Here is the article for September 2008
It’s ok folks… you can get excited and joyful in church!
It is amazing to think that when your favourite football team score a goal or win their match, or when you see a pop star you’ve followed for years do a brilliant and dynamic performance, suddenly all self consciousness seems to disappear, and we are taken to doing some strange things like leaping up and down, whistling, clapping, screaming at the top of our voice, crying, laughing…. even doing a Mexican wave or kissing strangers seems to present no problems in our moments of uncontrollable joy.
Let’s change the venue from the football stadium or theatre and move into the local church, and suddenly the atmosphere can change to that of quietness and melancholy… enter the British ‘stiff upper lip’ and we’re well on the way to the reason why so many people believe that church is… well… just not for them!
Don’t get me wrong… there is a place for quietness, reverence and contemplation, but not at the expense of a joyful relationship with Father God.
The Bible tells us “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”, and many other scriptures speak about joy and excitement in the presence of God. Psalm 63 says: “O God You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You, thus will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness [abundance], and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips” …. I think David sounds pretty excited about God and you can sense his hunger to enjoy the presence of the Lord. [Urgency, longing, thirsting, seeking, praising, blessing and the lifting of hands in praise are mentioned here]. The Bible describes David as a man after God’s heart.
So, if the joy of the Lord is our strength… let’s get excited about the fact that God offers us a victorious life, a life free from sin, a life free of worry, a life of hope, peace, faith and joy. We have something to celebrate and someone to Praise and adore. So can I encourage you to let Jesus free you of your inhibitions, trust God, let go, and let Him work a miracle in your life. Your freedom in Christ is just a prayer away
The Christian church has been weak for too long… God’s heart is for His church to be full of His joy…. don’t keep it DEEP DOWN… let it rise to the surface… scare your minister, bless your congregation… GET EXCITED ABOUT JESUS.
At Wellspring we enjoy exciting and joyful celebration meetings every week. God meets our needs and blesses us so we want to bless and praise Him in return… just like David did. We enjoy sacred times around the communion table and spend time being taught from God’s precious word [the Bible]. If you are sick, we will pray for you and believe God for a miracle in your life… it’s exciting being a Christian.
We meet every Sunday at 11am in the Celebration room beneath Apartmentos Nati in Bolnuevo. Prayer and Bible study in the same place on Wednesdays at 7pm. Contact Pastor Andrew on 620599270/968635875 or Duncan on 607382033/968130530 or our website has all the information www.wellspringvictorychurch.com
www.wellspringvictorychurch.com
or contact Pastor Andrew on 620599270/968635875 or Duncan on
607382033/968130530