Each Sunday, as I listen to the Pastor delivering the fresh word from the Lord for us, I usually get a “Ping!” in my spirit as a particular word comes alive in me, and rockets me from one revelation to another, and another, and another, and another, and before I know it, I’m shot way out in space somewhere, pinging from planet to planet, going from illumination to illumination, all these lights flipping on and off one after the other like a pinball game,  getting revelation after revelation, until something tugs on that bungee cord that is the only thing connecting me to the earth and I’m shot back into my seat, back into my body, which is still sitting in the second row at Faith Heritage Church. And the journey which seemed to take hours was only seconds long. I love that feeling!

This Sunday, I kept waiting and waiting, but didn’t get that familiar “Ping!”.  And although it was such an awesome word with a fantastic delivery, and the spirit of the Lord was all up in it, and I did get a word from the Lord, I still felt a little bereft - like an astronaut waiting on the launch pad with his space suit on, helmet in hand, who finds out that the mission is already over.  But in talking to people after church, I found that others had gotten their own personal “Pings”. And it is from one of these that the Lord woke me up this morning with the “Ping!” for today.
 

Hers was about trust, and although she has learned to trust God in all things, she still struggles with trusting people. And here’s the ping. “It’s not about the sacrifice, it’s about the submission”. It’s not just about what we do, but how we do it. John 4:23 says that “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth”. So, it’s not just the worship, but the attitude behind the worship. Not just the service, but the attitude behind the service. Not just the church attendance, but the spirit of submission to the authority God has put in place to govern your particular body of believers. At Faith Heritage, that means not only submission to Pastor Salomon, but to Pastora Danene as well. And it flows down to the rest of the leadership – submission to the elders and then to the deacons. Hebrews 13:17 NKJV says “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you”. To obey means “to consent to someone else’s direction” and to submit means “to yield your contrary opinion in favor of another’s”. It’s not that we’re trying to be lords over God’s inheritance. We’re only servants, exercising God-given authority with care and concern for your souls.

As a body, we’re getting ready to run with the vision God has given us. If you cannot see or agree with the vision God has for this house, then you need to reevaluate whether or not this is the house for you. If you find that you struggle with submission to and respect for authority in this house, reevaluate. If you find you can be submissive to one leader, but not the others, reevaluate. The bible says “how can two walk together, except they be agreed”. How can we make progress going one way, if you are pulling toward another?   Let’s each check our spirits and make sure we are in agreement. If not, check to see if you’re submitted and in the right place.