MARTHA KNOWS HOW - MARY KNOWS HIM (PART 1)

"Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:38-42 NIV


I would like to approach this passage of scripture in the perspective of a worshiper ...

(1)Martha Served But Mary Sat At The Feet Of Jesus (Luke 10:38-42):
We are all familiar with this one story when Jesus visited the home of the two sisters. Martha came to Him to complain about her sister, Mary. God used the story of two well-known women in the Bible to demonstrate to us the type of relationship He wants with each of us.

I get the image of a house busy with people engaged in numerous conversations around the house. Martha is running about trying to figure out how everybody is going to get fed and coordinating the logistics of cooking for all the people. Somewhere in a secluded corner the Lord Jesus Christ is calmly teaching a handful of people who are intently listening to His every word. Mary is sitting at His feet, very content and very settled.

Martha frantically rushes over to interrupt the intimate gathering. Everyone casually looks up at her as the Lord easily sets the record straight. Feeling compassion for Martha, He reassuringly says, “Martha, Martha … you are worried and upset about many things, but only ONE THING is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." After all, if Jesus could feed the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39) and the 5,000 (Matthew 14:14-21), then certainly He could handle supper for a house full of people.

Jesus said:
"ONE THING is needed ..." As worshipers, especially if you are in the ministry of worship (i.e worship minister, worship leaders, musicians, singers).

RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION FOR WORSHIP

King David said:
"ONE THING I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple" (Psalm 27:4). David's primary occupation was to seek God and His beauty. God declared David to be a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Imagine that? Wouldn't you love for God to say that about you? I know I would.

(2)Martha's Emotion vs Mary's Comfort (John 11:32)
In another story about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, the two sisters had different reactions to the news that Jesus was coming to see them after their brother Lazarus had died. There are many lessons that Jesus prepared us to see in this whole scenario. Herein we focus on the differences between the two sisters’ approaches to Jesus before He brought Lazarus back to life (kindly read John 11:17-40)

In verse 20 - Jesus was coming
- Martha took off quickly to find Jesus (impatient and anxious)
- Mary stay at home (probably waiting for Jesus)
In verse 25 and 26 - Jesus spoke to Martha but
- Martha did not really hear Jesus(verse 21-22). She was focused on what she had to say to Him. - Mary only went to see Jesus after Jesus called her (verse 28). She went without delay (at the right time).
In Verse 30 - Jesus met Mary in the same place as Martha
- Mary said the same thing as Martha, but unlike Martha complaining to Jesus, Mary worshipped at Jesus' feet(verse 32). Consequently Mary got a different response from Jesus(verse 33).
- Martha had not spent the time in God’s presence (just as in Luke 10) was overcome by her feelings did not believe. Her faith was not at a high level. Even when Jesus was ready to raise Lazarus from the dead, Martha was filled with unbelief(verse 39). Our unbelief can block God's miracles in our lives but, again Jesus lovingly corrected the situation (just as in Luke 10), when He said, “if you believed, you would see the glory of God ” (verse 40).

Both Mary and Martha were believers in the one true God. But, their walk was not the same. Martha knows how ... whereas Mary knows HIM ...

Martha's Syndrome:
Fret & Worry
Complain
Focus on feelings
Anxious
Unbelief

Mary's Solution:
Quiet
Peaceful
Prayerful
At Jesus’ feet
Faith

To be continued next week ... (3) Martha Served While Mary Worshiped (John 12:3)
Blessed week
TPWC

GOODBYE GRUMBLINGS!

He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,

and he prepares the way so that I may show him

the salvation of God.

Psalm 50:23

Continuing from last week's post on - "A Deeper Gratitude", this week a TPWC's member posted an interesting question on her Facebook's status:"How do we know the will of God for us so that we can be in the centre of it?" There were many enlightening and inspiring answers .....
I gave my input with a perspective of a worshiper and thought it would be good for us to know that the easiest & fastest way to be in the centre of God's will is to walk in the spirit of THANKFULNESS! 1 Thessalonians 5:18 speaks so clearly "IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD!"

There is something very powerful and transforming if we dare live a life of walking in the spirit of thankfulness. God's will easily fall in place in everything we do. On the contary we will struggle like the Israelite in the "wilderness of God's will" if we choose a life of complaining, grumbling or murmuring. In 1 Corinthians 10:10-11, the apostle Paul was speaking about the behaviour of the Israelites in their wanderings from Egypt to the Promised Land ... "And don't MURMUR against God and His dealings with you, as some of them did for that is why God sent His Angel (of death) to destroy them. All these happended to them as examples to warn us against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them."

In spite of the many miracles God had performed to deliver them from slavery, the Israelites didn't trust God. Everytime something went wrong, they COMPLAINED bitterly and wanted to go back to 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.

