In the light of many of the post concerning self-worship as opposed to God worship over the past days, I thought you guys might be interested in checking out this video from Sermon Spice.
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/592/its-all-about-me/
Let me know what you think? :)
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Worship is in the Air!
Two of my favorite people are blogging on my favorite theme. Do yourself a favor and take some time to read and comment on both of these excellent posts:
Kenya says: "God doesn’t need us…………His glory does not revolve around us…….WE are the ones that need God."
http://kenyablack.wordpress.com/
Julie says: "God is WORTHY of our respect. He is WORTHY of our time. He is WORTHY of our adoration. He is WORTHY of our reverence. He is WORTHY of our lives…and He is WORTHY of our worship!"
http://julieblack.wordpress.com/
Kenya says: "God doesn’t need us…………His glory does not revolve around us…….WE are the ones that need God."
http://kenyablack.wordpress.com/
Julie says: "God is WORTHY of our respect. He is WORTHY of our time. He is WORTHY of our adoration. He is WORTHY of our reverence. He is WORTHY of our lives…and He is WORTHY of our worship!"
http://julieblack.wordpress.com/
Saturday, February 17, 2007
How Do I Love Me?
I ran across another blog by a man named Bob Kauflin called WorshipMatters. He has a post called How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways where he discusses the pervasive attitude in our culture of self-love and sheds insight as to how the Gospel frees us from the lies associated with it.
In the post he states:
"self-love is rooted in at least two lies. The first is the lie that no one can love me better than me...A second falsehood is the belief that no one is more worthy of love than me."
He later concludes that:
"Every time we gather to worship God is one more opportunity to confront the idol of self-love. We should proclaim that we exist to love God as our duty and delight. "
Here are my thoughts on what he has written: I really like the idea that worship is more than a proclamation of God's glory...but a declaration of my complete dependence and utter "nothingness" in comparison. Worship is the place where I not only "confront", but deliberately tear down the alter to "self" in exchange for something of uncomparable delight and value: the worship of the one and only true God!
In the post he states:
"self-love is rooted in at least two lies. The first is the lie that no one can love me better than me...A second falsehood is the belief that no one is more worthy of love than me."
He later concludes that:
"Every time we gather to worship God is one more opportunity to confront the idol of self-love. We should proclaim that we exist to love God as our duty and delight. "
Here are my thoughts on what he has written: I really like the idea that worship is more than a proclamation of God's glory...but a declaration of my complete dependence and utter "nothingness" in comparison. Worship is the place where I not only "confront", but deliberately tear down the alter to "self" in exchange for something of uncomparable delight and value: the worship of the one and only true God!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Worshiper or Critic?
Have you ever left a worship service, evaluating "how good it was" or stating the opposite? Would it surprise you to know that as worshipers the role of "worship service critic" was one that the Lord never left open for us? Why? Because worship is not for us. It is for Him! I am ashamed to say that there have been times when I have fallen prey to slipping into a critiquing mode, not from the pew but from the platform while I was leading worship. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
In Romans the Bible tells us that OUR LIVES ARE THE SACRIFICE! In the OT the sacrifice was laid on the altar and consumed by the fire as an offering to honor God. The sacrifice was totally used up for God's glory and for His honor! How much more meaningful the worship service would be, if before I played the first note or sang the first word, I started by asking a simple question of the Lord; not, "Lord, what do you think of this service?" but, "Lord, is my life, that I lay before you in sacrifice this morning, something that honors you?"
In Romans the Bible tells us that OUR LIVES ARE THE SACRIFICE! In the OT the sacrifice was laid on the altar and consumed by the fire as an offering to honor God. The sacrifice was totally used up for God's glory and for His honor! How much more meaningful the worship service would be, if before I played the first note or sang the first word, I started by asking a simple question of the Lord; not, "Lord, what do you think of this service?" but, "Lord, is my life, that I lay before you in sacrifice this morning, something that honors you?"
