Published on February 29th, 2008 | Articles, Guest Posts

This guest post comes to us from Joyce Meyer at Joyce Meyer Ministries.

What’s Love Got to Do with It?

Joyce Meyer

Christianity can be simple if we summarize it into one thing: Concentrate on loving God and loving people. Walking in love is not a suggestion from God but rather a commandment. Jesus said, I give you a new commandment: that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another (John 13:34).

Love Is Not Optional

First, we need to understand that our love walk is not optional; it is a commandment. And it’s a big one, not just something that God threw in the Bible several times. It is all over the Bible, especially in the New Testament. Over and over again, believers are being encouraged to abound in love, increase in love, and grow in love. It’s a topic that we never finish and one of my favorite subjects to teach on.

Learning to walk in love has drastically changed my life because it finally got my mind off of me and onto what I can do for someone else. No one will ever be happy as long as they are selfish. In Ephesians 5:2 it says that Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. This is an example we want to seek to follow—giving up ourselves for others.

It’s Going to Cost You

Secondly, you and I need to understand that walking in love and giving ourselves up are inseparable. We cannot walk in love and be selfish. It just isn’t possible! Living selfishly and being self-centered are some of the biggest problems people have because love always costs us something. That’s why most people don’t want to walk in love; we like stuff that’s free, but love requires effort. Every time we choose to love someone, it’s going to be an effort, and the flesh is naturally lazy—not much into making an effort. We want what’s easy and free.

I’ve tested this, too, just to see how people react. At a conference if I start giving away free stuff, there’s a stampede. I’ve tried giving away teaching series, but people get so wild that we can’t do it because they might hurt each other trying to get the free stuff. People will leave their seats and run down to the front in order to receive things. But on the other hand, I don’t see that happen during an offering. It’s amazing to me how people will listen politely about giving, but there’s certainly no mad dash to give.

Honestly, the flesh is more excited about getting something, especially something free, than about giving something. But we need to realize that love always costs us something. Whether it’s time, effort, money or energy, you and I just can’t love without it costing us something.

Do It on Purpose

One of the greatest things I’ve learned about love is that not only does it require effort, but we have to do it on purpose. If we don’t remember anything else, we need to remember that love is something we choose to do on purpose. We don’t wait for a feeling to motivate us because love is a behavior in which we choose to operate.

Walking in love requires taking steps—action. It’s significant that the Bible says to walk in love because a walk is made up of a lot of steps, and each step that we take is intentional, so no step is taken without our decision to take it. If you and I are going to have a love walk, then we are going to give love a place of importance and a place of priority in our “walk” with God. It’s going to take lots of decisions every day all day long, and most of them are going to involve how we treat people, because I believe that love really is all about how we treat people.

Walk in Love

In 1 John 4 it talks about love being perfected in us. There are steps to love. You cannot give away something you don’t have. So God willingly, unconditionally loves us first. This reveals to us that because God loved us first, He didn’t expect us to love someone else until He first loved us. By faith we can accept that God loves us and then begin to love ourselves in a balanced way.

Learning how to walk in love is probably the most important thing that we need to do. It’s more than just talk or patting each other on the back in church saying, “I love you with the love of the Lord.” There are many facets to love. Love is real and it can be seen and felt. Love meets needs. Love sacrifices. We need to learn to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to learn how to love. We don’t just become a Christian and all of a sudden start loving everyone. There are steps to take.

You can start by knowing that God loves you and then accepting His love. When you do, you begin to love God back, and then you begin to let that love flow through you to other people. Love is a cycle, and for that cycle to be complete, you need to go through all four of these steps:

• Know God loves you
• Accept His love for you
• Love God back
• Let His love flow through you to love people

For years I tried to love my husband, my kids, my neighbors, relatives, and even my enemies, but I didn’t know how to do it. I thought, What is wrong with me? I found out I didn’t like myself. So I had to spend a year receiving God’s love and getting that foundation inside of me. If you’ve been trying to love people on your own, let this be a revelation to you: You can’t do it on your own. Let God’s love flow through you because He has an unlimited source.

Published on February 29th, 2008 | Articles, Guest Posts

This guest post comes to us from Joyce Meyer at Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Armed & Dangerous

Joyce Meyer

Walking in Authority

Some Christians are living in defeat simply because they don’t know that as believers in Jesus Christ, God has given them authority over every work of the enemy.

You and I don’t have to let the devil push us around because God has armed us with His Word, and we are dangerous to the enemy’s destructive plans.

Authorized

As believers God has given us authority to overthrow the plans of the enemy, but we need to know how to use it. Luke 10:19 tells us, Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.

Although God has given us the authority, it’s still up to us to choose to believe the Word of God more than we believe our feelings. God has given us power and authority, so even though the enemy may have power, he doesn’t have the authority unless we give it to him. It’s one thing to have power and another thing to have the authority to use it.

Also, when the verse says nothing shall in any way harm you, it doesn’t mean that nothing will come against us, but it does mean that we are more than conquerors. (See Romans 8:37.) If you and I really believe God’s Word, even before we encounter a problem we can have assurance that we will be able to conquer it.

Recognize Attacks

There are many different ways that the enemy comes against us. It was an eye-opener for me because I had been a religious person who went to church and followed the rules and regulations. I did have a love for God and had accepted Christ as my Savior, still I didn’t know anything about who I am in Christ or that the devil is a real entity or that I could reign with Christ. Because I didn’t know these Truths, I just thought that everything that happened to me was either God, circumstances or whatever. I needed to realize that some of the things that came against me were actually the enemy trying to defeat me.

