Category: The Mysteries of God

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The Gospel According to Forrest Gump

ShrimpAnyone born prior to 2009 is probably at least familiar with the name Forrest Gump. As the 20th anniversary of it’s release approaches (originally released on July 6, 1994), I thought this post a timely one. Whether you’ve seen the movie or not, I’m sure you are familiar with some of the colloquialisms derived from the film, as well as some of the pop-culture that was born from it. After all, ever hear of  the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.?

(Incidentally, they DO have boiled shrimp, popcorn shrimp, fried shrimp, jumbo shrimp, shrimp creole, BBQ shrimp, etc… but I digress)

Among his most famous “Gump-isms”, one phrase that is often re-quoted in normal conversation is one quote Forrest attributed to his momma.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Well, as living proof of that, allow me to share my own “Forrest Gump moment”. Recently, I was speaking out of town, but as it was not at an unreasonable distance, we decided to drive. There are a number of people who sometimes travel with me to assist with logistics, books, etc., and on this occasion, my travel companion was a gentleman named Brad. We got to the multi-evening event, and everything went great. However, due to a wedding I was slated to participate in back in Chattanooga, we had to leave immediately once I finished speaking at the last session, and begin the long drive back home.

On the last night of the event, upon completion of the service, we packed up all of our books and materials, said goodbye to the wonderful folks who afforded us the opportunity, and headed out to the truck (I drive an SUV). As we approached the vehicle, I realized something was wrong…

It was already running.

Now, this is a problem, since Brad had stayed with me the whole time, and had never come out to the truck to start it ahead of time. In fact, neither of us had been out to the truck since before the service started, a couple of hours before. As all of the potential reasons why it may have been running, as well as the potential consequences of such, raced into my mind, all I could come up with was a simple question…

“Brad… Did you leave the car running this WHOLE TIME????”

Without missing a beat, and seemingly unfazed by the directness of my question, Brad very simply replied, “No, I just started it remotely a minute ago.”

Whaaaaaaat????

“You did WHAT?” I asked.

“What? You didn’t know you can start it remotely?” Brad asked with a touch of incredulity in his voice. He held up the remote to the truck. “Yeah, you push this button, then push this other one, and it cranks right up.”

So let me get this straight… I have had this vehicle for how-many-years, and never knew I could start it remotely? All of the scorching, southern days that I sat in the car, sweating until the AC caught up with the oven-imitating cab? All of the cold, winter mornings that I had to leave the warmth of my home to go out and crank the icy engine? You mean to tell me that, all this time, I could have simply pushed a button, and let the car warm up (or cool down), without the discomfort of my presence?

Ok… as I am so fond of saying in my sermons: “Hold up your sign” (you know, the one that says stupid on it).

Well, I guess I wouldn’t be a real preacher if I couldn’t find a spiritual application to my own misfortune (or stupidity), so here we go…

How many times have we all had something at our fingertips, and never realized it? How many times has the answer, solution, or tool we needed been within our grasp, but we are too focused on the complexity of the job to see the simple fix? How many of us are guilty of being creatures of habit to the point that, when a better way comes along, we ignore it and wallow in our time-worn inefficiency?

The Psalmist said…

  Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. ~ Psalm 103:2-5

   Ok. Closer to home. How many of us are really good at “blessing the LORD”, and really bad at “forgetting NOT all His benefits”?

Chocolate“Momma always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you’re gonna get.'” ~ Forrest Gump


We sing praises. We worship. We bless His name. However, when the first sign of trouble comes, we retreat into the “box of chocolates“, and we take whatever is handed to us — complain, worry, and fret — and forget that…

He forgives.

He heals.

He redeems.

He crowns (rewards).

He satisfies.

He renews.

While life may be as unpredictable as a box of chocolates, it doesn’t mean you have to take it lying down. You know, it’s a wonderful thing when a Christian does not get used to being a Christian. The ability to still learn, still study, still pray, still have a sense of wonder… still trust. Sometimes, we get lost in the life of being a believer, and forget what it means to actually believe. We must never lose sight that our God never gets old, never gets tired, is always creating, is always ready with a new “gadget” or two that may surprise us, and always has your best interests at heart.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my staff members sang a song on Sunday morning that he wrote several years ago. I think it is appropriate today. As you listen to it (video link below), remember that while the world may say you are stupid for believing in Someone you cannot see, as Paul said…

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:18

So, maybe “stupid IS as stupid does“. But, if that means believing in the “foolishness” of the cross, and that putting my faith and trust squarely in Jesus is “stupid” — then stupid is something I can live with.

