His Presence.

So awhile back I finally finished one of the most impacting and life changing books that I have ever read.

Worship. Some keynotes of things that I came away with: Worship is not something that is just on Sunday and or Wednesday. It's every single day. If my 'worship' is just on Sunday or Wednesday, it's not truly worship, because worship is continual. Also, this truth really landed squarely on me, though it is really simple/elementary, but the truth that we can really worship anything. When we look at the Book of John, we see that the woman at the well thought she was worshipping. And she actually was, but Jesus tells her that she knows not what she worships, and that we must worship in Spirit and in Truth.

From all of that, there was a light switch that went off in my little ole heart that has really changed my perspective and attitude about worship. Honestly, as someone that leads corporate worship, I have found myself yearning desperately for the Holy Spirit to meet us in our corporate worship (which isn't a bad thing). That I might lead in Spirit and in Truth. That the worship songs that we use to praise the One who is worthy, might be pleasing. That the Holy Spirit would intercede on our behalf. Thus the cry from my heart that, "I desperately need You Holy Spirit". And I have tasted and seen what happens when we yearn for the Holy Spirit to meet us in worship, He does mighty and beautiful things!

But there has been an disconnect for me in my 'corporate worship' and my 'individual worship' of Him. There has been no yearning and crying from my heart, to be lead in Spirit and Truth. To go to school and worship in Spirit and in Truth. You know what I mean? Hours of meditation and prayer before leading corporate worship (crying for the Holy Spirit to meet us/me), but hardly any meditation and prayer before individual worship (Individual worship as referred to in Romans 12.1). And this is a truth that I have found, there can be NO disconnect between the two. I must be praying for the Holy Spirit in everything that I do, to dictate and guide my ways that I might worship Him truly.

Right now I find myself in a place, that is seeking and wanting the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. Though I know, in honesty, that I am so inconsistent with how much I yearn and want His presence, I find Mark 9.24 constantly on my mind and in my prayers.

It's so cool to see how God works in your own life (duh). Like right after I finished reading , "The Purpose of Man" I thought I was suppose to read, "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan, but I started reading it and it just wasn't happening (I don't know if that has ever happened to you, but it does to me). So randomly I went to the bookstore and found myself buying this book.

It's so cool to be reminded that He is Jehovah Jireh. He provides. He knows what I need when I need it. I'm sure there will be a day that I read "Crazy Love" but right now He has placed this book in my life for a reason. To learn from, to teach from, to be changed from. It's exciting stuff.