“when you look at the sun, the shadows always fall behind you”
Shadows are the only tools the devil has, and where there is light … Darkness cannot remain.
The greatest way to circumnavigate the shadows of worry, fear and uncertainty is to keep your eyes on the light. Then the shadows always fall behind you, where they are unseen and ‘ineffective’.
We must always look to Jesus, the light of the world.
God wants us to soar like EAGLES … to rise above the storms and not remain ‘under the circumstances’.
He certainly doesn’t want us scratching around like CHICKENS all our lives, or acting like a TURKEY … or proving to the world that you don’t need a long neck to be a GOOSE 
Behaving like an old DUCK, rather than display EAGLE-like qualities, points to an IDENTITY CRISIS.
Knowing who we are in CHRIST ensures we don’t suffer an identity crisis.
We are overcomers and redeemed in HIM. We are sons and daughters of God, MADE IN HIS LIKENESS.
The eagle represents DIVINITY and AUTHORITY. And God has poured His very nature and essence into us by His grace and through His Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:3
“I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us EVERYTHING necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.
Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become PARTAKERS of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.”
In Him we are the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. Be blessed in Him today.
(this message was adapted from a message preached by Pastor Patrick Humberstone @ Oceans Church, June 2011
Oceans Church
Leaders lead most by example.
Discipleship is more often ‘caught’ than taught
1 Corinthians 4:15-20
“For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
I encourage you, then, be imitators of me.
For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
Some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power.
For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power.”
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There are 2 aspects of leading worship that are good
to operate in, in a healthy balance
-pastoral & prophetic worship.
PASTORAL:
Looking to include the congregation / Accessible ‘forms’ of worship / An awareness of ‘where the people are at’.
(condition of the flock – David) PSALM 78:65-72
A GOOD SHEPHERD OF PEOPLE / GUIDING THEM WISELY & WELL (NIV = “INTEGRITY OF HEART; WITH SKILLFUL HANDS HE LED THEM)
Pastoring / SHEPHERDING the people you serve in some way. Pastoral care & service.
PROPHETIC:
Exploring musical territory / Singing new songs / Declaration & Proclamation / Prophecy in song, word, scripture.
The balance:
To just be prophetic = No point singing spontaneous & prophetic songs for 45 minutes with no-one joining in
To just be pastoral = everyone together, but not going deep into the operation of the gifts of the Spirit, High praise & worship
(either ‘way’ = not man pleasing – remember, seek what God wants)
Pastoral & prophetic = Leading a congregation together on a journey, into a deeper appreciation of & response to who God is.
Worship is …
… Putting toothpaste on your wife’s toothbrush
… Letting people into traffic
… Offering the last Tim Tam to others
… Giving God first place – with your time, finances & passion
… Trusting God with the details of your life
(from the major to the the seemingly ‘minor’)
Young people lost in ‘cyber society’, numbing out on drugs/alcohol, promiscuous and unmeaningful sex, depression, anxiety and hopelessness driving people to suicide … Choose your ill, there’s many a vice that can maim or kill.
Do you sometimes feel like the earth is cursed?
Malachi 4:5-6 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
I believe this curse afflicts almost entire generations, largely due to absent, ignorant, blind and selfish fathering.
Lack of true fathering is producing a generation of natural and spiritual bastards … and is allowing this curse to continue.
The time to stem the tide is NOW.
Let me show you that this passage is not just referring to some time in the future but that the Lord has already sent His new testament Elijah.
(Now He needs men with true fathers’ hearts)
Matthew 17:10-13 “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come?
And he answered and said, Elijah indeed cometh, and shall restore all things: but I say into you, that ELIJAH IS COME ALREADY and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.
Then understood the disciples that HE SPAKE UNTO THEM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.”
(this is Jesus speaking in this passage)
(and now the angel speaking of John the baptist before his birth)
Luke 1:17 “And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
NOW is the time for the fathers to turn their hearts to the children … And not just the ones we have sired … But those we encounter every day.
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1) Holds something together
Worship is vital to the life of a church. It holds things together within a corporate gathering, allowing the Presence of God to flow and permeate all that is said and done. Worship in spirit and truth holds your life together.
2) Identifies that which it is attached to
Worship IDENTIFIES who we are, by Who we serve.
3) Causes individual components to work together in unison
Worship directs the hearts and words of MANY, to ONE focal point = JESUS.
4) A range of frequencies or wavelengths in a spectrum
All of CREATION worships the CREATOR.
5) Grooves on a long play record, on which sound is recorded
God IMPRINTS His song onto our hearts. When He touches our lives, songs of grace, mercy & love RESOUND for all to hear.
6) A thing that restrains, binds or unites
How we can NOT worship? We are His bond servants, BOUND to Him by LOVE
7) A plain ring – especially gold/wedding
Worship isn’t the crown jewel, the ‘object’ of our worship is. Christ is the groom, we are His BRIDE.
music & free downloads
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