Most of us love a moving worship service with worship that ushers us into the throne room of God. Music that is well prepared spiritually and musically
helps us to express our thanks and praise while at the same time getting in touch with our need for confession and more of God. Then a kicking choir song that makes us stand to our feet in exuberant agreement, clapping and shouting to God with a voice of triumph! “Yes – now that’s worship,” you say.
But, music is not our only way of expressing a heartfelt response of worship to God. Romans 12:1 from The Message tells us “So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.”
Worship is our response to Who God is and what He has done for us. Have you ever thought of “taking your everyday life” to the nursery to minister to the babies and toddlers as an “offering of worship” to God? Well, this is worship that not only blesses God, but the children and their parents as well.
I remember when our church was much smaller and I had two children in the nursery. Of course, since I used the nursery, I took my turn ministering to the children. I have to admit that since I was with them twenty-four seven I enjoyed the Sundays that I could just drop them off and go enjoy worship and the Word without worrying or fearing that my children being with me would distract others. But some months I ended up in the nursery almost weekly because someone scheduled didn’t show up.
I wish I could say that I counted it as worship then, but I didn’t have the understanding of worship that I do now. I sometimes wondered why I had gone to all the trouble of getting myself and three children ready for church only to end up in the nursery again.
Some of you have expressed a desire to be on the “worship team.” Well the nursery workers are on the “worship team” and its an excellent place to begin. You can always listen to the sermon on the website or go to another service since there is an 8:30 , 11:00 am or 6:30 pm service to choose from each Sunday. You will be blessing the children, blessing the parents, blessing those who are participants in the services and blessing God all at the same time.
Psalm 103 tells us to “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy Name.” Why not call Andrea Bowman today to sign up to minister to the little ones and go ahead and bless the Lord, not just with words but actions.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Put the Devil in His Place
Nehemiah 2:20 “So I answered them and said to them, "The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem."
No portion means no share, allocation, assignment or agreement for him to have a part. The Hebrew word for “portion” meant smooth indicating the smooth stones that were used in casting lots. Only those who owned land were in on the casting of lots. This meant that Sanballet didn’t own any land in Jerusalem so he had no say in its business. There is no part of my life that Satan gets a share or investment in. It is God who has invested in my life.
No right meant that he had no “right standing.” The Hebrew word for right comes from the same word for righteousness and righteousness has to do with relationship. A person was considered righteous when she or he kept their part of a covenant agreement. The covenant put them in relationship. So Sanballet didn’t have any agreements, or relationships that gave him a right to have a voice in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. He had no inheritance from a relative.
No memorial is a little more difficult to understand. A memorial was erected to remember a special occasion or to honor something great someone did. The Israelites erected a memorial on the shores of the Jordan to remember the miraculous crossing of the Jordan into the promised land. Evidently, there was no memorial in Sanballets honor for anything he had done that was worth honor. He was not a man of influence or honor in Jerusalem so he had no influence.
Satan has no portion in my life because I’m a citizen of the Kingdom of God and not the Kingdom of this world. He is not. Satan has no right in my life because he has no relationship with me. I am a child of God. I have been bought my the blood of Jesus Christ and am not my own. I am HIS. Satan has no rights over me. Satan has no memorial or influence in my life because he has done absolutely nothing or honor in my life. He is a liar, a thief and a destroyer.
Put him in his place. Satan has no place, right or influence in your life, your marriage, your family, your finances, your future. You are not his property. You are God’s. Do not allow his condemnation or taunts to discourage or deter you from God’s magnificent plan for your life. Read Nehemiah one and two and say it out loud – “Satan, you have no portion, no right, no memorial in my life
No portion means no share, allocation, assignment or agreement for him to have a part. The Hebrew word for “portion” meant smooth indicating the smooth stones that were used in casting lots. Only those who owned land were in on the casting of lots. This meant that Sanballet didn’t own any land in Jerusalem so he had no say in its business. There is no part of my life that Satan gets a share or investment in. It is God who has invested in my life.
No right meant that he had no “right standing.” The Hebrew word for right comes from the same word for righteousness and righteousness has to do with relationship. A person was considered righteous when she or he kept their part of a covenant agreement. The covenant put them in relationship. So Sanballet didn’t have any agreements, or relationships that gave him a right to have a voice in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. He had no inheritance from a relative.
No memorial is a little more difficult to understand. A memorial was erected to remember a special occasion or to honor something great someone did. The Israelites erected a memorial on the shores of the Jordan to remember the miraculous crossing of the Jordan into the promised land. Evidently, there was no memorial in Sanballets honor for anything he had done that was worth honor. He was not a man of influence or honor in Jerusalem so he had no influence.
Satan has no portion in my life because I’m a citizen of the Kingdom of God and not the Kingdom of this world. He is not. Satan has no right in my life because he has no relationship with me. I am a child of God. I have been bought my the blood of Jesus Christ and am not my own. I am HIS. Satan has no rights over me. Satan has no memorial or influence in my life because he has done absolutely nothing or honor in my life. He is a liar, a thief and a destroyer.
Put him in his place. Satan has no place, right or influence in your life, your marriage, your family, your finances, your future. You are not his property. You are God’s. Do not allow his condemnation or taunts to discourage or deter you from God’s magnificent plan for your life. Read Nehemiah one and two and say it out loud – “Satan, you have no portion, no right, no memorial in my life
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