One way we can be attacked is by believing the lie that we are not pleasing God. My television crew took our cameras out and asked people on the street, “If you could ask God any question you wanted, what would it be?” A common response was, “How will I know if I’m doing enough good works?” It seems one of people’s concerns is whether or not God is pleased with them.

Another way you and I can be attacked is through hopeless and negative thoughts. We can be assured that if we feel either of these, it is not from God. If we feel like there is no hope or we’re looking at what is negative about ourselves or about others, we are under attack. The enemy wants us to focus on what’s wrong with the people in our lives, what we don’t like about them, what they aren’t doing for us, and what they’re not giving us. On the other hand, God wants us to focus on believing the best and what’s right and good. As we focus on these things, we have authority to pray about the things that aren’t so right and invite God to get involved and do something about it. These are just a couple of the many different ways the enemy comes against us. But before you and I can even hope to have authority over him, we have to be able to recognize him.

As a child, I was abused and a lot of bad things happened to me. By the time I was in my early twenties, I could not remember ever being happy. But then I married a great man, was attending church, and had every opportunity to have a wonderful life. Still, every day I had something that kept nagging at me. Not being able to figure it out on my own, one day I asked the Lord, “What is this feeling I have all the time? I hate it!”

In my spirit I heard two words: evil forebodings. At the time, I didn’t even know what that meant, but then the Lord brought Proverbs 15:15 to my attention which says, All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings]…. I didn’t know that’s what it was called, but I knew that I was always expecting something bad to happen to me because I’d had so many bad things happen in my life. Because of my past, I was afraid to believe for something good, expecting instead to be disappointed when it didn’t happen. I was trapped and didn’t know what to do. But listen to the rest of this verse and what God has to say about it:

…but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]. Now that’s God!

Take Your Place

As a believer in Jesus Christ, you and I have authority. I don’t know about you, but I like authority, and I don’t like weakness and acting like a wimp. Plus, I don’t think anyone wants to be under something all the time and feel like they’re always at the bottom of everything. So how do we start taking our place of authority?

• By speaking the Word of God rather than talking about our circumstances
• By choosing to speak the Word of God instead of saying what we think or feel

When I really started to become a serious student of the Word of God, I didn’t have any understanding of who I am in Christ. Then I started to learn that when I received Christ as my Savior, I was actually made right with God by the blood of Christ. This means that I now have right standing with God, and I don’t have to feel badly about myself all the time. It also means that I have been given authority over the enemy in Jesus’ name and that I have the blood of Jesus to cleanse and protect me.

At first I went through a period of time when I knew in my mind that God had given me authority. But because it was only head knowledge, I walked around my house trying to take authority over everything, saying, “I take authority over you and over the devil,” and whatever else at the time I thought needed taken authority over. Then one day the Lord said to me, “Why don’t you just walk in your authority instead of trying to take authority?”

Walk in Authority

For example, when I walk into my office at Joyce Meyer Ministries, everyone knows who I am. I know I’m the president. They know I’m the president, so I don’t have to walk in and say, “Okay, now here I am. I take authority!” Why not? Because when I walk in, I already know who I am. Just like I know and my employees know who I am, we have to come to a point where our head knowledge of who we are in Christ becomes a revelation to our spirit. Then we start noticing that things begin to get a lot easier.

There comes a time in our relationship with Christ when we know that we know that we know we can walk in His authority. Then even when we go through a trial, we have authority. If we keep doing what we know to do, which is to obey, love and praise God, then things will start turning around in our favor.

Having authority doesn’t mean that you and I will never experience a trial. It means that we will come out victoriously on the other side of it. What we do, say, think, and how we behave while we’re going through the trial is largely what will determine how long we are going to be in it.

Know Who You Are

God has such a full, free, large and wonderful life for us, but we have to know who we are in Christ. The “in Christ” is the key and religious people get really uncomfortable when we talk about righteousness (who we are in Christ) because they would much rather talk about how much of a sinner we are.

I know that we all sin, but I also know that we have a brand-new identity in Christ, an identity of being the righteousness of God in Christ. It can’t just be head knowledge. It has to be in our heart.

We can learn who we are in Christ and how to use the authority that has been given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God’s desire is to work through each one of us to show Himself strong!

Published on February 29th, 2008 | Articles, Guest Posts, Worship

This guest post comes to us from the archives of Derek Prince at Derek Prince Ministries.

Free to Worship – Part 2

Derek Prince

In Psalm 96:8 the psalmist establishes one primary condition for approaching God: Bring an offering and come into His courts. In Exodus 23:15 the Lord affirms, “None shall appear before Me empty-handed.”

There are many kinds of offering that we may bring to God: thanks, praise, money, possessions, acts of service, the works of our hands. But it is in worship that we bring to God our highest offering: ourselves. Any religious activity that stops short of the offering of ourselves to God is not true worship.

Of the various Old Testament offerings, the one which typifies the offering of ourselves to God is the grain offering (see Lev. 2:1-11). This contains some important principles that should guide us in our worship.

If our worship is to be acceptable to God, the lives that we offer to Him must be “finely ground” – fully submitted, that is, to all God’s disciplines. There must be no “lumps” of self-will or disobedience.

