, many people who have enjoyed a carefree life in the past are facing job loss, financial uncertainty, debt and a dismal lack of opportunity. Yet when I pray about my own situation I always am led back to the ancient words of Paul to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord!"
Perhaps right now, in this difficult season, you need to put Paul's message on your iPod and play it over and over. The supernatural joy that is released in praise will do many things:

Praise shatters despair

You think your situation is hopeless? Paul was under house arrest, and he couldn't leave his cell to preach the gospel. Yet he wrote: "Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that [my imprisonment] will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:18b-19). Know that God is working behind the scenes. The clouds over your head may be dark, but praise will lift you above them so you can see the sun again.

Praise shatters negativity

Have you been complaining about your situation? Stop talking trash. Remember that Paul was in chains when he wrote: "Do all things without grumbling or disputing" (Phil. 2:14). He knew the children of Israel were barred from the Promised Land because they grumbled against the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:10). Grumbling short-circuits faith, but joy revives it. Paul always looked for the hidden blessing in every trial, to the point that he thanked God even in the midst of shipwrecks, beatings, riots, death threats and starvation.

Praise shatters doubt

When you stop praising, you get stuck in the muck and mire of your own problems. All you can see is the here and now. But something supernatural happens when you rejoice in the Lord. You are lifted out of the prison of impossibility and translated into a realm where you can do "all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). When you praise, you go into a phone booth looking like Clark Kent and you come out looking like Superman!

Praise shatters anxiety

Paul said that when we hit the "rejoice" button and replace worry with joy-filled prayer, "the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). Joy will calm your anxious heart and allow you to receive the promises of God.

Way back in 1970 a military chaplain named Merlin Carothers wrote a

small book called Prison to Praise. Today it has sold more than 17 million

copies in 53 languages. It challenges readers to thank and praise God in the midst of difficulties—and it's full of testimonies of everyday people who experienced miraculous breakthroughs when they obeyed this simple principle.
What Carothers wrote 40 years ago is still relevant today: "The very act of praise releases the power of God into a set of circumstances and enables God to change them. Miracles, power and victory will all be a part of what God does in our lives when we learn to rejoice in all things."

Source : Charisma Online - by J. Lee Glady (contributing editor of Charisma)

THE PRAISE SERIES (PART 14) - PRAISING THE LORD IN HARD TIMES

Though the fig tree may not blossom,

Nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls—

18 

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will joy in the God of my salvation

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NKJV)

The verse in context shows that there were those who were complaining that God wasn't acting quickly enough. Habakkuk didn't understand either - he had questions and doubts. But though he began with complaint, he ended with rejoicing. Chapter 1:2 (NKJV) says, "O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?" But at the end of the book Habakkuk says, "The LORD God is my strength;He will make my feet like deer’s feet,and He will make me walk on my high hills" (3:19 NKJV). He began by complaining and he ended by rejoicing. What happened between the beginning of the book of Habakkuk and the end? Some might say, "Obviously things must have changed." But did they? Look at chapter 3:17-18 (NKJV):"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines ... yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." The basis of complaining was still there. The very things Habakkuk had complained about - the fig tree wasn't blossoming, there was no fruit, no herd in the stalls - and yet he was rejoicing! He wasn't complaining now. What changed his mind?

We need to see the nature of Habakkuk's complaints:

