Who is Poor and Who is Rich?

This past Sunday, as I watched our praise and worship leader lead our children in songs of praise, I realized that something was wrong. Something is missing in our churches in America. We spend thousands and millions and billions of dollars trying to make "fun" and entertaining for our children in this country.



Yet, many times it is empty worship. The smiles are there, the hands are raised, but if you look closely, you see kids looking around wondering what's going on. You see a few that are genuinely worshiping, but many are missing the mark.



Could it be that we have it all wrong? Could it be that the people we believe to be poor, are actually the richest of them all? Could it be that in our quest for the American dream, we have become poor in spirit? Why are we seeing some of the most underdeveloped countries filled with the Holy Spirit and loving God with all their hearts and minds?



Could it be that we, as parents have lost all sense of what God wanted from us? Why do we look to make ourselves comfortable and forget that the Bible says, we WILL be persecuted and we are to rejoice in our suffering?
These people are literally rejoicing in their suffering, while we have no joy in our comfort? We must seek to know the God of creation and learn to love him without condition. We cannot expect our children to love God if we don't even know how to love Him ourselves. It's time for a real reckoning Church of America.

" These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." - Revelation 2:1-7

Man O God

God Inhabits Praise

Psalm 22:3 says, that God inhabits the praises of his people. I've come to think about that quite a few times over my years. Sometimes it seems like whenever we are in a bad situation, it always seems to just get worse and worse. Sometimes we pray for God to deliver us from our problems, and the more we pray it seems God turns a deaf ear. When these times come around, it's important to remember this verse (Psalm 22:3). It is during those times of trial that our souls are downtrodden, and seem frail. It is those times when we can't find the strength to open our Bibles or open our mouths to utter one more solemn prayer. It is those times when we feel that the weight of the world is coming down on our shoulders. These are the worst times in our lives when we lose our job, our homes, our loved ones, or seemingly our sanity.
These are the times it becomes critical to praise God more than ever. Have you ever wondered why the Bible is so big? Couldn't God have just said it all in a few words? Couldn't he have just said that He is love and the He sent His son, Jesus? I think more of us would read our Bibles more often if it came in a pamphlet form. I think, however, that God wanted us to have constant reminders of His greatness as well. Every book in the Bible speaks of the wonders of His works. The greatness and majesty of His name. So it makes sense that when we stop in our tracks and begin to give Him praise, He will come and dwell with us at that moment. When all hope seems lost, just begin to praise Him for all he has done, not just in your life, but in the lives of all His people.



Man O God