It Shows Up In Your Worship by Brother Curtis Hansen

        This morning our scripture reading will be in two separate books. We will first begin in the book of John chapter 12 and we will also be reading from the book of Isaiah chapter 61. We will start reading in John chapter 12, the first verse.

        Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

        2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

        3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.

        4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

        5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

        This scripture in John is told in other gospels. If you get a chance to,  look up Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, and Luke 7:36-50. Each of these selections tell the same story to varying degrees. The subject of this message is about worship. If you look at the world's understanding of worship it is that of a genre of music. Worship is not limited to just music though. There are many forms of worship such as obedience, dedication of service, reading and studying the word. Yet, in all things there are people who have an issue of what worship is in this case. These people are quick to tell you what they think it is as if God himself has told them, and are off base entirely. There are some people who will not comprehend worship. They understand things like medicine or thought processes that suppress their flesh. In the spirit realm you can see a parallel to Newton in every action there is a reaction, for every strong swell of praise toward God, there is an equal swell toward the enemy.

        Christianity is one of the only faiths where it requires the believer to continually work and purge their faults, limitations, and shortcomings toward holiness. There are plenty of people professing the faith who are like Judas Iscariot in questioning everything. People don't understand your worship because they don't understand your victories. In your relationship with God, your worship is limited to your faith.

        Now, we can go through our days with one mindset that's centered on things good, right, and pure, on things not of this world but kingdom minded. A lot of times though we are so quick to fall into a mindset of "woe is me", focusing too much on our hurts, our wounds, our pain in life. When the apostle Paul wrote his letters to the early churches, often times he was writing from behind bars. He could have had chapters dedicated to how his flesh was afflicted and mind tormented by his captors. Paul was more concentrated on the church growth. He was focused on the correction of doctrine and not on his personal well being. King David himself knew the importance of worship when he brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. 

        Let us turn to the book of Isaiah chapter 61. We are going to start at the first verse. 

        The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound

        2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

        3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

        The same scripture was read by Jesus in the synagogue of Nazareth at the beginning of his ministry. He is looking for the meek, broken hearted, the captives and the bound. In verse 3, those who mourn in his church. The Israelites were never meek, nor broken, or imprisoned in their own eyes when Jesus was on earth. They were too proud of themselves upholding the law.

        No matter your negativity, doubts, or skepticism, there is still a way back. There are parables Jesus told his disciples on this very issue. He wants you to trade your mourning for joy, a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness you've grown used to housing. What exactly is heaviness? It's persistent anxiety and crippling depression. It's like a dark cloud over your head and following you where ever you go. 

        The issue seen today in many churches is the lack of commitment and dedication amongst its members. If you cannot commit time to gather with your church family once a week, how in the world do you commit time to God through the week? The world and its many distractions will always win out over God when you are focused on yourself and your feelings. Once you break your bondage and start showing up with a new heart and fire in your walk, you need to be aware of what is ahead. God has a problem when you bind yourself to the spirit of heaviness. You cannot profess him Lord with your mouth and keep that spirit. God cannot work with you in that state, because you are wallowing around in your problems. When you start trying to name God other than his name Jesus, that's where your problems in the spirit begin. 

        God says he can take your flaws and make them beautiful. There are moments and actions that happen to us in our life that we cannot seem to let go. Verse 3 of Isaiah 61 is speaking about the church. God wants you and I as a tree of righteousness, Worship is like a garment. It doesn't change outside in the world, but it keeps you warm and protected from the evils and principalities and spiritual wickedness in this world. Your flesh is all consuming and it never rests. It is never satisfied and will continue to obtain, to pursue, to claim until you think you're happy. Only you are never going to be happy. Your level of God is your investment with him. So, if you only invest 5% of your time a day with God, then that's what you get in return. Cloak yourself with a faithful mindset. How much worship is Jesus worth to you? Is he worthy of your time and worship? Or is he a couple of praise choruses? Obedience is worship. It is about us and how we clothe ourself when we walk this path.