The Activity of the Human Soul

I've been thinking a lot lately about worship and what it really means; and today I stumbled upon this amazing video.


Worship Is from Josh Collesano on Vimeo.


Worship in English, comes from the words

weorth meaning worth and

scipe/ship meaning quality.

Something having the qualities of worth.

Psalm 86:9
All the nations you have made will come and worship before you Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

In the Old Testament, worship meant to bow down. It was a posture, easy to spot someone in 'worship' on the street. The concept behind the word meant to serve, or bring an offering.
The Old Testament is filled with people bringing 'offerings' to God, or 'sacrifices; and even human sacrifices. Abraham feared the Lord so much that he took his only son to be an offering for God (Genesis 22).

And then came Jesus.

It might not make any sense to someone who isn't familiar with the Word to try and make sense of this whole offering thing; and I'm sure they might wonder why we don't sacrifice offerings today.

Here it is very simple: Jesus, the Son of God, was the ultimate sacrifice. When He died for all our sins, worship became an internal thing, not an external.

He came and died so that we didn't have to make sacrifices any more.

Worship should never just be something done on Sunday morning when the band is playing...it's a lifestyle.
It's your way of saying to God: I love you. It should be constant and never ending.

Think about your lifestyle right now. How much of your time and day go to worshiping God?

Beloved, worship should be what comes from your heart. Your true heart. God created you, so He knows what's really going on in there anyways.

Yet a time is coming and has come now when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. -John 4:23

Worship isn't about the song your listening to, or who is holding the microphone. It doesn't even need to be when there is music anywhere near you. Worship should be how you conduct your day. It should be the way you live your life.

Worship is giving your all to the Highest of Highs. God doesn't desire for us to only have a set time to worship. He wants us to be worshiping Him from the minute we wake up to the moment we say good night.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. -Hebrews 12:28

We are receiving a kingdom. Do you know that? God is giving us the gift of eternal life in His kingdom in Heaven. One that doesn't shake when things get rough, one that stands firm on the Word of God.
So why not, while we're down here on a really shaky earth, live like we're up there?

It might sound crazy to some of you, but I'm serious.

The Lord delights when we give it all to Him. So let's do it.
Worship is 'the activity of the human soul'. I'm praying that each day I can be more of a worshiper to God.
Maybe for you, it's the little steps. Maybe right now you need to just sit in silence worshiping God. Or maybe you would like some music on in the background to get you going.
But know that it should continue when you get up. When you go to the store, when you get stuck in traffic, when you don't do well on a test, when you come across some devistating news. It's how you handel things in life.

We live in a very troubled world. One that needs God.
Be an example. Let's start to do things differently. Let's start to make sure we're noticed for being children of God.
Let's be noticed for our worhship.

Psalm 95:6

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the maker, for He is our God.

Here's the deal

So lately I've been sucked up in the 'I need my blog to be better' world.
I want it to stand out more, I want more followers.

Funny, I gave up Facebook for Lent, but I find myself wondering through the Blogger World (giggles) to take up what would have been time spent on Facebook.
Defeats the whole purpose.

So I wanted to make things a clear for my wonderful readers.

This isn't a blog where you'll win free stuff.
This isn't a blog focused on posting pictures every time.
This isn't a blog dedicated to telling you all my talents and to promote anything I make.
This isn't a blog for me.

This blog is for the One who has Saved us.
This blog is for the One who is the answers to all my problems.
This blog is for the One who forgives us all.
This blog is for the One I can't even begin and try to wrap my head around.
This blog is for the King of Heaven and Earth.
This blog is for the One who loves us.

Don't get me wrong. There are so many wonderful blogs out there that are what I call 'fun' like my other blog (my adventures as a wife)! Ones where you'll win awesome prizes, and ones where you'll see pictures of adorable prego women and their babies, ones where you'll see the most amazing God given talent with crafty things.

But not here.

I hope that by reading this blog you'll understand that I love Jesus and I'm not satisfied with where I am in life because every day I want more of Him.
I hope you'll understand that I have a real relationship with my Savior, and I pray that if you don't have one, you will. And if you are in love with Jesus too, that this will help you just a tiny bit.

So whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

I'm praying that in this season of my life, I will start to make some drastically new decisions.

 I'm praying that the Creator of the Universe will send His Holy Spirit upon me,

and allow me to do the will He created for me.

I'm praying that He will open up doors for me.

I'm praying He'll give me strength, and patience. I'm praying that He'll use me right where I am.

I'm praying He'll give me the wisdom I am seeking.

I want to take Your Word and shine it all around;

First, help me just to live it, Lord.

And when I'm doing well

Help me to never seek a crown;

For my reward is giving glory to You.

 

Your sister in Christ,

Megan

Guest Post!

Hi everyone! I am so excited to announce Guest Posting! I have seen this idea on multiple blogs and think it's such an awesome way for people to share Gods love.

I picked the first guest post, but from here on out, it's up to who ever feels so lead to share! Please check out the tab on the top of the page to find out more information.

Our first guest poster is my beautiful little sister Melinda.

(can you tell we're related?)

