Worshiping in the Honda

Well, the wait is over. After a long break from my brief blogging...I'm back. I'm sure all 17 of my faithful followers are encouraged. Why has it taken so long? Well, to be honest, I needed inspiration. That inspiration finally came today in a seemingly normal trip to the hospital. Somehow the Holy Spirit of the Living God jumped all over my Honda Accord. It was amazing. So I thought I would share.

I was listening to a recently released CD of one of my favorite worship leaders, Travis Cottrell. It was a night of worship and celebration recorded live at First Baptist Woodstock, GA. On the CD a lady testifies about the Lord. She shares the story of Paul and Silas...

"The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severly flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose."

When the Bible says they had been severly flogged, they had been beaten half to death. Their skin had been torn apart. I dare say, they didn't feel like worshiping. They had to make a choice. And in that moment they overcame every power of darkness. There is so much purification in persecution. When we don't have a negative force coming against us to unspoil us and to unify us, then we can just decide we are not going to worship because we don't like that song the worship leader picked out, or we're distracted by somebody's outfit, or maybe we couldn't find a parking place at church so we're just mad. We're just not going to sing because we're not in the mood to sing. Then we're reminded of a couple of guys torn to shreds who lifted up their voices in the midst of so much pain...sometimes, you praise first and you feel it later. Let me repeat that...Sometimes you Praise first and Feel later.

What happened next was a great earthquake that shook the jail but didn't shake Paul and Silas's foundation. Sometimes it takes an "earthquake" to bring change to our status quo. You see, it's in the middle of those "earthquakes" in our lives that we can experience the greatest victory and enjoy the freedom that Christ brings. It's in those "earthquakes" that those bonds that have held us all our lives begin to drop loose.

God has been speaking clearly in our times of worship at HBC. It's been refreshing to be reminded of the basics and to focus on the foundations of our faith. A foundation that never shakes no matter how big the earthquake. You see, "Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In closing, remember, what happens in worship should not stay in worship. That's why I'm sharing. As I was driving down I-12 worshiping, I'm sure the people around me were wandering what in the world is that crazy man doing. But, I didnt' care. The Holy Spirit met me where I was and I couldn't get away from Him. He had a captive audience. He reminded me of my Father's love for me. He reminded me that my Father was going to take care of me. He reminded me that my Father hears my prayers. And, He reminded me that I will have VICTORY! And suddenly, my chains were gone. Hallelujah!!!

So what about you? Have you had a God moment lately? Have you been refreshed and renewed as we've focused on the foundations of our faith? Maybe you're struggling with this. Maybe worship isn't relevant for you right now. Let me know.