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CREATED TO WORSHIP
Worship is not just a way of praising God, but a lifestyle. “We are created to worship” simply means that everything that is within us is a cause to worship God. How we worship in the church should be how we worship at home, at work, and wherever we may find ourselves.
Music has always played an important role in the lives of individuals all around the world. We find that music tends to reach a part of us that shapes us into who we are. Music not only shapes us but it goes much deeper than that, it touches a part in us that is special to every human being, our soul.
It is said that what you feed your soul, is what will come out of you. You cannot hide who you are on the inside. When you feed your soul with love songs, you find that you develop a loveable side to your character. A feeling of love towards others begins to fill your emotions. Whilst you may feed your soul with songs that talks about hate, killings, drugs, sexual abuse etc. This does not mean that you will end up a murderer or a drug addict, however one must be aware that such songs causes you to think differently, act differently and pollutes all the good things in your life.
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC ARE YOU FEEDING YOUR SPIRIT?
As a worshiper, I have had the opportunity to know the difference between songs that lift up my spirit and enable me to go past the veil into the throne room of God, whilst other songs cause you to develop certain bad attitudes. Before I knew the Lord, I would listen and watch everything that was sung and played. I used to write love songs and songs that would talk about people and how we behave, I also had an ear for music, just by listening to the first line of a song, I could tell you if it would be the number one song on Top Of The Pops, I also played the piano and sang. That was how deep I was into music.
There came a time in my teenage years, when I realised that as much as I love music and gave my heart and soul to it, I still wasn’t satisfied with life. I had a wonderful upbringing, my parents are happily married, I have three beautiful siblings and everything in my life was great. But something was missing, I tried all sorts to fill the emptiness, I went to clubs, bars, wined and dined with friends, but I felt so alone.
One day an aunt of mine came over from London to visit the family. My aunt and I are very close and I look up to her as my big sister. I remember that we were in the living room and we were just talking about issues, when my aunt looked into my eyes and said to me, ‘Moni, there is nothing God cannot do all you need to do is believe.’
That statement changed my life and in my heart I believed it. However I said to myself just to prove God is real, I’m going to ask Him to provide something I have always wanted that seemed impossible to me. I prayed about it and believed. To my amazement, God came through for me. From this miracle I gave my life to Jesus, repented of all my wrong actions, and asked Him to come into my life. He could only fill the emptiness that I felt.
Today, I am a different person, with a vision, a mission, a purpose and a destiny in Christ Jesus. I stand acquitted, redeemed, and whole, knowing that I am totally loved by God.
Around the world many know about Jesus, but they don’t know Him. There is a difference between knowing someone’s name and knowing them intimately. The Bible says ‘O taste and see that the Lord is good’. Why not know Him intimately today, by asking Jesus into your life, let Him heal that divorce, the death of a loved one, the disappointments of life and all that pain and hurt that you feel. He will do it, if you let Him.
If you want to know Jesus more intimately why don’t you join with me in this prayer?
Father I have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God. I repent of all my sin. I believe in your Son Jesus Christ. I believe that He came from heaven, to die on the cross for me. I thank you Father that my sins are remembered no more. I ask you Jesus to come into my life and make me whole. I Thank you Father for bringing me back to you. Forever I am yours and you are mine. Amen
Feeling the Presence of the Lord
Every one of us has been created to worship God. As individuals God has given us a free will to worship Him, or choose to worship other things. When we did not know the Lord we most likely participated and enjoyed worshipping something else other than God. There are various things in the world that try to catch our attention from worshiping God. It is possible for one to worship money ‘the love of money is the root of evil’. It is also possible to worship one’s career, spouse, music, football and the list goes on. Whatever takes our attention off God and places it on something or some one, shows we are most likely worshipping other things other than God. No matter who we are we are created to worship, it is now up to us to make sure that we worship only God, with all our strength, with all of our soul, and with all of our heart.
The word of God in Revelation 4 verse 10 expresses the heart of worship in Heaven as the 24 Elders all surrounded the throne of God worshipping Him twenty-four-seven. To worship simply means forgetting about you and concentrating on the Lord Jesus. The act of total worship was displayed on the cross when Jesus died for us. He laid aside His majesty, in total surrender to the will of His Father, and worshiped the Father with His life. The key word there is Surrender. Some of us find it so hard to worship God because we are not able to say thy will be done and not mine. Total worship requires total surrender, in every area of our life. We must be able to find our self’s asking that God may increase in us and that we may decrease.
When we really capture the heart of God in our worship, His presence fills the temple of our hearts. He loves to hear His children worshipping Him in spirit and in truth. The word of God says, ’If my people who are called by my name should gather together and worship Me, I will hear their cry and heal their land. God wants to perform His signs and wonders in your life, but you can only receive this through a lifestyle of worship. Do not settle for one in a life time break-through. You are a child of God you should be having breakthroughs upon breakthroughs. However, how much of you are you willing to give to God. He is waiting to bless you today, don’t delay, claim everything that God has for you through worship. There is power in worship. As the praises go up the blessings come down. The word of God says that the love of God casts out all fear. Do not put a barrier between you and your blessing just because of fear. Do not be afraid, for He is with you. Ask in faith for your blessing, Go on and Worship!
May God truly surprise you this year as you live a life of worship, may you feel His presence and may you receive your blessings.
His Love and mine,
Moni Ilori
Worship Team Leader
Living Hope Church |
What is Prayer?
Be encouraged, prayer is essentially conversation with God, a conversation that is based on a solid relationship with God through Christ Jesus.
In many religions, prayer is offered to some deity in the belief that some supernatural help will be granted in matters that affect the petitioner. However, Christianity is based on our relationship with the true God, the only God, the Creator of heaven and earth, through a process of reconciliation that Christ Jesus achieved. Without the blood of Jesus there can be no forgiveness of sin, human beings are separated from God by their sin. There is something in every human being that tends to sin and rebellion against God. The result of that rebellion is shown in many actions and thoughts, many ways of behaviour that create hurt and sadness for individuals and communities.
When a person is in rebellion against the ways of God, against His word, against His will, against His wisdom, it is impossible to maintain any meaningful relationship with God. Hence, the Bible states that "God does not listen to sinners!" (John 9:31) Prayer is relationship with God, and the first step towards that relationship is to accept that you are a sinner, and only the blood of Jesus can cleanse you from your sin.
You cannot form any proper relationship with God through any other person: Jesus is the only name on earth and in heaven that God accepts as the means for communicating with Him. There is no other name by which anyone can be saved from the guilt and punishment that befits wrongdoing against God. Without Jesus everyone is lost, and prayer is a waste of time!
If you approach God in prayer on the basis of your relationship with Jesus, everything is possible. The Bible teaches that all things are possible to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Indeed, with God all things are possible. At Living Hope Church, we have seen that this is completely true. It is true everywhere in the world where people worship God in spirit and truth on the basis of their dependence on Jesus Christ.
Mysteriously, prayer works in the name of Jesus. You can try it!
Not only this, there is anointing for pastors raised up by God to pray for others. Pastors that are raised up by God and commissioned by Him to lead Churches are not ordinary believers, they are trained in the ways of God, trained in discerning His will, trained in revealing His ways, trained in proclaiming His word, trained in following His wisdom - trained not just in some human institution, but trained in the school of God by God's Holy Spirit.
The Bible teaches that the prayers of people exclusively set apart for pastoral/priestly ministry are effective in Christ.
There is nothing that God cannot do! |
