True Worshipers

Hey hey! So I haven't blogged since....January! Haha, oh well....I guess I got busy with my AMAZING new college life! I am so thankful for the scholarship I received for The Wallace Sound because it has been an experience of a lifetime. I'm so blessed. This morning our amazing Pastor Bobby from Cornerstone Church talked about my absolute FAVORITE subject: worship. Just the word "worship" gets me all jumpy and excited! It makes me reach into the unseen, unchanging, supernatural world where God wants us to be with Him. This morning, Pastor said something that I thought was awesome: Don't be a passive spectator during worship, but be a passionate participant. I am pretty sure everyone has been a "passive spectator" at some point in their life. Worship is so not for watching...it's for all of God's people to just be able to express their gratitude and love for Him in a way that no other thing is worshiped. Take applause, for example. Applause is given to God in church most Sundays, but it is also given to people. On the other hand, worshiping by song and by lifted hands is given not to people but to God. Now THAT'S personal. THAT'S intimate. Worship not only is reserved solely for God, but worship increases our capacity to receive from God. It shows our CONFIDENCE in Him. He wants to show Himself mighty and strong in our lives, but we have to surrender ourselves to Him first. It's an issue of the heart. God wants hearts ENGAGED in worship, and for us to CONTINUALLY worship and praise Him, wherever we are! "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." - John 4:23 NIV. 

Psalm 107: ¹⁰ Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
   prisoners suffering in iron chains,
¹¹ because they rebelled against God’s commands
   and despised the plans of the Most High.
¹² So he subjected them to bitter labor;
   they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
¹³ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
   and he saved them from their distress.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
   and broke away their chains.
¹⁵ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
   and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
¹⁶ for he breaks down gates of bronze
   and cuts through bars of iron.

 ¹⁷ Some became fools through their rebellious ways
   and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
¹⁸ They loathed all food
   and drew near the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
   and he saved them from their distress.
²⁰ He sent out his word and healed them;
   he rescued them from the grave.
²¹ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
   and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
²² Let them sacrifice thank offerings
   and tell of his works with songs of joy.   (There needs to be a Selah here!!!)

WOAH! I just read that and MAN, God is so powerful, so full of love, and so worthy of all of our heart's praise! There are a BILLION verses on praise and worship all throughout the Old and New Testaments, but I just can't explain how much freedom there is in true worship. I could never say enough about this topic but I do know that this is something so powerful and so important to our relationship with Christ and it's the key to unlocking what God has for us. We believers will be doing it forever in eternity anyway, so we might as well get used to it now! :) Worship has changed my life ENTIRELY and my relationship with God has also. In Revelation 5:6-7 the people fall on their face in worship. Not because anyone TOLD them to, but they did it out of adoration to their loving Savior! AH. I could go on forever. All I know is that if you want more of God and are expecting great things, worship will take you there. Just become selfless in front of the One who loves you, laid down His son's life for you so that you could have a way back to Him, and defeated the enemy so that you could spend eternity with Him in Heaven. He loves you so much.

Being a "Teen."

I guess I feel the need to blog usually when I have something on my chest that I like to let go so if I ramble, sorry. :) I have hated high school since 10th grade. My friends and God are the ones who help me get through it. It is hard to deal with teenagers and even harder being one. Especially when you have so much on your plate. School is tough but God is even tougher. (Like in a good way) I love being in the praise band and hating school makes me want to sing even MORE! Seeing Christians fall into the devil's plan because of the world and temptations is hard for me to stand and to be around. I could never be a high school teacher. I know I complain about school a lot but come on....it's the majority of my life! But anyways, when I'm not letting school keep me from moving forward, life is amazing. I love my church and there is nothing better than being in God's presence and taking in His goodness and just being still and knowing He is God.(selah) Ahhhh...amazingness. I can't wait to be in heaven with my Lord and Savior forever but while I am here it's nice to have Him have my back and directing my path so I don't stray away on my own. I want everyone to be able to experience all the good things we can have here and now on earth while God has given us this time to do His will. Being a teenager is challenging because most of us are still trying to decide "who we are" and "finding ourselves" and whatever else. There is no question about us being children of God. God tells us who we are in His word. DON'T QUESTION YOUR WORTH! I love how there is freedom in God's presence. 2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom." The NOW Student Ministries youth group girls have started a book reading of Captivating by: that meets every first Friday of the month. It is so incredible and if you make the time to read this book (for women mainly) it will change your life. (That's the end of my venting) :)