A Minister’s Choreography Devotion: 4th Position
May 28, 2009 by Lakita
Filed under Choreography
Day 4: 4th Position
The feet are placed the same as in third position with the front foot moved forward. One arm is rounded, held above and slightly forward of the head, the other arm remains in second position.
In first position, we can meditate on His completeness. In second position, we remember Him as the Lamb of God, while in 3rd position, we praise our Risen savior. That brings us to fourth position
Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
Matthew 14:25
From this one verse, we can reflect on HIM as Almighty, what an awesome demonstration of HIS power! He is not constrained by elements such as gravity. Even the winds & the waves obey HIM. Read the entire section
The fourth watch of the night was between 3am and 6am, I imagine the disciples were disoriented from the sleep and probably on edge to say the least due to the storm. They did not recognize Jesus coming to them, but when He identified himself it was Peter who asked to be bid to come.
So Jesus bid Peter to come, and he stepped out of the boat.
>>> In fouth position we step forward
There are many lessons that can be gleaned from Peter’s experience that are beyond the scope of this devotion. A main focus is that Peter DID walk on water while he was focused on Jesus. As soon as he became distracted by the elements surrounding him and lost sight of who was in control of those elements he began to sink.
For whatever reason, 4th position is harder to grasp than the previous positions. Students would lose focus when they step out causing their posture and position to shift. As we step out into 4th position, remember to focus on your position and relationship with the Almighty!
For more on FOCUS and Peter’s experience, check out Attention Soldier
A Minister’s Choreography Devotion: 2nd Position
May 26, 2009 by Lakita
Filed under Choreography
The feet are turned out completely and spread apart. The arms are raised to each side (slightly rounded), the elbows should be lower than the shoulders.
then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. Hebrews 10:9
While in 2nd position, think about the 2nd sacrifice, which was Jesus himself, a once-and-for-all permanent sacrifice. HE did what no Levitical priest and animal sacrifice could do. That is why we call him the Lamb of God!
Jesus is our High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. It is no longer necessary for a human priest to make yearly sacrifices.
As you stretch your arms out in 2nd position, remember that the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross supercedes all other offerings. What glorious love He has for us that He would give His life!
A Minister’s Choreography Devotion: 1st Position
May 25, 2009 by Lakita
Filed under Choreography
Day 1: 1st Position
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
Revelation 22:13
While in 1st position, meditate on HIS completeness. Jesus is our everything, our all in all, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). There is no one else who can make this claim but HIM!
Spiritual Dance Techniques Pt 2: Alignment
May 21, 2009 by Lakita
Filed under Encouragement
Body alignment is necessary for ease of movement and coordination. In its simplest form, alignment can be defined as arranging our body in such a way that our bones are stacked in a line. A closer look at alignment reveals that it comes from a dynamic series of inter-relationships between various bones and joints.
Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”Psalms 37:23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.”
Spiritual Dance Techniques Pt 1: Balance
May 18, 2009 by Lakita
Filed under Practical Advice
The Importance of Balance
As dance ministers some of you may be thinking this article has to do with poise and posture. The type of balance discussed within this article is far more important than dance techniques – or the ability to maintain bodily equilibrium. This is the ability to put all aspects of our life into a harmonious arrangement that allows God to fully use us (His willing vessels) to get the glory.
We need balance! It takes direction from the Holy Spirit to be able to juggle responsibilities such as work / school, rest, recreation, church duties / ministry. I submit to you “3 Ps” to gaining and maintaining balance in your life.
Know your purpose! If you have not sought the Lord about your purpose you need to earnestly do so. Chances are that if you do not know your specific purpose you will tire yourself doing things trying to fulfill your purpose without any focus. Everyone has a common purpose and that is to worship the Lord and bring Him glory! Realize that you are unique – fearfully and wonderfully made! God has a specific purpose for you!
Once you know what your purpose is you can prioritize the things you have to do in your life (putting God first goes without saying!). When your priorities are in order, God can bless you. Look at Solomon, he didn’t ask God for money or a long life…but he asked for wisdom. Something he realized was necessary to accomplish his purpose. Because his priorities were in order, God blessed him with wisdom and wealth.
When you know your purpose and have established your priorities it is time to make a plan. Plans don’t always have to be extensive, but as the Lord reveals your purpose to you and you have set your priorities in order you can map out a plan. Let’s again turn to Solomon as an example. His plan was to build a temple (1 Kings 5:5) — according to his purpose. (Your purpose will reveal the direction you are supposed to take and be a catalyst for your plan to accomplish it). Solomon had a plan, as you read through the 2nd and 3rd chapters of II Chronicles you’ll see that he gathered resources, organized the people, designed the temple, and set a time to begin work.
“A basketball in my hands is worth about $19. A basketball in Michael Jordan’s hands is worth about $33 million. It depends whose hands it’s in. A baseball in my hands is worth about $6. A baseball in Mark McGuire’s hands is worth $19 million. It depends whose hands it’s in. A tennis racket is useless in my hands. A tennis racket in Pete Sampras’ hands is a Wimbledon Championship. It depends whose hands it’s in. A sling shot in my hands is a kid’s toy. A sling shot in David’s hand is a mighty weapon that brings down giants. It depends whose hands it’s in. Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches. Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God’s hands will feed thousands. It depends whose hands it’s in. Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse. Nails in Jesus Christ’s hands will produce salvation for the entire world. It depends whose hands it’s in.” Your life in your hands is a mess, but your life in God’s hands will produce a miracle. It all depends on whose hands it’s in.
photo credit: bike queen
