What is WORSHIP?

WORSHIP! My thoughts have been going back and forth between what my worship is and what GOD desires my worship to be. What is it that GOD wants me to be accomplishing when I claim to be in worship of HIM? What was it like to WORSHIP when JESUS was here on earth?

Not long ago, I experienced worship like I never have before. This morning I was pondering just what was unique about the Church at Oakwood in Conway, AR. My youngest son and daughter-in-law are members at “Oakwood”. I was unsure of Oakwood's membership for awhile. But, as only HE does, GOD showed me through many things that if HIS ministry were a ministry of today, it would be geared toward PEOPLE, regardless of their status.

JESUS did not go to the synagogue to wear his fancy clothes or visit with his friends. Although HE was GOD INCARNATE, HE did not treat others as peasants and unworthy! HE always made everyone feel accepted. Had HE came as royalty HE would have been thought to be”TOO GOOD” for some of us less fortunate. Instead, JESUS gathered with his friends on a hillside, or a water-well, or by the sea side and HE would preach/teach to them. After filling their spiritual need, HE would then fill their physical needs as HE would feed them. Men, women, and children! Rich and poor, sick and healthy, esteemed and lowly, JESUS loved and ministered to all!

The Church at Oakwood reflects this very well. You cannot feel as though you are better than someone when you are sitting in folding chairs in a trailer park! You tend to not be as worried about measuring up to society when you are in a group singing with a guitar leading you. All inhibitions are removed when a lady sitting in the group has to turn and change the diaper of her child while the sermon is being delivered.

I have been a member of a church where membership was over 5000 people with attendance of 2500. I have been a member of a charter church of a church where we started with 45 or 50 people. But, until recently, I have never thought about what I needed to do to make sure people's needs were being met. I only was concerned about making sure people felt welcome at church.

Why is it that our culture thinks that GOD desires the glamour and glitz of a hollywood production to be able to accept our worship? Why do we think that our buildings must be the biggest, most ornate, comfortable in order for us to get more people in them. Are people's hearts being changed? Are people's spiritual or physical needs being met? Do we really care? Scripture is full of instructions from GOD to serve our fellow man, yet we want to worry about others living habits (or sins) such as drinking, homosexuality, marital infidelity, or any number of other sins. Are we are more concerned about someone's heart than we are their bank account?

I pray that I will be more concerned with how I worship and not about whether or not it is warm enough in the building, or if I am sitting in MY pew, or other things that matter little in eternity. When I was growing up we sang a song called Change my heart, Oh God! I pray that GOD changes me!

Change my heart, OH GOD

Make it ever true

Change my heart, OH GOD

May I be like you.

YOU are the potter

I am the clay

Mold me and make me

This is what I pray

Change my heart, OH GOD

Make it ever true

Change my heart, OH GOD

May I be like you

A BAD THING!!!.........maybe!!

The children of Israel were fleeing from the Egyptians (who are in a current mess!) and the time had come for them to show their faith in THE GOD JEHOVAH!  They were FLEEING from their captors and headed toward the land of milk and honey!  Confronted by a HOST of enemies behind them and an insurmountable obstruction in front of them, they begin to WHINE!  "Why have you drug us out into the desert to die, Moses?  Had we not left Egypt, we would not be in desolation preparing to for doom!" 

Do we not respond similar to a HOLY GOD?  When things don't go EXACTLY as WE THINK they should go, we start to whine and question why GOD is not doing things differently?!  Is HE not big enough for my problems?  Is HE not powerful enough to overcome my enemies?  Does HE not understand the depth of my situation?

Exodus 14:13-14 (ESV) says " And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”.  FEAR NOT, STAND FIRM. SEE SALVATION!  The verse that I love though is verse 14 where GOD says "The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent"!! 

Sometimes I have to be reminded that GOD does not need me, HE ONLY uses me!  He can use anyone or ANYTHING, yet HE chooses me.  That is, as long as I HAVE FAITH IN HIM AND FEAR NOT, STAND FIRM. SEE SALVATION! 

Looking for answers....but what was the question?

I have noticed that alot of times I find myself wondering what to do next, where to go, how to do what needs to be done, and when it HAS to be done.  I find myself "creating" an issue when there is really not one. Perhaps GOD is telling me to just listen to HIM? We try to busy ourselves so much that we are always to busy to LISTEN!!