So what's 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 counselor will tell you that a marriage usually breaks up over little things. It takes only a small nail to puncture a tire. A small mistake by a mechanic can cause the crash of a giant airliner. 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 comes so easily to all of us that we often don't even realise what we are doing. But 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. You know what? By complaining and grumbling you are actually accusing God of mismanaging the details of your life. The attiutde of thanksgiving and praise releases the power of God into our lives, but the attitude of murmuring and complaining blocks that power.

Our compliants and murmurings against God in the little things can keep us from entering into the perfect plan He has for our lives. The cause of the Israelites' murmuring was UNBELIEF, and UNBELIEF is the root of every one of our complaints. Unbelief, like all sin is a deliberate act of rebellion against God. We can choose whether or not to believe. The first step in dealing with any sin is confession ... admitting to the Lord that we are habitual grumblers, and confessing and asking God for forgiveness. Then we make an agreement with God not to grumble and promise instead to thank Him for every little thing that used to make us grumble. In practice, we will find that the Lord will bring into our lives the very kinds of circumstances that used to trigger our grumbling. When we see them coming, we can thank and praise God, because He is using those very incidents to bring about change in us. Once they made us stumlbe; now they will show us God's strength. Accepting every little thing that happens with joy and thanksgiving will release the power of God in and through us.

To be a worshiper, we need to begin disciplining our lives daily with the spirit of thanksgiving. The benefits of a thankful heart are many ... by giving thanks:
- We are in His divine will (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
- We have immediate access into His presence (Psalm 100:4, 16:11)
- The joy of the Lord will be our strength (Nehemiah 8:10)

Rejoice in the Lord, Always! (Philippians 4:4)
TPWC

A DEEPER GRATITUDE

Be Thankful
Colossians 3:15

Does joyful gratitude characterize our life? Does our hearts dwell in a culture of thankfulness? It should. When was the last time we were so overjoyed with God's work in our life that our praise began flowing spontaneously?If we have a hard time answering that question, ask ourself why? Is it because God has not blessed us enough? Or is it because we have failed to thank Him for His blessings?
Hebrew 12:28 says that gratitude is an acceptable offering to God. Why? Because it acknowledges Who He is better than any other attitude. It recognizes that He is a Blesser, a Giver, a Redeemer of incomparable worth. Gratitude sees God as He is. Here are four statements about thankfulness - requirement, really - from four different Epistles of apostle Paul:

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 see, you are actually out of the will of God.
4) Philippians 4:6
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
Never bring a request to God without thanksgiving. There is nothing wrong with petitioning God for His help, but there is something tragically wrong with failing to thank Him often. Cultivate in your life a culture of gratitude.

The essentials of a Grateful Heart:
- It provides access to God's presence (Psalm 100:4)
- It unlocks the supernatural miracle power of God (John 6:11-12 the feeding of the five thousand)
- It ascribes glory to God by acknowledging His goodness (Psalm 107:1)
- It testifies to His character in the eyes of the world (Exodus 34:6-7; Colossians 3:17)
- It keeps us in His will (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

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.

Give Thanks!
TPWC

A DEEPER PRAISE

About Midnight Paul And Silas

Were Praying And Singing Hymns To God,

And The Other Prisoners Were Listening To Them

Acts 16:25

What do we do when our hostile environment seems to get the best of us? If we're like most people, we fight back, lament our losses, or just get depressed. Not Paul and Silas. They sat in a dirty Philippian jail in the dark of night singing hymns to God.

The reason they were in jail to begin with was because they were obedient to God. They cast out the demon out of the servant girl, but in doing so, they undermined an entire fortune-telling enterprise. Those who had been exploiting the girl's "talent" set them up on false charges - a reaction many people have when losing money. So Paul and Silas sat in a cell with a song in their hearts.

They could WORSHIP enthusiatically because they realised that their opponents had only seemed to get the best of them. They knew that circumstances can be misleading. They understood that the enemy's tactics are superficial scare tactics. Satan can create all kinds of situation havoc, but he cannot disturb the Spirit within us. If that's where we dwell - if we are immersed in the SPIRIT OF GOD - the difference between a five star hotel and a Greek jail cell is minimal.

Where do we dwell? If we are easily swayed by our circumstances, our quality of life will be manipulated by the enemy of God. If we live at a DEEPER LEVEL than that, grounded in the WORD OF GOD and filled with HIS SPIRIT, our quality of life cannot be shaken. Every situation will be an opportunity to WORSHIP, or at least to acknowledge the sovereignty of the Father.

This is a crucial principle to grasp if we are going to maintain our sanity in the hostile environment of a fallen world. We cannot live zealously for Jesus while living as a victim of circumstance. We have to read between the lines of our life and recognize both the enemy's surface tactics and the underlying will of God. The spiritual war requires great focus - and the ability to WORSHIP in dark places.
(an extract from Wonder Of The Cross by Chris Tiegreen)

What do we do "whenever we face trials of many kinds?" Or when we are walking through the "valley of the shadow of death?" James 1:2-3 tells us to consider it pure joy and to PERSEVERE. Paul commands us to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Philippians 4:4). We cannot do what Paul and Silas do if we have not been living and practising a life of praise and worship DAILY. The level of our praise and worship have to transcend beyond the weekend corporate worship. It must take DEEPER ROOT through our daily private praise (which include offering sacrifice of praise which is the fruit of our lips - Hebrews 13:15)

Midnight (speaks of hard times) loud (prisoners heard them) Praise and Worship are powerful:
- there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of prison were shaken
- immediately all prison doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed
- Jailor and households were saved

TPWC

A DEEPER WORSHIP

God Is Spirit

And His Worshipers Must Worship

In Spirit And In Truth

John 4:24

As we step into the New Year, what will be our worship like? Is it a Sunday ritual or a frenzied emotion that you can put on and take off? Is it limited to one style of music or a particular church? Most important, is more than skin deep?
God seeks those whose worship emanates from deep within. He desires legitimate praise and integrity between heart and mouth. He wants to be the One we treasure most. Most of all, He wants you. ALL OF YOU!

What is worship? What does it means to present yourself as a "living sacrifice"? Is there a set time and place for it, or does it encompass ALL of our lives? Considering the priority the Bible places on true worship - and Jesus' declaration that real worship is what God is after - these are enormously important questions. Considering the central role of worship in the life of a believer, it is our entire reason for being, as well as the eternal activity of the saints in heaven, according to the Word - we might do well to consider what God wants it to be like.

Does He prefer informal or formal? Ritualistic or spontaneous? Noisy or quiet? Dignified or recklessly passionate? Nearly everyone has an opinion on these alternatives, but they aren't really the heart of the issue. What God desires most has less to do with how we express our worship than with the spirit behind it. In our adoration of our Creator, God seeks inspiration and integrity and a spirit of sacrifice. He wants our outward expression to match our inward attitudes. He wants us not to worship ignorantly, but to know who He is. He wants it to be real
(an extract from Worship The King - Chris Tiegreen)

Today, God is still seeking, searching and longing for worshipers who will choose to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). Be that worshiper that God is after.

Be blessed - invite you to join me in worship with this inspiring song - YOU ARE THE ONE by Paul Baloche & Lincon Brewster

Blessed New Year! -TPWC

HALLELUJAH - PRAISE YE THE LORD

Let Everything That Has Breath

Praise The Lord.
Psalm 150 : 6

As we conclude the year 2009 and step into 2010, let us offer our thanksgiving, praise and worship by declaring Psalm 150 - PRAISE THE LORD! The word "PRAISE" is used thirteen times in this psalm, and ten of those times, we are commanded to "PRAISE HIM"

The word "HALLELU YAH" - Hallelujah - means "Praise The Lord!" Jehovah (or Yah, for Yahweh) is the covenant name of the Lord. It reminds us that He loves us and has convenanted to save us, keep us, care for us, and eventually glorify us, because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His Son, on the cross. The new covenant was not sealed by the blood of animal sacrifices but by the precious blood of Christ.

Jehovah God is the "power name" of God - El Elohim, and this reminds us that whatever He promises, He is able to perform. Worship is not about the worshiper and his or her needs; it is about God and His glory, honor and power. Certainly we bring our burdens and needs with us into the sanctuary (1 Peter 5:7), but we focus our attention on the Lord.

"You Are Worthy, O Lord,
To receive Glory And Honor And Power;
For You Created All Things,
And By Your Will They Exist And Were Created."
Revelation 4:11

All true praise and worship must begin and remain centered on God and His absolute worthiness to receive all glory, honor and power. There are no techniques for worship, here; no instructions for the praise band - just a number of doorways for you to open to the vast realms of praise await us all.

"Great Is The Lord And Most Worthy Of Praise."

1 Chronicles 16:25.

God is not just worthy of praise, He is MOST WORTHY of praise. In other words, whatever praise we can give Him, He deserves it. We cannot overestimate His worth because He is worth more than anything.

Right now would you join me with your voices, or songs, or instruments, or dances to PRAISE THE LORD by declaring Psalm 150?

Praise God in his sanctuary;
Praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
Praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
Praise him with the harp and lyre,
Ppraise him with tambourine and dancing,
Praise him with the strings and flute,
Praise him with the clash of cymbals,
Praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord.
PRAISE THE LORD.

Blessed New Year!
TPWC

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS - WORSHIP

Christmas is a time of joy and giving. Christians all over the world commemorate this occasion because "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ that whosoever believes shall not perish but have everlasting life" - John 3:16

In our celebration, we proclaim the Good News with carols on the streets and we expressed the God's love to the world with our gifts to the needy and the orphans. In the midst of all these activities, do you know that the spirit of Christmas is WORSHIP? All those who came to meet Jesus WORSHIPED ...

