Praise the Lord! let everything that have breath praise His Holy name! I pray every one is enjoying the Lords blessing. My wife and I are still holding on to Gods promises as we continue to go through this "stretching out" phase He has us in. My Pastor, Elder Johnny Green(FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST HOLINESS USA NEW YORK), and I had a long talk yesterday concerning our situation and we're going to put plenty of prayer on the situation. I thank God for my Church family and my Prayer Line family(SPEND SOME TIME SESSIONS, APOSTLE VIVIAN THOMAS FOUNDER, MON. THRU FRIDAY 7:30PM EASTERN TIME, 916-233-2999 CODE 541324)
Part of the reason God has not delivered me yet from this season of trials could be related to something I found myself doing the other day as I was listening to some praise and worship music. I began to sing along with the music but it wasn't long before I found myself "lip syncing" to the music. Have you ever found yourself in Church lip syncing? You know your lips are moving and the right words are coming out but your mind is on where your going to go eat after the service or your wondering what is the score of the football game or maybe your busy playing "fashion police" as you scan the sanctuary. Saying we are multi- tasking just won't cut it.
The Word of God says in Isaiah 29:13
13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Here we are in the sanctuary lifting up holy hands singing "I love you Lord" but we haven't truly entered into worship, we're praising God with our mouths but in our hearts we are concerned about other things. We are clock watching, worrying about traffic, ball games and video games. We have no spiritual connection to God. We are just mouthing words. Whenever I start to sing a song now I check myself and make sure I am focused on the reason why we sing. Once I begin to think of all the things He has done for me, all the traps He has delivered me from, it becomes easy for me to praise God from my heart. I don't want to be a lip syncing Christian, saying all the right things, singing the songs and appearing to be holy and sanctified but after years have started playing church, that's all it is anymore, an empty shell. The word of God says in 2nd Timothy 3:1-5
3 Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
It is embarrassing for me to have to admit I sometimes have had trouble entering into worship, especially after all God has done for me. I love the Lord of that there is no doubt, but the world is full of pleasures and distractions and if your not focused you can become more concerned about your comfort than about God. You can not switch it off and on at will. You can't watch T.V. up until it's time to go to church and then turn on your spirituality as you enter the building. This is why God ordained a "day" of worship, the Sabbath day. Churches now are charged with the task of Getting us in the mood to worship God! What a shame. David said in Psalms 100:3,4+5
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
I'm not saying we need to return to the traditional Sabbath but we need to start "bringing our minds in" well before we leave for service. We need to be in praise mode long before we get there. The song writer said "when I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that He's done for me my soul cries out hallelujah! thank God for saving me." Start singing that on Sunday morning when you wake up and keep on in that mindset thru-out the day and not only will your lips be moving but so will your heart and soul be moving towards God.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL, BROTHER DARRELL, A WATCHMAN
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Part of the reason God has not delivered me yet from this season of trials could be related to something I found myself doing the other day as I was listening to some praise and worship music. I began to sing along with the music but it wasn't long before I found myself "lip syncing" to the music. Have you ever found yourself in Church lip syncing? You know your lips are moving and the right words are coming out but your mind is on where your going to go eat after the service or your wondering what is the score of the football game or maybe your busy playing "fashion police" as you scan the sanctuary. Saying we are multi- tasking just won't cut it.
The Word of God says in Isaiah 29:13
13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Here we are in the sanctuary lifting up holy hands singing "I love you Lord" but we haven't truly entered into worship, we're praising God with our mouths but in our hearts we are concerned about other things. We are clock watching, worrying about traffic, ball games and video games. We have no spiritual connection to God. We are just mouthing words. Whenever I start to sing a song now I check myself and make sure I am focused on the reason why we sing. Once I begin to think of all the things He has done for me, all the traps He has delivered me from, it becomes easy for me to praise God from my heart. I don't want to be a lip syncing Christian, saying all the right things, singing the songs and appearing to be holy and sanctified but after years have started playing church, that's all it is anymore, an empty shell. The word of God says in 2nd Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
It is embarrassing for me to have to admit I sometimes have had trouble entering into worship, especially after all God has done for me. I love the Lord of that there is no doubt, but the world is full of pleasures and distractions and if your not focused you can become more concerned about your comfort than about God. You can not switch it off and on at will. You can't watch T.V. up until it's time to go to church and then turn on your spirituality as you enter the building. This is why God ordained a "day" of worship, the Sabbath day. Churches now are charged with the task of Getting us in the mood to worship God! What a shame. David said in Psalms 100:3,4+5
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
I'm not saying we need to return to the traditional Sabbath but we need to start "bringing our minds in" well before we leave for service. We need to be in praise mode long before we get there. The song writer said "when I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that He's done for me my soul cries out hallelujah! thank God for saving me." Start singing that on Sunday morning when you wake up and keep on in that mindset thru-out the day and not only will your lips be moving but so will your heart and soul be moving towards God.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL, BROTHER DARRELL, A WATCHMAN
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