1) He Complained about God's slowness:
"O Lord, how long shall I cry?" (1:2) Have you ever asked the question: why is God slow? One reason is that God sees the end from the beginning. Knowing how it's going to end up, He is in no hurry. Another reason is that time is on His side. The Bible says, "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). God is in no hurry. He is patient.Very often we are glad that God is patient. Aren't there times when we thank Him for being slow to anger and rich in mercy? How would we like it if God stepped in the moment we sinned? The time comes later when we blush and say, "God, I am sorry. I was wrong."
And God says,"I knew you were wrong, but I knew you would eventually see it."
Then we say, "Thank you, Lord, for being so patient with me."
2) Habakkuk complained that God did nothing while injustice thrived:
"Why do You make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?" (1:3) For a long time God didn't answer. He was in silent.
But then, at last, God stepped in. He told Habakkuk that He would send an evil nation, the Chaldeans, to destroy His people. There does come a time when God acts. One after another the prophets all hoped to see the coming of the Messiah, and eventually, after hundreds of years the Messiah came. As Paul put it:"When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, under the law" (Galations 4:4). In Chapter 2, there were three things that consoled Habakkuk:
a) He could see that God saw what he saw:
The Lord answered him and said, "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it." (2:2 NKJV). What a relief to know that God see!
And that is what God said to Moses: "I have surely seen the affliction of my people" (Exodus 3:7). Nothing is more consoling than to know that God sees.
b) Habakkuk knew that though full intervention might not come as soon as he wanted: 
it would nevertheless definitely come (2:3). There is an appointed time. Maybe it's a little longer than we want it to be, but wait for it, it will come. That knowledge gave Habakkuk a good feeling.
c) The understanding that God imputes righteousness to the man or woman who lives by God's faithfulness (2:4). 
There are many things we may not understand and don't know why He haven't stepped in sooner. But we are trusting Him ... We sense that behind the clouds the sun is shinning and God sees us. He says, "I like it when you trust me that way."At the end of the book of Habakkuk the prophet is a changed man. We see his confidence in the strength of the Lord. (3:17-19). Are you looking for the fig tree to give figs before you can praise the Lord? Are you waiting for everything to fit in before you start praising the Lord? If that is so, then turn in your badge now and give up. As Proverbs 24:10 says,"If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!" Here Habakkuk who still had all these complaints but yet said, "I will rejoice"
Nothing changed outwardly. The basis for Habakkuk's complaints was still there, the injustices were still there. Nothing happened to them, but a lot happened to him. Habakkuk was given grace to trace the rainbow through the rain. Habakkuk saw something we all need to see: that grace will always be there to keep us one step ahead of the enemy. At the beginning when he talked about the Babylonians, he said,"Their horses are swifter than leopards" (1:8), but now he says, "God will make my feet like the feet of a deer." (3:19). Whereas horse can run fast, a deer can climb to places a horse cannot reach. As Moses said, " ...your strength will equal your days." (Deuteronomy 33:25). Things may not get better around us - but a lot can happen to us - and that changes everything!

(An extract from Worshiping God - R.T. Kendall)

THE PRAISE SERIES (Part 12) - PRAISING GOD IN THE STORM

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:5, 11 & Psalm 43:5 (NIV)

What is one to do when you are faced with the storms (testings, tribulations, trials) of life? Or when you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death(Psalm 23:4)? The answer of the psalmist sounds as strange as the question: Preach to your soul! Take yourself in the hand, look yourself in the eyes, and preach this message: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? HOPE in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (Psalm 42:5,11; 43:5). 

What possible HOPE is there? The psalmist, though in lament, is not in despair. He turns his mind from the disease to the cure, from anguish to remembrance, deliberately recalling to mind God’s grace and faithfulness and covenant vow. He forces himself to think of realities other than his own troubles. It is here that we come to the second element in these two psalms:
Psalm 42 : 1- 4 : the psalmist’s spiritual hunger leads to joyful memories of past worship
Psalm 42 : 6 -9 : which leads to remembrance of the Lord and realizes that God is still in control, still present in steadfast love and still trustworthy!
Psalm 43 : 1 – 4 : the psalmist turns the questions into prayers, seeking God’s vindication and guidance and thereby replaces his darkness and fear into “the joy of the Lord”.

With this “HOPE” the psalmist can say : “ I SHALL YET PRAISE HIM”!
To be able to Praise God In The Storm, there are 2 key elements that a worshiper must do:
a) HOPE in God - To have HOPE you need the element of FAITH. Hebrews 11:1 says "now FAITH is being sure of what we HOPE for .... and you can confidently do so if your FAITH is rooted in His WORD because FAITH comes by hearing and hearing by His WORD (Romans 10:17). And your focus is in the Lord Who is Your Fortress, Your Hiding Place, Your Refuge .... the Author and Perfector of Your FAITH! (Hebrews 12:2)

b) You make a CHOICE to praise Him - We can read of many instances in the book of Psalm where the psalmists tell his soul to bless the Lord in the midst of their "storms":

* Psalm 7:17 - I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness andwill sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High!
* Psalm 9:1 & 2 - I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High
* Psalm 16:7 - I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
* Psalm 18:49 - Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O lord; I will sing praises to Your name. 
* Psalm 30:1 -I will exalt You, O Lord, for You lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
* Psalm 31:7 - I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.
* Psalm 34:1 - I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.
* Psalm 52:9 - I will praise You forever for what you have done; in Your name Iwill hope, for your name is good, I will praise You in the presence of Your saints.
*Psalm 54:6 - I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord for it is good,
*Psalm 59:16 - But I will sing of Your strength in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
I can show you more ... but some of my favorites are found in Psalm 103: 1-2 and Psalm 104:1. Here we find king David literally telling his soul - "PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL ...!"
‘Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.’ (Psalm 42:5) When we are ‘down’, we need to address and rebuke our soul (mind, emotions and will). We must command ourselves to put our hope (certain assurance that whatever happens, God is in control) and, despite the difficult situation, still praise Him who is our Saviour and our God. Psalm 42 : 5, 11; 43:5 (NIV)

