Worship in Truth

Made for More

2011-12-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

New Song
-Archie

Pace your Face, take a love day

2011-11-28T20:54:00.001-08:00

Sabbath, rest, hanging out, relaxing, kicking back, or my personal favorite, bustin a chill.
All things we might use to describe a day of Sabbath. I want to look at our personal motivation for a day of rest.

I think a lot of people genuinely work hard and feel like they are "owed" a day to relax. Considering we cant earn salvation through works, I'm going to say we can't possibly be "owed" much. All these diversions aside, do you ever think about why God gave us the Sabbath? I know i do.

Was it to spend time with love ones? Was it to recover from our labor? Was it to have something to rush toward every week, and pass up 6/7 of our lives? (or 1-7/7 depending on your work ethic and how much you long for the weekend)

What i do know is Jesus said that the Sabbath was created for man, and not man created for the Sabbath. So i shouldn't place busting a chill on the top of most exciting things to do this week? I think we can be quick to put rest on a pedestal, and then if something gets in the way we get grumpy or cranky. I know this has happened to me before.

So what does God intend the Sabbath for?
"But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, "You shall surely observe My Sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you."" - Exodus 31:13

Here is God speaking to Moses, giving him the Ten Commandments. What i gather from this EPIC verse 13 is this: The Sabbath belongs to God, it is a sign of our relationship, and it is to remember Him, that He is God and He alone cleanses us of sin.

What does this mean for our worship?
Like usual the questions about Sabbath i ask first are all "me" questions. We can be so focused on ourselves. Here God has made it obvious that Sabbath is all about Him. All the me questions melt away in the fire of God's passion for us. When you think about how He gave us the Sabbath to remember Him. I am going to go so far as call the Sabbath a day of romance with God. Like escaping with a lover, or a honeymoon. But we get to have it with God every week! When we think about it in this context the questions about "what should we do on the Sabbath?" also disappear.
And all that remains, is intimate worship.

Crazy Faith of Abram, Bilbo Baggins

2011-08-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

Do you ever desire to have a crazy faith? We know that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. Chew on Abram's faith with me, and his desire to say "YES" to God's plan for his life.

"Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that i will show you. And i will make of you a great nation, and i will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you i will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran."
-Genesis 12:1-4

Whoah, so much there to dig into. First God told Abram to leave everything he has ever known, and he said what? Time to pack. I don't know about you but if God gives me such a huge thing, like leave everything you have known for the last 75 years and go to this place you have never been. I don't know that my first response would be, "sounds fun, lets roll."But Abram had the faith in God's promise, and didn't even question him, there is a great example later on in Sodom and Gomorrah where Abram barters with God about saving people from the sin infested land. Yet in this call, Abram just responds with im going to put my feat on the road. It reminds me of what Bilbo Baggins says to Frodo his nephew when he leaves for Rivendale in "The Fellowship of The Ring."

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

Abram heard God's promise, and he trusted that God would Keep his feet, he understood shepherding.

What does this mean for our worship?
I believe any heart that is ready to say "YES" to anything God speaks to you, is a heart devoted to worship. In worship we submit our own desires, our wants, and we give them to God. Don't get me wrong we know that He wants to give us the desires of our hearts (they pure ones.) But our attitudes should be like Abram, a willingness to give it all up for the Lord. He paid the price for our sin, a high price, His own son Jesus. Anything we think is hard to give up compared to that is... puny, insignificant, and kind of arrogant. So let us forge forward with an attitude of "Yes Lord," seeking with a readiness to worship Him with all of our hearts, and a willingness to give up everything we have ever known. He WANTS to bless us, so let Him, obey his call. Amen.

Summer Days

2011-06-01T16:29:00.001-07:00

An original composition, I love you more than summer days, and i love summer days. The idea first reminds you of a love song between two people, the reveals that it is about our relationship with Christ as His bride. Some only love him "some summer days" aka when things are easy and good. But we need to love Him more than some days, some summer days, we need to love Him every day.

