Who is mighty to save?
Synergy (http://dict.die.net) n:
The working together of two things to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.
Having listening to Steve Morgan for over a year and half now every Sunday, I think I’ve pretty much heard of everything he has to preach about humanity, Jesus, salvation, and the advancing of God’s kingdom. It is indeed disappointing that it took less than two years to hear his repeated sermons like he promised we would, but just like the good old Bible each time we read we receive its unique revelation in pace with where our hearts longs, trite and true. And as such lately I’ve found myself enthralled with his teachings on worship, or more, just the idea of worship flusters a great overwhelm in my heart.
The reality of this world ultimately ends not in the understanding of truth, but in the assertion of power. I love it when Steve described everything we do either derived its authority from God, or from someone else. Even the cynics and unbelievers are blinded to and offended by Jesus not because of their understanding, choice or ignorance, but they are being held back, knowingly or unknowingly, by the stronghold of enemy, the master of all lies. Without imagining the titanic clashes of angels and demons, battling in their ether space, even in this material universe we constantly face conflicts, and we are asked to resolve them by means of authority either from God, or from someone else. In the past kings were crowned because they exercised dominion and control; revolutions were cried because the powerless struggled to re-establish new orders, and wars were fought to protect and to conquer. Laws and order do not convince; they were shown strength by the people who installed and swore to uphold. Even science do not make impact with abstraction and proof; breakthroughs change the world because they shake people’s beliefs, and accurate descriptions of nature help to make winner of wars and profits for market.
And thus, worshipping God is to worship his power and strength, to sing of his mighty mountains, his vast dessert, his endless galaxy, and the ocean, and the fire. To worship God is to recognize that doing so to everything else is vain and useless. Even refusing to worship is in the end a form of self-worship, if only one can see and admit such a folly. Though the word has been more often spoken and fed with macaroni & cheese, I can’t find a better diction to describe how God comes upon to those who seek him, in his house of church, in his kingdom and dominion, and fill us with a glimpse of his wonder in parts.
If only God would wipe out the mountains and the stars to have our attention, but instead we are asked to sing songs to worship him, and to hear his gentle whisper…
“And the word of the Lord came to him ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
“He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.
“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’
“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”
1 Kings 19:9~13
The working together of two things to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.
Having listening to Steve Morgan for over a year and half now every Sunday, I think I’ve pretty much heard of everything he has to preach about humanity, Jesus, salvation, and the advancing of God’s kingdom. It is indeed disappointing that it took less than two years to hear his repeated sermons like he promised we would, but just like the good old Bible each time we read we receive its unique revelation in pace with where our hearts longs, trite and true. And as such lately I’ve found myself enthralled with his teachings on worship, or more, just the idea of worship flusters a great overwhelm in my heart.
The reality of this world ultimately ends not in the understanding of truth, but in the assertion of power. I love it when Steve described everything we do either derived its authority from God, or from someone else. Even the cynics and unbelievers are blinded to and offended by Jesus not because of their understanding, choice or ignorance, but they are being held back, knowingly or unknowingly, by the stronghold of enemy, the master of all lies. Without imagining the titanic clashes of angels and demons, battling in their ether space, even in this material universe we constantly face conflicts, and we are asked to resolve them by means of authority either from God, or from someone else. In the past kings were crowned because they exercised dominion and control; revolutions were cried because the powerless struggled to re-establish new orders, and wars were fought to protect and to conquer. Laws and order do not convince; they were shown strength by the people who installed and swore to uphold. Even science do not make impact with abstraction and proof; breakthroughs change the world because they shake people’s beliefs, and accurate descriptions of nature help to make winner of wars and profits for market.
And thus, worshipping God is to worship his power and strength, to sing of his mighty mountains, his vast dessert, his endless galaxy, and the ocean, and the fire. To worship God is to recognize that doing so to everything else is vain and useless. Even refusing to worship is in the end a form of self-worship, if only one can see and admit such a folly. Though the word has been more often spoken and fed with macaroni & cheese, I can’t find a better diction to describe how God comes upon to those who seek him, in his house of church, in his kingdom and dominion, and fill us with a glimpse of his wonder in parts.
If only God would wipe out the mountains and the stars to have our attention, but instead we are asked to sing songs to worship him, and to hear his gentle whisper…
“And the word of the Lord came to him ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
“He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.
“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’
“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”
1 Kings 19:9~13
posted by Andrew Chen at 12:18 AM
2 comments
