OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO WORSHIP PT.5.

  APRIL 1ST.      

TEXT: Hebrews 12:1-2King James Version (KJV)
1.   Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2.     Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The hymn “How Great Thou Art” is such a sweet reminder of the awesome power of God revealed in creation. It is also a reminder of the great privilege given us to have this same God as our Saviour and friend. “Then sings my soul, my saviour, God to Thee. How great Thou art” Let gratitude be your attitude no matter the circumstance you find yourself. Rejoice, the creator of the universe is your Father.

CONTEMPLATION
No matter the obstacle, make up your mind to spend quality time preparing your heart to encounter God. There will always be distractions and detractors, but the only factor that matters is your undivided attention on the Almighty. “When we are recognized among men as learned or as an authority in certain fields of study, we must be careful not to act as though we have been given the right to validate the worship others offer to God, for worship is in spirit, and only He who sees and knows the true content of our spirit has the right to validate the worship that is offered to Him.” P.42 FFPW. In John chapter 4, when the Lord met the Samaritan woman by the well, she did not want to have anything to do with Him. She held on to her tradition and the water from Jacob’s well until she heard of the water that will quench her thirst, then she suddenly cried out, “Give me this water”    
The Azusa street revival was the response of God to the cry of hungry souls, but its end was the response of God to the attempt by man to box Him. Once the sign post “Apostolic Faith” was added over the place of meeting, God left.  “When we try to lay claim to what is only possible by the hand of God, He will walk away leaving us empty and frustrated” p.47 FFPW.

PRACTICAL ISSUES
There is always a divine strategy for every opportunity that comes our way. Look out for it and you will always succeed.
A church focused on membership drive seldom produces people who will worship God in spirit and in truth, because the priority is the number not the nurturing of souls (Matt 23:15).
God will have no problem walking away from what we are trying to build in His name, if it becomes the reason for our loss of focus and passion to worship.