Chapter Four, Part 2 - Revelation

When we encounter Gods love, it is impossible not to be changed. These encounters are where revelation begins. Revelation is Gods disclosure of himself. Revelation is a truth about the nature of God revealed, where once it had been hidden. It means, "to remove the veil,"

The truth has been there all along but now we can see it in greater measure...

Karen and I have pet names for each other, you know, terms of endearment we would only use when speaking with each other while washing the dishes or eating popcorn etc... hey baby, hey beautiful, hey gorgeous, that last one is generally directed at me. We could be driving down the road or sitting on the couch watching "The Office" when suddenly I am gripped with a realization of how amazing she is. I will turn to her and say this simple universal phrase, "I love you baby" to which she responds, "I love you too gorgeous."

But sometimes I'll say "No, what I'm trying to say is that at this exact moment, I am feeling in love you! I'm feeling it right now!"

"Right this instant she asks?" with a smile. Yes, this exact moment. "Wow," She says, "now I'm feeling it too!"

And that's the best way I can describe revelation.

We have been married thirteen years, we know that we love each other, we say it all the time; we decide to all the time but these moments of revelation are priceless. These moments are birthed of a pure surrender, where everything in the universe aligns and our hearts, minds, and souls experience the encounter. In these moments, nothing else matters! In these moments, the truth of our love is purely revealed.

I think that's what revelation is, in fact, I would go so far as to say I don't think revelation can be experienced outside of relationship.

Truth can be read about and discussed, but to own revelation requires some form of experience. "God loves you," is simply a statement of fact. But the statement doesn't hold any power until His love is engaged.

You can tell someone everything you know about driving a car but until they actually get behind the wheel, its just theory and they don't truly know how to drive.

To own Gods love in its depths we must have shared experience. It's through this relationship that we get to own revelation. And it is those encounters that change us, aligning our heart with His and changing our perspective until we begin to see from God's.

Chapter Four, Part 1 - LAX

I was already tired and we were only 7 hours into a 33-hour trip. My dad and I were on or way to China to look at some business opportunities. We had left Charlotte NC in the afternoon. Why start a 33-hour trip in the afternoon? I don't know, and neither did the lady at the front counter of our airline. When I asked her, she said "I don't know, that's just how they do it."

We were standing at LAX and though I was tired, I was excited as well. You see, last time I went through LAX, I got to meet Sinbad. Well, I didn't actually meet him but I saw him which is almost the same thing. He was in line to check his luggage. He really is a funny guy, although he didn't do anything particularly funny while I was watching him in the line. But I can imagine it would be hard to be funny all the time. Plus it was pretty early and that only compounds the issue.

It gets better because after I saw Sinbad, I saw the little guy who hosts American Idol. How cool is that. I actually did meet him, we sat in first class together...

I know what you are thinking now, suddenly I'm that rich snob who sits in first class and looks down his nose at all you second-class people. You poor wretches...

Well, maybe I am. Maybe I like getting to go into the plane first. Maybe I enjoy sitting Indian style in my wide comfortable leather seat while the second-class rabble is trotted through the first class section. Maybe I enjoy making eye contact with them and smiling in that benevolent way that's says, "Yeah I'm rich. And even though I can afford first class and you cant, well, that doesn't mean I'm necessarily better than you."

Maybe I like having a curtain separate me from the cacophony of noises and smells wafting off the masses that sit in second class. Maybe I enjoy a nice chardonnay while speaking in high English with the cream of American citizenry.
Or maybe I just got bumped and you should stop judging me.

Yeah I got bumped. But for that one glorious day I was cultured and civilized and just a better person. For one day I drank in the sites and smells of first class. I lived like a king!

Ryan Seacrest, that's his name!

So, I sat in first class and Ryan and I discussed the last show of the season and the new "American Idol." He was very polite, a nice fella. And I think I held my own, that is to say, I don't think he knew I didn't belong there, in first class...
But I've digressed, back to my China trip.

So, I was excited about this trip because of the possibility of seeing someone famous but also because I love to travel to new places and we were going to places in China I had never been.

The airport was crowded. We were standing in line with about two hundred people in front of us, plus the thousands of others that filled our little universe known as "Terminal Two." Surrounded by a sea of people, I had begun to have one of those feelings that I think everyone experiences from time to time when in a large crowd. I'm small, just a spec in the universe, just a tiny mote of dust. With thousands of people moving through this section of the airport every five minutes and the knowledge that we were about to go to a country with a population over a billion, I suddenly felt... insignificant...

I wonder if Sinbad ever feels insignificant, probably not... he is pretty funny ...sorry.

We had about an hour wait to get through customs and check our bags for the international flight. While I was standing in line and feeling small, I noticed the girl in front of me. She was standing with her back to me and her arms crossed. I could just see the tips of the fingers on her left hand. I noticed that her index finger had a small cut. It was a little inflamed and looked like it could be irritating, but it was nothing serious, just a small paper cut. Suddenly I felt the presence of God as if He were standing right next to me. Then He said to me, "I was there when that happened, I felt that."

"God," I said in my heart. "I can't possibly understand this, my mind can't begin to grasp it." I am just a spec in the universe, a blink of the eye in light of eternity. Then I looked around and asked Him, "How many paper cuts are in this place? How many people are here with bigger problems than paper cuts?" Then God said to me, "It's not about your understanding, I want you to believe the absoluteness of my love." At that moment, I could barely compose myself, I was moved to tears, my heart awed by the revelation of Gods love for me...