Today are you in the midst of a storm? Is your soul cast down? Like to share with you this powerful song "Praise You In The Storm - by Casting Crowns". May you take comfort from Psalm 121:1 - " I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 5)

ALWAYS BE JOYFUL

(1 Thessalonians 5:16 - CEV)

We rely on laws and rules to govern behaviour, but everyone knows they can't govern the human heart. External forces can't command internal responses. Still God works into His Word several unexpected instructions: to love Him with all our hearts, to have no anxiety, and to be joyful. How is this possible? How can an outward command be imposed on inward attitudes? How can an untameable heart be tamed by words?
It takes more than words, of course. In a command to "be joyful," self-discipline isn't the goal. It isn't an effective response or even a realistic one. We can't change our hearts simply by telling them to change. We can however, realize that our attitudes are off-kilter and ask Him to supernaturally change them. He holds our hearts in His hand; He can certainly sway them with His thoughts and fill them with His Spirit. If we are going to be people who are always joyful, this is how it has to be. We can't follow this instruction in the midst of trying circumstances unless we have a radical change of perspective and supernatural help. Biblical commands to rejoice - especially in suffering, persecution, and intense trials of life - can only be fulfilled when we  depend on Him.
Hear His heart: "I designed you for JOY. I sent My Son to you so your JOY might be full, abundant, overflowing. I didn't create you for JOY only on pleasant days but for deep abiding JOY in any circumstances. Yes, this seems unrealistic to you. And yes, you can't simply flip a switch and rejoice. But you can focus on Me, change your perspective, and ask for My heart to fill you. I will gladly give you if you ask."
(An extract from: Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris Tiegreen)

Prayer: Father I'm asking, I want JOY - Your JOY, the kind I was designed to have and that Jesus promised. Pleased let me experience it, even in my most trying circumstances. I want the JOY that overcomes all obstacles and runs deeper than any pain. In Jesus' amen!"

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 1)

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS.

AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE!

Philippians 4:4

A mindless sense of well being that ignores what is going on around you is not what Paul has in mind when he tells the Philippians to Rejoice In The Lord Always. The letter he writes to them is filled with recognition of difficult circumstances that they are all facing. In the opening words of the letter Paul acknowledges his own situation as a prisoner facing execution. A little later he encourages the Philippians to remain strong in the face of opposition that currently threatens them as well. Yet even in the face of execution, persecution, and suffering, Paul repeatedly calls on them to have JOY, to Rejoice In The Lord.
Firstly let us note that Paul has issued this statement as a command from the Lord. Has God ever issued a command that could not be carried out? Never! The very fact of a divine command proves that obedience is possible. Note further, God not only demands that we rejoice; He demands that we rejoice CEASELESSLY.
So how do we follow this command to Rejoice In The Lord Always, even when things are going horribly wrong? There is a basis for it: Paul does not tell us to rejoice in our circumstances. He tells us to Rejoice In The Lord and he tells us this REPEATEDLY. He even acknowledges that he is repeating himself but says that it is good for us to be reminded again and again to rejoice always. But our rejoicing must be “IN THE LORD”. When our circumstances cause us nothing but grief, disappointments, fears and doubts we can still be glad and strong because our JOY is not based on fluctuating circumstances, but has it's SOURCE in the One Who loves us and is the object of our loveSecondly, Rejoicing is a matter of our CHOICE. There is a great difference between JOY & HAPPINESS. Joy is the realm of the spirit whereas happiness is related to our emotions, feelings and circumstances. When things are going well, we have happiness. It is good to have happiness, but we cannot have it all the time.
To illustrate: If I lost my wallet, I would be very happy when the founder returned it to me. After a few days, I would no longer have the feeling of happiness although my wallet is still with me. What I have actually lost is the feeling of happiness at the time of finding it. 
JOY on the other hand, is not dependent on feelings or circumstances. There is only one source of JOY and that is God - God Himself! That is why it is possible to "Rejoice In The Lord Always!" and they are able to do so because "the Lord is near" (Philippians 4:5) - [In His Presence is fullness of JOY (Psalm 16:11)]. You will note that while rejoicing they are also encouraged to submit their petitions and prayers which include the spirit of thanksgiving. (Philippians 4:6) And the resultance is having "the peace of God" (Philippians 4:7) in midst of whatever circumstances.
Beloved, if we but exercise our faith and choice to "rejoice in the Lord", in the midst of our adverse circumstances, these negative feelings of grief, fear, doubt and anger will just melt away! 
Therefore, we are able to declare apostle James' message to "count it all joy even when we fall into divers trials or testing" (James 1:2) because it is "The Joy of the Lord" which is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) that will carry us through.

HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS. JOY DOES NOT 

- Oswald Chambers -

Have A Joyous and Victories Week
TPWC

THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING - PART 3

Replace The Spirit of Grumbling With the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Have you ever stepped outside your door on a beautiful clear sunny day, taken a deep breath of fresh air, and thanked God for His wonderful creation? But what if the next morning is grey and rainy? Does it automatically make you feel a little depressed as you look out of the window? Maybe you don't say it loud, but how do you feel? Are you in the habit of thanking God only for what you want? or are you in the habit of grumbling just a little when things does not go the way you like? 

So what is wrong with a little complaining? What difference does it make? It does make all the difference in the world. Everything depends on how we respond to the little things in life. A marriage counsellor will tell you that a marriage usually breaks up over little things. A small misunderstanding can start a war. Little things mean a lot, because this is the level where we live, down at the nitty-gritty of our attitude at breakfast table, or in the long checkout line at the supermarket.

GRUMBLING IS THE VERY OPPOSITE OF THANKSGIVING. 

A complaint is the opposite of trust; a murmur against your wife when she burns your toast is the opposite of a loving acceptance. The dictionary defines a complaint as an accusation. By complaining and grumbling you are actually accusing God of mismanaging the details of your life. The attitude of thanksgiving and praise releases the power of God into our lives, but the attitude of murmuring and complaining blocks that power. 

For forty years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness and every time something went wrong, they complained bitterly and wanted to go back to the land of Egypt. Why did it take them forty years to cover less than two hundred miles? Even with women and children and cattle, they could have covered the distance in a few weeks. They were delayed because they murmured and refuse to trust that God would keep His promise to take care of their every need. In 1 Corinthians 10:10-11, the apostle Paul was speaking about the behaviour of the Israelite in their wanderings from Egypt to the Promised Land ... "And do not grumble, some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us ..." (Extract from Power In Praise by Merlin R. Carothers) 

To be a worshipper, we need to begin DISCIPLINING our lives daily with the spirit of thanksgiving. This is easier said than done because most of us would agree that we are habitual grumblers. We grumble when we miss the bus to work and when we have to work late. We complain when the car would not start or when we hit a red light or are caught in a traffic jam. Even at meal time, we unconsciously complain about the food and the poor service provided by the restaurant. The list is endless ... but let us take heed that unless we overcome this deadly habit of grumbling, complaining and murmuring, it will rob us of the blessings and joy of the Lord. 

"IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD" 1Thessalonians 5:18. The simple application of this biblical truth covers EVERY situation or circumstance in our lives.
The benefits of a thankful heart are many ... by giving thanks:
1) We are in His divine will and itself will lead us out of the wilderness experience and into a victorious walk with the Lord
2) We have immediate access to enter into His gates (His presence) and in His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 100:4, 16:11)
3) The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

No wonder the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:4 commanded us to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" and in Colossians 3:17 that "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks ..."

GRUMBLING VS THANKSGIVING
Unbelief - Faith / Trust
Defeat - Victory
Anger - Joy
In The Wilderness - In His Will 
Degradation - Transformation

Make a point today to "DISCIPLINE" your life to give thanks and count it all joy even in diverse circumstances (James 1:2) ... for ALL THINGS work together for good (Romans 8:28)

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING - PART 3

Worrying Is Like A Rocking Chair
It Will Give You Something To Do
But It Will Not Get You Anywhere
- anonymous -

In my previous post we learnt that anxieties and worries are our greatest "joy-stealers". What is the secret of overcoming anxiety? - REJOICE, REJOICE, REJOICE!!!Are you a worrier? Join the club. It's membership includes the entire human race. The dictionary describe anxiety as a noun (psychiatry) - is a relative permanent state of worry and nervousness occuring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic.
We all know from experience that worry is a fruitless activity of the mind until it results in positive action. Worry cannot change the past, but it can certainly ruin both the present and the future.
If there were one person who had every reason to be worried, it would have been the Apostle Paul. Consider the many dire situations he found himself in when he wrote Philippians 4:4-7:
- Imprisoned, chained to a Roman guard
- Awaiting trial and possible execution
- Attacked with all sorts of false accusations and criticism
- Faced with disunity and heresy in his church

