The Other 6 Days

The Holy Spirit has been driving something in me lately...how am I personally worshipping The Lord with the other 6 days of the week (beyond Sunday morning)?

      Have you been stirred by this question lately? Or ever?

The Sunday morning experience is vitally important for every believer. We should not give up meeting together as many in this age are doing (see Hebrews 10:25). We need each other, period.

But what about the other 6 days? Lately I've been encouraging Victory's worship teams and choir to consider this and respond in their 'other 6 days' by memorizing scripture, meditating on God's Word all the time, continually giving God thanks, participate in outreach, connect in a small group, serve others, worship and praise God daily...not just on Sunday. This is not a challenge given in chastiment but in encouragement to grow in the Lord daily. We are all there in that place of growth. As a matter of fact, it's something we'll always be growing in until we are in God's eternal presence forever. We need to get used to growing and changing.

How are you responding to the 'other 6 days' of worship and daily meditation on God's Truth?
Or should I ask, why is it so important to worship beyond just Sunday and focus on the other 6 days?

Here's why it's so important. When you pray...you grow! When you read and study God's Word, you are changed! When you meditate on His goodness and truth, you are renewed! When you encounter Him, you radiate His glory like Moses did and you are forever changed (see Exodus 34:30).

You see the 'other 6 days' are where you truly grow in personal worship and Sunday becomes the turning of the page for a brand new week of worship, thanksgiving, and praise. The Sunday experience with the Beloved of Christ becomes the place where courage is strengthened, hope is renewed, vision is revived, and dreams are validated. Sunday becomes the time where you are reminded that you are not alone but that you have a Family in God who actually gives a care about your life and how you are doing.

Here's a what if...now imagine this. Sunday ends and you start Monday off worshipping the Lord through His Word, constant prayer and thanks, and meditation on His Truth throughout the day. Then Tuesday comes around...same scenario. Then Wednesday...same scenario. Then Thursday, Friday, Saturday...Then the sun rises on Sunday and you gather with the Body of Christ and what happens? There is a God encounter awaiting because you are READY to meet with God The Most High. What if we came into God's presence on Sunday morning ALREADY worshipping? ALREADY meditating on His Truth? ALREADY praising Him for His continued mercy and goodness? You then don't care what songs the worship leader has selected, or if the melody causes you to sing, or the drum beat makes you dance. YOU'RE ALREADY worshipping because of your 'other 6 days' and are simply joining in the new song of praise on Sunday morning. God's Word says it best!

PSALM 100
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

 

Believe me, there is nothing like encountering Jesus one on one so go meet with Him.

 

So, what are you going to do with your 'other 6 days'?

 

Maybe you can start this refreshed journey with these passages of scripture used and spoken as prayers.

 

Exodus 33:13

"If you are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You..."

 

Psalm 86:11

"Teach me Your way O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your Name."

Making Dreams Come True...

Matthew 25:34-36
‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;  I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

     Did you know...?
     Did you know that you, by the power of the Holy Spirit, can make dreams come true?

You!

Yes, you, by the power of the Holy Spirit, can cause loneliness and depression to turn into courage and belonging.
You can cause bitterness to sweeten into a smile of appreciation.
You can cause individuals rejected by society to regain identity and purpose.

How?

Just like Matthew 25:34-36 challenges us...meet people's needs with the love of Christ...it's that simple. Someone is hungry...let's feed them. Someone is lonely and rejected...let's love them. Someone broke the law and is now behind bars OR on the flip-side, someone is being persecuted and thrown behind bars...let's visit them and encourage them. Someone is without clothing, needs a coat, or pair of shoes...give them the shirt off your own back. Someone is without caring parents, wrap those kids up in your arms and cry with them and hug them like crazy!

Listen! There is 'SOMEONE' that needs you to tell them that they are 'SOMEBODY.' Somebody worthy of love, worthy of acceptance, worthy of care! "YOU ARE SOMEBODY!" By the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of Jesus, you can make dreams come true!

This may seem like a shameless plug for what's happening this Saturday but...oh well. Take it or leave it. It's something I'm excited to have my family and I participating in and yes...we're going to make dreams come true and change people's lives with the love of Christ.

What am I talking about?    BIG DREAM DAY, March 23, throughout Central Illinois

This is a powerful way to grow in personal discipleship and weekly worship, share the love of Christ, and make an eternal difference in our community. We have 4 teams of people branching out this Saturday to simply love people...while expecting NOTHING in return. Those teams will be helping a local ministry that reaches kids on the West side by providing man-power for remodeling projects. Another team is making baked goods to give to local firefighters and simply say thank you. Another group is convassing Colfax, Illinois with door-to-door prayers and baked goods. Yet another group is preparing materials to promote Child Abuse Awareness month.

Your family can participate in these projects OR...go out and reach people with your own family, in your own community by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

For more information on these projects and to learn how you can sign-up please click here!

