J Hi and Lock ins

I made the comment today in the late service that I was wrong. I sometimes think that the world is going to hell. I try to be positive and at the same time I see the decadence, debauchery and general godlessness in society and I think, "This is getting worse."

During the service, I had this moment of insight.

Parenthetically, I encourage people to attend more then one service a weekend. Work one somewhere in the church and then attend the other two. Why? Because it seeps in. The Word, the music, the prayers. Going to one service is sometimes kind of like going on vacation for two days for me. Just not enough time to get the worries of the world out of my head.

Anyway, back to my point. I had this moment of insight after being with the J-Hi band for three services, "God will save the next generation and the one after that and the one after that...and He will keep on saving people and building His church until He returns. The world is not going to hell. Jesus is coming to earth. After that, the world may have some "challenges" but it will be restored. Everything that belongs to Him will be made new.

One more note. These kids are way cool. They have a heart for worship.

I came early and met three of the young men (who were early too). We went down the back stairs towards the green room and we got stuck. By that I mean the door was locked at the bottom of the stairs and the one at the top of the stairs had shut behind us. We had no where to go. Simple solution: I called security and they got us out. Don't ask why the pastor of worship and arts does not have a key to the door.

As we prepared to pray before we warmed up I thought, "We were locked in with no key. People coming into this sanctuary today are locked in with no key. Some are dead in their sin. Some are in bondage. Prayer is the phone to call for help." So we prayed and I am believing that today Jesus unlocked some hearts.

Now here is the other point of that story. When we prayed again right before service, one of the young men prayed a very similar prayer. He had listened. Not just to me, but to the Spirit. Way cool. Hearts unlocked.

John Owen said on his death bed that he was leaving the ship of the church in a storm, even though he was only a poor under rower. I can say I am a poorer underower then John Owen, but the church will do just fine with Jesus at its head and young men and women like the ones we have in the church. Worship Well.