With Spirit and Fire

I like the way we do worship at Charisma Church.

Yeah, we’re lead by worship leaders that lead the congregation into the presence of God. Yeah, they guide where the song is going. And yeah, when the songs change, they’re changed by the worship leaders.

But the coolest thing that takes place during praise and worship is the moving of the Spirit of God that leads us all!

I’ve been part of the worship team for two years now, and if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that we move when God moves and we go where He takes us. We worship in spirit and in truth.

In the book of John, Jesus tells a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well about who the true worshipers of God are. He says to her,

“But the time is coming - indeed it’s here now - when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” - John 4:23

In the Samaritan woman’s case, Jesus was explaining to her that God is not looking for worship at a specific place. In fact, God is not looking for people to worship him at a specific place, time, event, or even for a specific circumstance.

All praise belongs to God, and as our hearts and minds draw closer to Him, worship becomes desired joy.

When I’m worshiping God, it warms my heart to know that the rest of the band is worshiping with me. And not only is the band worshiping with me! The congregation is worshiping with me too!

And not only the congregation, but the church down the street, and the churches all over Raleigh, and the church across the state, and those across the nation, and in Brazil, and in India, and all over the world!

That’s a lot of praise! And our God is definitely worthy of it.

No single person, or band, leads people into the presence of God by the sound of their voices. The Spirit of God is our spiritual leader in praise and worship! PTL!

   We can hardly step one foot out of the door without before something is making the decision for why we do the things we do. We are pulled and pushed by so many influences, that it’s sometimes hard to discern what is right!

   No matter if the influence is direct or indirect, we are always influenced by something. And nowadays, the right influence is becoming less clear, because everything comes with a signed, sealed, and delivered label:

   Wisdom.

   Personally, I live my life according to the will of God. I do the things that please Him, and I find it to be the best way to live. Along the way, I run into bumps on the road, and I need sound advice on what to do when the going gets tough! I look to God’s word because I’m sure that He always wants the best for me, and He invites me to share of His wisdom. In fact, God’s word says:

“Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate.” - Proverbs 1:20-21

  Everybody is looking for wisdom, and we’re all standing at the gates with our hands outstretched. Gimme, gimme, gimme!

   It’s common to follow the latest trends - people just assume that if everyone’s doing it, then it’s gotta be the best thing! But God’s word says in Proverbs 1:10,

“The way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.”

   It may seem like the greatest idea since sliced bread, but many people fall victim to false teachings, vain living, and selfish desires. The kind of stuff that can ruin lives.

   Even still, there are others who believe that they can live their life above any influence.

   As if!

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Verse 7 says, “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.”

  Now, these verses aren’t saying that people are not smart, and that they can’t discern for themselves. They’re saying that what happened to Adam and Eve wasn’t that they lackadaisically ate a piece of forbidden fruit. God’s wisdom is the greatest, and our relationship with Him is forged with dependence and trust. When we choose to trust in ourselves , we choose to separate ourselves from God.

   ”Seek his will in all that you do, and he will show you which path to take.” - Proverbs 3:6. This proverb let’s us know that God is near to us for help in every step of the way, and the nearness of God is our strength! Just take a look! The book of Proverbs is full of the wisdom of God:

   Have a problem with making rash decisions? There’s a verse for that:

“The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.” - Proverbs 14:16

   Tired of losing friends over disagreements? There’s a verse for that:

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” - Proverbs 17:9

   Wonder why your neighbors stopped inviting you over for dinner? There’s a verse for that, too:

“Don’t visit your neighbors too often, or you will wear out your welcome.” - Proverbs 25:17

   Want to give your folks a reason for not going to college? There’s a verse for that:

“It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning.” - Proverbs 17: 16

   (Jk. Don’t tell your parents that.)

   

   Wisdom. Go get some.

As soon as I wake up in the morning, I get a big head. I wake up with the feeling that I can take on the world - a Superman complex.

And it doesn’t matter if I’m sick, tired, or maimed. That first step out of my bed, is gonna be my first step to some victorious feat!

Half of the time, my legs are still numb and I just fall over onto the floor, but all of the other times…I’m walking on sunshine. I know that I’m wired to be positive no matter the situation, but that wiring leads me to count on myself for the whole day, if I let it.

Don’t get me wrong, people are capable of running their own lives. But running around is pretty much where our capabilities end. I can try to love other people, do kind things, accomplish tasks, and shoot the moon with the drive of my heart. But as soon as another human being finds a flaw in my wiring (which there always is), it’s a K.O. This K.O. is debilitating, because it opens the door to shame. And shame is the demise of us all.

Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

One of the hardest things to do is to try to run our own methods in the race of God. We are human after all, so we fail to meet God’s standards for the race. And when we run around on our own, things get dysfunctional. We’re not meant to do that, so how do we run?

Verse 2 says, “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’ s throne.”

