Monday, June 30, 2008

Seek God

It's 7:12 on Monday Morning. I'm already at work, what a blessing! No, really, I am glad to be at work this early i think. Last night was amazing! I went to worship my God with Travis Cottrell. Being brought to God's throne to worship Him last night was simply powerful. I felt a great Presence of God in that place and can't even put into words how I felt. I read this verse this morning,

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." - 1 Peter 3:12


I think wow... After worshipping God in a refreshing way last night, this is exactly what I needed. I came to a point last night that reminded me that I am a child of the King. Anything in my life needs to be going to Him. Any situations or struggles all need to be laid at His feet and not try and deal with anything in my strengths. I am a worshipper first. I really don't deserve to worship an almighty God, but since He is a God of Love, I can go to His throne anytime.

Jack

Saturday, June 28, 2008

God's Love

"Oh Love of God, How Rich and Pure. How measureless and strong. It shall forevermore endure. The saints' and angels' song." - Fredrick M. Lehman


The thought above, God's love being rich and poor. What a great thought? This hymn was written in 1917 and yet, the word's above ring so true today. I can not think about wrapping my brain around God's love. This hymn had the first two verses and chorus was written following the third verse. The third verse was written on the walls of a patient of an insane asylum. No one had even found the words written on his wall until after he'd been carried to his death. What makes this so amazing is how powerful these words are. I'm sure God had given them to this person. Read Below.

"Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky."

What powerful words. I think it's so important to know what we sing and where it comes from. So many times, we like a beat but we forget the Words of a song. The melodies are nice, but so is these words that are mainly ordained by God. I am a worshipper first and I thank God for the love He has for every single one of us.

Jack

Pictures of Biltmore

I wanted to share some pictures from a recent trip to Biltmore. God has some awesome beauty in his creation.







Friday, June 27, 2008

The Presence of God

"I want the Presence of God Himself, or I don't want anything to do with religion." - A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

What a thought above! The Presence of God is so many times in our churches taken for granted. It's something that is abused and told to be in a box or conformed to a service order. I remember sitting in a meeting with Dr. Stanley a few months ago, and we were discussing changes that needed to be made to the service. Rodney brought up the fact that the Order of Service that was being printed in the bulliten was making it hard to really do anything other than what is written. His point was that planning is fine, but if he wanted to change something that God had laid on his heart after a certain point, he couldn't. Dr. Stanley looked at all of us and said, "Well, you can't program the Holy Spirit." and he's very right. So many times, as Baptist or as Christians, we think that if we plan our services a certain way, that God will move during this song or this prayer, when the truth is the Presence of God should be felt everyday. Proverbs 8:30 says, "I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind." I need to be praying daily to experiance His Presence. Whether it be at Work, School, Home, with Friends. I need to be praying for the discernment to be able to sense the Prescence of a Holy God. I am a Worshipper first, not anything other than a Worshipper of my God. I pray daily that I don't worry about the things of this world, because I have a God who will protect me through it all.

Jack

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Perfect Praise

Today has been a day where all I've been able to do, is Praise God for the blessings he gives us. We are a country going through economic and political hardships. (I still don't know who to vote for) and yet, God is good and He's in control. So why am I praising Him so fervently today? Because not only is He worthy but He demands it.
Psalm 8:2 says, "from the lips of children and infants you have ordained PRAISE because of your enemies to silence the foe and the avenger." What a thought???? God has ordained the Praises of Children to silence and stop the enemy. If you've ever heard a child pray, that's what I think is their way of Praising God. It's so sweet and awesome to hear a child pray for every family member by name and to thank God for them. To hear them pray for their church and for different people and things in their life. What an awesome thought??? And to think that something as awesome as that is God ordained! I was singing the Majesty and Glory of Your Name yesterday and when we sang these words, "Oh Lord our God, Little Children Praise you Perfectly, and so would we, Alleluia." Children praise him PERFECTLY. Wow!
This week has been a week like no other for me. It has been good, bad, emotional, tiring and yet, I press on for the high calling of my savior. I just have to keep telling myself that I am worshipper first and everything else will just fall into place. God is still God and I am still unworthy.
Jack