Two things accompanied the grain offering: oil and frankincense. The oil – typifying the Holy Spirit – reminds us of our dependence upon the Holy Spirit to make our offering acceptable.

Frankincense is an aromatic gum, not particularly impressive in itself, but when burned it emits a distinctive fragrance. This fragrance depicts our worship rising up before God.

Out of this offering only a handful of the oil and the flour was burned in the fire to the Lord; all the rest went to the priest. However, all the frankincense went solely and exclusively to the Lord. This warns us that no human being must receive even a whiff of the worship of God’s people. Leaders who permit their followers to offer them anything that amounts to worship comes under the judgment of God. This is one reason why in recent decades some Charismatic ministries have ended in disaster.

No grain offering must be accompanied by either leaven or honey (verse 11). In 1 Corinthians 5:8 Paul speaks of “the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Leaven, therefore, represents any form of insincerity or untruthfulness.

This is further emphasized by the exclusion of honey. Honey is sweet on the lips, but – unlike frankincense – it cannot stand the fire. When burned, it becomes a black, sticky mess. In our worship we must avoid any kind of exaggeration or empty religious phraseology. We dare to make any professions or commitments that will not stand the test of fire.

Finally, every grain offering must be seasoned with “the salt of the covenant” (verse 13). God enters into a permanent relationship with man only on the basis of a covenant – that is, a mutual commitment between God and man. God commits Himself to the believer, but in return the believer must commit himself to God. Worship that does not proceed out of a covenant commitment is “saltless” and unacceptable.

Access to God

In Psalm 100;4, the psalmist defines two successive stages in approaching God: Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. First, with thanksgiving, we enter the gates. Then, with praise, we pass through the courts. We thus have direct access to God. Otherwise, we may pray to God and he will hear us, but we are praying from a distance.

We will be like the ten lepers described in Luke 17:12-19. We may cry to Jesus from a distance, and He will hear us and have mercy on us, but we cannot come close to Him.

It is significant that the only leper who actually came close to Jesus was the one who returned to give Him thanks. Jesus said to him, “Your faith has made you well” – Greek, “has saved you.” All ten lepers were healed, but only the one who gave thanks was also saved.

In Psalm 95:1-7 the psalmist takes us through the same two stages of approach to God: thanksgiving and praise. But then he leads us one step further – into worship. Verses 1 and 2 describe loud, jubilant praise and thanksgiving. Verses 3, 4 and 5 give the reason for our praise: the magnificence of God’s creation. But in verse 6 we move on into worship: “Oh, come let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

Once again we see that worship is expressed in a posture of our bodies – bowing down and kneeling.

Verse 7 reveals the reason why we should worship: For He is our God. Worship belongs solely and exclusively to God. The One whom we worship is our God.

But the closing line of verse 7 takes us one step further still: Today if you will hear His voice. After the loud, jubilant praise of the preceding verses, there follows a special kind of stillness, which proceeds only out of worship. In the stillness we hear only one sound: the voice of the Lord. In such a setting God can speak to us with clarity and an authority that can come in no other way.

Stillness is an essential part of true worship. We must come into a place where we have no prayer requests, no personal agenda, and no time limit. Our only desire is to be in the presence of God. What follows after that must proceed from God’s initiative, not ours.

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

In Luke 10:38-42, Mary (the sister of Lazarus and Martha) provides a pattern for us: she sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. Martha, on the other hand, was “distracted with much serving.” She asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her, but Jesus replied, “One thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

How many dedicated servants of God today are like Martha, “distracted with much serving?” They are too busy to “waste time on Jesus,” simply sitting at His feet.

The outcome of the time Mary sent at Jesus’ feet is described later, in John 12:3-7. While all the other disciples were seated at the table eating, “Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (v.3, NIV). This was an act of worship, expressing itself in the fragrance that filled the house.

The other disciples criticized Mary for her extravagance but Jesus gave her His approval, saying, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.”

Apparently Mary was the only disciple who understood at that time that Jesus had to die. Had she learned this secret while sitting at His feet?

It was an accepted Jewish practice to anoint a body that was being prepared for burial. In anticipation of Jesus’ death, Mary anointed His body with the most expensive ointment she owned. She alone had this privilege. Later, other women came to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus (see Mark 16:1). But they were too late! He had already risen from the grave.

Oh, that God’s people today would take time to sit at the feet of Jesus! Surely we would then be more extravagant in our worship. Perhaps we would also be open to the special kind of revelation that comes no other way.

The Pattern of Worship in Heaven

Isaiah’s vision of the seraphim offers us a glimpse of worship as it is conducted in heaven (see Isaiah 6:1-8). The word seraph is directly connected with the Hebrew word for burning. The seraphim were fiery creatures. Each had six wings (whereas the cherubim in Ezekiel 1:6 had four wings).

The worship of the seraphim took two forms: an utterance from their mouths and an action of their bodies. With their mouths they proclaimed, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.” “Holy” is the only adjective in Scripture applied three times in one sentence to the Lord.

The seraphim used their wings in three ways. With two they covered their faces; with two they covered their feet; with two they flew. The covering of their faces and their feet was an act of worship. Flying was an act of service. They used four wings for worship, and only two for service.

God’s people on earth need to follow this pattern. First, we should place twice as much emphasis on worship as on service. Second, we need to recognize that effective service must proceed out of worship. It is in our times of worship that we receive revelation and direction for our service.

