Year-End Word of Encouragement | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

As we prepare to enter into the final quarter of this year, I really felt the need to encourage everyone to finish 2011 strong.  The year is drawing to a close and some things we spoke over ourselves in January have not yet manifested.  In all fairness, some of this may be due to mistakes on our part; but don't be discouraged because all is not lost.  Any football enthusiast can tell you that strong fourth quarter rallies can indeed win games.  As a matter of fact, some games don't get exciting until the fourth quarter.

Don't allow frustration and anxiety to discourage you from summoning your last quarter rally.  Remain focused on what you envisioned for THIS year and determine to see it come to pass, even as the year comes to a close.  It's not too late to see what you have been believing GOD to do manifest before January 1.  Keep the vision before your eyes and the Word of GOD in your mouth.  Radically adjust your approach to the vision to avoid repeating mistakes made earlier in the year.  Greater value the remaining time in 2011 and fiercely manage it.

You Can't Turn Back | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

While reviewing my journal this week, I ran across some notes taken during a message heard in church one Sunday in July:

"GOD has a path that will lead you into every promise He's given you (according to Jeremiah 29:11).  Your uncomfortable places are not your final destination.  When you get in an uncomfortable place, your temptation is ALWAYS to turn back.  But if you turn back you'll never get to your destiny."

At this time, the Holy Spirit was really ministering to me because I had become discouraged on my path.  I had contemplated turning back more than once because it appeared things weren't working out as I had expected, and I was growing weary of the struggle.  From time to time, as I'm sitting in a church service, I break away from what the minister is saying to clearly hear the Holy Spirit when He starts speaking to me.  During this particular occurence, I heard the Holy Spirit say the following, which I quickly scribbled into my journal:

"You can't turn back because you have no place to turn back to.  The comfort you remembered can't be found there anymore because that season is over.  Going back there searching for what was there before is a waste of time, and you'll only be miserable there."

I remember being greatly encouraged by what the Holy Spirit spoke to me that day because those words dispelled my desperation.  It was exactly what I needed to hear when I needed to hear it.  I'm not sure if someone reading this TODAY needs to hear what I heard back in July, as well; but I do know that I felt compelled to share this when I ran across those words in my journal again. GOD has a destiny for each person's life.  But you can't turn back: walking into destiny requires forward movement.  You have to stay on the path GOD has laid before you.  So stay on the path to your promise, and watch how it will lead you right into destiny.

Becoming the Answer | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

While getting some reading in on Monday, I ran across a statement that really caught my attention:

"Prayer is about connecting with God and getting His word on whatever we are facing, and then acting accordingly. My observation of the life of Jesus has caused me to conclude that often Jesus became the answer after He had prayed. There seems to always have been a corresponding action." --Dr. Cindy Trimm, "The Art of War for Spiritual Battle" (p. 78)

I became quite intrigued with the idea of Jesus becoming the answer after He prayed.  While the underlying meaning was not new to me, Dr. Trimm's choice of words were because they caused me to see what I already knew in a whole new light.  We're taught to pray (or petition) for GOD's help, but I believe the disconnect we tend to experience happens when we expect GOD to work everything out on our behalf without any further action from us.  When there is no corresponding action other than us idly waiting for GOD to move, it should not surprise us then that the results we desire go unmanifested.  After all, we simply prayed and left it at that.

Give What You Need | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

One thing that never ceases to amaze me about Christians is how we want forgiveness for ourselves, yet we're so unwilling to forgive others.  Be it matters concerning capital punishment, marital infidelity, illegal business transactions, rape/molestation or countless other indiscretions, it seems the self-professed people of GOD have a major problem with extending THE SAME FORGIVENESS they need.  What further bothers me is how we have become so adamant about our decisions to hold trespasses over the heads of others.  When it comes to dealing with those who have done wrongly, we find it MUCH easier to maintain grudges, nurse offenses, spread gossip and act funny with people.  This ought not be so among the redeemed of the LORD!

It was several occurences this week as well as an online exchange with my brother-in-law that really got me thinking about this.  As I recently stated in Part 9 of "The Four Imaginary Imprisonments," ALL SIN IS REBELLION.  It's humorous to me how GOD makes no degrees of distinction between acts of sin, but church congregants the world over believe in "big sins" versus "little sins."  Moreover, this mindset creates a culture in which Christians find it easier to forgive "certain" sins than others.  Nevermind that the wages of sin--irregardless of its nature--is death, according to Romans 6:23.  We feel entitled to categorize sin by our own perceived severity of it as well as determine whether we can grant offenders forgiveness. Christians have certainly got some nerve!

We Need The Outpouring | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

This summer, I had the opportunity to hear a speaker by the name of Lance Wallnau one Sunday.  Recently reading through my journal, I ran across some notes taken during his presentation in July; and I was reminded of a very interesting point he made:

"The Holy Spirit isn't coming DOWN if He's already here on Earth. He's coming OUT of you. The outpouring is coming out of GOD's people." 

As my regular readers know, I am always examining the catch phrases and colloquialisms of the modern day church experience.  Whether it be words spoken by pastors, associate ministers, or praise and worship leaders, we all too often hear things said during worship services that are either not biblical or biblically used out of context.

