A Pivotal Place of Worship
- Heidi Eva Jones
- Apr 1, 2021
- 6 min read
Volume 10 Issue 3
Greeting in His Name,
WOW! We are done with the first quarter of this year already. We have met and passed the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 virus. Many have seen love ones suffer, recover and some even transition. We have some dark days behind us but I hope if you're still in the land of the living you are in expectation of God turning some things around. As we approach Easter/Resurrection Sunday remember the symbolism of the season. There were some dark events ahead of Jesus - beatings - taunting - the cross - the grave, but there was also the light of His resurrection. He is up so that we don't have to stay down. So with that being said, today's blog is entitled A Pivotal Place of Worship. Hope you find some inspiration, conviction, and queries.
shalom and love,
heidi
One night, long ago, while lying in my closet, after some time of studying, I fell asleep. I awoke to God saying “a pivotal place of worship”. I got up, grabbed a notebook I had beside me and jotted the words down and went right back to sleep. I didn’t ask God if there was anything else He wanted to say or share. Well the next night wasn’t as easy to lay down because God began to give me specific pivotal places of worship in the Word along with definitions and insight. He allowed me to see how that place of worship can change the outcome of situations, circumstances, and history. Pivotal is defined as “vitally important: especially in determining the outcome, progress, or success of something, a person or thing on which something depends or turns; the central or crucial factor”. Hearing that definition, made me realize that if Joshua or Jacob hadn’t worshipped at those pivotal places, where would we be? Or what about Manoah’s wife, Samson’s mother or Hannah, if they hadn’t worshipped? And, my God, don’t leave out Jesus! What if He hadn't worshipped? Would the world be totally different today or would there even be a world? A pivotal place of worship is where things change, drastically. It’s where man and God meet. Have you experienced a pivotal place of worship? If not let’s look at some places in the Word and exclaim our God as a God of GOoD change.
Joshua 5:13-15 MSG And then this, while Joshua was there near Jericho: He looked up and saw right in front of him a man standing, holding his drawn sword. Joshua stepped up to him and said, "Whose side are you on—ours or our enemies'?" He said, "Neither. I'm commander of God's army. I've just arrived." Joshua fell, face to the ground, and worshiped. He asked, "What orders does my Master have for his servant?" God's army commander ordered Joshua, "Take your sandals off your feet. The place you are standing is holy." Joshua did it. Wow! The place you are standing is holy. This is a place where religious purpose is going to be exposed. Joshua’s visitation by the commander of God’s army was a pivotal place of worship. History is different because of this. Joshua was given instructions straight from the Master himself. The story of the battle of Jericho can be found in chapters 5-6. In this, God gave specific instructions for seven days and what they were to do on that seventh day. On that day, a day of completion, they were instructed to MARCH around this place, quietly, seven times and then on the last round to shout. As they shouted the mighty walls came down. Just recently a friend asked, "I wonder what they shouted?" I in turn said I'm not sure but if I can take Hollywood license I would say they said "JEHOVAH!" Anyway, Jericho was not the pivotal place of worship. It was when Joshua encountered the commander and received the instructions that God determined the outcome for the children of Israel, and the same is for you. The outcome is not the pivotal place of worship but the pivotal place of worship is when you do as Joshua, fall to your face and worship the God who gives GOoD instructions, that’s when.
Genesis 32:24-30 KJV And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. WOw! The place where my life is preserved. This is a place where religious protection is going to be exposed. Jacob was given the awesome opportunity to see God anthropomorphically (look it up). Before he got to this place of wrestling with God he wrestled with himself. He didn’t know if his brother, whom he wronged, would take to his return across the Jordan. So of course Jacob tried to appease his brother with gifts. But let me tell you something; if someone wants to harm you, they will harm you. Jacob did the right thing when he prayed. Jacob reminded God that not only did his father worship Him but that his grandfather worshipped Him. He reminded God of all the promises He made to his family and to him. Jacob was at a pivotal place of worship, a place where God turn persons and things around. Jacob reminded God; and let me remind you to remind God of what He promised you. Tell Him what He said He would do. The Word lets us know that the earth would shatter, be smash to smithereens, if God doesn’t perform His Word. So as Jacob held on to God and wouldn’t let Him go, I encourage you to hold on to God with all you got for there is where He will bless you.
Acts 8:3, 9:3-6, 9 NLT But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. WOW! The place where I meet Jesus. This is a place where religious pursuit is going to be exposed. Have you ever been doing something and you thought you were RIGHT? Saul thought that he was right. He was commissioned by the pious religious leaders to take down, ‘the Way’, the church. And he was doing a good job of it. But one day, and it’s GOoD to have a ‘one day’, while yet on his way to terrorize those who believed in Jesus, Saul met Jesus. Not only did He meet Jesus but his pivotal place of worship began. Jesus told Saul to get up, go into the city and I will tell you what to do. I have noticed that everyone who has been brought to this place has received instructions. So too, does God want to instruct you, but you have to be willing to listen in that place. If Saul wouldn’t have come to this crucial place with God, we wouldn’t have gotten the Pauline Epistles. Certainly the world’s history would be so different. If you are blind, kicking against God—I command you to STOP! After three days God raised Saul to be a chosen vessel, and so will He raise you.
Luke 23:33-35 MSG When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing." Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, "He saved others. Let's see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha! The Chosen—ha!" Winner Of Worship! The place where He saved me. This is a place where religious pardoning is going to be exposed. Christ allowed Himself to be open to humiliation, abuse, and sorrow that we may receive peace, healing and forgiveness. Christ’s pivotal place of worship is vitally important. He determined our outcome, He turned people and things around for us, and He took our crucial place and made it a Pivotal Place of WORSHIP for us.
LIFE QUOTE
“You are under contract to praise him."
-TD Jakes
Let Us Laugh!
I used to build stairs for a living. Business was up and down.
Hope to see you Next Month....
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