The Wisemen
"Where is the one who has been born king of Jews? we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." (Matthew 2:2)
"On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh " (Matthew 2:11 - note: worship before gifts)

The Angels
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appreared with angel praising God saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men ..." (Luke 2:13)

The Shepherds
"The shepherds returned, glorifying God for all the things they had heard and seen ..." (Luke 2:20)

Simeon The Godly Man
"... Simeon, who was a righteous and devout ...took Him in his arms and praised God ..." (Luke 2:25-33)

The Prophetess Anna
" ... she gave thanks to God ..." (Luke 2:36-38)

We must remember Jesus not as a baby but as our One and only LORD and SAVIOR - the greatest gift God has given to men. He gave His life for us. He suffered and died ... His LOVE, His GRACE, His GLORY ... the most precious gift men have ever received - SALVATION!
As we celebrate this year's Christmas, let us reserve the best gift for our Lord - WORSHIP. Right now join me in simple praise and worship from your heart & spirit ... JESUS IS THE REASON for the season.

CHRISTmas is all about CHRIST our Saviour Who came to this world to save us (John 3:16) but the world has crossed & deleted the word CHRIST and replaced it with an "X" and called it Xmas

Blessed Christmas!
TPWC

BOWING DOWN IN WORSHIP - PART 2

Shachah

The Hebrew word for worship, which means

"to bow down, to worship"

Several Bible Characters personally met God

bowing down in worship.

We can learn from their experiences

what is involved in true spiritual worship that pleases God.

1) ABRAHAM
"Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground (Gen 18:2)".

"Bowing down in worship" is first used in the Bible in Genesis 18. As you read this chapter, you see Abraham illustrating two aspects of worship - In the first half of the chapter he's busy as a servant of God; in the second half, he's standing still and conversing as the friend of God. As believers, we are both servants and friends (John 15:15), and both roles are essential for a balance worship experience.
Worship and service go together - "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Matt 4:10). Service is worship if we 're serving the Lord and giving Him our BEST (Rom 12:1). Abraham had often worshiped the Lord at the altar and offered up his choicest sacrifices, but now he was personally worshiping Him by serving Him a meal.

The last half of the chapter records a contrasting scene. Abraham isn't running here and there giving orders; he's standing quitetly before the Lord, talking with Him about the situation in the cities plain. And as a friend of God, the Lord shared His plan and asked him: "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?" The Lord approached Abraham to discuss the situation about Sodom and Gomorrah. Noticed friends of the Master know what He is doing (John 15:15). Worshipers know His ways!

2) JOB
"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship"(Job 1:20).

Job's initial response to the first wave of trials was to humble himself and worship. His livelihood (i.e his oxen and donkeys) had been. His transportation (i.e his camels) had been stolen. And His children (i.e his legacy) had been killed. All of this in one day! And Job's first reaction, after his inital shock and grief, was not anger, not questions, and not apostasy. IT WAS WORSHIP. He violated every psychologist's formula for the stages of grief.
How could Job do such a thing? He knew, deep down in his heart, two essential facts that most of us question from time to time:
(a) God is sovereign
(b) God is good
Job could worship because whatever was happening, it was under the sovereign hand of a really good God. He didn't know why bad things were happening, but he knew who watched over him.And despite circumstances, he knew that the One who watched over him was WORTHY!
When lives fall apart, we're inclined to accuse God of not living up to His end of the bargain. Job remembered that he was not in a bargaining position - never had been. All he had received from God was from His mercy. He knew that it was now gone had nothing to do with God's character. That 's why Job could said in verse 21 "Naked I came from my mother's womb,and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

When our trials weigh heavily upon us - even when crisis strikes - we must remember the unchanging, merciful God.

"COME LET US BOW DOWN IN WORSHIP, LET US KNEEL BEFORE THE LORD OUR MAKER." Psalm 95:6
Blessed Week!
TPWC

BOWING DOWN IN WORSHIP

Come let us sing for joy to the LORD;

let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before Him with thanksgiving

and extol Him with music and song

For the LORD our God is the great God,

the great King above all gods ...

Come, let 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,

the flockunder His care.

Psalm 95:1-7

There is a beautiful progression here that brings us into the immediate presence of God. The Psalmist in Psalm 95:1-2 tells us how we should praise Him - it starts with loud and jubilant praise and thanksgiving: "Let us sing for joy ... let us shout aloud ... " God encourages us to express freely our praises and our thanksgiving. Then Psalm 95:3-5 tells us why we should praise Him - for the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods!

Then, as we go further, the mood changes: "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (Ps 95:6-7)." Praise and thanksgiving lead us on to worship. Worship is not so much an utterance as an attitude. It is bowing down, kneeling - even at times prostrating ourselves before God. Every part of our being and every area of our personality is involved. All unite in total, unreserved submission to God.

