280 - I Will Praise and I Will Worship

Oh Lord Jesus - Did you give me a word this morning - wow oh wow. I almost don't know where to begin. So thank you and praise You for speaking to my heart. Lord, You supply everything we need and I asked for a Word this morning and as always You delivered. Thank you Jesus - Oh you are so wonderful.

First I want to lift up a few friends and family. Lord, please be BIG and obvious in these situations. I pray for healing and recovery in all. Brantley - tonsils out today. Mary Lou with breast cancer. Dawn - just had baby. Tracy B. - had baby girl on Monday. Melissa - seeking answers for daughter. Dad - his back and next shot coming up. Crystal - recovery from wisdom teeth removed. Thank you for hearing those requests

2 Samuel 6 :12- 23. David goes down to Obed - Edom's house to pickup the Ark to bring it up to Jerusalem. David was so excited that their house had been blessed and God had looked favorable on this family. So they had not taken more than 7 steps and David stopped everything, offered a sacrifice to the Lord, then danced with all his might all the way home. (I think there is a lot to say right there about worshipping the Lord first. First in the morning, first in priority, first in any event, first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) He even did more of a dance when he got to the city. Throughout all this scripture it never once says that the people joined him. It doesn't say that the king had everyone raise their hands and recite a prayer. It doesn't say that he made everything do the same dance that He did. It just says that David danced with reckless abandonment. I love that. This is where i am at right own in my life as it pertains to worship.

Lord, I know the other day we had such a special time outside on the swing, just You and I. You asked me to open myself up to whatever kind of worship you want for me. You asked me if i would be willing to abandon it all - you did not ask me if my whole family would be willing - if my whole church was going to do............... - you did not even ask em if i would feel comfortable worshiping in a different way. All you did was ask me if I would abandon my old ways and be open to Your lead in worship. I said yes - oh praise You Lord!!! David was the country's leader and yet willing to do and be something they had not seen in a long time. He was going to be a worshipper and willing to be sold out for Him. At this time He was not requiring anyone to follow him, he was just leading the way for revival to break out. Just as things got going well and he even blessed the people, he came home to some opposition. It is always there.

Before I get into the opposition, I love the part of David blessing the people with all kinds of food. David blessed those around him and like inviting those to join him on his journey with the Lord. Oh how i pray i can be that way as well. I want to have as many people with me praising and "dancing" before the Lord as possible. I want to be able to bless people not because of wonderful things they have done for me, but because of obedience and worship. Oh Lord, lead me - open my eyes and help me to see what it is. Show me those that I can bless in any way. Lord, move beyond my insensitivity and my lack of seeing the obvious and give me ideas to bless others. And Lord, I just have to say - if it is a meal you want me to bring someone - oh Lord, be miraculous!!!

So David was praising and dancing and just having a ball with the Lord and his people. He went home and was met with an angry wife. Not much worse than an angry wife. I think there is even a proverbs that says it is better to be dead or the likes than to live with an angry wife. David did not just have an angry wife, she, Michal, was bitter and embarrassed. Oh my - this is not good. He walks in the door and she chews him out. She doesn't even stop to understand his emotions, his time with the Lord, she doesn't even stop to get the details that led up to this "vulgar" act as she calls it in verse 20. She just vents!!!!!!!!!

But David replies, but probably not without just a bit of sin. He first states that his worship was for the Lord and before the Lord because the Lord chose him. He could have stopped right there. Then he adds a little jab "they chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house". Now that might have been a bit wrong. Instead of just leaving it at praising the Lord for all that HE has done from him, he does that but adds a statement that really fuels the fire. You throw a jab at a woman's pure blood and those are fighting words. David goes on to explain that he will celebrate and he will worship. He will be held in honor by those around even if it is not in his own house. (I wonder if Bill and Hillary ever had this talk? Only in their situation Bill had done wrong and was rubbing it in that he would not get caught or that the people would still love him. He may not have Hillary's honor and respect, but he would have the people. Oh brother - my imagination.)

Lord, when all are refusing to worship or follow Your ways in whatever situation it is, please help me to stand up and worship. Help me to have the courage to praise even in the midst of turmoil. Help me to follow you when even the closest to me are choosing to do it differently. Help me to be abandoned to You and praise You. Oh Lord, I want to worship You and be free. I want to fly with the eagles and soar on the mountain tops. Lord, I will praise and I will worship!! Amen!!

Thank you for the wonderful time Mrs. Nancy and I had at my last engagement. It was great and the ladies were fabulous. There was even a lady there that was Mormon - very open about it. She was very receptive and took notes like mad as i was speaking. Oh Lord, do a great work there and show her the truth. Busy, busy weekend this weekend. School carnival, Melissa's birthday, basketball games, etc...