Here's our Care Circle "Continuing the Conversation" guide for February 26, 2023.
Opening [Pambungad]
Napakahalaga to build a genuine relationship with your members. Ang Care Circle ay hindi lang para sa attendance o pang-sesermon kundi pagkakaroon ng relasyon sa isa’t isa at sama-samang pagtahak sa buhay.
Mga bagay na makakatulong:
1. I-welcome ang grupo.
2. Kung kayang magkaroon ng ice breaker, mas mainam!
3. Kamustahin ang kanilang mga naging nakaraang lingo – any highlights or challenges.
4. Kamustahin kung nagawa ba nila ang application last week
5. Kamustahin kung meron bang answered prayers mula sa inyong mga ipinanalangin.
Rewind [Balikan ang Napakinggan]
My message is entitled, “THE POWER OF WORSHIP”.
One of the major ministries of worship, “It is a spiritual tool that is designed as a system of invocation.” It is not just for God’s benefit, but also for the saints. It is a spiritual technology that was made upon the wisdom of God to help men, capture dimensions of God.
“If worship did not change you, then you didn’t worship. “
There something about worship that must die within you and resurrect to another dimension. Worship is not just about singing and music, it is entering into realm where you meet your groom and be in one with Him in marriage.
Today, let’s journey 3 end points with the Holy Spirit to where our worship leads us.
1. Encounter with God.
The greatest goal of our faith (Christianity) isspiritual union – a life-transforming, personal, intimate relationship with God.
- of the keys to spiritual union is “theoria”, which means having a vision, revelation or encounter of God.“theoria”, which means having a vision, revelation or encounter of God.
ð The kingdom of God is the kingdom of encounters – with the reality and power of God!
So, how can we experience theoria? One of the ways is through WORSHIP.
C.S. Lewis says, “It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men.”
- In woship, God reveals Himself to us!
Mt 2:1-2, 11
1 … wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
NOTICE: The wise men worshipped Jesus and presented three gifts to Him – gold, frankincense and myrrh.
- These three gifts symbolise importantelements in worship which we must cultivate if we want to encounter (theoria) God.
“GOLD”: SUBMISSION TO JESUS
Gold is a symbol of kingship.
- The buildings and treasures of kings and pharaohs from the ancient past were always made of gold (2 Chr 9:20; Dan 3:1) – gold was a treasure!
“FRANKINCENSE”: DEVOTION TO JESUS
Frankincense is one of the most important incense resin in the world.
- It is derived from certain balsam trees.
- At first glance, frankincense is an unattractive lump, but when it is burned, it brings forth a beautiful, sweet fragrance.
ð The sweet-smelling incense speaks of a passionate devotion that has gone through the test of fire.
Worship is more than words or songs.
- It demands wholehearted and passionate devotion.
- Will you be willing to offer your sweet-smelling “frankincense” of a passionate (and often costly) devotion to Jesus?
“MYRRH”: SACRIFICE TO JESUS
- Myrrh resin has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense and medicine.
- Myrrh is harvested by repeatedly wounding the trees to cause the gum to bleed – it is a symbol of death.
- The night when Jesus was about to face His greatest trial and temptation, He was wrestling with the Father in the garden of Gethsemane.
- Luke 22:42-44
- 42 saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."
- 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.
- 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
- At the point when Jesus died to His own will, He had a supernatural encounter – “an angel appeared to Him … strengthening Him”
- As you offer your “myrrh” (sacrifice) to Jesus in worship, you will encounter the Lord!
2. Consecration of the Heart and Mind.
Jer. 30:21
… then I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach Me; for who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord.
To “pledge” means to engage, to occupy, and to exchange.
· God is searching for a person who will Worship Him! Who will engage and occupy his heart to approach Him …
Rom. 8:5
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
To live and walk in the realm of the Holy Spirit, we must set our minds on the Holy Spirit – give God our undivided attention.
· This is our worship unto Him.
What is occupying your heart and mind today?
Luke 7:38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
During those times, women were not allow to be at the table of such formal dining events.
· Moreover, this woman was a sinner whom the Pharisees would not keep company with.
· Yet, this woman risked all the ridicule, rejection and criticism from the religious leaders who were present there …
· She wanted to worship Jesus.
The word “worship” (Gr. proskuneo) means two things:
(1) To prostrate: this is the lowest posture a person can go;
(2) To kiss the hand as a token of reverence.
But for this woman, she did not kiss the hand. Rather, she washed and kissed the feet of Jesus!
· She did something above and beyond what was necessary or expected – her worship was extravagant!
3.Experience Blessings and Transformation
How many of you here wants to be blessed? How many of you here wants to be transformed by God’s glory?
1 Chr 13
13 So David would not move the ark with him into the City of David, but took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had.
Who was Obed-Edom?
- Obed-Edom was a Gittite, relative of the notorious giant, Goliath.
- In other words, Obed-Edom was considered a God’s enemy, and he was possibly a terrible sinner.
In fact, “Obed-Edom” means “servant of (the deity of) Edom”.
- Most likely, he was a full-time worker for the deity of Edom, a pagan god.
Obed-Edom must have learned to revere, understand, know and care for God’s presence.
In 1 Chronicles 15, Obed-Edom was mentioned again (and again).
1 Chr 15
16 Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.
18 and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers …
Obed-Edom was a “gatekeeper”.
- “Gatekeepers” were the ‘guardians’ of the tabernacle (the presence of God).
1 Chr 15
21 Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to direct with harps on the Sheminith …
Obed-Edom was also listed among the musicians of worship.
Obed-Edom did not simply settle for the blessings of God.
Most people would have been satisfied and become comfortable when they experience the blessings of God.
- But not Obed-Edom – he was more interested in God’s presence than the blessings of God.
- He was in pursuit of God – His Person and His presence.
- He desired relationship and intimacy with God.
Obed-Edom took ownership of the Ark.
The Ark (God’s presence) was always on his mind.
Just to be near the presence of God, Obed-Edom had to leave his homeland and give up his stable job to go to a foreign land.
- Something deep happened inside Obed-Edom’s life – he developed a spiritual hunger for God …
- He became addicted to the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Because of his radical pursuit of God, his life was transformed …
Obed-Edom was no longer known as a Gittite.
Notice that after the initial introduction in 1 Chronicles 13, Obed-Edom was no longer described as a “Gittite”.
- Obed-Edom was known as a: (1) Gatekeeper; (2) Musician.
In fact, when Chronicles conclude the events related to Obed-Edom, he is known as the guy who hosted/housed the Ark of God (presence of God).
1 Chr 15:25
So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom with joy.
Remember, “Obed-Edom” actually means a “servant of the god Edom”.
But if we will Worship God and His kingdom like Obed-Edom did, we will be transformed into servants of the Most High God!
- Coming before the Lord in pursuit of His Presence “as a precious gem”, if we will do so, our lives will be transformed for His glory!
Reflection
· Paano mo pa mapapalalim ang iyong pagsamba sa Panginoon?
Practice [I-apply ang Natutunan]
· Maglaan ng oras araw-araw upang basahin ang Salita ng Diyos at humingi ng tulong sa Banal na Espiritu upang magkaroon ng pang-unawa at pananampalataya upang i-apply ito sa iyong buhay.
Prayer [Panalangin]
Closing [Pangwakas]
I-remind ang grupo tungkol sa mg ito:
- Kanilang daily Bible reading and devotion
- Pagdalo sa church
- Pagbibigay (tithes and offering)
- Pananalangin (kasama ang Prayer Cell)
- Pag-care sa iba
- Pag-seserve sa ministry – baka wala pa silang ministry, marami pong available!