When personal surrender becomes the act of worship I do every Sunday morning; I am free to recognize God for who he is and for what he has done. In turn I am also free to be used by God to encourage others and be available to love and serve them. By surrendering myself, my preferences and my opinions for the good of the body, I am able to leave worship knowing that God has served me and equipped me to serve others throughout the week. That kind of empowering worship is what builds up the body. I love the experience of having good feelings during worship, but I'd much rather view worship as a spiritual discipline for the body of Christ. Having the body of Christ grow strong and healthy; now that's a goal for corporate worship that we should all be able to work toward.
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Corporate worship is the culmination of how we engage with God on a daily basis. When we as believers are in the presence of the Lord every day, the Holy Spirit is positioned to pour out his anointing on the body in our corporate gatherings. I see the discipline part of worship in the secret place. Then when we get together, we can't help but worship the God whose very character is faithfulness.
Excellent sermon yesterday Byron and please take that for what’s its worth. I know I tell you every sermon is awesome and that’s because they are. God has really blessed you with a great talent for public speaking and conveying the message of the Gospel’s. Thanks brother; you have been a great mentor and leader.
I pray your future trip to see your son’s goes well. Also please pray for me during next Sunday’s class. After this past class I find it’s important for me to remember that not everyone approaches the Lord in the same understanding. But bless you wife, sir, after class she told she understood where I was aiming with, “It is not I that lives but Christ that lives in me…” verse. I felt so deflated when no one “got it,” not even my wife. Sometimes I find it really hard to put thought to words that people will understand and apparently my failure was epic!
So I left class yesterday with a hurt and wounded pride, not so much that no one agreed with my line of thought, but that I couldn’t articulate well for what I felt. I find it ever pressing on my soul to spread the news of the One who always has and will remain in our hearts, if only we had eyes to see the Light. Worship for me has nothing to do with the self but everything to do with the Creator. When we focus on the self we only see the complaints and bothersome moods or “feelings.” I feel that if we let go of our own wants, the Light of God that rests in our hearts comes into greater focus. I almost burst into tears yesterday during one of the songs. Perhaps the Lord was telling me that He forgave me for my ego.
I hope this clarifies what I said in class. Please pray for me Byron, that I may let go of myself a little more and all the negative emotions that comes with it. Pray that God enters in so much so that every thought and action and deed of charity is for Him.
Love you brother.
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