How about you?

Pastor Ron

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The Power of Being

BPRecently, while on a trip to Great Britain, we visited iconic sites like Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Holyrood Palace, and St. Andrews.

Big Ben
Big Ben / Parliament


We also journeyed to Stratford Upon Avon, the home of the great poet and playwright William Shakespeare. Shakespeare once said, “To thine own self be true…” There is also an old Greek aphorism which, when translated, means “Know thyself.”
Our existence is a miracle of creation. We are human beings. We have the gift of “being.” It is interesting that the name of God in Hebrew — Yahweh — is a “being verb” meaning “I am who I have always been, and I always will be who I am.”

The scripture says…

“… In Him we live and move and have our being…” ~ Acts 17:28

With my wife, Paulette, in front of Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Our being means we are more than unreasoning animals. We are made in the image of God, and though fallen, we are given our being back by the sacrifice of Christ!

So I must know who I am and understand my God-given talent, temperament and opportunity. My being can (and should) be filled with His Holy Spirit and His gifts. I can be more than I imagined.

Jesus said for us to deny ourselves for His sake…

“… If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” ~ Matthew 16:24

 

With my grandson, Ethan Logue, near Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

However, we can’t do that until we affirm ourselves. If you do not love yourself, you cannot love your neighbor. It’s time for we as believers to see ourselves the way God sees us. When we choose to deny self, we aren’t giving up anything. By setting aside the very thing that anchors us to death (our sinful nature) and taking up the cross, we are gaining infinitely more than we are leaving behind. The act of following Jesus is the ultimate act of being true to yourself… living the life for which you were always intended — the life for which you were created.

But it is also not just about the individual… individual churches have being as well, and churches must be true to who they are and what they are positioned, gifted, empowered, and called to do.

True human beings are all unique and special. Our churches are as well — each with its own unique calling.

 

Let’s be something great for God — together!

At Cardiff Castle, Wales
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Angels In The Snow

Ok… we’ve finally made it to summer weather (winter just seemed so unrelenting this year in the Tennessee Valley). Feeling the warmth outside as we head into the dog-days of summer, I thought I’d give you a brief respite from the heat and tell you a little story… about snow. Snow and angels.

Gena’s story…

There are angels among us. You never know if it’s that person standing next to you in the elevator, behind you in line in the market, or even the pizza delivery guy.

One of my dearest friends worked as a full-time nanny for a very nice family of five that lived way out in the Indiana countryside. Being a mother-to-be herself, she certainly had her hands full with taking care of their children… but she did an amazing job.

imageI’d gone over there one weekend to spend some time with she and the kids while the parents were out of town. It was a wonderful December day and had started to get late. It was time for me to leave. It really snowed that day, so everything was completely covered. After I’d warmed my car, I was trying to back out and had somehow found myself no longer on their driveway, but instead on their lawn. That’s when I got stuck. I tried rocking the car back and forth in my attempt to get the car out, but all that did was make a mess of their yard. Feeling just awful about it, I went back inside and announced to my friend, “I’m stuck.” My friend began looking for shovels, salt, two-by-fours… anything that might help. “Surely these folks have tools; they live in the country!”

No luck.

I’d gone back out to the car to have another go at it, and was getting really frustrated. By this time, it was around 11:00p.m., very cold, and although the snowing had slowed to almost nothing coming down, it was difficult to get around since the snow from the day was fairly deep. Back in the car, I sat there thinking that I didn’t want to worsen the near-ditch I had already dug in their front yard. I couldn’t believe this. “How could I have done this?” I asked myself, I didn’t even have anyone to call for help. I started to pray. After a few minutes, for some reason I glanced down at my odometer. To my ironic horror, it read the numbers 666. I became angry and yelled, “I rebuke this!” I quickly pushed the button, resetting the odometer back to zero.

Just then, a small car with a Domino’s Pizza delivery sign on top pulled up to the house. I remember thinking, “Way out here? That’s odd.” A man got out of the car. With a big smile, he walked over and chuckled, “Looks like you could use some help.”

I was giddy with thankfulness and replied, “Oh yes… thank you! Thank you so much!”

He laughed and said he’d give it a push while I gave it a little gas.

I sat in the car and looked behind me through the rear window. The man stood behind my car, and for a few moments, he looked at it in what appeared to be a very thoughtful way. It was like he was gathering information with his smiling eyes.