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Bringing others to Worship
You know our desire should be to bring others to worship in more than a metaphorical sense. I’m talking literally. It is like pulling teeth to convince someone of their need to overcome their fear and begin witnessing...but how easy is it to just simply invite someone to church? I had a great idea this morning. How would it be if in our affluent nation, every Christian who drives, would with God’s help purchase a 15 passenger van and submit himself/herself in accountability to others (who also have their 15 passenger vans) to fill them up with people that they know who are unchurched, in order to bring them to worship. Let’s bring it down a notch, what if every person in your church with a drivers license, did this?
Every chauffeur would be exposing people to the Gospel, building community, and using their time and resources every week in an active ministry. They would be making disciples of those who routinely ride with them by encouraging them to purchase their own van and to do the same thing, as their lives begin to show signs of a commitment to Christ and spiritual fruit. IT’S THE CELL CHURCH MODEL ON WHEELS!!!
I know that in reality the 80/20 rule would play into this, but what a difference it would make if the twenty percent of those in the congregation doing the work (aside from the paid clergy) committed to doing this?
You might be saying Buddy I am in no position to purchase a 15 passenger van. I understand that. So then for your sake, let me ask you to consider a little different tack. How many spaces for passengers do you have among all of the cars in your driveway if every one of the licensed drivers in your family drove a separate vehicle to church, instead of riding together? What if you started by committing not to allow one of those seats to remain empty on Sunday morning? I know in my family between our Yukon and Infinity we have twelve seats available, for our family of five. Cherie of course is picking up others every week, but I need to get busy filling up my vehicle so that corporately we can make up for those other seven spaces. How great it would be if the Christian community embraced this and we actually got to the place where we were embarrassed before the Lord to pull our vehicles into the church parking lot with the passenger seats empty!
Cherie told me this morning, that my idea reminded her of one of those sects where none of the ladies have "bangs cut in their hair", but I think she was venting, probably because I woke her up (way to early) to share with her this great revelation! :) What do you think?
Every chauffeur would be exposing people to the Gospel, building community, and using their time and resources every week in an active ministry. They would be making disciples of those who routinely ride with them by encouraging them to purchase their own van and to do the same thing, as their lives begin to show signs of a commitment to Christ and spiritual fruit. IT’S THE CELL CHURCH MODEL ON WHEELS!!!
I know that in reality the 80/20 rule would play into this, but what a difference it would make if the twenty percent of those in the congregation doing the work (aside from the paid clergy) committed to doing this?
You might be saying Buddy I am in no position to purchase a 15 passenger van. I understand that. So then for your sake, let me ask you to consider a little different tack. How many spaces for passengers do you have among all of the cars in your driveway if every one of the licensed drivers in your family drove a separate vehicle to church, instead of riding together? What if you started by committing not to allow one of those seats to remain empty on Sunday morning? I know in my family between our Yukon and Infinity we have twelve seats available, for our family of five. Cherie of course is picking up others every week, but I need to get busy filling up my vehicle so that corporately we can make up for those other seven spaces. How great it would be if the Christian community embraced this and we actually got to the place where we were embarrassed before the Lord to pull our vehicles into the church parking lot with the passenger seats empty!
Cherie told me this morning, that my idea reminded her of one of those sects where none of the ladies have "bangs cut in their hair", but I think she was venting, probably because I woke her up (way to early) to share with her this great revelation! :) What do you think?
Friday, February 9, 2007
The Greatest Act of Worship
My desire on this site, and on the larger platform of my life, is to inspire others to come to a place of deeper worship. It could be said that worship is simply the act of proclaiming who God is. When I sing my songs in church and I raise my voice, this is not only vertical communication of me lifting my voice to God, but also a horizontal act of me making His revelation known to others around me; proclaiming to them His wonders, His goodness, His grace, His love and His incredible mercy. I just finished reading my friend, Kenya’s, blog and am deeply touched:
http://kenyablack.wordpress.com/2007/02/09/anna-nicole-smith/
I am reminded that the greatest act of worship to our God, that we can involve ourselves in, takes place outside of the walls of our churches.