Praise means looking up, but worship means bowing down. Alas, some people who enjoy lifting their hands and shouting do not enjoy bowing their knees and submitting. True worship is much deeper than communal praise, for worship involves realizing the awesomeness of God and experiencing THE FEAR OF THE LORD and A DEEPER LOVE FOR HIM. Too often, Christian "praise" is nothing but religious entertainment and it never moves into spiritual enrichment in the presence of the Lord. Our singing must give way to silence as we bow before the Lord. He alone is JEHOVAH, the LORD, the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He is our MAKER (Ps 95:6b) and our SHEPHERD (Ps 95:7a). He made us, He saved us and He cares for us! Why should we hesitate to fall before Him in worship?

The pathway that the psalmist here describes takes us through praise and thanksgiving into worship and stillness before God. When we come into this attitude of worship, we are able to hear God speaking directly to us. That is why the psalmist continues, "Today, if you hear His voice ..." (Ps 95:7b)

Bow down and worship God! - HE IS WORTHY! \0/\0/\0/
TPWC

THE WORTH OF YOUR WORSHIP

"All this I will give you," he said,

"if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan!

For it is written:

'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' "
Matthew 4: 9-10

We learnt in the last post, the Lord is MOST WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE. Jesus is MOST WORTHY of our worship, yet at the same time He demostrated true worship for us in the flesh. The worshiped became the worshiper for a brief moment in time when he came to this world as the incarnate God. He's our key to how worship ought to work.

His lesson in human worship begins for us in His temptation. Satan, the enemy of anything and anyone who honours God instead of him, waved his withered hand toward all the kingdom of the world and promised them to Jesus in exchange for the Son's worship. It was a monumental request for Jesus to flip the switch of our universe so that all worship would flow in the opposite direction from it's true course. If the Son had worshiped the rebel, the tide would have turned. God would have given up His place as rightful Lord. But that's a temptation we're faced with daily. Our sinful flesh and our number one adversary try to distract us, to distort our motives and our vision, and to get us to tell a monumental lie. A corrupted world, still firmly gripped by the chief rebel, still waves it's kingdoms in front of us and tells us we can have them - at least intriguing and provocative pieces of them. A little misplaced ambition here, a little greed and lust there, and suddenly we're lying about worthiness of God. We're worshiping the unworthy. We've tried to flip the switch ourselves because we want the current of the universe to run in the direction of our cravings.

It won't work. Jesus is our model. He knew up front that the kingdoms of the world were a pitiful reward for forsaking the true God. That thought has to permeate our thinking so that our response in temptation is always an automatic reflection of verse 10: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only."

(An extract from Worship The King - by Chris Tiegreen)

Have A Victorious Week!

TPWC

MOST WORTHY!

GREAT IS THE LORD

AND MOST WORTHY OF PRAISE
1 Chronicles 16:25

God is not just worthy of praise, He is MOST WORTHY of praise. In other words, whatever praise we can give Him, He deserves it. We cannot overestimate His worth because He is worth more than anything.

Think of how that applies to our lives. We might wonder if it's worth giving up possession or a habit for Him, but if He's worth more than anything, the answer is clear. We might consider giving up our career or our ambitions for Him, and we wonder if it will be a worthwhile gift. But if He's worth more than we can imagine, it is. We may wonder if our praise, worship, and sacrifice will be worth the payoff to us, but we're asking the wrong question. Whether it's worth it to us is not the point; He's worthy of it. That's all that matters.

There is no greater investment than God. Whatever we can give to Him, pour out of our hearts to Him, lay down before Him, and do for Him, it's a profoundly worthwhile offering because it is directed toward a profoundly worthy God. No gift is lost on Him. No sacrifice for Him is ever considered unimportant in His eyes.

Consider what you have to offer Him. Your obedience? It is never about earning His favour; it's about offering your best. Your purity? It isn't because He's a joykiller but because He wants you for Himself - and He deserves you. Your possessions? They are meaningless trinkets in His eyes, and He wishes you could loose your grip on them. Your time? You have an eternity before you; there's no need to spend time on yourself. Your talents? He gave them to you so that you could worship Him in ways no one else can. Your relationships? The God of relationships wants to demostrate His peace and His love in them.

What are you holding on to? Lay it down. Give it to Him. It's right to do so. He's worthy of whatever you have.
(Extract from - Worship The King by Chris Tiegreen)

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" - Revelation 5:12

The Lord Is MOST WORTHY! - TPWC

THE 4th MAN IN THE BIBLE

WHO IS THE 4th MAN?
Let me tell you Who He is in every book of the Bible

THE OLD TESTAMENT :

