Note by Steve Shultz about "Have We Lost our Awe of God?"
I
have the privilege of worshipping at a local fellowship here in Albany,
Oregon where I believe
God is truly worshipped with a sense of "awe." Nevertheless, having
just seen for the second time,
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST movie again, I am all the more deeply
impacted as to what God has
done for me---for us . . . for sinners!
He is due our worship, and that at a much deeper level than we have
to this point worshipped Him!
Dennis Cramer, who wrote the best-selling books we carry at the Elijah
List, "Breaking Christian Curses,"
"The Next 100 years, Predictions to the Nations
and
the Church of the 21st Century," and "You
Can All Prophesy" is the writer of this important article
below.
Each of Dennis Cramer's breakthrough books can be found at:
http://www.elijahshopper.com/
SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=cramer
or
by ordering them from below, where they are also listed.
We can intentionally take our worship and awe of God to a new level.
How?
Read on. . .
Blessings,
Steve Shultz
THE ELIJAH LIST
March 18, 2004
"Let the earth fear the Lord: Let all the inhabitants of the world
stand in awe of Him." Ps. 33:8
Apparently, according to this verse, the fear of the Lord and the awe
of God may be connected. In fact, they may be the same thing. In one
sense, to "fear" may mean to be "in awe." If "all the inhabitants of
the world" are to "fear the Lord" and "stand in awe of Him" this certainly
must and will include the church of Jesus Christ in an even greater
measure.
When Was the Last Time
You "Stood In Awe"?
When was the last time you personally "stood in awe" of God? Think about
that for a moment. When was the last time (in corporate worship) you
experienced the fear of the Lord, the wonder of God, with other believers?
Were you genuinely "awe struck" with His majesty, power, might, and
dominion? Sound too good to be true? Sound like the exception rather
than the rule in worship? It's not suppose to. What I just described
is the normal corporate worship experience God wants you to enter into
each and every time you lift your heart and hands to Him. However, God
is not going to "show up," He is not going to make a "personal appearance,"
if you will, where He is not being truly worshipped. Do you miss experiencing
His awe in your worship? You should.
Some Good News and Some
Bad News
Regarding some of the more recent trends in worship that I've witnessed
in my travels across the country, I've got some really good news and
some really bad news to report. First the good news: True worshippers
are still worshipping. I mean really worshipping! They are worshipping
God like I've not seen for years. How glorious! All kinds of musical
instruments are being played with a high level of skill. Great vocals
are filling our sanctuaries with beautiful harmonies. A literal explosion
of new and wonderful contemporary worship songs - upbeat melodies and
catchy lyrics - are bringing heaven to earth!
Yet, there exists a subtle but potentially serious problem with all
this "success" in our worship. So what's the bad news? In some churches
I've seen a growing and alarming trend in worship. Something is missing.
Something is wrong. I think I know what it is. We've lost our awe of
God in worship.
What Does It Mean to
"Awe"?
Exactly what does the term "awe" mean? "Awe" is defined as: a reverential
state or condition of the mind and heart that results in a respectful
fear or genuine wonder. In a secular sense, a person can be "in awe"
or "filled with awe" towards another person, place or thing. For example,
the Grand Canyon, with all of its splendor and beauty, can cause even
the most unemotional individual to experience true "awe." That is, the
distinct sense of fear and wonder towards this magnificent creation.
Basically, it's just a hole in the ground. But what a hole! Clearly,
it fills one with awe - the reverential fear and genuine wonder towards
the Creator!
It's time to ask some hard questions of our worship philosophy and practice.
Have we become too familiar with God, disrespectful of Him in our worship?
Have we unwittingly lost our sense of the fearful and wonderful awe
of God in our worship? Have we regressed from "awe"some to "awe"ful
in our worship? The answer? In some cases, probably we have.
So what is the solution? Although God is our loving and caring Father,
we must remember He is still Almighty, Eternal God. He is still Jehovah,
the omnipotent Ruler of the universe, the Judge of all mankind. He is
to be reverently honored like no Other. He is to be held in the highest
esteem and is to be worshipped, exalted, and extolled like no Other.
Bluntly, He is to be feared like no Other. He is to be held in awe like
no Other! It is this reverential fear of the Lord that produces reverential
awe. The church must have this awe restored to her worship. She
must begin again to fear God in worship. No fear of the Lord in worship
means no awe of God in the church.
True worship is suppose to be about Him and Him only. It's sole suppose
is to "lift up the Name of the Lord" and only the Name of the Lord.
Worship is suppose to be about Him, Him, Him, Him, Him, not me, me,
me, me, me.
"Let's Slow Down and
Experience His Awe"
Some churches today have relegated their worship expression to little
more than a "pep rally," a musical production, a show, a performance.
Their worship has become man centered, or worse yet, need centered.
There remains little of the awe of God in their worship because God
is not being worshipped! They worship everything else but God: their
needs, their experiences, their theological position, or their doctrine.
Some churches even worship their worship - another form of idolatry.
It is time for the church to return to the original purpose of worship
which is to glorify God and only God. The church must get back to the
basics. I challenge each and every church. Are you experiencing His
awe? If not, you may not be truly worshipping.