In Revelation chapter 4 we are taken up into the throne room of heaven. In this brief chapter of 11 verses the word “throne” occurs 14 times. It is from here that the universe is governed. The primary emphasis is on worship.

The six-winged living creatures apparently correspond to the seraphim of Isaiah’s vision. Their theme is the same, the word holy uttered three times, “Holy, holy, holy.”

In chapter 5 the focus is on the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who is the slain Lamb, standing at the center of the throne. His presence is an eternal reminder that victory comes through laying down our lives. Out from the throne there extend ever-expanding circles of worship that eventually include the whole universe.

First, there are the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders, who prostrate themselves and sing a new song (verses 8-10). Then there are many millions of angels, who proclaim in a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb!” (verses 11-12). Then all the other creatures in heaven, on earth, under the earth and in the sea join in a chorus of blessing to the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb (verses 13-14). The climax is a final “Amen!” from the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders (verse 14).

The only One worthy to occupy the center of such worship is the slain Lamb. If our worship on earth is to conform to that of heaven, it will also have the same focus: the One who sits on the throne and Jesus the Lamb who stands before Him.

Published on February 26th, 2008 | Articles, Guest Posts

This guest post comes to us from Paul Keith Davis at White Dove Ministries.

Convinced of Better Things

By Paul Keith Davis

Better things! Throughout the body of Christ many saints have been going through difficult circumstances, trials, and tribulations. This has been to groom and prepare us for “better things” on the horizon.

Over the past several years, the Lord has been faithful to release a prophetic word or insight at the beginning of each year that provides a central theme for that year. I was blessed and encouraged by the Scripture the Lord gave me during our new year’s conference in Alberta, Canada. It was Hebrews 6:9-10 declaring,

But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

Clearly, there can be multiple applications to this Scripture. Even so, the context in which it was given indicated things will be better in 2008 than they were in 2007. As we have already prophesied, this year should be a year of both completion and new beginnings simultaneously.

There are “better things” that we should be experiencing this year that will only increase in the season ahead. That is not to turn a blind eye to the distressing conditions that exist in our nation and around the world and the clear need for repentance. Instead, it is intended to give hope and expectation to God’s people who have allowed His refining process to run its course and emerge with significant anointing and authority.

Arise and Shine

As difficult times escalate in the world, the Church will be called upon more and more to provide hope and answers that cannot be provided by natural means. After all, our message is “good news!” We have the gospel of good news in the salvation provided by the Lord Jesus and His great sacrifice.

We are the salt of the earth and the light of the nations. Though many judgment prophecies are being circulated, we believe this will be a significant time of advancement and blessing for the righteous and judgment on unrighteousness. That is God’s system of justice!

Justice is defined as the act of determining rights by assigning rewards or punishments. It is the process of finding favor for one party and discipline upon another. The Bible outlines that righteousness and justice are the foundations of His throne. To only prophesy judgment would be to see only one side of the scales of justice.

Moving on to Maturity

Hebrews 6 is a call to maturity. We see a natural progression of growth leading to the outpouring of His Spirit producing two results; the faithful stewardship of God’s anointing that leads to fruitfulness and unrighteous stewardship yielding thorns and thistles. We are persuaded of “better things” for this generation and a fruitful harvest of laborers who will be notably used in the great harvest…we must therefore contend for this reality.

A careful examination of church history reveals many noble ministries that consistently produced good fruit and also others that gave in to the spirit of this world and resulted in failure or disillusionment. Though the preparation process has been intense and painful, the end result will be vessels equipped to carry on the work of ministry and produce things that “accompany salvation.”

Salvation is the single greatest gift God has ever offered humanity. It will take all of eternity to fully comprehend what it means to become a part of Christ and joint heirs with Him. Even so, the Bible also articulates there are many benefits that accompany the salvation experience.

Heaven on Earth

It is wonderful to have the expectation that when our life on this earth ends we have a new beginning with Him in Heaven; but we are also discovering the possibility of bringing a little of Heaven down to earth to manifest His kingdom to a lost generation.
David said it this way in Psalms 103:1-5,

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Among His many benefits we discover healing of the body and soul along with the hope and expectation of natural and spiritual blessings to satisfy our years on this earth. Furthermore, the Lord has promised to be a father to the fatherless; a faithful friend who laid down his life for others; and the One who delegates gifts among mankind.

We are fully expectant of better things for this coming season; things that accompany salvation. We have this expectation not because we are qualified in ourselves but, as the apostle Paul articulates, we are qualified because of what the Lord has provided for us. 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 declares,

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The stress and turmoil in the world will continually increase as this present age reaches its completion and the Lord’s Kingdom is prepared to be revealed. The confrontation between light and darkness will also escalate as evil will become greater. Likewise, the children of light must respond to offer hope and salvation through the Lord’s redemptive work.

Published on February 26th, 2008 | Articles, Guest Posts, Worship

This guest post comes to us from the archives of Derek Prince at Derek Prince Ministries.

Free to Worship – Part 1

Derek Prince

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” John 4:23

Isn’t it amazing? Almighty God, who has the resources of the entire universe at His disposal, is seeking people to worship Him – people like you and me, drawn from a fallen race of sinners! What can be God’s motive? Does He have some deep need for affirmation and approval?

Hardly!

No – His Father’s heart yearns to reveal Himself in all His glory to those whom He has created. This is the highest blessing He has to bestow.

