When I’ve spent 20 or 30 minutes in a church service of praise and worship, I not only have an intellectual experience (calling to mind various scriptures, creeds, statements of faith, etc.), but I also experience or feel a sincere “affection” for Lord. King David danced before Lord. Jeremiah prophet cried many tears over his beloved Judah. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul displayed a righteous anger on several occasions for backsliding believers in early church. He even wrote to Christians in Galatia, calling them “foolish” (the word may also be translated as “stupid”). It’s impossible to live this life without expressing emotions, likewise, it’s impossible to “love Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” without being emotional from time to time. Remember, pleasure is pleasing to God. When we, children of God, experience pleasure in our praises to Father, our Father in heaven is glorified. We are created to glorify our Creator. Our Creator is God. Because I glean satisfaction and pleasure from worship, I enjoy—even look forward to— Sunday morning worship service. May I ask you something personal? When was last time you experienced pleasant feelings when you thought about attending church? It is possible to feel good about your faith.

Tdash.

I believe with all my heart that longing of human heart is to know and enjoy glory of God. Again let me remind you of Saint Augustine’s prayer—man is restless until he finds his rest in thee [God]. “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from end of earth…whom I created for my glory,” says Lord (Isaiah 43:6-7). To see it, to savor it, and to show it—that is why we exist. The physical eye is meant to say to spiritual eye, “Not this, but Maker of this, is Desire of your soul.” We ache for God, yet we suppress it. That’s right. Romans 1:28 states, “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,” This I call “worthless exchange.” In other words, some people actually exchange glory of God for position, greed, homosexuality, adultery, and list goes on. Those who are intent on pursuing “things” and not glory of God, find themselves given over to “things”—consumed by them until “things” destroy their lives (sin leads to death). This is why world is disordered and upside down—immoral instead of moral, thieves instead of productive citizens, homosexual instead of heterosexual and list goes on.

We were made to know and treasure glory of God above all things. When we trade that treasure for images, everything is disordered. The healing of soul begins by restoring glory of God to its flaming, all attracting place at center. Glorify thy name in all earth. Keep faith. Stay course. Jesus is coming sooner than you think.

Pastor T.

Faith Fellowship Church…PO Box 1586, Broken Arrow, OK 74013… Pastor Terry Dashner