Psalms 46:10 says "BE STILL........and know that I am GOD" .  Sometimes GOD just needs me to STOP and listen to HIM.  HE has all the answers and I want them!  But, I usually want them in my time and according to what I WANT!  GOD is not impressed or amazed with how busy you make yourself or how many activities you allow to consume your time.  Perhaps, we need to S L O W     D O W N !!

JOB 33:31-33 says "Pay attention, O Job, listen to me: be silent, and I will speak.  If you have any words, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify you.  If not, listen to me, BE SILENT, and I will reach you wisdom."

MERCY ME!!

Isaiah 55:8........."My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD."

Why is it that we are so sure that GOD would not allow something to happen?  Why would HE let something we see as being bad happen in someone's life?  Why do bad things happen to good people?  Does GOD not know what we are going through?  Did HE forget to set HIS alarm this morning?  Is the so-called bad that happens in our life something that is "irreversible"? 

Do you think when JESUS was before Pilate that it was bleak enough for GOD to step in?  Was it time on the "via dolorosa" (The way of grief) that JESUS needed intervention?  When the nails were being driven into the hands of my Lord, was that the time?  JESUS was put in a borrowed tomb, yet the time was not yet come?  

THREE DAYS LATER, when all HOPE was gone, when HE was but a memory,  JESUS stepped up and REDEEMED............. my SOUL and your SOUL and gave HOPE to mankind!  Once again, GOD provided for us a way of redemption...............we just have to accept his redemption!  It is free!  The Creator of the World paid for it and I have never seen anyone BIG ENOUGH to send HIM a bill! 

C.S. Lewis said "You don't have a soul.  You ARE a Soul.  You have a body."  I am SURE that one day this body will be claimed by earthly forces.  But, my soul!!  It shall live forever!!!

It is a MIRACLE!!

My wife gets tired of hearing me talk about it! I am not trying to GLORY in having a brain hemorrhage, but I am trying to let people know that my GOD can heal you no matter how bad things appear and no matter what your outlook. GOD DELIGHTS IN IMPOSSIBILITIES!!

It could be marriage problems, health problems, financial problems, job problems, or any number of other issues that GOD can be the only fix! When the problem can only be fixed by a MIRACLE, that is when you had better not be in the way!!

The children of Israel were led to the RED SEA..... and water parted. David killed Goliath......with a single rock from his sling. Lazarus was in the grave already....for four days! How bad does it have to be before I get out of GOD's way and let HIM work?

February 17, 1984! A day that will live in INFAMY!!!

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life!".  Never have more true or defining words been spoken for me......28 years ago tonight!

On February 17, 1984 Lisa Jean Barlow suckered into my persuasion and became Mrs. Ray Nelson!  Yes, she has been my wife ever since!  To say I am blessed is truly the understatement of the century.  She has remained through us not having any money, me not having my health, us not having a job (at the same time!), us having two wonderful GOD- fearing sons, us becoming insurance agents (not at the same time!), me hitting her in the head with a 4X4 (accident, I promise), both of our sons getting married, inheriting puppies from both of our sons, and on and on!  Why has she remained? 

When there is NO explanation..............IT MUST BE GOD!!!  When I was in bad health in 2007, Doctors could not explain HOW I could recover the way I did!  My Neurologist used to call me a "GOD THING" when I would go for a follow up visit.  There was no earthly reason or explanation for my recovery!  There is NO earthly reason or explanation for Lisa to still be here with me........except for GOD!  HE has given me the most beautiful, loving wife in the world an I don't tell her enough.  SO today, LISA B. NELSON YOU ARE LOVED THE MOSTEST!!!!

I CAN DO ALL THINGS....

I was just reading on FACEBOOK and a friend of mine was apologizing for something she was going to have to do today.  It was so kind of her to have the courtesy to think of others when her schedule was not cooperating!

The words " I can't" have been on my mind ever since.  How many times have I said "you can't do that" or "we can't go there"?  Why can't we?  Scripture says "I can do ALL things through him who strengthens me" in Philippians 4:13. 

Is there anything that is to SMALL for GOD?  Is there anything that is too BIG for GOD?  Why is it that we limit GOD because we think our small problems are too insignificant for the CREATOR of the world?  There are MANY things I have no answer for, but one of the things that confound me most is how GOD can be creator of the universe and STILL care for someone as "small" as I am.  My problems seem SOOO big, but compare them to making sure that the UNIVERSE is held together and they are nothing! 

