The Worship God Will Not Despise

Joseph Herrin (06-08-2010)

First the Announcements:

Audio Page Has Been Updated:
Some had reported problems listening to, or downloading, the audio files from the recent meetings that have been posted. Ifeanyi Isitor has kindly labored to get these audios posted where all can listen to them. If you have not yet done so I greatly encourage you to begin soon. These messages are the heartbeat of the Father for His remnant of overcomers in this hour. You can find them at the following link:

http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm

Upcoming Meetings Scheduled:
Following are the meetings that are at this time scheduled. If you are able, please make plans now to attend the meetings.

Fort Worth, Texas
Roger Norman will be hosting meetings June 10-12 at his home. Please contact Roger for directions, or to let him know you are coming, at 817-909-0648. Following are the meeting details:

Location:
3204 Sweetbriar Lane
Fort Worth, TX 76109

Dates/Times:
June 10th (Thursday) - Beginning at 6:30 P.M.
June 11th (Friday) - Beginning at 6:30 P.M.
June 12th (Saturday) - 1 P.M.

Mesa, Arizona
These meetings will be hosted in the home of Mike and Kathy Vye on June 18-20. Please contact them for directions, or to let them know you will be coming. These are the only meetings scheduled in Arizona on this trip across the country. You can contact Mike or Kathy at 480-984-9266.

Location:
940 S. 96th Way
Mesa, AZ 85208

Dates/Times:
June 18th (Friday) 7:00 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.
June 19th (Saturday) 9:00 A.M. - Noon,
Break for a meal,
2:30 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.
June 20th (Sunday) 9:00 A.M. - Noon

Apple Valley, California
The Apple Valley meetings will be hosted by Jim and Andrea Bean in their home. The dates of the meetings are set for June 25-27. Please contact Jim or Andrea if you plan to attend. They will gladly give you directions and inform you about accommodations in the area if you have to travel. They can be reached at: 760-946-2371,
or by e-mail at: jimbeanjr@afo.net

Location:
15856 Dale Evans Pkwy.
Apple Valley, CA 92307

Dates/Times:
June 25th (Friday) 7:00 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.
June 26th (Saturday) 9:00 A.M. - Noon,
Break for a meal,
2:30 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.
June 27th (Sunday) 9:00 A.M. - Noon

A Final Note: Some have sent me financial gifts through the mail while I have been traveling. I thank all who have done so with a very grateful heart. My daughter is collecting my mail for me and making the deposits while I am traveling. Her schedule and my own have both been very hectic of late, and as a consequence I have not gotten the address and e-mail information from those who have sent gifts that I might send a thank you note to all who have done so.

My inability to acknowledge gifts in a timely manner weighs on my heart, for I never want to appear ungrateful for all that the saints do in support of this minister and the work I am engaged in. Whether the gift be financial, or whether it be the prayers of those who often lift me up, I am deeply indebted to all whose love for God and the body of Christ have directed them to such sacrifices and labors.

Please accept my great and sincere gratitude. What you have done in secret the Father will reward openly.

The Worship God Will Not Despise

The Father has wonderfully blessed the meetings in Spring, Texas and in Hemphill. Having three days together at each location has truly allowed a family atmosphere to develop as saints are gathered together in the name of Christ to hear from Him and to encourage one another. The Spirit is leading during these gatherings and has been directing me to share a different emphasis on the message of “The Way” that leads to life at each meeting. The last day of meetings in Hemphill was one where the Spirit was speaking to many hearts with visible conviction resulting in brokenness and tears.

Some in hearing of this aspect of these meetings may be uncomfortable at the thought of attending. The church at large emphasizes a “feel-good” atmosphere in the majority of its meetings. There is loud praise, with music and instruments. There is seldom heard a somber message of dying to self, or a call to a wholly surrendered life to be led of the Spirit of Christ in all things. I am reminded of the following Scripture:

Amos 5:23-24
"Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

The Spirit has had me emphasize to His scattered remnant that the purest form of WORSHIP is found in presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice to God that He might reduce our flesh and bring forth a spiritual creation in His image. This is the message of Paul in the following passage:






















Romans 12:1
I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

What is a sacrifice? It is flesh that is put on an altar for the fire to consume it. This is what the apostle declares to be our reasonable and spiritual service of WORSHIP. Present yourself to God that He might purify you. Such an offering He will not despise! As Christ said,

Luke 12:49
“I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!”

Following is an image of the Chandra Nebula from the Hubble Space Telescope. This image reminds me of the verse above.


























Chandra Nebula

Man’s flesh was formed of the dust of the earth, and Christ must purify us by fire. One saint upon hearing me share this during a meeting remembered the occasion when Abraham took his son Isaac to the mount of God to present him as a sacrifice. We read:

Genesis 22:5
And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you."

Abraham was going to slay that which was most precious to him. He was intending to slay his son as an act of obedience to Yahweh. He described this as “worship,” and truly it was. There is no purer worship than is found in the cross we are called to carry. When Yahshua went to the cross He presented to His Father the purest form of worship - an obedience that cost Him His life.

We too are called to follow in the steps of Christ. He is our pattern man.

I Peter 2:21
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps...

Would you be a true worshiper of the Father? Take up your cross. Surrender to walk the afflicted path that alone can produce sons in God’s image. Submit to be led of the Spirit in all your decisions, and our Father will accept what you offer as a fragrant aroma that arises to His nostrils.

Psalms 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Oh to be broken and yielded vessels before an almighty God. Though our way may be sorrow for a season, it will end in life and great joy.

The message of the Father for His remnant in this hour is not one that will attract large crowds. It is a difficult message, but it is the only message that leads to life. The wise will consider that the ways of God are not the ways of man. The soul ever desires comfort, ease and pleasure. Even in the natural world it is well known that such things do not lead to health. How much more in the realm of the spirit?

Solomon proclaimed the following message of wisdom:

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

The Spirit is proclaiming a message of life at this hour. There are few who are drawn to it. It is a message of discipline, of sacrifice, or self-control. The Spirit is urging the saints to embrace hardship now that they might receive an imperishable inheritance.

This life is but a moment. As Jim Elliott said many years ago, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Psalms 126:5
Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.

It has been a common experience in these meetings for conviction to come upon the people of God that results in weeping. Such things should not be despised, nor feared by the people of God. If this is the beginning of surrender to the afflicted path God has appointed for the saints, then the outcome will be joyful shouting when the journey is done.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws

Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com

Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063