Ignited by Praise
Hello Beloved Family… but even better… Family of God!
I am so blessed and honored by how this past week showed me once again why it is such a major and humbling honor to serve you as a shepherd and minister of the Good News. I do not hesitate to admit, in great transparency, that I was hesitant for how Sunday’s message would be received. I know many of you love me… I know many of you honor me… I know many of you have a reverent value for me… but I still do not enter into messages like that with unabated courage. I would desire to declare that I can share any subject matter, in any way, and at any time. But I am growing together with you in boldness, courage, and clarity.
One of the blessings that I count dear to my heart is the freedom that we have together in this divine journey of destiny. Just today, I was talking to some very dear friends in Texas and they we reminding me of a few powerful testimonies of the faithfulness of God and where my Father has led me in this moment. What I count of priceless value is that what we are doing in this time… we are doing together! These folks (I call them our Texas parents) were reminding me of times that Kay and I spent years without a salary… without grocery money at times… without any notoriety of any kind… without a church building of our own… without any natural evidence of things improving… but God was ALWAYS faithful and good to take care of us every step of they way. As they were recounting to me moment after moment of these tedious times, they reminded me of how fixed we were in purely trusting our Father. We would not complain, which would have credited the enemy; we would not manipulate anyone for money or help, which would take our reliance from the promises of the Word of God; and we would not let our hope diminish from the supernatural vision that was deeply planted in our heart. This past Sunday, I had a very surreal awareness that we are in the middle of that vision, speaking unpopular truths in a devastated culture and being “accepted in the Beloved”. Humbling…
Ephesians 1:6
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
It is praiseworthy for us all to take a moment and realize that we are accepted and greatly loved. I feel that, far too often, many of us find ourselves in a very narrow and self-focused perception of our lives and circumstances. We are led by culture, media, society, darkness, and the flesh to zero-in on the things we don’t have… instead of spanning the vastness of the Heavenly prosperity that stretches beyond our perceptible eye’s ability to see. Right now, as you are reading these words, you are surrounded by innumerable hosts of Heavenly ministers… you have the Father thinking about you, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer 29:11)… you have “everything that pertains unto life and Godliness” through the “great and precious promises” of the Word of God (2 Pet 1:3-4)… AND you have a Beloved Family that is praying for you, believing with you, and fighting back-to-back with you!
There is this unique and divine power that flows into our lives and circumstances that is ignited by praise and thanksgiving. Here is the entirety of Psalm 100… short, but very actionable for us in the specific situations of today:
- {A Psalm of praise.} Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
- Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
- Know ye that the LORD he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
- Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name.
- For the LORD [is] good; his mercy [is] everlasting; and his truth [endureth] to all generations.
When I think of what was done for me by my God through the 4,000 year plan of the Gospel… the bloody and complete sacrifice of my Loving Savior… the comforting, intimate, and eternal presence of the Holy Spirit… the gentle training and maturing of a good, good Heavenly Father… and SOOOOO much more… how can we not stay in a constant and consistent place of praise and thanksgiving?!?!
Dearest Beloved family, please hear my meek heart when I implore you to set a true and accurate perception of the circumstances around you and their finite temporality. Set your affections on things higher and more important:
Colossians 3:1-4
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your a life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Let us fixate ourselves together today on the Author and Finisher of our faith… the Lover of our soul… and the Savior of our eternity… Jesus the Christ!
I love you greatly!
Steve