In Genesis He is the Seed of the Woman.
In Exodus He is the Passover Lamb.
In Leviticus He is our High Priest.
In Numbers He is the Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night.
In Deuteronomy He is the Prophet like unto Moses.
In Joshua He is the Captain of our Salvation.
In Judges He is our Judge and Lawgiver.
In Ruth He is our Kinsman Redeemer.
In I and II Samuel He is our Trusted Prophet.
In Kings and Chronicles He is our Reigning King.
In Ezra He is our Faithful Scribe.
In Nehemiah He is the Rebuilder of the Broken Down Walls of our human life.
In Esther He is our Mordecai.
In Job He is our Dayspring from on high and our Ever-Living Redeemer.
In Psalms He is the Lord our Shepherd.
In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes He is our Wisdom.
In the Song of Solomon He is our Lover and the Bridegroom.
In Isaiah He is the Prince of Peace.
In Jeremiah He is the Righteous Branch.
In Lamentations He is the Weeping Prophet.
In Ezekiel He is the Wonderful Four-Faced Man.
In Daniel He is the Fourth Man in the burning fiery furnace.
In Hosea He is the Faithful Husband, forever married to the backslider.
In Joel He is the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost and Fire.
In Amos He is our Burden-Bearer.
In Obadiah He is the Mighty to Save.
In Jonah He is our Great Foreign Missionary.
In Micah He is the Messenger of Beautiful Feet, of carrying the Gospel.
In Nahum He is the Avenger of God's Elect.
In Habakkuk He is God's Evangelist, crying, "Revive thy work in the midst of the years."
In Zephaniah He is the Savior.
In Haggai He is the Restorer of God's Lost Heritage.
In Zechariah He is the Fountain Opened in the House of David for sin and uncleanness.
And in Malachi He is the Son of Righteousness, rising with healing in His wings.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

In Matthew He is the Messiah.
In Mark He is the Wonder-worker.
In Luke He is the Son of Man.
In John He is the Son of God.
In Acts He is the Holy Spirit.
In Romans He is our Justifier.
In Corinthians He is the Gifts of the Spirit.
In Galatians He is the Redeemer from the curse of the law.
In Ephesians He is the Christ on Unreachable Riches.
In Philippians He is the God Who Supplies All Our Needs.
In Colossians He is the Godhead Bodily.
In ! and II Thessalonians He is our Soon-Coming King.
In I and II Timothy He is our Mediator between God and Man.
In Titus He is our Faithful Pastor.
In Philemon He is a Friend that Sticketh Closer that a Brother.
In Hebrews He is the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant.
In James He is the Great Physician.
In I an II Peter He is the Chief Shepherd who soon shall appear with a crown of unfading glory.
In I, II, and III John He is Everlasting Love.
In Jude He is the Lord Coming with Ten Thousands of his Saints.
And in revelation He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Source - Sermon by Oral Roberts (www.orm.cc)
Blessings
TPWC

THE 4th MAN

In my last post I shared about the Fourth Man - We are familiar with the story in the Book of Daniel when King Nebuchadnezzar threw the three Hebrew slaves into the fiery furnance, but when he looked into the flame, he saw not only three men walking around, but also the form of a Fourth Man in the fire (Daniel 3). And the Fourth looked like the Son of God.

"There is a fiery atmosphere to be found in the Shekinah Glory of God's presence, it is a blazing inferno in which the Fourth Man, Jesus Christ, reveals Himself. In this fire, bondages are burned away (the ropes were burned off the hands of the Hebrew men). In this fire, there are manifestations of the Glory of God. There are healings and miracles; there is power to be delivered from demonic snares; there is a holy anointing that causes unbelievers to fall on their face in conviction to confess their sin". Graphic by Russ Drinkard

Bob Sorge in his book - Following The River, shared that when we speak of worship being an organic entity that finds it's own energy in the dynamism of the river (River of the Lord or the anointing of the Lord); there is also the dynamism of the "unholy river" found in secular music.

One of the most fascinating advents of the rock-n-roll era has been the uncommon legacy of an American band called "The Grateful Dead." The driving force of the band was guitarist Jerry Garcia, who led the band with his innovative chord sequences and colourful harmonics. The group toured regularly from the late 1960's until Garcia's death in 1995.

The band would go through their customary songs during their concerts but then at some point would shift gears. Turning from their prepared repertoire, they would launch out into an improvisational riff, find a groove that was working musically, and then begin to push the envelope. The drummer would throw in unusual syncopations; the guitars would whine and scream creatively; the keyboard would strain for colour and dissonance. Together they would move out to the edge of almost losing one another musically, but yet would follow each other's improvisational iniatives closely enough so that they stayed together. Occasionally, the band would catch a wave of momentum, an emotional energy would ripple through the auditorium, a power would grip both the band members and the audience, and the concert would take off into another dimension - they have found "it."

When this happened - whatever it was - the concert hall became an explosive altar or spiritual encounter. Everybody in the place knew that a line had been crossed, the transition had been made, and now the night became a pulsating celebration of connectedness to a cosmic consciousness. It became unclear whether the band or the audience was leading, as the concert became a participatory dance that included every attendee. It was spirit, and it was palpably real. The spiritual atmosphere that filled the concerts was so powerfully compelling, in fact, that many fans became spiritual followers, actually making the Grateful Dead their religion. They called themselves Dead Heads.

