Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Listening to God's Voice

I heard this story and was so moved by it that I had to share it!..
I pray that as you read it, you are inspired & moved. God still speaks and He answers prayers today!

***A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways. It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray,"God... If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey." As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he returned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will". He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. "Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here." He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you." The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk." His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I asked him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?" The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.***

"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2

What about you? In what areas of your walk with God do you need to be more obedient? He will speak to you, lead you and answer your prayers!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Heart of Worship

"Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals... Let everything that has breath praise the LORD." Psalm 150

This psalm talks about praising God in different ways, with dance, different instruments,in different places or situations, and praising Him for what He has done, praising Him for His greatness. Let everything that has breath praise Him! It doesn't matter where or how we praise Him just that we do in the midst of any situation. Sometimes it is easy to praise God and sometimes it is really difficult. Trials and hard times can lead us away from God or cause us to forget the good things He has done for us. But remember that Praise comes from our hearts and that it is all about HIM. As I reflected on this Psalm and what Praise and Worship really mean I was reminded of the worship song, "Heart of Worship," as you read the lyrics really think about them...
---
Heart of Worship
When the music fades 
And all is stripped away 
And I simply come 
Longing just to bring 
Something that's of worth 
That will bless your heart 

I'll bring You more than a song 
For a song in itself 
Is not what You have required 
You search much deeper within 
Through the ways things appear 
You're looking into my heart 

I'm coming back to the heart of worship 
And it's all about You 
All about You, Jesus 
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it 
When it's all about You 
It's all about You Jesus 

King of endless worth 
No one could express 
How much You deserve 
Though I'm weak and poor 
All I have is Yours 
Every single breath 
---
Our Praise and Worship to Him needs to be completely about HIM. It has nothing to do with me or you or us... We need to realize that worship comes from the heart, from deep with in us. Not just a few songs we sing on Sunday. 
You have breath so praise HIM!... No, it doesn't have to be with song. It can be in your everyday coming and going. Think of ways that you can PRAISE Him today, in your present circumstances and your current situations... And remember its "All about You, Jesus."