The Leaves are Changing, Are you?

Fall appears to be in full force, with cooler weather, changing leaves, and of course Chick-Fil-A’s new autumn milkshake. Fall has always been associated with change. The seasons themselves illustrate a cycle of change. Christians often reference parts of their lives as seasons. Why is this analogy made so often? One word, change. First and foremost, the change that happens when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the One and only Savior and Fountain of Eternal Life. After that, we aren't called to be the same as we once were, but to continually be changed by the living God with whom we now have a relationship as we submit to the Holy Spirit living within us. So, you must ask yourself, am I changing? Where am I in my walk with God? Closer or further away? Or am I the same as I was at this time last year…caught in the repetition of schedules, problems, and exhaustion.  

 

The fast-paced life we are pressured to live can cause nothing but stress on us, our family, and our relationships. So how do we continue to grow? One way, Jesus, and His word. We see the disciples' growth throughout His ministry on earth. What was the reason behind their growth and success in ministry? It was not a “what” but a “who,” it was Jesus.  

 

What did Jesus do best?  He spent time with the Father. In Mark 1:35 and Luke 4:42, Jesus sets out to pray early in the morning and to be alone with the Father before the day begins. The success of a Christian is not themselves, no more than salvation is something of our own doing. It is the work of God and all for His Glory. We go about our day focused on work, families, life stresses, and then are surprised when we look back and see a lack of growth and a lack of change over the passing seasons.  

 

If I attend church every Sunday and are active in church service, then shouldn't it be working? What's missing from the equation? There is something that church can’t do for you, that you must choose to do. Spend time with God. Commit your day and your life to Him. Fully surrender and let Him change you for the best of what he's called you to do. Do you want the “peace that passes all understanding” for you and your family? Do you want real change this fall and in the future? Then wake up daily to make God your priority this season and every season. 

 

Kobie Heath, Youth Director

What does worship look like?

What does worship look like? I’ll give you a hint: It has nothing to do with fashion, hairstyles or abilities. So, what does worship look like? Colossians 3:16-17. True worship is a lifestyle. It can be demonstrated through our words and actions. Of course, God can be worshipped corporately as well. His presence is manifested where believers gather to lift His name high, according to Matthew 18:20. God is looking at the heart. He’s not necessarily looking at whether or not we are lifting our hands in church. Can lifted hands be an expression of worship? Yes. But it is also possible to worship God physically but not wholeheartedly. Isaiah 29:13  

So, what does worship look like? It can look like you are singing to the top of your lungs in the car driving down the road. It can look like you are sitting quietly in deep prayer and thought with God. It can look like you and a group of people talking about how good God has been to you. It can look like a congregation gathered together on Sunday Morning to sing and praise God. It can look like many things. 

But whatever we are looking for when we come to worship, we will find. Will you let the events of the past week hinder your worship? Will you let the enemy steal your joy of worship? How does this happen? We have a duty to prepare our hearts for worship. We cannot rely on a person or a group of people to lead us into worship. We must come with a heart of worship. If we come looking for faults, we will find them. We all need to realize worship is personal. It is our personal responsibility to make sure our hearts are ready to worship God. If not, we have hindered our worship of God.  

To serve God is to worship Him. To love Him is to worship Him. We must be careful not to let things of the world take the place of God. Our hearts only have room for one. We must guard against worshipping with the wrong attitude or heart. This week will you allow God to show you if there is anything that is a hindrance to your worship of Him? 

I challenge you next time you are at church to pray for the ones leading. Pray for the musicians, pray for the Pastors. Pray for God to move in our presence. Listen to the words and let God speak to you. Don’t worry about who may be looking at you or what someone may say if you raise your hand towards Heaven or shout Amen. Don’t worry about who, what, or even when. Just let God minister to you in a way maybe you’ve not been open to before. Let God speak to you in worship. Yes, I know we all worship differently. But if we come with an open heart, that our only purpose today is to worship God and I’m here to personally experience what God has for me, then your entire worship experience will be different. We, yes, I said we, are so programmed that if God does not move in a certain time frame, we are ok with it. If we ever realize that God inhabits the praises of His people, we will then understand what true worship is. It’s time we stop letting the enemy rob us of our joy in the Lord. It’s time we come to church to worship and fellowship with God. It's time we put aside petty differences and focus on building the kingdom and not just our own little castles. You must make it a point to commit yourself to worship, not just in a group setting at church on Sunday, but you must commit to daily worship one on one with God. So, now I ask you once again, what does worship look like? 

 - JT Mahaffey, Interim Worship Director