So the next time your car won't start, or your paycheck is running short of your bills, or your health is not what you wish it to be, just remember that GOD THE CREATOR is the ONE who is in control!!! 

LOVE?????

I recently found a photo of a 12 week old baby.  The baby fit inside the hand an adult!  It is precious and it made me want to hug his/her neck.

TWELVE WEEKS OLD!  The baby had not been full term, it was 12 weeks old FROM CONCEPTION!!!  Why do some people label such as a FETUS?  Why don't they come right out and say what the child is?  One day, and it may be JUDGEMENT DAY, ALL will have to give an account of their deeds on this earth.  The abortionists and the one's who let their babies be killed will have to answer to a HOLY GOD about how they could MURDER a defenseless little child in a mothers womb! 

I am 51 years old.  I am 6'6" tall.  A little over 4 years ago I had a brain hemorrhage that almost took my life. What makes me more valuable that the little infant described?  How can one DECIDE they don't want a life to exist!   I recovered fully from the brain hemorrhage and am back at work living a productive life.  It cost in the neighborhood of $600,000 to keep me alive!  How may babies would we save for $600,000?

A friend of mine recently said "If it grows, IT'S ALIVE!"  I have not, and cannot, say it more eloquently!

A TRUE FRIEND!

This morning I was trying to have a quiet time.  I could not get my mind to FOCUS!  It seemed as though the more I tried to concentrate, the more directions my mind would go. 

So, I picked up my iPhone that provides no less than three BIBLE apps on it.  The English Standard Version was opened right where I had left it last night in church. Our pastor was speaking on actions that are what I will call, "GRAY AREA" items.  If it is a sin for one, is it a sin for all?  James 4:17 (ESV) says "So whoever knows the right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin". 
 
Is is wrong then for me to do something that is okay for others?  Scripture tells me in ROMANS 14:20-23 (ESV) "Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin."

So yes, if I go into OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE and order a T-Bone Steak and it is offensive to my brother, it would be best for me to get a doggie-bag!  TRUE LOVE demands nothing less of me.....if not for my brother, then for MY LORD!!!

Beauty is in the EAR of the beholder!

I follow an a man from Southern India who is an ENT.  I follow him, not because he is an ENT, but because he is a FOLLOWER of Jesus Christ!  Dr. Paulose is a very adept Physician who does a tremendous amount of work for the underprivileged.  Today, his article was entitled "Beauty is in the EAR of the beholder!".  He was talking about our physical ears.  But my thoughts went directly to our spiritual ears!

The play on words was thought provoking for me.  I  have always heard "Beauty is in the EYE of the beholder"!  But his TWEET got me to listening to THE LORD!  MY EARS hear all kinds of things!  They can listen to music, speech, birds chirping, trains blowing their horns, and all kinds of sounds that are a part of the world I live in.  But there is nothing so moving and nothing that gives as much comfort as hearing the GOD CREATOR speaking to little old me!  Satan attempts to fill my EARS with anything that will keep me from focusing on what GOD is.  If that is what I hear, then I live in defeat!  But if I listen to THE FATHER, then PEACE and COMFORT are mine!  GOD is a JEALOUS (Exodus 34:14) GOD and HE desires to give peace and comfort! 

Why we choose to allow strife and turmoil instead of PEACE and COMFORT is indescribable.  Joshua 24:15 says we have a CHOICE.  Today, I CHOOSE to serve, and listen to, THE LORD!!!

BE QUIET!!

This morning was/is a slow morning. I got up and was eating breakfast an realized my wife had finished reading the newspaper. I went over and since it is SATURDAY I was going to find out what was in the CHEERS AND JEERS portion of the paper. All that was in the paper today was three jeers! Why is it that people tend to write COMPLAINTS rather than PRAISE!

Is it that way when I speak to GOD? Do I come to HIM with only JEERS? Sometimes I notice I pray and give my wish list to GOD and then hurry on with my life! I live SUCH a busy life! But, GOD has shown me that HE can slow things down if HE needs to! Job 33:31-33 (ESV) says "Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
If you have any words, answer me;
speak, for I desire to justify you.
If not, listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

GOD is telling us that we need to not only share our needs with HIM, but listen to HIM for WISDOM! Guidance and Direction is sought from HIM but we SELDOM listen long enough for the answers in life! May I be careful to "COMMUNE" with GOD and not just give HIM my "wish-list". HE is so WORTHY and I am so NOT!!!