Let’s be honest. We’ve done Worship. We’ve sung out of tune, raised our flags, been on the floor and have even forced ourselves to “feel” the anointing. We’ve wanted more and have sought more at churches, conferences, and small group meetings.
We’ve also been loved in intimate moments with the King. We’ve been in that indescribable place with the Lord where everything is right with the world. We’ve been healed in body, spirit and soul. We’ve cried with Him, laughed with Him, and loved Him.
And He takes in our awkward humanity and loves us anyway.
Jesus loves us anyway.
We don’t even have to try, strive, or get worked-up into a charismatic frenzy.
He loves us anyway.
A New Season
Twenty-twenty has really marked a new season with us. We are living at a time in history when we get to let go of the old and embrace the new. We now find ourselves out of the Church age and in the Kingdom age. But what does that mean for how we Worship God?
It means trying new things. It means having the only expectation we need: love. It means having the right motivations with a tender heart toward God, ourselves and others.
So, try things you’ve never done. Worship Him in everything you do. Fix your eyes upon Him. And Worship in Spirit and Truth.
20 So tell me this: Why do our fathers worship God here on this nearby mountain, but your people teach that Jerusalem is the place where we must worship. Which is right?”
Jesus responded, 21 “Believe me, dear woman, the time has come when you won’t worship the Father on a mountain nor in Jerusalem, but in your heart. 22 Your people don’t really know the One they worship. We Jews worship out of our experience, for it’s from the Jews that salvation is made available. 23–24 From here on, worshiping the Father will not be a matter of the right place but with the right heart. For God is a Spirit, and he longs to have sincere worshipers who worship and adore him in the realm of the Spirit and in truth.”
Now we’re no longer living like slaves under the law, but we enjoy being God’s very own sons and daughters! And because we’re his, we can access everything our Father has—for we are heirs of God through Jesus, the Messiah!
Creativity is revelation from God. It’s an unseen resource we can pull down from Heaven. It’s an anointing we can access as sons and daughters of the living God. It’s a significant attribute of Holy Spirit and Jesus. I call creativity the Creative Spirit. When I speak of the Creative Spirit, I am also speaking of the Holy Trinity as its ultimate source.
Creativity is the driving force behind just about everything we do. From getting dressed in the morning to driving throughout our day. We are hardwired to be creative. We imagine what we will wear: our outfit, shoes, hair. We imagine the roads we will drive; where to turn, how to pass or change lanes; how to use the vehicle to our advantage. We use creativity unsparingly and unwittingly.
So, what would life be like if we were able to harness creativity and use it to promote and glorify the Kingdom of God? How much more can we accomplish in our day, or over a lifetime?
Excerpt from our book in progress called, Hardwired for Creativity: Art Supplies for the Mind.
And don’t allow yourselves to be weary or disheartened in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!
As humans we often are in need of kindness. Kindness is a fruit of the spirit the we can give away or receive. Kindness does actually require much effort on our part. The picture above says it all. The man looks like he could use some kindness in his situation. A sandwich would probably break the back of hell in this situation.
Kindness doesn’t cost very much in this crazy world of self-centeredness. The weight of kindness we give to another human being, far outweighs turning your head from another person’s suffering. Opening a door for someone just gives a lift to someone. That someone may have pulled an all nighter to make extra money for their family, due to extra bills.
You really can’t underestimate the value of kindness you can give someone. In a season of my own life, I started a new job and forgot about bringing lunch. I wasn’t planning on eating out. So a thought crossed my mind before I consciously thought about lunch. The thought was “Oh, maybe someone will share their lunch with me.” Nervousness had set in about the new job, so I was not tapped into my stomach. The act of kindness for me turned out to be, the person training me, shared her sandwich with me. I was so humbled and relieved. I was in a very desperate financial situation at the time. It was a job from the temp agency and had no idea if I was going to get hired permanently or not.
It was another act of kindness in my life that mattered a great deal. I have never forgotten that act of kindness in my own life.
In my book, Hardwired For Love, I have a whole chapter on kindness. Here is an excerpt.
Kindness is the actual attribute or character a person possess’ and is shown in deed or action. It is a quantifiable fact. Not a swirling word that just sounds good coming from someone’s mouth that creates a picture in your mind of possible goodness. A promised or imagined thing that you will never see manifest.
Kindness actually is deliberate and natural. It is compassionate and loving. It is full of tenderness. It is good. It has goodness. It has mercy.
Kindness is faithfulness. Kindness is favor. Kindness is grace.