When the band performs, Mickey Hart (one of the band members) coined a term to describe what was happening. He would say, "It's when the 7th man shows up." Bob asked his friends what he meant by that term. Apparently there were six people in the band at the time he coined the phrase. He was recognizing that there was a power present in the concert that went beyond the members of the band. There was a spiritual presence which gave to the band an impact. The Greatful Dead had found the river - "the unholy river." (for more information check it our at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grateful_Dead - The Grateful Dead’s early music was part of the process of establishing what "psychedelic music" was, but theirs was essentially a "street party" form of it. )

Worshippers, the point that Bob Sorge wants to make is that where there is the counterfeit (let's not forget that Satan, the master counertfeit was also once a worship leader in the heavenlies), it is a testimony to the existence of the genuine. The experiences of a secular band only serve to substantiate that there is a reality that is available to us in God - a river of divine glory that can be touched in corporate worship.

When they touched their river, they described it as "when the seventh man shows up." But when we touch our river, let's call it "When the Fourth MAN shows up." (Daniel 3:24-25)
(An extract from : Following The River - A Vision For Corporate Worship by Bob Sorge)

When the worship leader & band by the grace of the Lord is able to let their music flow in the anointing of the River of God or explode in the Fire of His Glory, we can expect the Fourth Man to show up

Next Post .... Who Is The Fourth Man?

Blessings / TPWC

PASSION FOR THE GLORY OF GOD - PART2

What are the keys to unlock the doors and windows of heaven so that we can access into the Glory Realm? These are not passing questions but are realities which worshipers who have experienced His Glorious Presence would understand what I am talking about.

A) The Key to His Glory - Corporately
What do I mean when I speak about an "OPEN HEAVEN"? Tommy Tenny author of the best selling book - The God Chaser explained it as a place of Easy Access to God. He shared that the Word of God tells us that there are five distinct and definite things that open the windows of heavens:

1) Tithing - is an ancient key to the heavenlies that predates the giving of the law of Abraham (Genesis 14:18-20). The principle of giving God the "firstfruits" of our income or increase is clearly described in the Book of Malachi:
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, " says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:10 NKJV).

2) Persecution - also opens the heavens, as demostrated in the Book of Acts when Stephen was martyred:
But he, being full of the Holy Spirit gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" Then they cried out with a loud voice ... and they cast him out of the city and stoned him (Acts 7:55-58a NKJV).

3) Persistence - is an effective tool for "prying open" the gates of Heaven. Elijah prayed seven times and kept sending his servant back to search the skies until, on the seventh time, the servant saw a cloud the size of a man's hand rise from the sea. That tiny cloud from God grew into such a powerful storm that the skies were turned black with rain and wind (1 Kings 18:42-45). Jesus told the disciples that the "door" would be opened to those who persistently ask, seek, and knock on God's door (Matthew 7:7-8).

4) Unity - will open the windows of Heaven; it invites God's presence wherever two or three agree "Concerning anything that they ask." Jesus literally said, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV)

5) Worship - is the fifth key to the third heaven. David the psalmist prophesied, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in." (Psalm 24:7 NKJV)
(An extract from God's Favourite House - "If You Build It, He will Come" - By Tommy Tenney)
B) THE KEYS INTO HIS GLORY REALM - Worship Leaders / Individuals

6) Hunger & Desperation - This is what Tommy Tenney is talking about - Chasing after God! Just like Moses asking the Lord to show him His face. There must be the spirit of desperation to meet the Lord in each service. Worship Leader should choose songs that are simple so that the people can just worship instead on trying to remember the words of the song.

7) Praise & Worship - Praise until the Spirit of Worship comes. Worship ... until the Glory comes. Then ... stand in the Glory. This secret was shared by Ruth Ward Heflin in her book - Glory, Experiencing the Atmosphere of Heaven. Each time the worship leader is able to lead the people to praise in unity, he creates a platform not only for the Lord's visitation but His inhabitation. As you lead the people in worship, the worship leader should not rush or be concern about the song list; the Lord would often give us certain song to unlock the door into the His glory. The manifestation of His Glory is not forced but it is spontaneous (by His pleasure, grace & favour - you just know it. When the Glory of the Lord falls, we just stand in His Glory and let Him lead the service ... the manifestation of the Fourth Man - Jesus Christ.

Note : It is this kind of Glory Realm when you wait for the leading of the Holy Spirit to step in faith to execute the Creative Miracles (Glory Invasion by David Herzog)

8) Expecting the Fourth Man - We are familiar with the story in the Book of Daniel when King Nebuchadnezzar threw the three Hebrew slaves into the fiery furnance, but when he looked into the flame, he saw not only three men walking around, but also the form of a Fourth Man in the fire (Daniel 3). And the Fourth looked like the Son of God. There is a fiery atmosphere to be found in His Shekinah Glory, it is a blazing inferno in which the Fourth Man, Jesus Christ, reveals Himself. In this fire, bondages are burned away (the ropes were burned off the hands of the Hebrew men). In this fire, there are manifestations of the Glory of God. There are healings and miracles; there is power to be delivered from demonic snares; there is a holy anointing that causes unbelievers to fall on their face in conviction to confess their sins.
When a worship band by the grace of the Lord is able to let their music flow in the anoint of the River of God or explode the Fire of His Anointing or we can expect the Fourth Man to show up. (Following The River by Bob Sorge)