Father & Son, Archie & Azariah

2011-03-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

Azariah and his v-log debut, shows the world that he can hiccup. Even better he is living proof of God's love for us, and teaches us so much about our relationship with God the Father. Nothing can separate us from His love, and nothing we do can make Him love us less. Watch and enjoy, and rest in His arms.

Sing to my boy and he sleeps

2011-03-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

So on March 1st 2011 i became a dad. Azariah my son was born. Look up the name and references in the old testament if you wish, the best one is in the book of Daniel.

We learned quickly that Azariah, as all babies do will cry. When he cries and is inconsolable the only thing that will calm him down is if my wife or i sing to him. There is only one song that always works, so watch this video. If it doesn't make you cry it might stop your crying. I think you would call it a lullaby.

What does this mean for our worship?
I know that God tells us to rest in Him. I think a lullaby is a means of rest, and calm. Find that quiet place deep down, where you are vulnerable and let God in. He wants it all...

Isaac, Abraham and an Offering of Worship

2011-03-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

Our church is doing a Lenten read through of the story of salvation. Today is Genesis 22, and God has so much to teach us from this book and chapter.

"Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked together." -Genesis 22:7-8

Now you all know the story of Abraham and Isaac, and how Abraham was willing to offer up His only son to God. He trusted and surrendered Isaac as an act of worship and obedience. Before i get into that, can you imagine if we did as Abraham did? Trust, surrender, worship and obey God when our only son is on the line. Now i know everyone reading might not be a parent, i have just recently become one two weeks ago. This makes Isaac more real to me, i cant imagine God asking for my son Azariah. I can only pray that i respond like Abraham, now i know he will love God and i have seen in dreams that God has great things in store for him.

Back to Abraham and Isaac, take a deep breath read, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." and close your eyes.
Do you see Jesus? Think about it, "God will provide for Himself the lamb." I see Jesus, think about his lineage Jesus came from Abraham and Isaac and God provided him. The lamb. Like Abraham Jesus was obedient and offered the sacrifice to God. The obvious difference is Jesus is more like Isaac than Abraham, he is the sacrifice to be placed on the alter, to save mankind from their sins. He trusted His Father, and in both examples through Isaac and Jesus God gave life more abundantly.

Read the promise in Genesis 22:17.

What does this mean for our worship?
What do we give up for worship? Our first born? Not usually, usually its our pride, our concern about what the people next to us will think. It can be acknowledging that we were wrong before God, it can be admitting we are sinners. Our sacrifice is usually inward, and our hearts have to give up in His presence. So next time you worship God, be glad it only costs you your heart, devotion, love, attention, obedience, admiration, praise, and not your first born. Because that price has been paid in full by a merciful God and for that we worship Him.

Before the Throne

2011-02-28T06:50:00.000-08:00

He Wants it ALL!

2011-02-10T10:35:00.000-08:00

Here is a song by Foever Jones, performed by myself.

What does this mean for our worship?
It is about giving God everything, every last piece of our hearts. Sometimes we try to hold on to our old lives, our idols, and they drag us down. If we confess them to God and repent, we will know true freedom from sin, and intimacy with God.

Leviticus 19:4
“Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God."

Should Worship be Comfortable?

2011-02-02T23:29:00.000-08:00

Lately i have been pondering our comfort levels in worship times. In general people like to be comfortable and feel welcome, when i read comfort in the bible it seems to take on a different form or meaning. But before we go there, here is some comic relief...

I don’t recall God ever saying, “repent and be comfortable!” or “Blessed are the comfortable, for they have squishy seats.” How about, “A day is coming when the True worshipers will worship me in snuggies while drinking hot coffee (2 sugars and 1 cream, with a dash of cinnamon).”

Now His Word says,

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 119:50
This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me.

Luke 6:24
"But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.

Acts 9:31
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

What does this mean for our Worship?
Do you get the feeling that comfort happens as a response, not as a goal of it self. We can seek comfort at all times, which is why awkward comedy is funny in our culture. Without great affliction, without persecution, without fear, without sufferings, we still seek comfort. We should be careful to aim for comfort, look at what is attached to it in those scriptures. Sometimes we worship comfort, without even realizing it, it just feels good.
We need to instead seek the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit will give you peace, but don’t mistake the aim of your affection from Spirit to comfort (small c.)