The revelation of God comes first and foremost through His precious word – the Bible. “If anyone loves Me,” Jesus said, “he will keep my word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:23. Through God’s Word, received and obeyed, both God the Father and God the Son come to indwell us.

This in turn draws us to worship the God whom we have received. The better we know God through His Word, the more we desire to worship Him. We may measure the place that God’s Word has in our lives by the degree in which we desire to worship Him.

First of all, we need to recognize that worship does not consist in singing hymns or choruses, or listening to a choir, or even in praying – though all these are legitimate activities. These can – or should lead us into worship.

More important still, worship is not a form of spiritual entertainment. In worship, we do not focus on ourselves, or our experiences, but on God. Worship is direct, intimate, personal communion with our Creator. It is the highest activity of which the human spirit is capable. But it goes beyond the spirit and involves the totality of human personality.

It is a mistake, too, to think of worship as something we only do in a congregation or in public. Worship should form the highest point of our private devotions. In fact, the original meaning of the word “devotion” is an act of worship. If we only worship God in public in a congregation, there will always be something artificial about it. It will be merely a religious “act” that we put on in the presence of others.

On the other hand, united congregational worship can bring each individual into a higher and deeper awareness of God and His majesty than could ever be attained in solitary devotions.

Unfortunately, through the centuries, the Christian concept of worship has fallen far below the pattern presented in Scripture. I have researched all the main words the Bible uses for worship, and I have arrived at an exciting and revolutionary conclusion: every word used for worship – both in the Old Testament and in the New – describes a posture of the body. By way of illustration we will begin at the head and work downwards.

One main act is to bow the head. When Abraham’s servant, seeking a bride for his master’s son, realized that God had directed him to the family of Abraham’s brother, “Then the man bowed down his head and worshipped the Lord.” Genesis 24:26.

Again, when Moses and Aaron reported to the elders of Israel in Egypt that the Lord had promised to deliver them from their slavery, their response was the same: “they bowed down their heads and worshipped.” Exodus 4:31

Our hands also play an important part in our worship. David’s response to God’s lovingkindness is described in Psalm 63:4: “Thus will I bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in your name.”

In Psalm 141:2 David describes a similar act of worship: “Let my prayer be set forth before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

In Psalm 143:6 David describes a different position of his hands which expresses his longing for God: “I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for you like a thirsty land.”

Lifting up our hands is an act by which we acknowledge God’s majesty. Spreading out our hands indicates our desire to receive from God.

Probably the most familiar work of art that depicts prayer is Albrecht Durer’s Praying Hands. Perhaps this is more a picture of supplication than of worship. Nevertheless, it is significant that Durer does not focus on the lips, or even the face of the one praying, but on the hands.

Another way in which we may use our hands in worship is described in Psalm 47:1-2: “Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.”

By clapping our hands in this way we acknowledge the awesome majesty of our great King. By joining this with a shout of triumph, we proclaim His total victory. From time to time I have been present in a meeting when something that was said or done provoked a burst of clapping and sometimes also of shouting. Probably some who responded in this way did not realize that it was a scriptural act of worship.

Shouting – let me add – does not mean loud singing. It means shouting – exercising the full capacity of our lungs.

When Solomon was dedicating the temple that he had built to the Lord, he spread out his hands. But he also went further: he knelt down on his knees. 2 Chronicles 6:12-13. This form of worship typifies total submission to the Lord.

In Ephesians 3:15 Paul reveals that he too approached God in this position: “I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ultimately the whole universe will make this act of submission to the Creator. In Isaiah 45:23 the Lord declares: “I have sworn by myself…that to Me every knee shall bow…” In Philippians 2:10 Paul reveals that this act of submission will be made specifically to Jesus, as God’s appointed ruler: “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…”

There is a further act of worship which includes the whole body and which is depicted in the Bible more often than any other: to prostrate one’s self before God. When we prostrate ourselves in this way, we acknowledge our total dependence on God. We thus revoke the desire to be independent of God which prompted the original disobedience of Adam and Eve and which characterizes the fallen nature of every one of their descendants.

At some time or other most of the great men in the Bible had found themselves flat on their faces before God. Twice in Genesis 17 it records that Abraham fell on his face before the Lord (verses 3, 17).

When the Lord appeared to Joshua outside Jericho as the commander of God’s army, [Joshua] fell on his face to the earth. He was further commanded to take off his sandals from his feet (Joshua 5:13-15). Both actions – falling on his face and taking off his sandals – expressed worship. It was in this posture of worship that Joshua received the Lord’s direction for taking Jericho.

By contemporary standards, however, the most unconventional act of worship is described in 2 Samuel 6:12-14. When David had successfully brought the ark up to Jerusalem, he danced before the Lord with all his might. Since David was a mighty man of valor, the phrase “all his might” must indicate extremely energetic actions that included every part of his body. This was the most appropriate expression of his exuberant joy and gratitude to God.

The chapter closes with a word of warning to any who might react in a negative way to such a vigorous expression of worship. David’s wife Michal criticized him for such a display, and as a result was deprived of the privilege of bearing children. A carnal attitude of criticism can result in spiritual barrenness.

I said earlier that singing is not in itself an act of worship, but this statement needs to be qualified. In some cases singing and flow imperceptibly into worship. On the other side, clapping hands or dancing may often be expressive of praise as much as of worship. Human language is not sensitive enough to mark the exact borderline between various forms of worship and praise.

