25.3.12

Do You Have His Attention? Pt. 2


You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,
And cannot look on wickedness.
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours a
person more righteous than he? ~ Hab. 1:13 (NKJV)

     In Part 1 of our discussion, we talked about Cain's offering and why it was unacceptable to God, because of the condition of his heart. We also learned that just as it was with Cain, it's possible for God to hate what we do for Him, if we have sin in our hearts. In these times when worship arts sometimes become more focused on the presentation than the message, how do we stay focused on the Lord, and keep His attention on us? How do stay out of the many traps and snares that the enemy has planned for us?

     The first and most important way to stay free from the enemy's traps is through prayer. Prayer is our first line of communication line with God, and without a prayer life, we have no ministry. Through prayer, we can find out what the enemy's next move is, and get His guidance on how to handle, stop, or navigate around it. Another way is to be mindful of what we say. Sometimes, we casually say things that can be misunderstood, or we speak to the wrong people about things that are going on. Also be careful of competition, and trying to outdo others. God is not judging whose praise is the best, He receives all praise that comes from pure hearts! If the band changes the music or switches songs, keep it moving and don't complain about how "they messed us up".  Speak kindly to others in your group, respect them at all times. Remember, what you have to say is never more important than the person you are speaking to; that goes for members as well as leaders. Don't look down on those who are less skilled than you are, instead, look for ways to befriend them, and offer to share your knowledge. If others have more abilities than you, introduce yourself and find out how you can learn from them.

...But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't look at how handsome Eliab is or how tall he is, because I have not chosen him. God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart"~I Samuel 16:7 (NCV)

     This is God's work, and we're all on the same team! There is no place for striving in the Kingdom. If we are worshiping and sharing the Good News of Christ through our gifts and talents, we can all have God's attention, at the same time.

Please enjoy this group of dancers from different ministries who worked together to present a beautiful worship piece: