This was shared on the TERC meeting of MARCH 30TH, 2007.
You are your secrets. Throughout the bible we can find that God is a God who searches the HEART of man and does not look at the outward appearance. A lot of people focus a lot on how Christians live their lives on the outside. Most people go to church and when they see people lifting up their hands in worship, they focus on the lifting of hands, and obviously do not know what is going on in the heart of that person. Naturally, man cannot see beyond the physical, but God can see things that no one else can see. He can see PRETENSE and He can see HONESTY. He's the only one that can know the real truth behind the scene about your life and mine. Here's sharing some points that helps us know that God considers what things you do in SECRET as very important:
***WHO AM I?***
First, I am made in God's image ~ so I am God's reflection in the mirror (Genesis 1:26). We need to know who we are before we can be convinced to change our hearts. We can say we're Christians on the outside, but do we really live the life? Having a true revelation that you are God's reflection will change your mindset into worshiping your Creator even when no one else is looking.
***WHY WAS I CREATED?***
I was created for God's PRAISE (ps 145:10; Ps 150:6, Ps 66:2).
***HOW WAS I CREATED?***
I was made in "SECRET," Psalm 139: 15, " my frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in SECRET." Again this shows us that God places so much importance in INTIMACY, He took time out to skillfully create each one of us in a "secret place."
* There is INTIMACY in secret things (e.g. secrets shared by a husband to his wife)
* There was INTIMACY when God spoke to Abraham "alone" about the son of His promise (Gen 17:1-4, and vs 17).
* Because of His INTIMACY with Abel, God accepted Abel's offering.
***Things you do in SECRET/INTIMATE MOMENTS matter a lot to God.***
* Jesus likened the pharisees to WHITE-WASHED tombs that looked good on the outside, but on the inside were rotting away (Matt 23: 1-8; Matt 23: 27-28; Matt 6: 1-4; Matt 6: 16-18).
*** Private/Secret Worship really matters ***
There's no need wasting your time lifting your hands when your heart is truly not there or when you are not worshiping sincerely (in spirit and in truth) from the bottom of your heart. Your worship will be rejected because God can see through you like an hour-glass. God adores true worship.
* Matt 15:8-9
***Revelation 3: 1 "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead." Are you alive to the world but dead in your intimate moments with Christ? You can start working on this when you're all alone, all by yourself. Let God speak to you personally, in secret, when no one else is listening, study the word of God intensely...and you will be filled with so much intimacy with God, being renewed again.***
14 Opinions/Comments:
I have a question.....How do you know when the Holy Spirit is talking to you? Whe it's just not any emotion, but its the Spirit?
@ anon...I love ur question. When Jesus was leaving earth, the book of John 14:26 recorded that He said..."the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
Sometimes, do you feel you remember scriptures that you didn't even know existed in your brain? Guess what? It was the Holy Spirit that brought it to your REMEMBERANCE...
Also, the Holy Spirit is a TEACHER. When you have a strong "GUT FEELING" about something like a major decision you have to make...it's the Holy Spirit that convicts you as to whether a decision is bad or good...you'll just know it.
The Holy Spirit works on the CONSCIENCE of someone who has given their life over to God...because once you confess with your MOUTH that Jesus is your personal Lord and Savior...you will definitely start having convictions here and there about several decisions...
LASTLY, the Holy Spirit works in accordance with the WORD of God, everything that the Holy Spirit tells you can be BACKED UP by a verse you find in the WORD...you know why? The Spirit is ONE with the Father and the Son...they are inseparable!
You will just know it...through a strong gut feeling...
(If u still have questions, post it...lets reason together...and I know some other contributors may supplement the things I have just written about, so let me know if that helped)
yeah really i want to know, how do you know when the holy spirit is talking to you. And can you explain the speaking in tongues thing for me?
Holy Spirit pls come and teach us...You are the real teacher...use these words for the understanding of all who will read...
@ Chidi...on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit visited the disciples and one of the manifestations was speaking in tongues.
That day, many people heard the disciples speaking in their own native tongue and they were in AWE, surprised that people who were not their tribe members spoke abt God in their own language. And it is recorded that on that night, MANY gave their lives to God.
@ Chidi, I want you to study the book of I corinthians chapter 14.
I) When I read it, I began to understand that 'speaking in tongues' is a way of communicating in a heavenly language to GOD (this chapter calls it speaking "mysterious things").
II) It also records that while speaking in tongues, you will feel so EDIFIED (dictionary.com defines "to edify" as 'to benefit, uplift, encourage, instruct, spiritually improve, build, construct, establish one's SELF)...I can give an example using myself. When I speak in tongues, the after-math is always beautiful. I feel uplifted, and I feel like I've just experienced something phenomenal and that my life will never be the same after that moment. It edifies my soul. It builds me up spiritually...and I feel like I can make a mountain flat. I feel like I have dominion over the kingdom of darkness...which I do, but I may not really feel that way when its just me, myself, & I. But when the Holy spirit visits me and I start speaking in tongues, I feel more empowered.
III) Also, in that same chapter, it talks abt the meaning of 'speaking in tongues' in the area of PROPHECY. It says that to someone who prophesies, when they speak in tongues, they are edififying and exhorting the church...so in this case, its for the benefit of the church, and again our definition for edification comes into play again. The church will feel uplifted and encouraged by the visitation of the Holy Spirit, when a 'prophesy' goes forth.
IV) One important thing I've come to learn about my moments of speaking in tongues is that the Holy Spirit (who is a teacher) reveals certain deep things to me. To me, it may seem like I am speaking nonsense, but then when I come out of it...I would have learned a new thing or two about God, and about His vision for my life. I just feel changed and renewed.
Don't forget to study 1 corinthians 14. I hope that helped. Feel free to drop a line or two when u read the chapter, seeing the word urself will help you understand it, and before u read it, pray first for the Holy Spirit to come and help you interprete the meaning.
Have a crazily blessed weekend dear...
Diamond darling...
Can u send me "NOW BEHOLD THE LAMB"? I love that song too much...(chocolate mocha love)...u're the best!!! I will never understand why He loves me so much...
@ Chidi...
Tonight, I had a conversation with someone who God gave a deeper revelation concerning this (a.k.a Bernard)...and these are the things he revealed to me...
I) First and Foremost, when we speak in tongues we speak a heavenly language. This is why it is not a language we UNDERSTAND with our physical senses...God created language as a form of communication for different categories of beings/people. Think about the tower of babel situation and how God created different languages then...since those guys thought they were too smart they wanted to reach heaven, God created differences in their language and since then there have been different languages in the world and new dialects develop. As a result, if you grow up learning the Yoruba language don't go to china speaking Yoruba and expect Chineese folks to understand you. Same way heavenly beings speak a language earthly beings don't understand. However when we become christians, we are no longer of this world, we have a privilege to speak in an heavenly language, but not to understand it necessarily. That's why paul says "he who speaks in tongues speak not unto men but unto God." 1 Cor 14. God understands tongues we don't.
II) Moreover, God is a principled God. He chooses some specific patterns sometimes and sticks to it. One of those priciples applies to speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is the PHYSICAL EVIDENCE that shows someone is baptized with the holy spirit...Think about the disciples of Jesus on the day of pentecost and the people they prayed for that received the Holy Ghost afterwards....see the book of Acts. When we speak in tongues the Holy Spirit gives utterance. Every christian should speak in tongues..why? It is the physical evidence of the HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM (manifestation of the Holy Spirit)...and we are commanded in Ephesians 5:18 to be filled with the HOly Spirit.
Also the bible says in Mark 16:17 "And these signs will accompany those who believe in my name..........they will speak in new tongues......."
secrets....
i am glad God knows our hearts ... cos sometimes i just want to scream out loud to myself to stop some evil thots....lol
thank God for his mercies...
keep up the good work..TERC ....
I really thank God for what He is using this Bible study to do for His Kingdom. I am always blessed when I call in.
Please can you email me the Nigerian praise and worship songs.
Please email to aanyogu@yahoo.com. Thanks
i am not trying to be critical. but the font and color u used especially the red one, dont agree with my eyes (harsh). maybe u can help. i know verdamna, and times new roman, arial are good ones. tahoma is good too. just a suggestion.
ah, btw, good work. i enjoyed reading. also the panan percy paul (sp?) song i loved listening to him growing up. hmm, any references?
@ anon...lol..we have excellent designers (Diamond & Cherub)...they'll prob work on the design soon...ouch...sowwie!
Oooooh Diamond, I love the Tim Hughes intro song...thanks for all the beaurrriful songs...I can just lounge here all day long and minimize the TERC blog cos I know I'll be listening to somn beaurifullll...
Great job on this blog, y'all.
It was refreshing listening to Panam Percy Paul's "Come let's praise the Lord" again. Pretty cool.
I love the bass line as well ( lol.. my ears are keen to that cos I play the bass guitar.. lol)
In fact, the whole lineup is refreshing. God bless you all.
Btw, check out the Potter's House Mass Choir's new CD titled "Grace".
It is very uplifting.
hey Niyi (or anyone else)... if there's a song you have that you'd like to have included in the playlist please email it to me ... diamondhawk1 AT gmail DOT com ...THANX
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