3
Jan

Dare We Worship

   Posted by: Sonny   in Church of God, God, Grace, Humility, Love, Worship

It is a little past midnight and I am sitting in the living room praying, praising, and worshipping the Alpha and the Omega, The Lord of all creation, the God who came down to earth to live as one of us and to die so we can be reconciled back to Him.  Jesus is just so very amazing.  I love you Lord and am so thankful for your Amazing Grace.

It was the summer of 2007 and it was another first for me in my walk with Christ.  I was down, empty, feeling so very far from God.  I had been in His service for a little over five years and had been pretty much ‘up’ the whole time.  Then, sort of out of the blue, it felt like God was so very far away.  It was nothing I did or did not do and it was not because of anything bad in my life at that time.  Work, home life, church, all of these were fine and even great actually.  I could not explain it then and still can’t.

But I can honestly say that my worship was not exactly how it had been.  I may be different than most, but I have some of my best experiences in His presence while alone with Him.  Like right now after Tammy has gone to bed with our youngest grandchild and I have my headphones on and have been reading the bible and listening to music. Sometimes it is in the truck, just praying or worshiping as I drive alone down the highway.

But maybe that summer I had been just a little too busy.  Work had escalated to a level where it was almost like having three full time jobs.  I believe that maybe it was me and not God that had been too far away.  No matter what or how or who, I felt terrible for a while, at least in spirit.

Then I heard this song on the radio.  It was powerful but I could not find out who did it or its name.  But I did not forget it.

The Church of God held the annual camp meeting at Metro Church of God that year and I wanted to go but was not only too busy but actually not very motivated.  But I finally made myself go on the Friday night service.

I talked to a few people, found a seat and sat waiting, not expecting much.  I had talked to a dear friend and minister for a short time and had told him a little about what I was feeling and he had let me know that God was still good and that maybe He would be there for me that night.  I doubted it really.

Praise and worship started and I stood and I did worship God but it was not as refreshing as it had been at times.  Then the praise team started singing this song.  I am attempting to embed this video for the first time and I hope it works.  Watch it now if you want and I will finish up below.

If that did not wake you up to the awesome reality of God then I don’t honestly know what will.  It did it for me.  I don’t know whether it was me or God but the things this song woke me up to that night changed me once again.  And it was right on time because not long after that the bottom started to fall out.

Work ground to a halt in September 2007 and is still not good.  Every month I have to go into a rapidly dwindling savings to pay the bills.  The kids started getting into more and more trouble and are currently at an all time low or high maybe, which is devastating to me and especially to Tammy, my wife.  And she is also having some mysterious and hard to identify health problems, as some of you know.

Before anyone thinks I need a special song to move me, know that I don’t.  Most of this time that I have served Christ; it has only taken a thought of how He reached out and snatched me from the very gates of hell, to spur me on.  But I now believe He used this powerful song to wake me, humble me, and prepare me for these rather dark days I am in right now.  This song that night had me in tears and totally immersed in His presence in a way that I have not often felt.  It has that effect to varying degrees even now.  And I am at peace with our situation in a way that I might not have been.

As I sit here listening, crying and typing I just want to say to you all, that He is our everything, He is Holy, He is Lord, He was and is and is to come and I can’t speak for you but I ADORE HIM.  We must dare to worship the Holy Lord God Almighty in all situations.  Otherwise we just might not make it.

Love you all

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This entry was posted on Saturday, January 3rd, 2009 at 2:02 am and is filed under Church of God, God, Grace, Humility, Love, Worship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 comments so far

Connie
 1 

It is 2:30 AM and here I sit listening and crying to that video.

After my husband died in 2001, I was in a state of deep depression for about 4 years. It came in waves. One night we were having one of those awesome praise and worship nights…..very upbeat. I had those “goosebumps”. After the praise team finished, we had a special guest that announced that she was going to sing “Mercy Said No”. I thought, “Oh no! She’s gonna slow everything down and kill the moment”.

I had heard that song so many times, but that night the words just screamed out at me. How many times in my life had I found myself in trouble or in a seemingly hopeless situation and He brougt me out time after time; even before I ever asked Him. He definitely had a plan for my life. His grace and mercy saw me through every time. That song will forever be special to me.

I worship Him in ALL situations. Yes, even the bad ones. I have never had a trial or made a mistake that I did not learn a valuable lesson from. I thank Him for those times too. I adore Him too Sonny. I don’t want to even imagine where I would today without Him; if I would even be here at all.

Thanks for reminding me.

Love You All.

January 3rd, 2009 at 2:47 am
Tammy
 2 

I would love to be able to put my feelings into words. My spirit is up much higher than I can describe.

That song has such a special meaning to me, but my favorite part is the words, “Jesus, Your name is Power! Breath and living Water, such a marvelous mystery”.
I find myself almost yelling “Holy, Holy, Holy” when I reach that place of worship!

I am right now reminded of that wonderful triumphant feeling, that feeling of power that I know comes from my Savior! When I reflect on that feeling, I also feel the power and I feel as if I can get through anything.
Trust me, God has had to hold me up through so many trials and disappointments, but I know that I know that I know He holds tomorrow and His promises to me will be fulfilled!
If I allow myself to doubt for even a moment, I just look over at my wonderfully wise husband and remember that not too long ago, I had to depend on God to remind me that He would fulfill that promise if I remained faithful. I could see no progress in Sonny accepting Christ, yet God would allow me to see him standing beside me in worship and now, well, he has taken his rightful place as the spiritual head of our household, and so much more!

I long for the day when I can rejoice with my children, grandchildren and family members at their salvation! I know the promise is there, I simply wait for it to come to fruition.
Glory Be to God!!!

I’m trading my sickness, I’m trading my pain
I’m trading my sorrows , I’m trading my shame
I’m trading them all for the joy of the Lord!!

January 5th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Connie
 3 

Like Tammy, my spirit is up so high today. The praise and worship at church yesterday was so awesome that God responded and showed up in a mighty and powerful way. I wish everyone could have been there to experience it. It was totally supernatural! This is a good post and I pray that all of you “dare to worship”.

Peace and Love to you all.

January 5th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Patrick
 4 

Those who know me know that I love music and I do run the soundboard for our church, and I have an advantage sitting in that booth that others don’t. I get to, not only enjoy the praise time with God, but I also get to enjoy seeing the people that I love fully taken in by the holy spirit. I can get lost trying to make sure that everything sounds good for everyone else to enjoy. There is just something about that song and the depth of true worship that comes along with it that just engulfs you into true uninterrupted praise and worship, and no matter what is going on it always sounds perfect, at least it does in my heart.

love you all!!! :D

January 5th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Tammy
 5 

I almost envy Patrick when he puts it that way.
I have always sat in the front, simply because I am so easily distracted with those who need to go out during the service.

There are a few songs who take me to a special place every time, no matter what I am going through, good or bad. I feel like my heart is calling out to Jesus.

My prayer usually starts or ends with “Jesus, Listen to my heart”. :BH:
I know that He will engulf me with the strength I need or the healing I need and rejoice with me in my joy!

Now isn’t that cool?

January 14th, 2009 at 3:07 pm

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