Praise vs. Worship

*Austin of Seacolor*

You see, let me tell ya something. Half of the things that pass for worship aren't worship in the church. If real worship hits the church then musicians couldn't play, ushers couldn't usher, and deacons cant be deacons. I mean if real Holy Ghost worship hits the place, I'm not talking about the stuff you do when the cameras are on. I'm talking about something you do out of your belly, out of your heart, out of your spirit, because he brought you a mighty long way, and you love Him with ALL your heart. Let me explain the difference between praise and worship. Anybody can praise. In facet everyone should praise God. The bible says "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Anybody can praise Him because when you praise Him you pray "Lord, I thank you for giving me my shoes. I thank you for giving me my job. I thank you for you blessed me with a car. I thank you for how you are getting through college. And I thank you for my career." All of that is praise. Praise thanks God for what He did. Let me show you the difference between praise and worship. The praise is thanking God for there shoes. A worshiper says 'if don't have any shoes. If i dont have a car. If i don't have a house, If i never get anything. I WORSHIP you for who you are. i worship you because your God. You don't have to perform. You don't have to impress me. You dont have to play Santa clause. But just because your GOD you mean so much to me. I'll tear up my face and cry, I'll mess up my makeup and cry. I'll shake down my hair and cry. You are valuable. your presence is valuable. Your love is valuable. Your peace is valuable!!

*Stevo from Kevin Smith Band*

*Je'Anna and Kevin from Kevin Smith Band*

Worship

Lord, help me climb my mountain.

Lord, I've been given a mountain
I cant possible climb it alone I know
But with Your help and Your guidance
I'll make it somehow tho the going's slow.
I know You do things in Your own time,
And surely You do them in Your own way
Please, Lord, endow me with the patience
To wait upon You through come what may.
I've learned to hold You by the hand
I've learned, I feel, to humble be.
But still I lack the faith I need
I've not learned to leave my problems with Thee.
The troubles that once were mine to bear
in the yesteryear's of my life
Were in comparison so very small
Not at all akin to the present strife.
If waiting upon You, precious Lord,
Is what I must do, I'll certainly try
With a prayer on my lips I'll try to find hope
I'll climb that mountain if You'll only stand by me.

****

Realizing lately that with God ALL things are possible. I know thats something thats been consistently drilled in my head since i started attending church, but for some reason it just clicked this past sunday. I was in preschool and that was our memory verse. The lesson was about Jesus walking on water and the memory verse was "All things are possible with God." And it was like DING the light came on. If I try to climb a mountain in my life by myself, its like Mt.Everest. But if i try to climb that same mountain with God its like a little mole hill. Prayer makes those mountains into mole hills. If you are a person of prayer, when you speak things will change. There is a war like mentality when you go into prayer. There is an earnestness about prayer that is there or not there. Sometimes you have to stir yourself up to seek God. Prayer is difficult sometimes. If you can not pray your walk with God will be impoverished. Prayer has to be burning. To posses burning prayer it has to come from a burning place. It has to be heartfelt. It has to MOVE YOU!!! Something God divinely placed in your heart. You cant conjure up a burden for something!!! God has divinely placed something inside of you. Pastor Kevin always asks us "What makes you angry?" He says that whatever makes you angry is what God's placed on the inside of you to change! What makes you burn?? Are you willing to take a risk, step out in faith and pray for what moves you?? Turn your mountains into mole hills. Seek after God like never before. The only risk you can take in life is by not doing what God tells you to do. After all, its not a risk if God tells you to do it. PRAY!!

LIFE

Passion vs Comfort

So, on Thursday night at small group we were talking about comfort vs. passion, and that got me thinking!?!?!? I want unbridled passion. The definition of unbridled is unable to be controlled, boundless, and unrestrained!!! I Hebrews 12:2-3 says "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of god. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Thats some unbridled passion. He didnt let the religious or angry crowds hold him back, he didnt let his flesh hold him back, and he certainly didnt let Satan hold him back. The cross SCREAMS unbridled passion, because Jesus had never had an unbridled passion he would have never made it to the cross. Many people in the bible had unbridled passion. The woman with the issue of blood. It says in Luke 8:43-48 "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve year, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him, touch the edge of his cloak, and immediately her blooding stopped. 'Who touched me?' Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.' But Jesus said 'Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.' Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed." A few more example of unbridled passion are the blind beggar in Luke 18:35-42, the centurion in Luke 17, and of course Jesus. Paul said in Phil. 1:21 "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Unbridled passion is more than just a strong feeling, its a way of LIFE that is unrestrained by religiosity, mediocrity, opinions of others, selfishness, worldly matters, personal agendas, or routine complacency. It is a PASSION that burns inside beyond desperate heart. A heart that aches like a dying man for the lost, a burden for them bigger than the heaviest weight of the world. This is a passion that doesnt just come around on sundays and wednesdays.It is a passion that is blazing boundlessly everyday of the week, every month, and every year. It is a passion that has no fear at all!!! This is the passion I want. I want to be unbridled. To be comfortable is to be bridled, or to be restrained. Its time we step up and step out. Its a leap of faith to be unbridled, but God is ready for you. Are you ready for Him???

LIFE(Living In Faith Everyday)

My first blog....

Hello blogging world!! I'm new at this whole blogging thing so please be patient with me as I learn. I was challenged this week to get out of my comfort zone, so this is what I'm doing. I'm writing. Dont get me wrong, writing doesnt make me uncomfortable, its the whole publishing part that kind of rattles my nerves a little, so please be nice!!! I dont know how often I'll update this or what all I will say but I hope you enjoy it!! I guess I'll start off by telling you a little bit about myself!

this is LIFE

Life for me is crazy busy!!! I'm currently a nursing student at Bishop State and for the most part I love it! I'm also a Nurses Assistant. I work nights, 11-7, at Springhill Medical Center and my job is such a blessing!!! My best friend is getting married in August, and just to let you know planning a wedding is NOT easy!! But i LOVE every second of it. Its awesome to see how God uses the people who are closest around you to shape and refine who He wants you to be. My friends and family from Harvest Church have challenged me to stretch my faith, step out of the box, and be bold like Daniel in the lions den. Without them, I know I wouldnt be where I am today. I love God with all my soul!! His love for me amazes me. How He loves me NO MATTER WHAT!!! Thats such an awesome feeling. I'm by no means perfect, but I strive to know the Lord more and more each and everyday. LIFE stands for Living In Faith Everyday!! I walk by Faith and not by sight!! What a mighty God we serve!

Well....I guess thats it for now. I hope you ready and enjoy all that God's put in my heart. I challnge you to step out of your comfort zone and do something you wouldn't normally do!! Stay tuned!!!

LIFE