Then God Shows Up!

This past weekend I was witness to something that many of you who are involved in a Sunday service have experienced.

The Sunday service involved a lot of variations in every aspect of the service which included the Tech Team, Sound Team, Lighting Team, Pastors, Audience and Praise Team.  We were excited about what God was going to do as we arrived at 6:30 a.m. for our first service at 10:00 a.m.

Like we had experienced most weeks the rehearsal did NOT go well.  Timing was off and whatever could go wrong, went wrong.  Tension arose in the room and then our wise Worship Leader just said "Stop!  Let's pray."  Throughout the auditorium people were on their knees and bowing to ask God to show up and take us out of the problems and to move in and take over the services.

We finished rehearsal and thought that God was going to have to show up and remove our simple frustrations so that He could be glorified because rehearsal did not go well.

With the first drumbeat at each service God showed up!  I mean he really showed up.  Praise was everywhere, tears were flowing, and 41 people accepted the Lord in baptism as well as about that many more giving their lives to Christ and are now learning more about their decision and walk with the creator of the Universe.

In the service there were prayers for healing, for financial miracles, and for reconciliation. Before our eyes on stage we saw God show up in a BIG way.  It was no longer our performance but it was how the Spirit moved in each service.  We could have sung out of key and it would not have made any difference.

If you get out of the way in your life you will see where God shows up every time at just the right time.

But I will say it is hard to sing when tears are flowing down your face, so I know for sure that the Lord showed up in my life at just the right time.  I just had to get out of the way.

Have You Checked Your Box?

A few weeks ago I heard someone tell me that they were fasting.  It was at a meal and I heard the “pity me” story of what they were giving up in order to be obedient to God.

They quoted Daniel fasting and named a diet just for this fast like Daniel did.  I asked, “Why are you fasting?  Is it to punch your card for church that you completed a fast?  Was it to draw closer to God?  Was it to lose weight? (I’ve heard that before also)  What is the real reason for fasting?

Let’s look at Daniel 1: 1-16 to discover why Daniel and three friends began the fast.  Another fast,  is also  described in Daniel 10.  The bottom line was that Daniel did not want to defy Mosaic law and eat the food which was offered by the king since it was taken from gifts to idols.   So the purpose of the fast was to edify God.  Daniel did it without complaining and the result of the fast was God being glorified.

So many churches have cards in the back of the seats in which you check off a box to show an accomplishment or a commitment.   I grew up with boxes to check for Attendance (I had seventeen years of perfect attendance and the pins to show it), Bible reading, serving, singing, and the list goes on and on in many churches.  So for many people fasting is just another box to check.

Are you checking boxes for the Lord or are you giving, fasting, serving, and loving others because you are passionately in love with the Creator of the Universe and want to see the Lord glorified in and through your life?

Take a look at your mental attitude and why you do anything that helps someone else.  Are you just checking a box so you can be in approval before the Lord?  Or are you just doing these things BECAUSE you love the Lord? 

In everything you say and do, make it to glorify the Lord and not yourself.  It is tough to accomplish but when you work for the Lord you are not checking a box because all the boxes were checked when you gave your life to the lord and followed his Son as a Christ Follower.

 

So throw your pencil away and just get to serving, giving, fasting and loving others.  It pleased God when Daniel did it as he was blessed in everything that he did  and you will be blessed  when you do things without thinking about checking boxes.