“OK, then!” he called out. I pressed gently on the gas pedal… I certainly didn’t want to fling the icy slush and mud on him.

He placed his hands on the trunk of my car and forward, up, and back onto the driveway I went. I thought, “Oh my! He didn’t even lean.”

I got out of the car and was so surprised, all I could get out of my mouth was a barrage of “thank you”s and a “Wow! You’re strong!”

He laughed and asked that I be very careful out there on the road.

I went to reach for my purse in the car to give him some cash for helping me out, and when I looked up, he’d already gone all the way back to where his car was on the road. He stood by his car and waved before getting in and pulling away.

I quickly jumped into my car and backed out to the road. He was gone. No taillights…

No tire tracks in the snow.

AngelsYour prayers matter to our Father and activate angelic assistance. Remember, no prayer goes unnoticed or unanswered. I realize that, to some of you, that doesn’t make sense, when you have prayed for healing and the healing hasn’t come, or when you have suffered greatly and there seemed to be no relief. However, our prayers have been entrusted to angels until their appointed time. As allies with the angels, we must be reassured by the power of prayer and spend time regularly with God.

— from the book, Our Invisible Allies by Ron Phillips published by Charisma House Publishers Copyright © 2009 by Ron Phillips
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The Journey Home

Through The Looking Glass2

I once heard the story of an old missionary couple that was returning home after years of faithful service on the mission field. As their journey across the sea began, they discovered that they were sharing their ship with none other than President Theodore Roosevelt.

Activity swirled around the President as the old couple went virtually unnoticed.

Finally, when the ship arrived in New York, bands and dignitaries came out to greet the President, while the old couple slipped off of the ship, and disappeared into the crowd.

The old man became bitter with God about the fact that they were in no way recognized. Complaining to his wife about how unfair it was, his wife encouraged him to take it up with God.

After a short time, the old man emerged from their bedroom with a changed countenance. He explained to his wife that, as he was complaining to God about not being recognized on returning home, the Holy Spirit gently spoke to him and said…

“You’re not home yet.”

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An Unexpected Stop on a Holy Quest

New MexicoCenturies ago there lived a young German monk. This devoted man took his holy orders seriously. His life was one of discipline. He had surrendered everything and viewed soberly the holy obligation of the church. Still, his struggling heart was empty. Finally, the young cleric decided that pilgrimage and penance was the way to God. He crawled up the high stairs in Rome where many made their pilgrimages, the staircase known as Scala Santa. Worn out and bloody from the journey, he still had no answer from God.

Returning home, the young monk was browsing in a library when he came across a complete copy of the Latin Scriptures. He was astounded, for he had never held the entire Word of God in his hands, in spite of years of Bible study as a monk. That day the light came powerfully to Martin Luther as one verse from God’s Word broke over his soul—

“The just shall live by faith.” ~ Romans 1:17

Luther knew that Paul had written those words, echoing the prophet Habakkuk, to the church at Rome. Now, 1,500 years later, the same truth that had become almost smothered by church traditions exploded in his heart. In that moment of revelation, Martin Luther had a profound conversion and filling of the Holy Spirit. He moved from religious ritual to a personal relationship with Jesus. Now, at last, his quest for life together with God was made possible by the journey to Jesus.

Luther went on to lead thousands of others to that same freedom!

Fast forward about 500 years…

Not unlike Luther, in 1989 I came to realize my own life had become one of religious works done to please God and to rise in denominational prestige and position. My early quest for life together with God had been swallowed by religious obligation. With a legalistic work ethic, I worked hard and achieved a measure of success — if nickels and noses were any measure in church life. Vacancy After twenty-two years in the ministry I found myself empty and powerless. My walls were lined with books I had mastered, a few I had written, degrees I had earned, and awards I’d received. Yet I had no close relationship with God. I had received His salvation, had dedicated my life to ministry, yet my soul was emaciated, starved for spiritual things. My pride in my knowledge kept me from talking about my hunger. I was opinionated and mean-spirited to those who didn’t agree with me. Being right was more important to me than being righteous. God graciously began to allow disappointment and difficulty to exhaust my flesh. I became so miserable that I could no longer stand myself, nor did I feel I could continue as a pastor. My life had reached critical mass… something had to give.