Next Sunday let's slow everything down just a bit. Let's not be in such
a rush. Let's wait on God in our worship. Let's not be so quick to "package"
our worship. Let's not be so quick to "assembly line" it, to "mass produce"
it. Let's worship patiently. We just might experience His awe again
- something some churches may not have experienced in a very long time.
Amen!
I remain your servant,
Denny Cramer, Dennis Cramer Ministries
www.denniscramer.net
denniscramer@suscom.net
|
Breaking Christian Curses
Finding Freedom from Destructive Prayers
By Dennis Cramer
$15.00
E-BOOK
or
Soft-Cover
Book |
Is everything you
do a struggle? Does a dark cloud seem to hang over your life? Are
you trapped by feelings of abandonment and betrayal? Does severe
hopelessness and chronic loneliness keep you paralyzed in debilitating
despair? Are you immobilized by self-doubt and a persistent sense
of overwhelming inferiority? You may be cursed! And you are not
alone. In this startling expose,' Dennis Cramer details his
13-year battle with a "Christian" curse and how God not only miraculously
exposed the source of the curse, but dramatically delivered him
from its devastating effects. Could you be the victim of spiritual
abuse? Could other Christians have pronounced failure and defeat
over your life? In order to bring to light this terrible darkness,
Dennis takes you on a journey into the evil world of "Christian"
witchcraft, "Christian" cannibalism, and "Christian" curses - where
you will not only be informed, but set free!
"When
I read Breaking Christian Curses, my first thought was that
every church should have this information."- from the forward
by Francis Frangipane, author of The Three Battlegrounds
PLEASE READ! If you order this E-Book, you will need to have Adobe
Reader software installed onto your computer. The good news is Adobe
Acrobat is F_R_E_E! Download your copy here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
Additionally, during the ordering and download process, you may
be asked to sign in twice, THIS IS NORMAL, so just enter your login
and password into the left hand column to download your E-Book!
Happy Reading!Feel free to
order
online this E-Book OR by phone
(1-8.6.6-881-0477)
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=795
Or for the Soft-Cover Book:
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=435
|
|
"The Next 100 Years"
Predictions to the Nations and the Church
of the 21st Century
By Dennis Cramer
$11.95
E-BOOK
or
$12.00
Soft-Cover
Book |
Have you been wondering
what the next millennium holds for the world and your nation - especially
the next 100 years? Are you worried that the Church's influence
and impact on society will steadily decline?
Put your fears aside! Dennis Cramer - in this prophetic pronouncement
- makes it clear that the Church of Jesus Christ is about to enter
her finest hour!
What will be the impetus behind this great international move of
God? His Holy Spirit-inspired prophets.
Speaking and ministering with supernatural power, unusual authority,
and perfect accuracy, these prophetic powerhouses will be God's
humble instruments to bring healing, deliverance, and wisdom to
the nations of the world.
The predictions for the nations allow you to:
- Look into the future of the Church and
marvel at what God will do!
- Discover the actual locations of upcoming
revivals by continent, region, nation, state and city!
- Gain important inside information about
wars, economic conditions, miracles, weather patterns, population
shifts, natural disasters, investments, governments, Israel, world
religions and more!
PLEASE READ! If you order this E-Book, you will need to have Adobe
Reader software installed onto your computer. The good news is Adobe
Acrobat is F_R_E_E! Download your copy here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
Additionally, during the ordering and download process, you may
be asked to sign in twice, THIS IS NORMAL, so just enter your login
and password into the left hand column to download your E-Book!
Happy Reading!
Feel free to
order
online this E-Book OR by phone
(1-8.6.6-881-0477)
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=793
Or for the Soft-Cover Book:
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=1128
|
|
You Can All Prophesy
Stepping Out with Integrity
By Dennis Cramer
$12.95
E-BOOK
or
$10.00 Soft-Cover
Book |
It is an historical
fact that first century Christians openly embraced and actively
participated in the gift of prophecy. They were a very active prophetic
laity.
These were not just a few, strange, unapproachable, mystical "prophetic
types" sitting on mountaintops somewhere dressed in camel�s hair,
eating locust and honey, and hearing audible voices. Rather, the
entire church body, every man and woman who named the name of Christ,
understood and experienced the gift of prophecy. They were a prophetic
people.
A similar prophetic movement among today�s laity is precisely what
God is once again restoring to the Church. He is developing a practical
yet powerful Church in these last days - again, a prophetic people.
He is raising up a prophetic army, a prophetic nation to operate
in powerful prophetic giftings. The original prophetic purpose and
plan of God for the Body of Christ is coming to pass in our generation!
PLEASE READ! If you order this E-Book, you will need to have Adobe
Reader software installed onto your computer. The good news is Adobe
Acrobat is F_R_E_E! Download your copy here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
Additionally, during the ordering and download process, you may
be asked to sign in twice, THIS IS NORMAL, so just enter your login
and password into the left hand column to download your E-Book!
Happy Reading!Feel free to
order
online this E-Book OR by phone
(1-8.6.6-881-0477)
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=794
Or for the Soft-Cover Book:
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=1129
|
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