The Hebrew word Chesed are all of the above mentioned things and are an attribute of God. The other basic understanding is kindness is Love. So when we see or experience these things listed above, we are experiencing the Love of God. These things are faithful and true.
Kindness is the gateway to showing Love. It is an expression of the totality of God’s heart, Love. It is dependable and fruitful and a universal language that says the same thing to everyone. It is a tangible expression of God’s heart.
Being “NICE” can never even come close to kindness. The are not even in the same league. The difference of being “NICE” and kindness is humility.
Kindness is the actual attribute or character a person possess’ and is shown in deed or action. It is a quantifiable fact. Not a swirling word that just sounds good coming from someone’s mouth that creates a picture in your mind of possible goodness. A promised or imagined thing that you will never see manifest.
Kindness actually is deliberate and natural. It is compassionate and loving. It is full of tenderness. It is good. It has goodness. It has mercy.
Kindness is faithfulness. Kindness is favor. Kindness is grace.
The Hebrew word Chesed are all of the above mentioned things and are an attribute of God. The other basic understanding is kindness is Love. So when we see or experience these things listed above, we are experiencing the Love of God. These things are faithful and true.
Kindness is the gateway to showing Love. It is an expression of the totality of God’s heart, Love. It is dependable and fruitful and a universal language that says the same thing to everyone. It is a tangible expression of God’s heart.
Being “NICE” can never even come close to kindness. The are not even in the same league. The difference of being “NICE” and kindness is humility.
Being “NICE” has to do with exploiting them and then tearing them down for your own use. Being “NICE” often means it has to do with self in the negative way. You are deceiving them by use of flattery to do your own bidding. Kindness means you are building the other person up in some manner. You are putting them first. You are not expecting anything in return. Humility means it is not about you.
Being “NICE” has to do with exploiting them and then tearing them down for your own use. Being “NICE” often means it has to do with self in the negative way. You are deceiving them by use of flattery to do your own bidding. Kindness means you are building the other person up in some manner. You are putting them first. You are not expecting anything in return. Humility means it is not about you.
As you can see, kindness is the key. It is a long lasting fruit that crosses all things that are fleshy. It is a spiritual attribute , manifested in the physical realm.
Be kind. break the back of the enemy of our soul and exercise your kindness today!
Love is the most important thing in life after salvation. We are to love God first, then others as we love ourselves. Right!?
Easier said than done.
First of all, we need to know what love is and Google says it’s “an intense feeling or deep affection.” To which, I am lovingly unmoved.
I have asked God to teach me and show me what love really is for many years now. I had significant traumas as a child, so love has been a hard one for me. I now know that I grew-up without much love at all. My Mother never told me she loved me and died when I was 32. I didn’t have a Father the majority of the time, the first one hated me, and the second one abused me. I do believe my Grandparents on my Mom’s side loved me, they just never said so.
The only chance I had at love was with Jesus and God my Father. I remember Jesus with me as a small child. And by the way, God is the best Father ever! He has shown me love that I cannot describe.
The love He first showed me was about “caring.” He showed me that He cares for me more than any human ever could. He’s danced with me, held me tight, and He prompts me to care for myself. He reminds me to rest, to take my meds, to make a phone call to a friend, and to love myself dearly. And He’s shown me how to love others.
His love is so intense I can’t describe it. I can hardly stand in His presence. He drapes His love over me like a warm embrace. When I feel His love, I start to cry.
I have asked God to teach me what love is countless times and will for endless days. I believe that we are only experiencing a fraction of what His agape love is.
I can now love myself though I still have work to do. Plus, I am able to extend that love beyond my immediate family to others. Sometimes I meet someone for the first time and tell them I love them. That’s God. That’s proof He’s working Love into my life. All things are possible.
I was looking for a specific verse for this post and this was the “verse of the day” today:
Love overlooks the mistakes of others, but dwelling on the failures of others devastates friendships Proverbs 17:9 TPT
Again, that’s God. I’m meeting with a new friend today, so I’ll be sure to love her. I’ll take the risk that she may not love me. I’ll have courage to step up and allow God to love her through me. And I’ll thank God for all the love He’s shown me.
Today, I bless you with God’s true love. I pray that love washes over you and permeates your life.
We can fall into blaming God while allowing a swift degradation of our beliefs. We must brace ourselves with the truth that God didn’t do this. And sometimes we must forgive Him for not stopping it.
Are we ready? Are we prepared for what God is doing next in our lives? Sharon and Jana discuss what it means to live our daily lives with a heart of preparation and readiness. Because we never know when God will say, “Go!”
“So I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.”
Just Sharon & Jana 
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