Sorry for the absence this last week. Things have been very busy again. For the fourth straight week we have been in services nightly; then to special meetings in Missouri. In the middle of all the activities strange things have been happening in my body. I realize I’m not 16 any more!
We finished the weekend in Rosenberg, Texas at First Assembly of God. The Holy Spirit continues to hover in each service!
Several times in the last few weeks as the Holy Spirit would hover in a service, it felt like you could lay down and take a nap. The scripture came to mind last night during pre- service prayer from Hebrews “there is a rest for the people of God…” Many times when the Spirit hovers in a service, people gets antsy and think leadership should take charge and “do something”.
I believe God wants us to turn some of our services into “tarrying services”. I realize we don’t have to “tarry” for salvation, or the Baptism in the Holy Spirit: but we do need to learn to take some times to wait in the Presence of God for His direction, and for Him to speak!
I realize Sunday mornings are packed with announcements and news and instructions for the congregation; I also know these are times when a lot of pastors don’t want things to get too “spooky” for people who are not used to Pentecostal services. But I think there is a blessing for any church who will schedule services in which they do nothing but wait on God for a time before they move on with the scheduled agenda!
I think there may be a blessing in the waiting!
Didn’t a prophet one day said, They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…
Technorati Tags: revival, revival update, waiting on the Lord, tarrying services
David,
The thought is actually interesting. Could you give some detail about what that kind of service would look like?
On a unrelated errand, you have been tagged! Each one tagged is to write a little blip about what they were doing 30, 20 and 10 years ago. My name in this comment is linked to the tag post on my site if you want more info. If you can’t or even don’t want to bother, no big deal. If you do participate, I’m sure we’ll find your response interesting. Blessings.
We did actually this kind of service Sunday Morning. It was amazing how God weaved things together and ministered to the people. I am planning God willing and I think he is to have services like this on a quarterly basis next year. Love you guys.
slw,
What I envision in a “tarrying service” is number one someone MUST be the facilitator: A pastor would give instruction that we will have a time of worship and then we will simply wait on the Lord to speak to us, welcoming His Presence among us. Then as the Spirit leads, either bring the music down to a level that it is not the focus of what is going on or stop it all together…you really need a worship leader who is sensitive to the leading of the Spirit.
This may be too charismatic for some Pentecostals…who think that God is not moving unless everyone is shouting and running the ailes (sic) But there are times I believe He wants us to be still and know that He is God…
This would also be a time in which people would learn to allow the Gifts of the Spirit to begin to work through them…you could use this time as a time of simple exhortation on how to allow the Gifts to flow through you…
When I read the history of Azuza, I find that hours…..were given for this type of service…and we know what God did there…
This is a long comment, but I feel strongly that if we allow some time for things like this, this will allow you to teach in as it is happening and eliminate a lot of goofy things that are associated with the gifts…I may need to do a post on some of this…
I’ll try to tag you later today!
Of course it is also very easy to flow in this direction when the Spirit is moving in this manner…