Why the Body?

We may ask: Why does the body play such an important part in our worship? After all, Jesus said that we should worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). The answer lies in understanding the relationship between three elements that make up human personality: spirit, soul and body. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:23).

The spirit is the part of our personality that can make direct contact with God. (See 1 Corinthians 6:17). But to express itself the spirit needs the cooperation of the soul – the part through which the will operates and which therefore makes decisions for the whole person. The soul, in turn, sets the body in motion.

This is illustrated by the words of David in Psalm 103:1: “Bless the Lord, O my soul…” David’s spirit was stirred to bless the Lord and urged his soul to make the appropriate decision. His soul, in turn, had to set his body in motion – primarily his vocal organs – to express the blessing which his spirit was long to offer.

Seen in this light, worship is an activity in which the spirit works through the soul to produce the appropriate actions of the body. If the soul and the body do not respond to the spirit’s urging, then the body is in effect a prison in which the spirit remains inhibited and unable to express itself. There are multitudes in the contemporary church who are in this condition – spirits imprisoned in bodies through which they cannot freely express themselves. Their physical activity in church is limited to a few routine movements. They walk in, sit down, stand up, sit down, stand up and walk out again. As a result, they scarcely participate at all in the highest activity of which their spirits are capable – the uninhibited worship of the Creator.

There is, however, an opposite error: the soul and the body may “go through the motions” of worship without the spirit initiating it or being involved. The result is mere religious activity and not true worship. The scriptural pattern of worship requires the harmonious interaction of all three parts – spirit, soul and body – with the spirit to bring the initiative. It is this harmony of all our faculties that constitutes true liberty.

A Spirit of Stiffness

Recently I had an experience which I believe serves as a kind of “parable” to illustrate this situation. I was with a group of Christians waiting upon God in prayer. Suddenly, without any act of my will, my hands went up in the air and my body went through a series of convulsive jerks for a moment. I felt embarrassed, wondering what the other people would think. Then I asked myself: Which is more important, what people think, or what God wants to do for me? I decided to yield without reservation to what God was doing. Actually, most of the other people were too preoccupied with God to notice what was happening to me.

The convulsive jerks lasted for a few minutes, then I relaxed and my body went limp. God showed me that I had been delivered from a spirit of “stiffness” (something I had never heard of before). He showed me, too, when and how that spirit had gained access to me. I was born in India – in 1915 – at a time when the medical facilities were relatively primitive. The local doctor soon detected that my legs were unequal. He recommended that I lie on my back with one leg in a splint – which continued for several months. From that time onward there were certain normal physical movements that I was never able to make. Since my deliverance, however, I have begun to experience a new freedom of movement.

I find it a sobering thought that a spirit of stiffness had kept me from full freedom in my body for 79 years – in spite of many physical and spiritual blessings that I have enjoyed in subsequent years.

Over the centuries, I believe, something analogous has happened to the Christian church. A large section of it has been infiltrated by a spirit of “stiffness” which has kept Christians from experiencing the liberty and exhilaration which God desires His people to enjoy in their worship of Him. As a result, our forms of worship are often far removed from the patterns so abundantly presented in Scriptures.

What is the remedy? First, we must return to the pattern of Scripture and apprehend the full scope of activities with which it is appropriate to worship God. Then we must discipline our souls to respond to the prompting of our spirits and to release our bodies into all the appropriate actions. In many cases this may require some kind of spiritual deliverance.

If these words apply to you, don’t make the mistake I nearly made. Don’t let embarrassment or self-consciousness keep you from pressing through into all that God has for you!

Published on February 22nd, 2008 | Articles, Guest Posts

This guest post comes to us from Graham Cooke at Graham Cooke Ministries.

Spiritual Warriors

Graham Cooke

In Hebrews 10:35-36, we receive a fascinating caution, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”

Too many of us cast away our confidence in the face of adversity. In fact, most Christians toss it overboard as soon as the waves and winds of life stir up.

Spiritual warriors, on the other hand, prize their confidence. They protect it. They let it develop by using it in every circumstance.

I am terrible for losing things – keys, wallet, passport, airline tickets. You name it, I’ve lost it. I have had to make it a habit to check and keep these things with me. It is a conscious, deliberate choice. In the same way, Christians need to make it a habit to check and keep their confidence with them. We have to hold on to our confidence as we would a passport or wallet. In a big city, what’s the first thing most men do? We move our wallet from our back pocket to a front one. We want it safe from pickpockets.

We cannot allow the enemy to pickpocket our confidence in Christ. We must not throw it away; we need to keep a firm grip on it at all times. The disciples, in the early days with Jesus, were notorious for abandoning their confidence at every turn. Peter took his eyes off Christ and sunk helplessly into the sea. The disciples wondered if a sleeping Jesus even cared that their boat was being battered by a storm. Peter’s denied even knowing the Lord. Thomas would not accept his best friends’ testimony of His resurrection. They constantly squabbled over who would be first in the Kingdom. But these men grew into apostles who led with confidence. Their faith became unshakable, even at the point of death.

The confidence a spiritual warrior carries cannot be pried out of their hands by anything, anytime, anywhere. We are called to hold out for our reward from God but confidence and endurance must live together within us in order to obtain that reward. Confidence must become our great ally. Endurance must be our best friend.