I know it can be difficult for us to participate when we are uncomfortable. I know it can be very hard for me to get out of my comfort zone, and even harder to want to be uncomfortable. The thing im trying to convey is that discomfort, is about us. Worship is about God, and when we surrender there is usually a barrier holding us back. Our voice saying, it would be easier not to sing, easier not to subject my heart to the refiners fire. Not many of us desire the discomfort of letting God refine us, but it is for our good, and we all want the end result of being refined. Purity and Holiness, after God has tried us through the fire and cleansed us of unrighteousness.

Malachi 3:3
"He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.

Comments of comfort or dis?

Chords of Worship

2011-01-25T06:33:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about our process of coming into God's Holy presence. He has given me this musical format idea to help lead others and teach about worship.

Asus - Attention

Turning our eyes to God and off our agendas, looking to Him and remembering who He is. Not forgetting our worries or wounds, instead bringing them to Him.

Bb maj - Barriers

Letting our walls down, to let God in. Like Joshua lay siege to those walls of Jericho in our hearts, let them tumble down. This takes effort and attention, let your hearts be softened in His sight.

C2 - Cease self

Halt our expectations of worship, asking God to create a new song in us. To quiet our voice in our own heads, and let Him speak to us. At this point the songs melt away and its about our quiet hearts, before a Holy God.

D/F# - Dive

Surrender, down on our faces in His presence. To dive to our knees, willing to subject ourselves to His love, mercy, and grace.

Edim - Exposed

Intimacy, as Hebrews 4:13 says, "Open and laid bare." God sees all and we allow ourselves to be vulnerable before the throne.

F #min7 - Found

When we are with God we are found, He finds us, He rejoices when one of the sheep is found, even though ninety nine were already with him. We see his perspective, we experience the Fathers joy, and pleasure, we are completely satisfied in His presence.

G maj - Go Go Gospel

We go and take God with us, the Gospel is alive in us. The spirit guides us, and we keep Him with us in our attitudes, he drives our actions. We continue in His presence, as He is in us, and we overflow into all those we encounter.

This is a short explanation for each point, it could be further expanded and each chord looked at like a triad, with three points. Or is that to music nerd-ish?

May the God of peace bless you, and make His face to shine upon you.

How He Loves Us

2011-01-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

Your Love is Extravagant

2011-01-13T10:29:00.000-08:00

Emmanuel God with Us?

2010-12-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel," which translated means, "God with us." -Matthew 1:23

Did you ever think about what it means for God to be with us? The one who mixed the stars with His fingers, who called light into shining. The God who with a word separated the oceans from the land. This God comes to earth, and He doesn't ride down on a falling star, He is born. Its hard to think about, i think because it seems so vast and bigger than anything we see in our daily lives. (little tangent.)

Anyway, this God wants us to call Him "God with us." Take a second and think, how do you respond to a God that wants to be with you? Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine God with you.

We know how the world responded to Jesus or Emmanuel when He was born.
Take your pick, no room at the inn, or Herod killing all the baby boys under two years old. Not a very welcoming environment for the Creator of all. It's almost like the world is saying, "God go away, we don't want you, we don't need you, leave us alone, or we will kill you!"

How arrogant does that sound? Why would we react this way to a Holy God?
I think it has to do with the fall in the garden, and our sin that separates us from God. We get used to being separated from Him, then when He shows up its kinda awkward.
Ever see someone when you were on bad terms, or you make that eye contact from a far. We try to avoid that don't we, because its awkward.

