Revelation 5:12
Saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"
Pretty good message isn't it?
That would get up all in our praise and worship services, would it not?
God has had me pondering something this morning.
What if Saturday night, when we were ready to start the meeting at Vineyard Recovery, we suddenly lost our lighting on the stage. I'm not talking about the power going out. I'm talking about it suddenly vanished.
Then the coffee bar disappeared. Cups, creamer, sugar, stir sticks, coffee pot, all just vanished. This was followed by all our instruments and sound equipment. Gone...like a black hole had suddenly appeared and just sucked everything up. What would we do?
What if one by the one the things we had become accustomed to and comfortable with in our service, were removed from our very presence, until all that was left was an empty room, and the word of God, His Bible.
Would we carry on?
Or would we feel like something was amiss. That there was an emptiness to all that we had put in place to enhance the Saturday meeting. God is asking a very important question. Does your service feed the flesh, or awaken the spirit? This is something that I am constantly weighing out when it comes to Vineyard Recovery. I get several invitations each week from people who want to come and speak, or want to come and lead worship. Usually the conversation is filled with a lot "Me" and "I" and not a lot of God. Such invitations are usually turned down by me. If Jesus isn't the center and focal point of what you want to bring to the service, then don't bother. It really isn't about me or whoever may come....it has to be about Jesus and the message of the good news only He can offer.
Never, never, never forget the message of who Jesus is.
Never, never, never forget the message of what Jesus can do.
Now I'm not against stages and lights and equipment and coffee bars. I just don't want those things to get in the way of the message. If all people remember when they leave our service is that the music was good and the coffee was great.......then I have failed miserably to do what God has called me to do. But if they go away changed by the word and presence of God, then we have something we can build on.
Everything we do, as believers, has to come from a heart which has been touched and changed by God. Everything else is gravy. Jesus is the main course.
I guess the main reason I wrote this posting is to remind me to be thankful for the place that God has provided at Vineyard Gadsden. I love the building and the room that we hold our services in. But if Jesus isn't the focal point, then we are no better than a social club with no purpose other than to stroke each others ego. God help us should we ever fall into that place.
God on you...
mb
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