We are called to be patiently confident and confidently patient. We can hang on in the face of any storm, knowing Jesus is with us. Spiritual warriors are patient people who learn how to silence themselves before God and simply wait for Him to move or speak.

The glue that holds confidence and endurance together is praise. When we choose to praise God for His hand on our life, even when things are rough, we grow quickly. We become stronger than we ever imagined we could be.

A warrior can receive under pressure. This is what makes them a catalyst in a time of breakthrough, they can contend for the blessing God has promised. If we throw away our confidence, there is no breakthrough. The enemy knows this better than anyone which is why he constantly works to undermine the confidence of Christians. While most people just want to survive a war, spiritual warriors want to thrive. They want to win, to stand atop the enemy’s defeated carcass, and to celebrate. It isn’t about being rescued from a tough day. It is about breaking through it into what God has for us.

Warriors love pressure. They want to make the enemy pay for attacking them. They have a special equation: favor plus vengeance equals payback. This breed of warriors have strongly resolved to stand no matter what. They have the tenacity to hold on to the Lord even when everyone else runs away.

Published on February 21st, 2008 | Articles, Guest Posts

This guest post comes to us from Bobby Conner at Bobby Conner Ministries.

Discovering God’s Original Intent

Bobby Conner

God’s Master plan is revealed in Genesis 1:26 when God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” I’ve got great good news. God has not deviated one iota from His original intent, creating a people with whom He can have unbroken fellowship and communion.

In Christ Jesus we are created to have dominion over all that God had created. There is emerging a generation that will have restored back to them all that Adam forfeited. Resulting from his rebellion mankind fell from this place of intimacy with God. God will without fail fulfill His plan of redemption and restoration. God boldly stated that He will restore see Joel 2:25. God’s matchless plan of redemption bringing mankind back to their original fellowship with Himself by means of the sacrifice of His only Son.

God desires and delights in granting us a brand new start see 2 Corinthians 5:17. He longs to wash away the stain of our sin see Isaiah 1:18. Like the promised days of Acts 3:21 ; we are living in times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord see Acts 3:18. Not only are these days of refreshing – it is a time of reviving, restoring, and refining.

Believers with an urgency are being readied to be released into the harvest field. This is a time of mobilization. We are being equipped by the power of the Spirit of God as laborers who will flow and function in the anointing in order to establish the kingdom of God see Acts 1:8. The objectives of God will be accomplished; God will fill this earth with the knowledge of His Glory. The true glory of God will be revealed and all flesh shall see it see Isaiah 40:5. Now is the time to arise and shine because the promised glory will be seen upon the people of God see Isaiah 60:1-5.

The revealed sons and daughters of God are being released at this time see 1 John 3:1-4. Our primary mission is to establish the kingdom of God upon this earth. To see that Christ Jesus receive the full measure of His sacrifice to see to it that He gets all that He has paid for. The Spirit of God is calling forth the overcomers who are willing to walk in a higher level with Christ thus moving in true authority and power see Revelations 3:20-23.

Published on February 20th, 2008 | Our Music, Songwriting, Worship

The picture featured in this video of Jesus on the cross was done by Vickie Sides at lmci.org. Her drawing was the original inspiration for this song. We hope you enjoy it.

Lyrics and chord chart available for free in PDF format.

Published on February 18th, 2008 | Guest Posts

This guest post comes to us from Paul Keith Davis at White Dove Ministries.

Divine Alliances

By Paul Keith Davis

One of God’s wonderful assurances is His promise to release a special blessing and anointing on those willing to dwell together in unity and fraternal affection. Psalms 133 declares,

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing– life forever.

On Saturday morning before the Day of Atonement 2006, I received a spiritual dream that communicated a message consistent with this theme. Wanda and I were involved in the “Engaging Heaven” conference with our friends Brian and Candace Simmons in West Haven, Connecticut.

At 2 o’clock in the morning, the hotel fire alarm was activated requiring an evacuation of the hotel. This in itself conveyed a spiritual message for this season. Our enemy will constantly be activating false alarms to keep us in unrest. We must keep our minds focused upon the Lord at all times.

Once it was determined that there was no real danger, we returned to our rooms. As soon as I was able to sleep, I immediately went into a dream. The context of the dream was set around the TV program “Survivor.” It was incredibly vivid and detailed. Every circumstance that we discover on this program was involved in this dream. A group of people were delivered to a remote island with little or no provision.

Each person was placed within a tribe with whom they would live, survive and depend. Part of the program scenario centers around challenges that promote teamwork and communication.

There is a reward challenge to hopefully acquire the essentials necessary for survival on the island. The other is a competition to determine which tribe must eliminate one of its members.

Immediately I recognize the only hope for survival in this context was to form an alliance with others that I completely trusted. I was able to locate three other men that shared common views with me. We committed ourselves to an unbreakable alliance built around trust and open communication.

The dream continued for four consecutive hours until the time came to be awakened for the morning conference meetings. When I was awakened, the only “survivors” that remained were the four of us in the divine alliance.

Instantly, I knew the heart of the message conveyed in the dream. The days ahead are going to be difficult and trying. Much of what we have readily depended upon for day-to-day life will be removed. Our hope for survival in the coming season is a willingness to form divine alliances and friendships with others we thoroughly trust.

Communication and trust will be two of the most indispensable commodities discovered in ministries and Churches that flourish. I remember thinking at the end of the dream that I was pleased to be awakened before another member was to be removed from the island. I do not believe any of the four of us would have broken the alliance.

