Be quiet, there is a victory in progress...

I got the opportunity last night to go to my first Pentacostal church service (a friend invited us to hear his favorite pastor and we agreed). It was 2 hours and fifteen minutes and very different than any service I had ever experienced. The choir was swaying, the music was booming, the audience was responding verbally to the message, there was an altar call, laying on of hands during the service, and people weeping during the message.

1. I loved the diversity of the people who attended the church. As the pastor himself said, it reminded me of what it will look like in Heaven, with all types of people worshipping before the Lord.

2. I loved the freedom it provided. It was very evident that the people were not afraid of worshipping the Lord in whatever way they felt led to. There was dancing, kneeling, swaying, hands being raised. It definitely made me feel more comfortable to worship God without worrying about what everyone else was doing.

3. The third thing I liked about the service was the message. The preacher (he was from Georgia ;-) taught us: Be quiet, there is a victory in progress.

He used many examples from the Bible, such as the familiar story of the Israelites complaining about the giants in the land which resulted in their 40 years of wandering in the desert, to teach us that we need to do less talking/grumbling/complaining and more waiting on the Lord. He shared that with the grim headlines springing up everywhere you look, it is very easy to become negative! I know this is true in my own life. It is easier most of the time to see the things that are wrong and focus on them than the things that are right.

He used the verse, which I want to focus on this week, "Be still and know that I am God."

When I feel tempted to complain or grumble or for me the big one is worry about the things of this life, I need to stop, be quiet, and wait for God's deliverance and victory.