Jesus is our drive! He’s where our confidence should be, as soon as we wake. We’re not super enough to be who we’re called to be without Christ.

So brace yourself for God’s conviction, and take a big sucker punch to self-confidence.

Thank God it’s Friday!

Literally, make it an aim to personally thank God for a day that marks the end of the week! A typical week is full of the 9 to 5 working and schooling. All of the other time is spent bustling around and doing what people do best - being busy.

When Friday rolls around, we like to drop everything and relax, as if laying around and doing nothing is the most worthwhile thing to do on the weekend. Smh.

But as for me and my house (which so happens to be just me), we will serve the Lord! In the book of Joshua, Chapter 24, the people of Israel are faced with the decision to serve God or to serve other gods and idols.

We have the same decision in our lives.

God’s presence isn’t just a lifeboat to survive on during the week, He’s the vessel on which we freely ride for now and forever. Just as we pray and cling to God during the week when we need His help, we should be much more close to Him when times are great!

Psalm 34:1 says, “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises.”

Today, you should be the most excited person that you know, because you have a real reason to say,

                                                   ”TGIF!”

In Ephesians 6:13-17, Paul has a word for believers in regards to resisting the enemy,

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after battle you will be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

These spiritual references must be key to survival and victory in this life - belts, shoes, shields, helmets, swords - because these things come from God to help us.

We need a belt of truth to help us in times when we face the untruths of the world. We know that the things of this world aren’t the truths for our lives, and at times they can sneak into our beliefs and attack us from the inside, out. Culture and ungodly friends surround us every day, and I know firsthand of the stealthiness and pressure of conformity. A belt holds it all together, and holds anything else out! We are able to stand firm in the truth of God.

The shoes of peace guard us with our purpose. Sharing the message of Christ should be what spurs us daily, and we should be running to do the will of God! Sometimes, we may be lacing up the wrong kind of kicks and running of with feet of justice, vengeance, or personal opinions. Remember that justice is the Lord’s, and Jesus’ love is the greatest attribute we have!

We also have a shield of faith to protect us against the devil. Notice that Paul says to “hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery darts of the devil.” This means that in faith we continue, knowing that God will defend us. But we have to hold up the shield.

It’s not enough to just have it by our side. If we don’t use it, then how will we know of it’s strength? How will we know what it is capable of? Our faith grows as we depend on the unfailing power of God!

Next, the helmet. The helmet is of salvation; and in war, there is a price for every one of our heads. Seriously, whenever David took out Goliath in the Old Testament, he didn’t just slay him with a stone, but he took off his head to show the people that the giant was out for the count. Jesus has paid a price for us, and no one has a right to what he has claimed for His own.

Finally, we have the sword of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12 says, “the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than a two edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.”

This is some heavy-duty weaponry. And this is what God arms us with! He gives us the ability to do extraordinary things when we trust in Him and His word.

We can move mountains.

We can defeat giants.

We can do miraculous things.

Remember that God loves us so much that He gave the life of His son for us, and now we are His children. God will do amazing things for those who love Him. Jesus said this:

“You fathers - if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:11-13.

God will protect you and give you the strength to fight against the struggle!

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” - Ephesians 6:12

As long as we live on earth, there will always be struggle. We will always go head-to-head in battle with opposition, armed with whatever strength we have in our hands. In the Old Testament, we hear of David facing his giant, Goliath. David tells his enemy:

“You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s armies - the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied.” 1 Samuel 17:45

Yes, David had a slingshot and a few stones, which were used to take down the giant - but his power came from the living God!

In today’s time, we’re running around flinging stones at our problems (hopefully not at our problem-makers). Our struggle is against the powers and authorities of this world: things like fear, anxiety, anger, lust, pride, gluttony, deception - Satan. At the moment, he’s the god of this world, and some of us are flinging spiritual stones from the wrong strength and at the wrong source of the problems. We defend ourselves against other people and situations, but we should be allowing God to defend us against the enemy from which all of these things stem! We need to depend on God alone through the love of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Ephesians 6:10, Paul says, “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”

Yes, the struggle is real. But the power of God is real and even greater.

Tonight was a great night to share the love of God! It was a cold and quiet evening - almost peaceful, but there is always something stirring up in the hearts of people.

Some friends and I were out sharing the message of Jesus when we came upon a girl walking through our college campus. We invited her to church and asked about her life, which lead to a conversation about some of the thoughts that she had about faith. Among some of her thoughts, there was the most obvious thing - she was nervous. It didn’t show much on the outside, but on the inside she was dealing with problems that only God could understand.

We told her about the peace of God and how He loves her in particular. We weren’t there to talk down her opinions or talk up ours.

It’s one thing to debate about opinions and specific beliefs, and it’s another thing to share the love and peace of God with a desperate soul. People and God are meant to be like a bridge. We’re meant to be connected with God through His love, but sometimes we become disconnected - something has broken the peace!