It was then that my life was overturned completely by what some call the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Up until that heavenly invasion, I had my faith neatly stacked into an orderly package. I believed that God did great things in the past and one day in heaven I would see Him. I was thoroughly orthodox and adamantly opposed the “mystics” who believed God could speak, act, and touch people like He did in the Book of Acts. Like a Pharisee, I had turned the written Word into an idol. I was a “Scripture expert” but a miserable failure at life.

AMotel Signt the moment I was ready to tender my resignation from the ministry, God met me in a hotel room in New Mexico. Oh, blessed invasion! Oh, divine disruption! I had a literal and personal awakening in the long night of my despair! God spoke to me, baptized me, filled me, and called me to an authentic relationship with Him. From that new relationship would flow a new ministry, wild and free like a rushing river. This experience was not an end but the beginning of a fantastic quest for intimacy with Jesus. All my life I have been in hot pursuit of an intimate life dwelling together with God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

—from The Power of Agreement
by Ron Phillips and Ronnie Phillips, Jr.
Published by Charisma House, © Copyright 2014

 

 

 

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The Spirit and Spectre of the Past

Med2Nostalgia can be a nice feeling. We love getting nostalgic around special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, and funerals. Remembering times-past and reminiscing about days-gone-by is accentuated by the smell of home cooking, watching “grainy” and “black and white” home movies, and looking through scrap books and photo albums of those whom we have loved and lost. It’s like pouring warm syrup over a hot biscuit with too much melted butter — it just makes you feel good all over.

However, sometimes dark clouds can rise from the past and, for a season, joy can be obscured. It is during those times that nostalgia can turn into noxious, poisonous thoughts.
We must all understand that the past is exactly that — past: Past memory… Past history… Past glory. Whether we celebrate it or mourn it, the one thing we can never do is re-live it. The past is over forever… it can never be brought back. It makes me sad to see people trying to reinvent that which was good, but is now gone. One person said it well…

“The past is prologue.”

We can be thankful to God for the journey that has brought us forward in the will of God, but we have to make up our minds to go on with God. We have to resist the urge to live in a past that only has the potential to corrupt, crush, and enslave us.

SONY DSCAmerican journalist, playwright, and politician Clare Booth Luce once said…

Take your hats off to the past, but take your coats off to the future.

While we can “take off our hats” and show respect to the past, and those who have gone before us, it is our task at hands to “take off our coats”, roll up our sleeves, and get about the business of living in the NOW. I am truly grateful for the three decades I have served the Lord at Abba’s House, and all we have seen God do. Yet, I am glad to continue serving hand-in-hand alongside a group of people who are relentlessly moving forward on a God-given mission.

Speaking of nostalgia, as I write this, I am listening to some music, and an oldie by The Four Tops — “It’s All In The Game” — is now playing. One of the lyrics says…

Many a tear has to fall
But it’s all in the game.

It’s true — our past has good times, bad times, laughter, tears, pain, sorrow, and joy — it’s all part and parcel of life. We all have mess to deal with, but we have to learn to go on. As Bishop Blake of Los Angeles has said, “You’re gonna have some of that…” We all must learn to move forward, and take joy and wisdom from every season of life.

There is a popular song that we sing at my church called Moving Forward, written by Ricardo Sanchez and Israel Houghton. The chorus says…

I’m not going back
I’m moving ahead
Here to declare to You
My past is over in You
All things are made new
Surrendered my life to Christ
I’m moving, moving forward

We are the Army of God. Although we may be advancing on our knees, we should always be advancing, looking forward, watching the horizon… not the rear-view mirror.

Pastor Ron

 

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Uninstall First

Anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a computer whiz. I do not know a megabyte from a mosquito bite. In my world, crashes, runtime errors, blackouts, and “blue screens of death” are the norm. Yet, in spite of my technological illiteracy, I am fully equipped with a laptop computer with a touch screen, an Ipad, an Iphone, and a desktop computer. All of these devices apparently reside in heaven because they relate to each other automatically on the cloud.

At least that is what I was told is how it is supposed to work…

I’m in my office at home one day wanting to listen to music on my computer. My musical tastes are pretty diverse, as I enjoy everything from Third Day, Rick Pino, and Bill Gaither to Celine Dion and Frank Sinatra. I click iTunes like I always do and, lo and behold, an error message pops up.

Well, fortunately for me, I have a program that automatically solves such issues. I run my “fit it” program (that I paid $29.95 for online) and voilà… problem solved, right? Right?

Wrong.