With all promotions aside for Big Dream Day, go out and change the world by sharing the love and care of Christ. Keep it simple!

WE'RE MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE THROUGH THE LOVE OF CHRIST!

Winter has an end...

I've come to learn that when the sweet Holy Spirit wakes you up to pray and download from His Truth and Power...you better get up. Here is what the Lord stirred in me on Sunday, March 10 around 1am.

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This winter has been depressing for many people on my different fronts. I know of families who have lost loved ones this winter; individuals who have lost jobs; men who have struggled to grasp hope; women discouraged about having husbands who will lead their families; families dealing with one round of sickness after another, and the list continues. I'm not trying to be a downer here or discourage anyone. The truth is all of these things can happen in any season of the year to anyone at anytime.

Here's my point, especially to those who feel their lives were previously described about.

Winter has an end and it begins with Spring!

God's Word reminds us that there are times and seasons for everything. Winter itself can become depressing with the cold, dreary, and gray days. (Hence seasonal depression)

I love this time of the year, however, when nature seems to scream, "That's enough!" and the bright yellow sun starts to pierce through the melancholy clouds; the snow melts away and spring flowers start to burst through the thawing soil; the air seems to gasp for warmth with one day at 35 degrees and the next at 60! (Don't worry...warmer weather is coming!)

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

What if we joined in the anthem going on in the earth and declared over our own lives "That's Enough!" to the complacency, monotony, depression, loss and fear?

Forgive me for these childish analogies that follow but I'm a father of 4 little ones, 6 and younger, so I'm learning to break things down and keep it simple. I see a cocoon breaking open and a new creation trying to fly. I see a tadpole trying to trade it's old fin for legs and jump like crazy. I see an infant learning to crawl, then stand, then walk because they want to run with their brothers and sisters!

Are you hearing my heart in this? Someone reading this right now is saying to their struggles, their addictions; saying to the devil himself, "LET ME GO! I want my destiny! I want Jesus! LET ME GO!" Here's another analogy to consider. I see a man who believed a lie and allowed the devil to wrap him up in a straight jacket. Now the man is trying to pull a Houdini; trying to break free from the lie he believed.

So, what's the point? Where do we turn? When does this winter end? Where are the refreshing spring rains?

Acts 4:12 admonishes us that "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Here are more promises from God's Word we can rely on in calling on the Lord:

Psalm 145:18
"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth."

Acts 2:21
"And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Proverbs 18:10
"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe."

Now, I've said all that to say this: When was the last time you got on your knees and called out, cried out to Jesus? When was the last time you deliberately spent quality time with God? Some of us have spent more time on Facebook than in God's Book! I've grown to know this to be true that if you want to know the health of someone's walk with the Lord...see how wore out their Bible is. Are their knees knobby from constant prayer? Can they worship without music? Is their walk blameless and wisdom sought after by others? Contemplate these questions for your own life.

Let me clarify something from my opening statements. I am not saying that the loss of loved ones, the loss of a job, or having sick children are the results of not spending time with Jesus. My point is that this is where we find breakthrough. This is where winter gives up and spring comes alive. This is where the choke-hold of depression and fear releases and you can breathe again. It happens when you CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD...JESUS!

I've heard many stories of believers who were attacked by a demonic spirit. They've described the attacks as someone sitting on their chests while they are laying down or someone strangling them. And in that place of torment all they could cry out was "JESUS!" And freedom came. You see, your freedom has a name and it's Jesus! (Acts 4:12)

Have you got yourself caught up in the rip tides of temptation; the currents of complacency? Where are you in your walk? Are you lost? If you could measure your faith, what would it add up to? More questions to contemplate and take before the Lord.

My conclusion. A few months ago a new song called The Drought Is Over was born during a revival at Victory Christian Center. It has brought liberation and prophetic release to people throughout Illinois, and now Texas and Nebraska. People joined in the song and said to their own drought, "THAT'S ENOUGH! LET ME GO!" However, my heartaches for those who took their umbrellas out or ran inside for shelter instead of dancing in the rain. (I'm referring to freedom from the spiritual droughts that people have been walking through.) Are you missing your God-encounters? The rains of refreshing are pouring out, so where are you standing...or kneeling?

Start your breakthrough from winter to spring by calling on the Name of Jesus. Stay there until He comes and speaks to you. Open that once-dusty-Bible and begin reading Romans 7 & 8 and let the words rekindle your passion for Jesus. (For that matter, start reading God's Word from cover to cover.) Bow your knees, lift your eyes and hands to where your help comes from.

Jesus is waiting for you. (Read Matthew 11:25-30)

 

Note: Over the next few months, or as long as the Holy Spirit leads, I will be posting and blogging challenging and encouraging words to refresh your time in God's Word, prayer, and personal worship. No more worshipping only on Sundays but developing a life of constant worship...24-7-365. Stay tuned.