Jesus said this in John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

The world has so many remedies, so many temporary fixes to our problems, but only God can give us peace in our situations AND provide a way of true escape!

We prayed with her to receive the peace of God in whatever situation she was dealing with. At that time, God didn’t want for us to talk about her opinions. There’s a time for everything.

This time was a win for the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.

[Photo from NDTV.com]

Sometimes, it’s hard to let go of bad habits. And as the new year is starting, they put the brakes on what we want to accomplish. They tag along behind us in our blindside and will hang on all the way to the finish line if we let them.

And I’m not even talking about the things that are hidden to others. These are the things that are clearly seen by everyone! Sometimes we can feel like we’re accomplishing so much - just like when we’re driving:

We’ve got the huge windshield in front of us, and we can see all that God has to promise us. We’re charging forward! We can see what God’s doing in our lives right now from the side windows, and also see where God has brought us from a rear view to the back. But the blindside is something we miss a lot. If we’re not making an effort to see our potential mistakes and correct them, then we may be drifting into the wrong direction - harming ourselves and others along the way.

When we’re first learning to drive, we’re taught to check our blind spots before changing lanes. The same thing should happen in our lives! We should check in the areas that we’re weak in, and prepare accordingly to keep us safe and the people around us.

Proverbs 14:16 says, “The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.”

And if we can’t see what we’re doing wrong, there’s people in the back seat to help us! (Not to be confused with backseat drivers. And I’m gonna leave it at that.)

Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.”

A lesson well-learned will make us prosper, and better yet is a lesson that we learn together with brothers and sisters! 

Now, I would close this post with something about the “highway of life” or the “road to success”, but I’ll leave you with this:

Friends don’t let friends drift and drive, on or off-road.

Sex. Just as sure as God made us with desires to eat, sleep and be merry, He made us with the desire for sex. 

Now, you’re probably thinking - Gasp! Kenny said sex!

Let’s get real. It’s not like you haven’t heard it before, and hearing seems to be the least of our problems these days. There’s pornography, sex outside of marriage, lust - and all of these things pack a powerful punch that K.O.s the body and soul.

In the Bible, Paul speaks to the Corinthians about sexual sin when he says that no other sin clearly affects the body like this one. In 1 Corinthians 6:18, he says “Run from sexual sin!”

Laugh all you want, but for me, it helps to take this verse at a standpoint…or a running point, and go for a jog. If I’m ever alone and I get the temptation to look at pornography on the internet or watch something on TV that no one has any business watching, I go running.

Don’t go overboard with this one, because you’re gonna look crazy if you start running away from people you’re attracted to or running out of a movie theater when the movie’s just starting. Be practical about the situation.

If you’re sexually tempted in certain situations, then go ahead and back out. Don’t try to be holier-than-though, because you might end up more sinful-than-though. And don’t just run away from sexual temptation, get some accountability from a Godly, same-sex friend so that you’re not running alone. Know that you’re not the only one who has sexually sinned and is still dealing with it. And foremost, seek the Spirit of God as strength.

Psalm 105:4 - Search for the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him.

If anybody knows what we’re dealing with and can help us to overcome it, it’s God.

Keep up the fight. Stay strong. And run like the wind, homie.

It’s always important to be a student. Meaning? It’s always a good thing to be humble and to be learning from others, because you never know what good things can come of it!

But, you shouldn’t just be a student for the good things or the favors that come from it - check this out:

In Luke 2:52, it says that Jesus (as a child) grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and all the people.

At this time, Jesus was twelve years old. His parents went to the Passover festival in Jerusalem. A pretty traditional thing. But Jesus is anything BUT traditional! He sat at the feet of the religious teachers, listening and asking questions. The religious teachers were astounded.

You see, Jesus was an ordinary child then. He hadn’t been revealed as the Messiah to some people, so he didn’t receive any special treatment went to the Temple in Jerusalem. He received favor because of a humble spirit.

The Bible says in Proverbs 2:2-3 to tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. This requires us to be humble and realize that we don’t know everything. Notice, it says “tune” and “concentrate.” Meaning? We don’t know everything, and not only that, but we’re not naturally inclined to put someone else’s knowledge above our own.

Now, we can all say that we don’t have a problem with listening, but I can’t number how many times my parents told me to do something and I ignored them because I thought my way was better. Once that happened, I always ended up getting burned, getting scraped knees, knocking out some teeth, wetting my pants…the whole works. And this pride thing doesn’t stop in childhood - it gets intentional and it gets bigger as we get older. It turns into things like getting into bad relationships, getting fired from the job, or worse - people really end up being failure for life because of their pride. That’s why it’s important to remember these verses, Proverbs 3:3-4: “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor both with God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.”

It’s important both naturally and spiritually to take wisdom and be loyal to the people who truly care about you, because the outcome of gleaned wisdom is far better than that of great pride.

So, be a good student and take good notes from the wisdom of people who want the best for you and trust in the Word of God. And may the blessings be ever in your favor!