While the screen stares at me with a message that the problem is solved, everything else in my immediate reality is telling another story. The melodies that I SHOULD be hearing of Fly Me To The Moon are being replaced by the sounds of silence, and feelings of wanting to send this computer to the moon with one swift kick. However, calm and reason win out, and I decided to try to simply re-install iTunes.

More error messages.

I reboot the thing and it welcomes me back with the familiar Windows screen…

… and another error message.

After fighting the Battle of MegaByte Gulch for a solid day, I finally called Todd, our IT man at Abba’s House. I told him my problem and he said, “Try uninstalling iTunes and then reinstall.”

BINGO! iTunes fired up like an old friend, and the sound of music was once again filling the atmosphere of my office.

As I sat there working as the music played, the familiar sound of Ol’ Blue Eyes filled the air. As the song “My Way” played, the Holy Spirit showed up. He showed me that sometimes “my way” doesn’t work because it is locked in to an error laden program.

Paul understood the process of “rebooting” almost 2,000 years before computers, smartphones, and the Internet. In II Corinthians 5:17, he states…

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new.

When we take on a new life in Jesus, we shed the old man — the “old program” — and we become a new creation. The old is not just dormant, silent, or locked away in some dark recess… it’s gone. Just like I couldn’t make iTunes work until I had uninstalled the old version, we can’t make a life in the Spirit work if we are hanging onto the very things that made our lives dysfunctional and error-laden to begin with.

This Sunday morning, I will be discussing this very topic — Uninstall First. How do we as Christians go about uninstalling the things that hold us back, or make our lives not work?

Join me at Abba’s House this Sunday at 10:30a.m. Let’s get all of our “programming” on the right track, and learn how to clean the error messages of the enemy out of our “registries” once and for all.

If you can’t be in the House, join us online by clicking here.

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Living With The Dream Thief

President Theodore Roosevelt once said:

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

Joyce Meyer had this thought:

“A #2 pencil and a dream can take you anywhere.”

Norman Vincent Peale wrote:

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”

We all have dreams. We all have a desire to be successful. No one sets out in life to be the poster-child for mediocrity. So who is the real “dream thief”? After all, in Philippians, Paul says…

Bible“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

So why don’t we?

John tells us in I John that…

“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

So why don’t we live in victory?

Maybe it is because sometimes we allow our own mindset to hold us back. Sometimes — as the saying goes — “WE are our own worst enemy.” We diligently battle the enemy of our souls, but then turn around and speak things into existence out of fear or low self-esteem, forgetting that the power of the tongue is as much a force to be reckoned with as the greatest enemy we may face. Actually, sometimes, they are one and the same.

King Solomon understood this when he said in Proverbs:

“The tongue has the power of life and death.”

So, the next time you feel the urge to speak negatively about your current situation, do this:

Stop.

Think.

Speak a blessing instead.

Pastor Ron

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When Technology Touches Heaven (Can you hear me now?)

Prayer2We all need prayer. Chances are that, in the past month, you have either asked someone for prayer, or have been asked by someone else to pray for them. However, with all of our busy schedules, and the cares in all of our own lives, it is easy to let the life of prayer slip, and forget to perform the very act (prayer) that can make the most difference in our lives, and in the lives of others. It’s easy to fall into the enemy’s trap, and allow fear to replace faith, and panic to replace prayer.

Well, here’s a simple little thought that might help you. It involves tapping into the limitless power or prayer with the power of…

Your cell phone.

A friend shared this with me. He uses his cell phone to set reminders to pray for people at specific times during the day. He taps into Heaven by tapping into his phone and setting up reminders to pray for specific people, needs, etc. With such a busy society, we can all use a little help from time to time. Why not use the technology that most of us are already paying for, and is usually no more than an arm’s reach away? It’s a very simple idea, but one that can have a great impact. Here are some suggestions…

1) Pick a time in your day that you can, typically, spend a few minutes in prayer.

2) Set a daily reminder on your phone to pray for specific needs, people, etc.

3) When your reminder goes off, stop what you are doing (if possible) and spend a few minutes in prayer for those needs your reminder is set for.

4) Set multiple reminders during the course of the day. You might set one for specific people, and another for something like “What is on my heart right now”, or “What I am worrying about this moment.”

Many of you reading this may already have a powerful prayer life. If you do, that is great. However, if you don’t pray regularly, this might be just the thing to set you on the path to consistency and power in your prayer life.

