Are you there?

"Are we there?" is an often asked question on trips. "There" can be Grandpa and Grandma's house, an amusement park, or other anticipated destination-a place of rest, enjoyment, and fulfillment. "There" is a place worth leaving where one is at to get to as quickly as possible, in order to get the most out of being "there". The same is true in our walk with God. Each of us has a "there" that  God has prepared. "There" is a place of contentment where every need is met in full, consistent with our continued obedience to what God is saying to us through His Word, and by His Spirit.

Elijah's "there" was by a particular brook. That's where God told him to go. By that brook Elijah's every need was met.

Where is your "there"? Where is that place of contentment God has for you? Not where the crowd is, but where God says. Not where someone prophesied you're to be, but where God says (I believe in prophecies, as long as they line up with the written Word of God and confirm what's already in my heart (spirit).

Sometimes getting "there" involves inconvenience, adjustment, and, yes, opposition (even from friends and family members). The "there" God has for you is a place of God working through your life to bring blessing to someone else, whether that be many or a few.

I heard a missionary's wife state that, at first, she didn't want to go (overseas). After willingly being there for awhile, she grew to love where she was, because she was in the place God had for her.

The same is true for you. Are you "there"? Are you in the place God wants you to be? If so, then you know the peace and contentment that being in the perfect will of God produces. If not, are you willing to go to the "there" God has for you? Ask God to show you where your "there" is, then be willing to do whatever it takes to be "there". God will always do His part, which includes helping you to do yours.

Clapping in church: Right or Wrong, Why and When? Pt 2.

Often what occurs in church services is done out of tradition, custom, or preference. For instance, having a song leader is fine-as long as that person is anointed, and qualified. Thank God for those who lead others into the Presence of God. Then there's clapping. In light of what we shared yesterday, why do people clap in church, other than in time to music or to express appreciation for, say, a guest speaker being introduced? To reiterate yesterday's page, clapping is neither praise nor worship; it's simply applause. The Bible gives no scriptural basis for anointed applause, clap offerings, or such like. Scriptural praise and worship includes our voluntary surrender to God, often accompanied by the lifting of our hands to our Heavenly Father in the Name of Jesus. It involves telling God how much we love Him, how grateful we are for His blessings (which are many). A quick side-thought here: we thank God for what He has done, what He is doing, what He will do in, through, and for us. We worship God for who He is.

In the natural we applaud at ball games, concerts, plays, and other settings for a job or performance well done. Appreciation, not praise or worship, is our purpose. With God we're talking about Someone far greater than all Mankind put together; the Creator of the universe, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Savior of the whole world. I believe God deserves something far greater than our applause; He deserves our very lives. Again, the lifting of our hands (I Timothy 2:8) is a biblically correct outward expression of our love for and towards God. It's an outward showing of one's inward reverence for the Presence of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

If clapping is praise or worship then we are praising or worshiping people when we clap. I don't know about you, but I don't ever want to bring God down to man's level. No, I always want to exalt, magnify, and glorify God, whether in church or in private. Over the years I've learned to lift up my hands in worshiping God. Like many, it was a process for me as I never saw this in the churches I attended, until I was nearly 18.

The next time you or those around you start to clap (applaud) as a form of praise or worship try an experiment:instead of clapping lift your hands and begin telling God how much you love and appreciate Him (don't be loud-unless everyone else is too). During or after this time before God, check down in your heart (spirit) to see if there's a difference on the inside. I believe you'll find a greater freedom worshiping in line with the Word of God. There'll be a greater anointing both individually and in times of corporate worship. Greater moves of the Spirit of God will follow.

If this has been a help to you, write and let me know in what way. To God be the Glory!

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2011-2024

Clapping in church: right or wrong, why and when?

There is much controversy surrounding clapping in our church services. While some seem to allow clapping as a part of music, worship, and applause, others limit clapping to keeping in time to music. There are, perhaps, those who oppose clapping of any type in church-regardless of the occasion. Who's right? Who's wrong? More importantly, what does the Bible, God's Word, say about the matter? A study of God's Word gives us the Truth. My Bible concordance lists the words clap, clapped, or clappeth a total of nine times. All nine verses appear in the Old Testament; none in the New Testament (Covenant), under which Christians are to live. Of the nine only one, Psalm 47:1, even mentions God; the context is people shouting to Him with a (unified) voice of triumph. Neither music nor worship are mentioned. So why, then, do people clap in church? What’s the purpose?

Clapping in time to uplifting, upbeat music is certainly appropriate. God created us with a desire to respond to good, wholesome music. Clapping along with the music (some do better than others!) is an outward expression of inward convictions-to a point. Taken to the extreme, clapping could then occur during quiet times of worship, every offering-even the announcements. As in all we do, Biblical purposes should underline our actions.

Generally speaking, clapping is nether praise nor worship; it's applause. Other than clapping in time to some (but not all) music, clapping is an expression of appreciation, as in applauding a special song, instrumental or vocal. The world does that quite often. With God, however, the Spirit of God, Who is the Author of the Bible, gives us clear instructions on how to express our love, gratitude, and thanksgiving to God.

I Timothy 2:8 tells us to lift up holy hands-not applause-to God. Again, there's not one single scripture in the New Testament telling us to clap our hands to worship God. Applause expresses appreciation for a performance well done. God is not in the performance business. Our services are not for God to perform for us; rather they should be a time of getting into His Presence to worship Him, magnify Him, lift up the Name of Jesus, reverence the Spirit of God, and attend to God's Word. They should also be times of responding to whatever the Spirit of God chooses (and is allowed) to do in our midst.

The lifting of hands is an act of surrender. Worshiping God with upraised hands is our act of surrender to God-His plans, His ways. This surrender is a part of true worship.

May these words help to bring you higher and deeper in your walk with our Father God.

More on this subject tomorrow.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2011-2024