[160907] - when my internet connection was done due to a dislodged wire.

Refiners’ fire
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You Lord
I choose to be – Holy
Set apart for You my Master
Ready to do Your will

Today we had our Hope 16th Anniversary! : ) I really love this church. This group of people whom I’ve spent my JC and uni years with.. the people who taught me so much, who loved me so much, who refined me so much. The church where I’ve learned much about God, about serving Him, loving Him.. the church who’s equipped me with the skills to gain more from the WOG and helped instill in me a heart and desire to love and know Him more. Though my church is not perfect (we’re still living in the world after all), and there are times when I feel frustrated with certain systems, certain things.. I still love Hope dearly : ) We grow together, get moulded and sharpened together, and generally pull each other along over the hurdles of life and continue stumbling or running in this spiritual race set ahead of us.

Let all the people sing of
Your awesome power in all the earth
Let all the nations bow their knees
Why would the nations rage when
The King is on His throne
Now and forever YOU WILL REIGN!

Haven’t felt so exhilarated in praise and worship for some time! Though running around during praise was super amusing, it sure got people moving.. and the transition to the space before the stage rather than at the side facilitated in moving into the presence of God. Halfway through the praise and worship, I was thinking to myself.. it really is not about the music, really not about the atmosphere… but your condition of the heart with God. A worshipful heart will worship God regardless of the situations. A worshipful heart will give thanks to God, will be touched by the lyrics, ministered by the song.. simply because a worshipful heart will have been visited by the presence of God and in the presence of God, the heart bows and realizes how small it is to be loved by such an awesome and miraculous God.
If there’s one small thing I agree with Pastor PN about, it’s the thing about faith rising up from the heart, to the head, and to the hands. I think adoration of God during praise and worship happens in this manner too. The rising of awe in the heart when there’s a heart-to-heart connection, then to the mind (the understanding of the amazing characteristics of God) and subsequently an outward manifestation of this awestruck heart.. be it the raising of hands at that moment, or the diligence in serving God in the future.. it’s really an outward manifestation of an inward transformation.
JUMP conference tomorrow! I know I’ll be tired (from a lack of sleep), but I sure am excited about it!