Pastor Ron

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The Rhythm of the Saints

 

Several years ago, 60’s music icon Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel fame released an album entitled The Rhythm of the Saints. On this recording, he utilized musicians and musical instruments from all over the world to create a compelling, “world music” experience. As I thought about this title (with it’s obvious spiritual overtones), and thought about the debate over music that has raged in the church for years (decades, centuries, etc.), it begged the question…

What should the real “Rhythm of the Saints” look and sound like? How should we as believers approach music and worship?

The instructions for true worship and praise are clearly defined in the scriptures.

  • We should worship Christ continually.

Our lives, not just our church services, should be a reflection of praise.

“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, ‘Let God be magnified.’” ~ Psalm 70:4

  • We should worship Christ in the church.

“I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.” ~ Psalm 35:18

  • We should worship Christ with the lost present.

“He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.” ~ Psalm 40:3

  • We should worship God so that praise can be heard.

“O bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise be heard.” ~ Psalm 66:8

These sounds of worship could include:

Shouting—

“… let Your saints shout for joy.” ~ Psalm 132:9

Singing—

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ Ephesians 5:18-20

Laughter—

“…then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing…” ~ Psalm 126:1-3

Musical Instruments—

“…play skillfully with a loud noise…” ~ Psalm 47:1

Clapping—

“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!” ~ Psalm 47:1

  • We should worship God with our bodies.

How should we use our bodies in worship? We are commanded to “present your bodies a living sacrifice…” (Romans 12:1-2). We should not hesitate to follow the example of “the man after God’s own heart” — “… David danced before the LORD with all of his might…” (2 Samuel 6:14)

  • We can lift up our hands.

“Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” ~ Psalm 63:4

  • We should worship God with our soul and spirit.

You are body-world conscious, and you are soul-self conscious:

“Bless the Lord O my soul…” ~ Psalm 103:1

In addition, you are spirit/God conscious. When you are saved your spirit comes alive in Jesus Christ. Praise is the exercise of the Spirit. Praise brings strength to your spirit.

“…which worship God in the Spirit…” ~ Philippians 3:3

Mary praised God by saying, “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:47)

  • We should worship according to the Word of God.

Everything David did in worship was from the Word of God…

“In God I will praise His word.” ~ Psalm 56:10-11

The Pitfalls of Preference

Worship is not about musical styles and personal preferences. It’s not about “warm fuzzies”, “nice feelings”, and staying in our comfort zones. Worship is about getting into God’s presence and seeking His face above all. What may sound to us like a joyful noise (emphasis on noise) may be wonderful praise from a pure heart to the ears of Almighty God. On the contrary, what may sound reverent, impressive, and inspiring to us may be a clanging noise to the One who knows “the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

The ark of God was the very throne and dwelling place of the presence of God on earth. When David and the children of Israel wanted to bring the ark of God up from Kiriath Jearim to the City of David, they had the best intentions at heart. It seemed like the right thing to do. There was much rejoicing and celebrating. They gathered all the people together, lots of music and dance, put the ark on a “new cart”, and headed out. However, God had already specified the manner in which the ark was to be carried, and a cart pulled by oxen was not in the instructions. The ark (His Presence) was always to be carried upon the shoulders of men, not on a cart pulled by a beast. So, when the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out to steady the ark, he paid for his irreverence with his life. God struck him dead on the spot, which angered the king. However, it wasn’t long until anger turned to fear in David’s heart. Instead of continuing with his ill-fated plan, David turned aside to the house of Obed-Edom, where the ark resided for the next three months (2 Samuel 6).

David had a good idea, but he did a good thing in a bad way. Worship is not about our opinion — it’s about His Presence. Following His design for how we approach Him is the key to finding His heart, and experiencing the joy, peace, awe, and wonder of His presence. When David returned three months later to move the ark to the City of David, he had a new perspective, a new attitude of worship, and approached the ark of God with sacrificial worship and praise.

One final thought…

The passage states that, “The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household” (2 Samuel 6:11). Obed-Edom didn’t just stop by occasionally and visit the ark. He made his home — his dwelling place — the habitation of the presence of Almighty God. Could it be that we are not experiencing more of His power and blessing because we are apathetic in our treatment of His presence in our lives? Could it be that if, instead of showing up at His house on Sundays and Wednesday nights, we make our own homes and our very lives habitations for His throne to reside 24/7?

Combine that attitude toward worship with the spirit of unity of believers in Jesus, and I believe that you find the unstoppable, unmistakable “Rhythm of the Saints” sounds surprisingly like the very heartbeat of God.