The moon and every star that we see in the sky on a clear night, is a proclamation that God has made of Himself. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Pslam 19:1. God since creation past has been glorified as His works are made known in the darkness of night. The thing that Kenya has called me to remember is that the work of evangelizing those that are walking in darkness, is the most significant act of worship that we can involve ourselves in. How honoring is it to our God when we proclaim His light and His glory in the darkness of the world of the people we encounter everyday. I believe that when we help someone to see His light and to glorify Him, it is better than a million choruses of praise!
http://kenyablack.wordpress.com/2007/02/09/anna-nicole-smith/
I am reminded that the greatest act of worship to our God, that we can involve ourselves in, takes place outside of the walls of our churches.
The moon and every star that we see in the sky on a clear night, is a proclamation that God has made of Himself. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Pslam 19:1. God since creation past has been glorified as His works are made known in the darkness of night. The thing that Kenya has called me to remember is that the work of evangelizing those that are walking in darkness, is the most significant act of worship that we can involve ourselves in. How honoring is it to our God when we proclaim His light and His glory in the darkness of the world of the people we encounter everyday. I believe that when we help someone to see His light and to glorify Him, it is better than a million choruses of praise!
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Desiring God
A few weeks ago I purchased John Piper's "Desiring God". I have to say that I have found this to be one of the most spiritually provocative books that I have waded through in a long time. I am captivated by the third chapter on worship. It is like taking a drink from a firehose.
"All of the works of God culminate in the praises of His redeemed people. The climax of His happiness is the delight He takes in the echoes of His excellence in the praises of the saints. This praise is the consummation of our own joy in God. Therefore, God's pursuit of praise from us and our pursuit of pleasure in Him are the same pursuit. This is the great gospel!"
John Piper Desiring God
"All of the works of God culminate in the praises of His redeemed people. The climax of His happiness is the delight He takes in the echoes of His excellence in the praises of the saints. This praise is the consummation of our own joy in God. Therefore, God's pursuit of praise from us and our pursuit of pleasure in Him are the same pursuit. This is the great gospel!"
John Piper Desiring God
Monday, February 5, 2007
Will God stir our hearts?
http://kennethblack.wordpress.com/2007/01/01/part-1-a-question/
How could the church ever expect that God would stir the world’s hearts outside of the church walls, when we don’t allow Him to stir our hearts while we’re within them?
How could the church ever expect that God would stir the world’s hearts outside of the church walls, when we don’t allow Him to stir our hearts while we’re within them?
Sunday, February 4, 2007
The "Who" and the "How"
A quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will come out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming."
A group of us went to the Chris Tomlin concert (with Matt Redman and Louie Giglio) last Friday in Dallas . I felt so elated to be in a place with several thousands of others, just worshiping God with complete fervency and abandon. I thought of this quote from Emerson and thought about that experience.
I am convinced that we are transformed not only by what we worship, but also how we worship. I walked out of that theater on Friday more resolved than ever to hunger for and to cultivate a reckless abandon for God and His glory. I'm not just talking about the 20 minute set on Sunday morning, but the longing that I have that my devotion to the Lord would so dominate my imagination and thoughts that it would transform my life, character and identity into something that is pleasing to Him. I believe that is how a praise and worship set should always effect the participants. May I ever be so careful of who and how I worship!
"A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will come out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming."
A group of us went to the Chris Tomlin concert (with Matt Redman and Louie Giglio) last Friday in Dallas . I felt so elated to be in a place with several thousands of others, just worshiping God with complete fervency and abandon. I thought of this quote from Emerson and thought about that experience.
I am convinced that we are transformed not only by what we worship, but also how we worship. I walked out of that theater on Friday more resolved than ever to hunger for and to cultivate a reckless abandon for God and His glory. I'm not just talking about the 20 minute set on Sunday morning, but the longing that I have that my devotion to the Lord would so dominate my imagination and thoughts that it would transform my life, character and identity into something that is pleasing to Him. I believe that is how a praise and worship set should always effect the participants. May I ever be so careful of who and how I worship!
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