“I will exalt you, My God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever. Everyday I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”
Psalm 145:1-5 (NIV)
Now I know how passionate this generation for Jesus. Last night, (May 26, 2008 ) the Hillsong United worship concert at the big dome was overflowed by thousands of people who wanted to experience the splendid presence of the Lord with the United worship team. I enjoyed shouting at the top of my voice and bouncing on the floor for Jesus. It was a night of dance, praise, worship, rock and roll for the King of heaven who is worthy to be praised and be given the highest worship!
At the end of the worship concert, I had proven the flamboyant anointing that God has been placed to their soul to compose worship songs and praises. Like David’s Spirit, Hillsong United has also received the same gift of the Holy Spirit, to crush down the enemy by playing instruments and leading the crowd to worship Jesus Christ, who was on the cross, shed His blood for the payment of our sins and who confirmed to us our victory over satan! I truly believe this truth of God’s greatness and fullness! Asttiiig!
Honestly, the main reason why I posted this piece of writing is not because I just want to share my full experience at the worship concert, nor because I want to tell you what happened and the latest news about Hillsong; but because I want to remind every Christians about the authenticity of our faith and the natures our BIG GOD. This post is not to show my own judgments, nor written to formulate critisms over Hillsong United band. As I told you, I truly believe from my heart that they are anointed by the Holy Spirit in leading people to the throne of our Lord. However, we have to be reminded that it is not about Hillsong, it’s about JESUS!
One of my Christian friends texted me.
Friend: hoy! Musta ang concert?
Ginoong Lapis: woah! Ang saya! Aun. Puno ang araneta.
Friend: o? talaga? Sayang ‘di ako nakapunta.! Huhu.. iiyak na ako. sino ang mga kumanta?
Ginoong Lapis: si Kuya Joel! (haha! Feeling close?) atsaka di ko na kilala ung iba.
Friend: Si Papa Marty, andun?!!!
Ginoong Lapis: Wala eh. Nde ata naayos ang passport.. toinks!
Friend: aay.. buti nalang di ako pumunta…
Ginoong Lapis: togoinks!
ow! All I asked, will you go into worship concert for Jesus or for the United? tugsshh!
When Joel Houston and the rest of the band went up to stage, the crowd in the BIG DOME started to scream, and shout out loud!! The presence of God quickly came down and His fire fell upon me, I really felt the fire! But I sensed that not everyone in the arena screamed for Jesus, some were shouting for the band. People were overwhelmed when they saw the worship team. I also believe it is because of the glory of GOD, the anointing. If a man of God is doing great things in the ministry, for sure people will come near and be amazed. Like in Acts 3:11, “While the man kept holding on to Peter and John, the whole crowd ran to them in amazement at the place known as Solomon’s Porch.” (CEV) It is true that if you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you can make an impact to the lives of every single person, because it is not you who transform their lives but the HOLY SPIRIT who is in you.
I know I have no authority to judge anyone’s heart but the Spirit of the Lord told me that night, “ Do not mind them…Worship Me, in Spirit and in Truth… the PRAISE and true worship I’m looking for is more than a song… more than the music they can play…” And it impressed to me that even I was not raised up my hands for the entire worship concert or even jumped on the air as high as others can do , I believe I pleased my LORD. The attitude of the heart is more important than the best posture as you can ever do! I was quietly murmuring my worship, then the Lord did not dismay me. He poured out HIS SPIRIT upon me! waaaha! HE IS, INDEED, MORE THAN A SONG!!
Spiritual Realities opened my mind clear, wala palang pinagkaiba ang kumakanta akong mag-isa kay Lord sa bahay gamit ang gitara, sa kasama ko ang Hillsong na nakikipagrock ‘n roll para kay Jesus. Sa katunayan, mas madali kong nararamdaman ang Holy Spirit kapag mag-isa lang akong nakikipag-usap sa KANYA, kumakanta, naghahanap at nagdarasal. Napatunayan ko na hindi usapan kung gaano ka kagaling kumanta, hindi rin usapan kung marami kang kasama na kumakanta para sa KANYA. Ang importante lang ay ayos ang puso mo, nagpapakumbaba kang lumalapit at naghahanap sa DIYOS at handa kang makayakap SIYA.
Nalaman ko rin na walang pinagkaiba ang tunog-lata nating drums sa church, sa drums ng United. At ang nangangalawang nating guitara at bass, sa gitara ni Joel Houston… hehehehe… Diyos Siyang tapat na hindi tumitingin sa mga bagay na ito. 