The Impact of Surrendered & Untamed Worship

David steps out onto the battlefield to face Goliath and I cant help but wonder what the Israelite men on the sidelines were thinking. We know that there were some, in particular, David’s own brothers, that thought it was none of his business, he did not belong there, should keep his mouth shut and stay out of the way. Many of the men I imagine were angry and probably had thoughts like "Who does this kid think he is" and "He deserves what's coming."

Yet I have to believe that there were some who knew the moment they saw it, the rightness of it, the righteousness of it. I have to believe there were some who watched David take the field and wished they had been the one to step out. I have to believe that with some, the heart was whispering YES even when the mind screamed NO. I have to believe this because I have been that man. I have watched while others step into their promise with a revelation of God and a defiance toward logic. I have watched and my spirit has leapt within me and said "me too!"

David stepped out onto the field of battle, surrendered his will, his comfort, even his life to the Promise Giver. His actions said I am partnered with God and He will be exalted above all else. He committed an amazing act of worship. And when worship is witnessed at such a level it commands a response. True worshippers will make those around them hungry, nervous or angry. True worshippers will force those around to surrender and join in or get out of the game. And a worship lifestyle radically impacts the world we live in.

Everything in the Kingdom of God is birthed out of worship. All of our promises are engaged through worship. Our worship is an act of surrender, our will for His. But our worship doesn’t stop at surrender. When we surrender to God, He invites us into the untamed where we can demonstrate our worship. And as David demonstrated, when surrender proceeds untamed, victory is always the result.

What’s amazing is that when a person enters into this kind of radical worship, giants die. In this case, David’s worship not only brought him personal victory, it brought a victory everyone partook of. Because of David’s radical act of worship, the Israelites won the day. This is the kind of worship that not only engages a personal promise; it also expands the parameter of a Kingdom. That’s why I believe that when it comes to worship, we can’t play at it.

Worship and The Short Term Mission Trip

Worship and The Short Term Mission Trip
This was written5 years ago for a a Mission Outfitters International Workbook to help prepare a worship mission team for a mission trip. It was really fun to find this ghosting around inside my computer. Its also fun to see how my writing skills have matured - apparently there is hope in that department as well. That John Piper is pretty cool too...

Worship & The Short Term Mission Trip

When planning missions, worship must be central. First of all it’s the reason for going, to bring glory to God. Second, it’s the birthplace for ministry. “Worship is the act of freely giving love to God.” (John Wimber) It’s the act of surrender. Missions is the act of service. There can be no service until you have surrendered. When you acknowledge who God is, God then begins to reveal who you are and the role you play in His Kingdom. “ Missions is the overflow of our delight in God.” (Piper)

Music is only a vehicle for worship. It is nice to have but not absolutely essential. Worship brings everything else into perspective. It breaks down the walls that seem to grow throughout life. It allows your heart to focus on God. Natural musical giftings are good, but the heart is what God is after. If all you have is your voice, sing his praise or use a CD, but make it a point to worship. With a surrendered heart, God can do anything.

Pre-Trip -

It is absolutely essential in the pre-trip preparation that when you are meeting together, worship is first on your to do list. Worship (surrender) has always been the precursor to Gods moving. In the presence of God at the burning bush is where Moses is commissioned. David’s story really starts while herding sheep, that’s also where he first encounters God in worship. It’s the worshipers you find in the front of the Israeli line before a battle. It’s the obedience of worship that brings the walls of Jericho down. Missions was never Gods ultimate goal, a heart of worship is what He’s after.

Missions in one word is simply serving. “What can I give, what can I bring as an offering”, (Matt Redman) not me, but you Lord. The great commission is the response to surrendered worship. “Love the Lord Your God with all your heart.” Then and only then, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It is impossible to love your neighbor (the lost) until you have loved the Lord. But, when true worship happens, God ignites a passion for His purposes. “When passion for God is great, a passion for God’s purposes will result in great sacrificial service. It is thru worship that you are willing to risk all for the sake of God’s glory and His Kingdom.” (David Ro)

Active trip –

Open the eyes of my heart Lord. Don’t get caught up on the ground in the day to day and forget your true purpose for being there. “God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshippers for himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” (Piper) Worship keeps the line open, keeps you sensitive, keeps your heart uncluttered, and keeps the main thing, the main thing.

“Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” If you can’t hear God out on the mission field, you’re in for a bad time, or at least a frustrated unfruitful time. I’ve been there, thinking to myself, for the amount of money I raised I could be on a beach in Hawaii. I’ve also seen the Holy Spirit move way beyond me. Because I was able to hear Him, I could see His hand at work. No mission trip will go as planned, but if your there to serve, if you’ve had some time in communion, in worship with God, then your heart is in a position to hear, and the eyes of your heart will be opened. Now you can roll with the punches, now you can see God in the details. Now the trip is in His hands.

Post trip -

God deserves His due. “Great and wonderful are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the ages! Who shall not fear and glorify your name, O Lord? For you alone are holy. All nations shall come and worship you, for your judgments have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3-4)

God will be glorified. Your sending church and those who supported you need to know what happened. This is where we often miss it. When we come home we think the trip is over. But God would use you and your surrendered heart as a catalyst to inspire worship in the body. The body needs to join in worship with you for what God has done in the field and in your individual lives. God has moved in the mission field and you’ve come back contagious. True worship is contagious. Opportunity has to be made upon returning to give God His due.

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It's the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white hot enjoyment of God's glory.” (John Piper)


John Piper quotes taken from “Let the nations be glad”