Four Imaginary Imprisonments (Part 9) | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

Imaginary Imprisonment #4 | REBELLION

We really think we're such big Christians; but, in all honesty, we fall short in complying with the small, simple things.  We DON'T DO what the Bible says to DO, and we DO what the Bible says NOT to do.  So you see, none of us are perfect; but it looks TERRIBLE when we single out certain sins to be more egregious than others.  Sin is sin: there are no big ones or little ones.  All sin, regardless of its nature, is rebellion.  And until we really understand this, we're going to continue to create division within the Body of Christ as well as run off unbelievers who don't want to be hurt anymore than they've already been.

It's time we grow up and stop rebelling against our Father like insecure teenagers and follow in His footsteps like mature, adult children.  A major part of this process involves us understanding the difference between agreement and submission.  Simply put, we don't have to submit when we're in agreement.  Being in agreement says, "Hey, I'm onboard; let's do this!"  Submission comes into play when we're not totally in agreement or just may be unsure of what's being required of us; but we choose to comply anyway.  But if we're neither in agreement nor submission, then that means we're in rebellion.  This hits all of us!  Even though everyone may not be struggling with rebellion, as I always remind myself, the struggle isn't necessarily with good and bad--it's often between good and BETTER.  Some of us are settling for submission in areas of our lives where we should be operating in total agreement.  It's like choosing to "make do" in the wilderness when we should be relaxing in an oasis.

Hit Where It Hurts Most | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

Not too long ago, Covenant Church Founding Pastor Mike Hayes shared something that really hit home with me.  He explained that in Europe there were ordinances regarding the construction of buildings prohibiting any structures from being taller than the churches in the community.  It is from this idiom that the architectural concept of church steeples arose.  Even today, there are smaller villages and communities in Europe in which the churches remain the tallest buildings.  If you're wondering why this would be so important, it's because the culture at the time wanted what was considered the house of the LORD to be easily seen from anywhere in the community.  Such quick and easy visibility of the church was symbolic of GOD's presence being dominant within in the community.  GOD and His house TRULY meant something in these places, and there was a prominent place reserved in the culture just for GOD.  However, things are no longer this way in many contemporary societies.

Our nation's tallest buildings, for example, are dedicated to BIG business and BIG money.  It is not America's reverence for GOD that visibly takes center stage throughout U.S. urban areas.  Most communities are now widely known for their unique skylines filled with massive skyscrapers, which symbolize the commercial prowess of American capitalism.  These steel works of art paint a vivid picture of the USA being a place of great wealth and financial opportunity--quite the departure, I must say, from a country who has "In God We Trust" printed on its currency.  But then again, IT IS printed on money... Call me crazy, but I thought GOD desired His Word be written in our hearts.

Four Imaginary Imprisonments (Part 8) | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

We've finally made it to the last of the four imprisonments: REBELLION.  The journey has been mind-blowing, to say the least.  Each imaginary imprisonment has been more intense and less private than the one before.  And as we'll see with REBELLION, it's definitely the coup de grace when it comes to hindering growth and our ability to live freely as GOD desires.

Imaginary Imprisonment #4 | REBELLION

If nothing else won't make life hard, rebellion will.  Rebellion ties us down and keeps us from enjoying GOD's greater blessings.  And no matter how much we do to conceal our feelings, there's nothing hidden about rebellion.  It's open. Rebellion is simply defined as organized, armed resistance to one's government or ruler.  It doesn't get much more open than that.  One could better describe the people who resist as the "I ain'ts" because they have already made up their minds as to what they're NOT going to do.  Although they may know what's right to do, they refuse to do right.  They know what's wrong, too; and STILL do it.  Sadly, rebellious people are under this impression that they're creating difficulty for those with whom they refuse to comply.  However, the truth is that they're really just making life difficult for themselves.

Word of Encouragement | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

It's the anointing on your life that draws the attack of the enemy.  But it's the calling of GOD upon your life that allows the attack of the enemy.  Since Romans 8:28 says that all things work out for your benefit, there's no need to lament the attack of the enemy on your life.  As a matter of fact, you can celebrate it because GOD has already fixed this thing so that you emerge from it better than you were before.

So instead of worrying about the situation you're in, start celebrating the victorious outcome GOD ordained for you in eternity.  Don't allow yourself to become frustrated with the circumstances.  And if you should become frustrated, don't take it out on the people around you.  This warfare is not one against flesh and blood.  It's spiritual.  So don't look for anyone to blame for how you're feeling.  Discern the demonic influences that are responsible for what's happening, and command them to leave.  It's the perfected praise of a confident people that creates for the Kingdom of Darkness an uninhabitable, toxic environment.

Let THIS test showcase how much you've learned and matured since the LAST one.  Don't let it expose how ignorant and immature you still are.  Times of testing are dedicated to revealing how much wisdom you're walking in.  And if wisdom is applied knowledge, it's nearly impossible to apply what you don't know.  So see this faith trial as an opportunity to be promoted in the Kingdom.  As I once heard a mentor of mine, Minister Steve Lawrence, say, embrace the test so you can get the power.  That's how you get to the next level.  It's not confessing the next the level, singing about another level or rejoicing over a "next level" prophetic utterance that ushers it in.  You make it to the next level when you pass the test.