"Lord, You Seduced Me"

"He knew the depth of his love for the Holy God of Israel. The preacher had no other way to explain his irreversible connection to the Lord. He had no other terms to describe his irresistible attraction to the Word of God. He had no other image to explain a calling so strong that he could not let it go. So the preacher admitted it aloud. He had been allured by an altogether winsome God. He had been wooed by the heavenly Suitor's attractive promises. He had been smitten by the magnificence of Jehovah.

The preachers name was Jeremiah. He really said it. "Lord, You seduced me!" He really meant it."

"O Lord, You have enticed me, and I was enticed" Jeremiah 20:7

"And so the Lord reveals His beauty to you little by little. He grants little samples of His grace so you will "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8) He wants what every good husband wants in a bride - that she be comfortably content in His love yet genuinely desirous of deeper intimacy."

TODAYS ENTRY FROM "Lover Of My Soul" by: Alan D. Wright

Fascinated By His Love

His Love is one that I cannot explain.

I ask and wonder, "Why did He choose me to know Him?" Why is it that I get the opportunity to be pursued by the Lover of our souls. To have a revelation of who He is, of what He has done, and to have life in Him who has called us by name. I am completely fascinated by His love, the grace with which He has forgiven me, and the Glory of His majesty!

I will not try to understand, but remain at peace in having known my Jesus (Ahh yes, Peace that surpasses all understanding)

There is however a place in my heart which does not rest. While I am confident in His love for me, I so desire for others to realized and accept this love. As Christians, our passion, love, devotion is within us, but it's not something we can really force or give to others. We can simply be... It's His revelation that will sweep them away.

With this thought, I pray for an atmosphere of Holy Revelation from the throne room of God, from the throne room of His grace - that those who do not know, will see.

They will not hear without a preacher, so expand our territory Lord so we can see Your Kingdom rise up into eternity.

We must burn for Him... will you burn?

Not Everybody Worship's The Same (Continued)

It's amazing how we begin to think one way, and then the Lord humbles you and begins to destroy your pride. It needs to be broken anyway...

So there I was Sunday night after leading worship at Redemption Tabernacle. Broken before the Lord as I listened to people loudly lifting their voices up in praise after the msg. I was in the front room of the church as I had been praying for a little while, realizing that my soul, oh my soul was downcast before the Lord. Honestly, in my heart I was thinking "I don't feel like praising Him like that right now, so I'm not going to go out there." I believe that the Lord sometimes will send spirits to trouble us, as He did with Saul - because He is so gracious to want us to see what is really insided of us.

I was troubled indeed, but why should my circumstances dictate the condition of my soul, of my hearts desire to lift His name up in Praise...He is so worthy of my praise no matter what my circumstances are.

As I look at my life... I find that I am often melancholy. Where is that passion in each step that I take...

Now to get to my point...
We can't expect everyone to be in the same place, the same level so to speak in their expression of Praise and Worship. There is a time for Praise, a time for a battle cry, a time for unashamed love, a time for sweet still worship to the Lord.

It's so important, especially for those who lead worship, to meet God's people where they are at. The praise'ers I see as going in first (as they did in the OT). They lead the way, allowing the Lord to break up the fallow ground in our hearts. As praise rises it changes the atmosphere, inviting in the presence and glory of the Lord. More will join in praise, yet there are still others who hold back.

It's not a reflection of their love for the Lord... we can't hold any judgements upon them... or I should have been judged last Sunday night. (I wonder who was frustrated with me for not praising the way they think I should have been)

I realized tonight that what I needed was that still, sweet worship before the Lord. When that chance came, bam... he totally spoke to my heart.

Psalm 46: 10 "Be still, and know that I am God..." (john 6:69 "come to believe and know that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God")

In other words, bring down the noise and let the sweet spirit of the Lord minister to their hearts...
Ah yes, discernment. It's not how much we press in as worship leaders... we can't force people to get into praise... but be discerning enough to know where the Lord is moving, that He might touch all hearts. He will guide and direct us by His spirit. We must depend on Him, and not of ourselves. We must decrease so that He may Increase!