She just turned 20 years old (WoW!) and is a student at the University of South Florida. She loves Jesus and has an amazing voice, when she doesn't have her noise in her books she likes to come home and visit her familia.
Here's what she's got to say :)

When I look at my life and the lives of people around me, sometimes I can't help but think what isn't God doing in our lives? In my case at least, I'm healthy, and if I get sick there are thousands of doctors available to help me. I'm financially stable, or at least as financially stable as a 20 year old college student can be. I am a student who has the opportunity to earn an education. I have a beautiful family who loves me and cares about me. I have an amazing boyfriend who encourages me and makes me happy. I have generous friends who would stop anything to help me out. I live in a free country where I'm allowed to openly express my religion, political affiliation, and point of view without being persecuted. And that country that allows me to be free also has thousands of brave men and women risking their lives to help other people be free too. I have passion and hobbies, like cooking (insert shameless plug to advocate my new blog!). And best of all, I'm alive. And I'm not just alive, as in breathing and pumping blood, I'm LIVING. I laugh, I cry, I love, learn, listen, thrive, pray.

So again I ask what isn't God doing??

Sometimes, on rare occasions, it's hard not to feel like life is coming all at once. In the past few weeks "when it's rained, it's poured". Friends have lost loved ones, pets, jobs, and opportunities. A USF student committed suicide when he was a semester away from finishing grad school. And the store I work at is closing, and thus my job has an expiration date. In addition to tests and papers and projects piling up to the roof. Sometimes it's hard to remember what is important about this life. Whenever I feel like I'm at my wits end, lost to any possible solution to a problem, I go outside, close my eyes, and let the sunshine warm me. To me, the sun is like God reaching out of the sky and wrapping his arms around you. It gives me a second to catch my breath and organize things.

I encourage you to take a few minutes everyday to let God wrap his arms around you, whether that's sitting in the sun, reading his word, swimming in the pool, cooking a new meal, or listening to music. Whatever it is, find it, and do it.

Isn't she great?! Check out her blog, she just got started and is still working on it but would love some followers: http://notmomscooking.blogspot.com/

 

have a wonderful day!

Your sister in Christ,

Meg

Right here, right now

Ephesians 2:10
"For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do".

Do you know that you're in the exact place right now that God wants you to be? Before you were even born He decided that you would be at that job, or that school, or in that relationship...nothing in your life has been by chance.
Isn't that awesome!

Although we can't get the exact quote from God Himself, Paul tells us in Ephesians that we have been prepared in advanced, to do His good works.
As long as you follow Jesus, you're doing His works.

Sometimes I think that since I haven't run a whole church, or don't have my own book out yet that I'm not doing His works...and I couldn't be more wrong. God has placed me here, writing to you all for a reason.
This is His will for my life.
Nothing has been by chance.

But just because I'm here (and you're there) doesn't mean that God doesn't want us to act! He certainly doesn't want us to just sit around and wait for Him to give us an opportunity.
Each day we have to put our trust and commit to the Lord and He will pour out His blessings on us.

Things might not always go the way we want them to go...and that's because we aren't in control, He is.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled! Trust in God." John 14:1

You are where you are, going where you're going because God decided that's what He knows will further His Kingdom here on Earth.
Think about this small truth, put your trust in the One who has your life already figured out!

Your sister in Christ,
Meg

Let your Light Shine Bright

Jesus tells us in Matthew to “let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven”; He also tells us “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father”.


Philippians 2:15 says “then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life”.

Do you get where I’m going with this?

When Jesus came to this earth He brought the Light that we are now to carry. It’s a light that should “shine like the stars”. Obviously I’m not a science teacher, but from what I can remember from Science class…stars are pretty bright. They also can be seen from thousands of miles away.

Is your light shining and can people see if from 1000 miles away?

One of the coolest things about the bible is the Old Testament. (Seriously) Read chapters like Isaiah, Joel, Job, Jeremiah, and Daniel. First off they are the accounts of some amazing people’s lives who did extraordinary things in the name of the Lord (but that’s for a different day).
All of these books also have one huge thing in common: they all prophesized about the coming of Jesus.

Isaiah 60:1-2 says this: Arise, shine! For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the Earth; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.

Wow.

I don’t know about you, but verses like that make me want to go screaming about how I am the Light of the world. I shine like the stars.

God sent Jesus to us to show us how it’s done. He sent Jesus to the earth to show us how to be the Light while we’re here on earth…kinda scary.
But we can do this!!

Isaiah is telling us to wake up! That Jesus has come and God is upon us. We’re told that darkness is covering the earth (I really don’t need to go into how messed up the world is already) but that God has the answer...for us to rise up with Jesus.

We have to stop doing the things we shouldn’t.
Stop swearing, stop drinking, stop smoking, stop lying, stop being wasteful, stop wishing Heaven were on earth…and start BRINGING Heaven to earth!

We were commanded to be the Light of the world. To lead people to a Savior. To take risks in our lives for God. God created us with a purpose…to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.

And we do this by being the Light.

We have to be the generation that people start to wake up to. It’s easy for you to read this and think ‘yea Meg you’re totally right’ but you have to DO something.
**I’d also like to note that Meg needs to wake up a bit also**
But we need to surround ourselves with the Love of God. Know that He created you to become the generation that is going to rise up and really bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. To really be the Light of the world.

So Arise!! Shine!!

Be the Light. Pray for those in need. Pray that Jesus will fill you up so much that you are radiating His Love to others!

Have a wonderful day, and let your Light SHINE!

Your sister in Christ,
Meg