(an extract from: Managing Your Emotions by Benny Ho)

Paul had all these burdens and more, yet he refused to worry. Instead, in Philippians 4:1-9, he gave us the secret to gaining victory over worry. He wrote: "Do not be ANXIOUS ..." (verse 6)
What is Paul's secret?
1) REJOICE
When Paul tells the Philippians not to worry but to instead "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS (verse 4), he is issuing a command. Rejoicing is not just an emotion of the heart. IT IS AN ACT OF THE WILL! Why does Paul command the believers to rejoice? What is the basis of our JOY? Paul continues in verse 5: "The Lord is near." God is with us - He is our ever present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1)
2) PRAYER WITH THANKSGIVING
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". (verse 6-7)
We can go through the motions of prayer, but how can this kind of peace sink into our hearts in the midst of a difficult problem? By praying with THANKSGIVING and full trust that the problem is God's. In this kind of prayer, we transfer ownership of our situation to God. There is no way to come to this place of rest unless we are able to relinquish our agenda in the situation. We must become willing for God to work it out any way He chooses, whatever the result to us. It seems scary to relinquish control, but we were never really in control anyway. And what outcome might God work out that would not be entirely good? He is completely trustworthy with our problem.
(an extract from: Walk With God Devotional by Chris Tiegreen)

3) THINK CORRECTLY 
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you".

True peaces involves not just the heart but the mind as well.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you". (Isaiah 26:3)
Wrong thinking results in wrong feelings, which in turn fuel wrong thinking. What, then should our minds be preoccupied with? Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 that we should think about whatever that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. If you are not convinced that Paul gives good advice, see what happens when we do the opposite? Now think about whatever that is false, depressing, despicable, wrong, unclean, vulgar, ugly or bad. How would you feel? Certainly not joyful; or peaceful but anxious and worried, right?

(an extract from: Managing Your Emotions by Benny Ho)
As worshipers, let us overcome the spirit of anxiety and worry with the spirit of REJOICING and THANKSGIVING! Then "the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".
Blessings
TPWC

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING - PART 1

Pray, Give Thanks And Let God Worry - Martin Luther

Philippians 4:6 is one of the most straightforward commands in Scripture, but one of the hardest to fulfill. Yet if we believe in the inspiration of Scripture, the originator of this verse is none other than the Holy Spirit.

How can God expect us to be anxiety free? He must have a reason. He wouldn’t tell us to do something that’s impossible to do. No, the rationale for this imperative comes in the words that follow. The reason we can be anxious for nothing is that our prayers, petitions, and requests can be given over to God in the spirit of GRATITUDE. Prayer with thanksgiving gives us rock-solid assurance that our anxieties are unfounded.

It is possible for a worshiper who is practicing the presence of God daily to be able to manage all his fears, anxieties and stresses. How is this possible? The answer is found in the presence of God. When you are in the presence of God, there is JOY and “The Joy of the Lord is your strength”! That is why Paul is able to give us a command in Philippians 4:4 to “REJOICE in the Lord always. I will say it again: REJOICE!” In fact a worshiper who is practicing the presence of God will be able to stay calmed in any situations because “the Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). And the result is having "the peace of God" (Philippians 4:7) in midst of all circumstances.

Can I challenge you further on the spirit of thankfulness, gratitude and rejoicing?

1) Colossians 3:15-17"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."Be thankful - that is not a suggestion; it is a command. In all that we do we need to be guided by two principles: doing it "in the name of the Lord Jesus" and "giving thanks to God through Him"

2) Ephesians 5:19
"... speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."When you are full of the Holy Spirit you will continually give God thanks. In fact, you can measure the fullness of the Spirit within you partly by the spirit of a thankful heart. When you cease to do so, it is one sure indication you are beginning to leak out

3) 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"... in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."What is the will of God in Christ Jesus? To give thanks in everything. So if you are not giving thanks, as we have already seen, you are actually out of the will of God.

GRATITUDE is an attitude that if it isn't flowing naturally now, should be cultivated zealously. Practice it often, and it will soon become as natural as breathing.

Have a joyous and victorious week!
TPWC