Responsible Worship - Reasonable Surrender

We have been studying worship in our Sunday morning  small group. The topic is familiar territory and I have taught the material before. However, two Sunday’s ago we reached the topic of surrendering the past, present and future to God. It hit home and became very personal to me. I began to think of all the responsibilities I have now that I didn’t have when I was younger and all of the fears that I have for the future, most notably my future in Christ!  It’s not that I am afraid to lose my salvation at any given moment and it has nothing to do with being afraid to try something new, I love a new challenge.

 

During our discussion of the topic several of the class members expressed how hard it is for them looking to the future and what God has called them too because their families do not accept their faith in Christ or their Calling respectively. This really touched on a deep rooted fear and it still didn’t dawn on me. The next Sunday night the topic was overcoming fear. It dawned on me during that discussion that my fear of the future has more to do with rejection of people than of Christ. To go further the fear is rooted in my distrust of myself and my past failures. My fear is that if I step out in faith following Christ that I may do something or have done something in the past that will bring dishonor to His name!  What a revelation for me personally this has been, I don’t know how to overcome this fear, yet. But I do know this is part of my life that I must surrender completely to move forward in Christ calling on my life.

 

This brings me to the title of this writing, “Responsible Worship – Reasonable Surrender”. These go hand in hand when you think about it. What is Responsible Worship? Offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, wholly and pleasing to our Lord. So what is Reasonable Surrender in light of Responsible Worship? Giving everything to Christ as your sacrifice to Him. So the sum of this is a complete abandonment of ourselves to Christ, even our fears of the future or fears of our past.

 

I truly believe if we can learn to do this, we can experience true freedom in Christ. After all how can He carry our burdens if we don’t give them too him?

 

In Christ,

Steven

Great Services/Amazing God

Yesterday’s services were awesome! God moved in a powerful way during Sunday school, Worship, Preaching and Communion. It was  powerful service the way only God can do, Praise him!!

 

It started with our College/Career Sunday school for me which we talked about surrendering our past as an act of total surrender to Christ (talking about all aspects of worship). This was a very insightful discussion time about how our past and relationships can hinder our full surrender to Him and even how fully surrendering these things can cause us to be discarded or shunned by friends, family  and co-worders. We have some awesome young people who are stepping out in faith to pursue the calling of God on their lives!

 

Next, was our worship service. We were nervous about introducing a new song in this set, but all nerves went aside as it was obvious that God was in control! He moved through the worship and revealed himself through tongues and interpretation in the service. He showed us just how great a God He is and reassured us of His love.

 

Then the message by Pastor Dylan was very powerful. Amazingly, only as God can, this message lined up with our Sunday School discussion perfectly. We must accept the forgiveness that Christ offers and move forward to what He has called us to.

 

Then we took communion together which is always a special time as we reflect on His sacrifice of Love for us.

 

All in all Great Services!!! God moved from beginning to end and orchestrated the entire thing. He is truly amazing!!!

 

In Christ,

 

Steven