Alliance Defined

An alliance is defined as a formal agreement that establishes a relationship or partnership between other parties to achieve a particular goal. It is an association built around common interests and goals. It is primarily established to advance a certain cause or agenda. An alliance is sometimes referred to as a treaty of friendship.

As 21st century Christians, we have the greatest cause of all…to advance Gods Kingdom and the revelation of Jesus Christ. Many in the world are asking pointed questions concerning the conditions that exist in the earth. We as the Church must provide the answers.

It is now time for a transition to take place where we lead by example. Divine grace is being released from heaven that will allow Christians to trust one another once again.

There is going to be the revelation of a high calling around which many will build their entire lives. This realization will so profoundly impact many that they will willingly lay aside personal agendas and ambitions to embrace this mandate.

Great strength and advancement will be discovered by those determined to enter in to such an arrangement. Divine alliances will not only produce substantial results but also a sphere of safety.

The uniqueness of divine alliances allows for Churches or ministries to maintain their own identity and vision while also joining in agreement with others to advance a common cause. If the Lord can find just three or four Churches in a region to dwell together in harmony and support one another in friendship, then great advancement can be achieved in that territory.

Avoid Unholy Alliances

The Bible also contains numerous examples of unholy alliances that were displeasing to God. These however were centered on compromise and idolatry. As always, our adversary seeks to pervert everything that is fruitful.

It has been our experience that those to whom we are to be joined in covenant relationship are made evident. Marriages in ministry are very similar in this context to the marriage of man and woman.

It must be a divine arrangement with those to whom we are equally yoked. Trust, communication and mutual vision are all essential ingredients that formulate a successful union. The Lord will bring into our lives those to whom we are to be joined in long-term relationship. It does not have to be something that we force into existence.

In the Order of David and Jonathan

The Bible provides numerous examples of New Testament leaders who established ministry covenants. Peter and John clearly functioned as a team as discovered in Acts 9. Paul and Barnabas illustrate one of the earliest examples following the Day of Pentecost.

However, one of the greatest alliances in the Bible that advanced God’s cause existed between David and Jonathan.

Jonathan said to David, “Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the LORD, saying, “The LORD will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.”‘ Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city – 1 Samuel 20:42

Jonathan recognized in David the future of Israel’s prosperity. There was a cause that he discovered that was worthy of sacrifice and commitment to achieve. Furthermore, the LORD imparted genuine affection in their hearts for one another. Theirs was an unbreakable bond of commitment that resulted in David’s survival and Israel’s welfare.

The entirety of 1 Samuel 20 provides a vivid portrayal of the commitment that existed between David and Jonathan. They entered into a divine alliance that provided safety and strength. They enjoyed clear and concise communication that facilitated the plan of God and the future of Israel.

Joined in Fraternal Affection

The concept of fraternal affection and brotherly love is emphasized in the ascending pyramid of graces and Godly attributes discovered in 2 Peter 1:5-8; these are essential in our quest to become one spirit with the Lord.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Greek word for “brotherly kindness” in this passage is “philadelphia;” It is defined as “fraternal affection; brotherly love (kindness) or love of the brethren.”

From a position of fraternal love we move forward into the “agape” of God. If it is our hearts’ desire to participate in the harvest of the ages and the healing of the nations, then it must be from a position of authentic compassion birthed in love. These can only be imparted to us through the Holy Spirit.

As summarized through the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, we are to abide in faith, hope and love. We dwell in faith through the conviction and belief of man in his relationship with Heaven as well as hope, which is our confident expectation of redemption. But the greatest of these is the true affection for God and man expressed through saints; it is generated by a deposit of Heavenly virtue resident in us- LOVE.

The truth to be greatly emphasized in this generation is the transference of our lost nature for His divine nature. We have the precious and magnificent promises by which we become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption of this world and its lusts.

By virtue of being joined with Him as His body in the mystery of incarnation, we likewise share in His heart of love and desire for the brethren as well as lost humanity.

As the Lord declared in John 17:23,

I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

We are being sent in this generation in like fashion as the Lord Himself was commissioned by His Father. We are to be carriers of His heart.

Published on February 17th, 2008 | Technology

Introducing Plusmo

I’d like to introduce you to a company called Plusmo. They created a mobile RSS/Atom feed reader. Plusmo will allow you to read any blog feed from your cell phone like ours – cWorshipMusic.

You simply sign up for their free service, follow the instructions to install their software to your cell phone, then configure the feeds that your interested in through their website.

What is Plusmo?

Plusmo is a FREE service that lets you run cool mobile widgets on your phone. Mobile widgets are tiny software applications that offer a much better mobile experience for a specific purpose. There are over 20,000 widgets on Plusmo, most of them created and shared by users just like you.

What do I need to get Plusmo?

All you need is a browser on your mobile device. Just go to plusmo.com/m from your mobile phone browser and download the client.

Note: Some cell phone providers block access to these aplications based on the data plan you have. So, even though your browser might be working, you might see connectivity issues with the Plusmo client. Simply contact your provider and ask for their assistance.

Is Plusmo free?

The Plusmo service is free to use. However, your mobile operator may charge you for data downloaded if you don’t have a data plan. Plusmo recommends that you get an unlimited data plan to avoid getting charged per download.

Want to try it out? Subscribe using your cell phone.

Did I mention it was free?

Blessings,
Charlie†