Blessings
TPWC

PASSION FOR THE GLORY OF GOD - PART1

Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence

Moses was one such a passionate person who chased after the Glory of God. He prayed, "Please show me Your Glory" (Exodus 33:18). The fact that God answered his prayer is proof that God is willing to hear and answer our cries for His Glory. The backdrop to Moses' prayer is strategically important. A number of significant events preceded this prayer which deserve our attention. Few men in the Bible had encounters with God's Glory like Moses did. It all began the day that Moses saw a bush that was burning in the wilderness but wasn't comsumed.

Let's review his encouters with God's Glory and power:
- At the burning bush encounter, he heard God's audible voice ordering him to take his shoes off because he was standing on holy ground. God proceeded to call him verbally to lead His people from Egypt to the promised land. (Exodus 3)
- He threw his rod down, and it became a serpent; then he picked the serpent up by the tail, and it was a rod again. (Exodus 4:1-5)
- He put his hand into his bosom, pulled it out, and it was leprous; he returned his hand into his bosom, and when he withdrew it again, it was healthy. (Exodus 4:6-7)
- He watched ten fearful plagues invaded Egypt: blood, frogs, lice, flies, pestilence, boils, hails, locusts, darkness and death. (Exodus 7 to 11)
- A protective misty cloud clung breathlessly to the ground between Israel and Egypt's army while a fierce gale blew over the adjacent sea, dividing the waters. (Exodus 14:19-21)
- They walked through the sea, on dry ground, with a wall of water on this side and that. (Exodus 14:22)
- On the opposite shore they watched as the sea returned upon itself, killing Pharoah's entire army. (Exodus 14:26-28)
- The bitter waters of Marah were made potable by casting a piece of wood into the waters. (Exodus15:25)
- Manna from heaven appeared on the ground, and water poured forth from a rock when Moses struck it. (Exodus 16 to 17:7)
- Then, they came to the mountain where God Himself descended in fire and a thick cloud. Huge plumes of smoke billowed into the sky, there was lightning and thunder, the entire mountain shook ... and they heard the voice of God Himself. Then, He said to Moses, "Come on up!" Moses climbed the mountain at God's command and lived for two sets of forty days in the fire of God's Glory upon the mountain. (Exodus 19)

Then Moses asked to be shown God's Glory, and God showed him His back. (Exodus 33:12-23)

The above chronology is the general increase of intensity in Moses' encounters with God's Glory. The progression launches with his seeing a burning bush and culminates in his seeing God's back. There are varying degrees of intensity of Presence, and there are varying degrees of intensity of Glory. For example, when we praise Him together, the Lord sits enthroned among His people. This dimension of His presence is so palpable that we can often sense His presence with us as we worship Him together. And then we enter that sphere where we move from the Presence Realm to the Glory Realm. (The Glory Realm or The Glory Zone were discussed in the last 2 posts)

What Exactly Is The Glory Realm? When we ask to be shown His Glory (personal or corporate), what are we asking for? In Moses' encounters we see two-fold description:
The first aspect of Glory - is found in His words "I will make all My goodness pass before you" (Exodus 33:19); where it is perceived by one or more of the five senses. It is an encounter where you literally see, hear, smell, taste, or actually feel spiritual realities. (We have discussed these tangible manifestations in the last 3 posts on The Shekinah Glory of God)
The second aspect of Glory - is described in the Lord's next phrase of verse 19, "And I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you." God was saying, "Moses, I am going to proclaim My name before you in such a way that it goes beyond a physical hearing and becomes a true spiritual hearing. It's not just a sensory experience, but it's also an experience whereby the Holy Spirit supernaturally enables us to comprehend spiritual truth in our inner man so that we might know Him a greater and deeper dimension. Wow!
The two-fold definition of Glory is consistent with the apostle John's experience (as well as many others in the Bible). As per his account in Revelation 1, John literally saw the risen Christ with his natural eyes, but the experience didn't stop there. Jesus then proclaimed His name to John: "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death." (Revelation 1:8, 18). John's heart must have nearly exploded with the revelation insight of Christ's words as He spoke these awesome truths straight into John's spirit. John not only saw and heard, he also understood. This Is Glory - the invasion of God's reality into the human sphere!
(An extract from GLORY - When Heaven Invades Earth by Bob Sorge)

As a worshiper, you will always be grateful for His Presence, but you'll never be satisfied until you touch His Glory. The church was birthed in Glory! Right from the beginning at Acts 2, God breathed Glory into the DNA of what our coporate identity is all about. We were created for Glory (Isaiah 43:7). You've been promised Presence, but Glory is in your genetics.

Next post ... How do we touch the Glory Realm?
Blessings - TPWC