Monday 21 September 2009

True Worship

Praise be to God!

We are so excited about the life-changing revelation God is giving us not only on a Sunday but also throughout the week at our various meetings. Hallelujah! The men have their own men's prayer breakfast blog to keep the guys updated on what the Lord is doing with the men every Friday at MPB. Check it out here...

Yesterday was a very special meeting. We had to meet at a different location and are blessed to be able to meet at the Baptist church in Eschersheim when we occasionally have to find an alternative place to meet. Before we entered into a time of worship, the Lord spoke to us about what worship is really all about. You can listen to the teaching here...

This is what He showed us:

  1. True worship is a heart that responds to God. This is the essence of all worship.
  2. God is more concerned about the believer's heart than the way he responds.
  3. The manner or form of worship is less important than the fact that the believer is responding with a sincere heart. Heb. 10:22
  4. God looks at the heart! 1 Sam. 16:7
  5. Worship songs are a form that are an expression of a worshiper's heart.
  6. Worship songs should help the worshiper to encounter God in the same way that caused the song-writer to write the song. If the believer just sings the songs without sincerely seeking and responding to the revelation of God, s/he is maintaining form without truly worshiping - form without essence.
  7. Any written response to the revelation of God, whether it be the Word of God or worship songs must always lead us into an encounter with God! John 5:39,40
  8. True corporate worship is when everyone is responding to the same revelation of God together in one spirit rather than individuals each responding to their own revelation of God at the same time in the same place.

Following this revelation we then entered into worship. We began without written songs and simply worshiped God from our hearts (essence) in whatever way (form) we chose. The presence of God was awesome and as we then worshiped with written songs we jointly encountered God as one body in one spirit - it was amazing!

After meeting with God in worship, the Lord then spoke to us about another Kingdom conviction He wants us to have. You can listen to the sermon here...

This is what He spoke to us about:

  1. There are many convictions God wants us to have but He is highlighting particular Kingdom convictions that He wants us to have.
  2. The first conviction is: I am God's home - God has prepared my life in Christ Jesus to be His habitation (see previous blog posting).
  3. The second conviction is: There is more!
  4. God's Kingdom is one of increase and abundance. Matt. 13:11,12,23
  5. Jesus endured all suffering even to the point of death on the cross because He was convinced that there is more - the joy that was set before Him! Heb. 12:2
  6. The apostle Paul, even though he saw the most amazing things and had incredible encounters with God, still pressed on because he knew there is more - he lived to gain Christ. 2 Cor. 12:1-4; Phil. 3:1-15
  7. All the great men and women of God in history and today have the conviction that there is more. Heb. 11:24-27
  8. Revival (God's people being saturated with God and overflowing with Him) comes about when believers carry the conviction that there is more and do not give up until the "more" comes!
  9. Believers who have the conviction that there is more are moved from the ordinary to the extraordinary; from the natural to the supernatural; from the familiar to the secrets of God.
  10. The conviction that there is more will change prayerlessness to prayerfullness and will move the believer to search the Scriptures daily to receive fresh revelation of God to know Him and experience Him more!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" Eph. 3:20,21

We praise God for His hand upon us and for helping us to build Kingdom culture that reflects heaven on earth!

This Saturday, Voice in the city will be having another exciting and dynamic afternoon and evening at their Arise Shine meetings. Check out the following link for more info...

Quote of the week:

"'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him' - but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit." 1 Cor. 2:9,10

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