I keep telling you this: it is not about the song we sing, it is not about the band… it’s about JESUS! Kaya hindi dapat manghinayang kung hindi ka nakapunta sa concert. Gusto ko nga ‘yung idea nila na pinapatay ang ilaw sa stage. Sana ganun nalang sa buong concert nila.. hehe.. Para hindi na makita ng tao kung sino ang kumakanta. Kung minsan kasi nagiging celebrity na ang mga taga-hillsong. Hindi natin namamalayan, sila na pala ang sinasamba natin. (Alam ko naman na hindi gusto ng Hillsong team na mangyari iyon.) Katulad ng sinabi ni Pablo sa mga taga-Corinto na nagkakaroon ng alitan dahil sila’y tumitingin sa tao,
“Sapagkat, sino si Apolos? At sino si Pablo? Kami’y mga lingkod lamang ng Diyos na kinasangkapan niya upang akayin kayo sa pananalig kay Kristo… Hindi ang nagtanim o nagdilig ang mahalaga kundi ang DIYOS na siyang nagpatubo at nagpalago.” (2 Cor.3:5, 7)
Kaya kang abutin ng Diyos saan ka man naroroon. Pwede mong maranasan ang kapangyarihan Niya kahit sa mga oras na ‘to…habang binabasa mo ang sulat ko… Huwag ka nang tumingin sa tao, ang PANGINOON lang ang tignan mo… I pray that the SPIRIT of the LORD come upon you!!!!
Last questions would be: can we offer more than a song to JESUS? more than the instruments we play? more than we have… as our response to HIS great love.
wHoOOOoOOO!!!!
aStig!!!
cOnCert oF thE yEAr fOr all oF the cHristianS hEre in pinAs!!!
HILLSONG UNITED ROCKS!!!!
bwaha! oo! astiiig talaga si LORD!!!
yeaah! Jesus rocks!!
waw Hillsong. astig talaga yan
wow buti kapa!!ako gusto ko talaga silang makita!!pero wait lanG!may sonicflood pa sa june 14!!dun ako babawi!
waaaaH! tapos na ang concert! amf! gusto ko talaga pumunta jan! hillsong eh! amf!
sayang di ako nakapunta sa concert! di ako nakapag-ipon! (maraming salamat sa pag-aala-joel houston nung friday) sulit din yung naging experience namin sa CH08… para ka na ring nagpunta sa hillsong for three days!
naku. nabasa ko ‘to ngayon lang. dahil hindi ako nagbabasa! haha.
anyway, salamat sa entry mo dahil nagsisilbi s’yang eye-opener sa lahat.
oo nga pala, di ko nasabi sa’yo na yung church namin, dinidiscourage ang CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) e.g. Hillsong’s dahil nga minsan eh nawawala kay Lord yung focus ng worship. so we stick to the hymns.
masaya akong tumutugtog at kumakanta ng hymns. pero yung mga ka-YP ko, parang wala. ayun.
sana lang yung Christian youth ngayon eh hindi mawala yung essence nung pagworship nila kay Lord. our hearts must be in tune with the Lord, ika nga.
i want to hear more from you.
i’ll pray that we’ll grow more spiritually.
God bless you.
–
Hakhak
ayhetyu, asar, d aq nkapunta jan eh, wla qng pambili ng tiket
hakhak
eniwys, ppunta den d2 ung SONICFLOOD, kaso nga lng, may bayad den kya d rin aq makakapunta
I’m not a Christian, but there is no reason for us to hate each other, right? Hakhak.
I love Christian Music.
elyens lab tanderstorms
XXXxx
Amen to this.
This is exactly what my youth pastor and I talked about after the concert.
waaahhh!! super inggit! hindi ako nakapanood ng hillsong.. but my friends went there.. eni, i’m not a born again christian.. i love christian songs! uber.. kasi i’m a singles for christ member.. sana makapunta ko sa sonicflood!!! hehe! Godbless us all!!
i also wanted to go to this concert! but you’re sooo right! anywhere can be the right place for GOD and anytime can be the right time for Him. it doesn’t matter who you’re with. hindi ako nakapunta sa concert na ‘to dahil sa isang napakaganda rin namang event para sa mga youth sa malabon at navotas. there was this “Arise and Shine for Jesus Evangelical Concert” sa malabon. asteehg! wOw! our youth music team was (is actually
) so honored that GOD used us for that event! He was telling us that night that we need to rise up and shine for Him! (shivers…) i always remember what the pastor said, “it’s no longer the time to fool around.” please help me in praying that our church would soon (very soon sana) realize and accept God’s instructions (another term – blessings).