While talking with many different people at church I realize what a impact this latest series has had. It seems that it has "kicked everyone's butt" (Angie's words) and I would have to agree. I am still trying to figure out what my "episode" meant and what my life is going to look like going forward. You know it seems that the Holy Spirit has shown up at Grove City Vineyard and is not leaving anytime soon! For months now I have felt a different feeling there, it's as if God is speaking directly into the lives of those willing to obey Him and placing a nugget of truth in thier hearts. At the same time He is directing the fellowship as a whole into a new "revelation" of Himself, combining the path of the fellowship with the path of the individual so that a birthing may take place at some time in the near future. For those who have had the "experience" I believe you/we are the people that will be asked to sacrifice and obey a call that is greater than ourselves and we may soon find ourselves in a position that we may not have dreamed of. For those who didn't necessarily have the "experience" I believe you have been called to sacrifice in another way. You will have to pray and support those "called" and you may be called to step into the roles left vacant. Your sacrifice is every bit as important and in many ways much more difficult to obey. The GC Vineyard is a living, breathing organism and the life of the church must be upheld and strengthened and many are called to that task. With that said I want to share a little about my "experience" and what I believe I have heard since. On Saturday night,last week,I met for prayer before the service as I do most of the time and during our time of praying for the service I kept getting the impression that God was calling us into a time of "true" worship. A time that is not manufactured by man and not necessarily created by singing songs or teaching or even praying,but a time of fellowship with the only one worthy of praise and worship. The feeling gripped me at first but then it was time to leave the prayer meeting and go into service. Most of the time when I get those "impressions" it doesn't turn out to apply to the service, but 10 minutes into the saturday service I felt a feeling come over me, I couldn't tell you what Tom said for the rest of the service because I couldn't concentrate on him. I can only tell you that as we began to sing at the end of the service I began crying (I am not a person who cries in public) then I heard Tom say that there were people there who want to worship God with thier tears. Now let me interject here for a moment, left on my own I would never go to the front of the church and ball my eyes out.I wasn't left on my own, I had to go up and I couldn't stand there I had to get face first before the Lord and I sobbed, and sobbed and my whole body was shaking. I couldn't control it and I really didn't want to. I couldn't stop crying for two days and even now I find myself in a more emotional state than I usually am in. While up front Tom asked for a couple of volunteers to tell the congregation what was going on with them. I began to arise but I couldn't stop crying and I couldn't verbalize what was going on, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW!!! Only after the crying stopped, two days later, was I reminded of the prayer meeting before the service. "True Worship". I began to get it. God is calling us to true worship and he wants us to find that place where we are naked before him, where we can't hide behind singing along with everyone else, we can't pray "the right" prayers, we can't take down the notes from (Tom's) message or sit there passively and listen. We must, without fail, get NAKED before the Lord our GOD and we must do whatever it takes!!!! We must continue to press in to Him and Him alone and not lean on the understanding of men. Only by seeking Him and His will, will we be able to transform our lives into something of eternal significance and in the process we ourselves will be set free from the bondage that we are in. The chains we have placed on ourselves.We have for far to long conformed to the world and sang the songs of this world and prayed the prayers of this world and listened to the teachers of this world without giving a second thought as to what true worship looks like to GOD.
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in thier hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever Amen." (Revelation 7:9-12)
What is God saying to you?
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1 Cor 7:17
You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on as you were when God first called you.
That's what God is saying to me. Is it cryptic? Yes. Can I explain it to you? No. Does that drive you guys mad? Yes. Hahaha... Too bad! Some day I will explain it, I just can't yet. In the meantime, you can pray for me that I would 1) ACCEPT the situation God has placed me in and 2) continue on as I was when He first called me. Both parts of that scripture have huge implications for my life, and the consequences of my obedience to both parts result in TRUE WORSHIP that will be pleasing to God.
But you, O Israel, my servent, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you desentants of Abraham my friend I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'you are my servent'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you so do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Romans 41:8-10. When I start to think about what I feel God has called me to do with my life I start to feel afraid. One day I was feeling that way and God showed me this passage and it did help. I have been reading this alot lately It helps me to remember who is in charge. At service last week when Tom gave us 30 sec of quiet time I herd "get busy with the task at hand" for me that means children. I have called differnt places about volunteering with homeless children I am just waiting to recive my applications in the mail so I can get started. I have been busy doing differnt things and I feel there all for the good of the kingdom and I feel God saying those things are good to do but ther is something else. I think it is working with homeless children. My heart is for children especialy those who may not have parents that love them. God wants them to know he loves them and I feel he wants to use me to show them. Please pray that I will be open to what God has for me. I want to be on the path whare God is the leader and not me.
Brandy I am so happy that you are taking steps in obedience to what God has put into your heart. By taking those initial steps God is making you more pliable in His hands and your will is being conformed to HIS. I know your heart, as it relates to children, and I know that God has His hand on you. Keep pressing in and look only to Him. That is not to say that we as a community will not be here for you because we absolutely will be, but don't allow anything or anyone deter you from the path.
Angie I know that you are in the place that God wants you to be and I love this scripture you have posted. It's an amazing passage to consider, God is always in control,our only job is to let Him be in control. So the situation that we all are in is part of continuing on as we were first called. If we only place our trust in Him then where we are at matters less then being open to His moving us. We must be pliable in His hands. There was a quote that I still remember from the "Perspectives" class that we took and I know I will probably butcher it but it goes something like this...."you must want to go but be willing to stay"... This quote grabbed my attention then and continues to do so now. Far to often we focus on what "we" want and what "we" think that looks like. We lose the true meaning of it all, it's about Him. I am as guilty as anyone when it comes to placing borders on what I think I will do for Jesus. This life of mine is solely for HIS glory and I must rely on Him to change me in the areas that need to be changed. If God is calling me to the mission field I am (almost) ready, if He is calling me to a secular job then I will obey. Whatever lot He has for me I am willing to face that with Him for I know it will be blessed if He is in it.
Scott, I love you man! I hope you are OK with that, if not then to bad. You have a way that speaks directly into my life and into how I think. You have always been a blessing to me and continue to be so. I really do believe that we have begun to take ground from the enemy and that the toughest part is in front of us. You are absolutely right that we can expect to be tried and we must never revert back to our old ways and be comfortable. I know that is one of the big tricks the enemy has used in my life and even as I write this I am fighting with every ounce I have to stay away from being lured back into complacency.
Scott I am so encouraged by what is going on in your church there. I have been praying for your work there during my time of fasting and I look forward to hearing updates. Thank you and God Bless.
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