What does that mean for our worship, this Christmas?
God came to us, to bring us back to Him, and to conquer death! Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies, He didn't come just to save us, He came to take back all that belongs to Him. We like to think His only purpose was to save us, but God was writing the end of the story. When Jesus conquers death at Easter, all of creation and the keys of death are His. Those keys he uses to unlock our hearts, He send the spirit to be with us, and gives us HOPE.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
And i heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold the tabernacle of God is among men, and He weill dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death, there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain, the first things have passed away."
-Revelation 21:1-3

Hope, Hope is born

Our God is a Jealous God

2010-12-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

Today i wanted to look at God's Jealousy, and why its important to us as Christians, and in our worship of a Holy God.

"They made Him jealous with strange gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger.
They sacrificed to demons who were not God,
To gods whom they have not known,
New gods who came lately,
Whom your fathers did not dread.
You neglected the Rock who begot you,
And forgot the God who gave you birth."
-Deuteronomy 32:16-18

I think the first impression we have is,
"how can God be jealous, he has emotions like this?"
It can be hard to understand God having negative emotions, after all He is perfect. Yet He gets angry, jealous, and wrathful.
Imagine this with me, you are a parent of a teenager (big imagination i know.) One day your kid comes home from school and doesn't talk to you, which could be normal. Then over time still no contact with you, no words shared no eye contact, nothing. One day they bring home someone claiming to be their parent, which you know is false. Your kid has taken this other person as a parent, neglecting who gave them birth, cared and provided for them and loves them unconditionally. The worst part is this "new parent" is someone they just met, and no matter how "nice" they are, its false, you are the parent. Doesn't something boil inside of us?
I wonder if this is how God feels when he is jealous?

What does this mean for our Worship?
When we look to idols God is jealous, and we all know our own idols well. But i would go one step further, even when we aren't focused on our idols, are we avoiding God?
Funny thing about jealousy is, it doesn't matter where someone is spending their time, if its not with you. Just like young lovers calling and texting constantly, God wants our attention, affection, and obsession. Can you imagine if the only thing people said about you was,
"he/she is obsessed with God, always talking about Him, Praying, Worshiping Him with his/her attitude."
I think God wouldn't be jealous if we were obsessed with Him.

I think our Worship has a lot to do with Obsession

Psalm 46

2010-03-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

Georgia day 4

2010-03-11T21:51:00.000-08:00

Georgia Day 3, now come on

2010-03-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

Georgia Day 2, ya hear

2010-03-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

Georgia Day 1

2010-03-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

Not sure about Worship

2010-02-10T08:36:00.000-08:00

"Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally."
-Matthew 28:16-17

To get an idea where this is, this is at the end of the book of Matthew, right after Jesus rose from the dead. These are the eleven disciples, that were with Jesus during the gospel, his ministry, these are the guys who saw all his miracles. They heard all his teaching breathed the same air, walked in his footprints. If anyone should have known he was God in flesh it was them.
Just to clarify Jesus did just rise from the dead, a culminating victory. I would expect that any lingering doubts would be dissipated at this point. So we are left with eleven guys who know Jesus is God. What do they do when they see him for the first time since the cross? Worship him, well most of them do. The bible says some "held back." Remember who these guys are, what they have seen, what they know. Yet some held back from worshiping him, Jesus. Afraid to risk themselves totally.

What does this mean for our worship?
We have all heard people say "If only, i could see him, touch him, experience a miracle, hear his voice, then i would know he is real, and i could worship him, Jesus, God. This is an excuse we use to distance our selves from God. The disciples for crying out loud "held back," and the bible tells us their motivation, their risk.
They knew it was all or nothing, either worship Jesus who they know is God and give your entire life to him. Or they could hold back, restrain themselves, keep it repressed in their hearts. The risk is too big, in this sacred moment they clung to themselves instead of the cross.

How much do we hold back? What is it we keep from God, that keeps us from fully worshiping him. Excuses aren't important, repentance is, cleansing and healing, selflessness.
Worship is not always easy, because the risk is so big, the obstacle, the divide. But the reward is life, Jesus, the truth, and victory. In our surrender, sacrifice of our selfishness, is victory in our hearts. We tend to think of surrender as loss, failure, in this case it is Victory.

The Initiative to serve others

2010-01-12T07:14:00.000-08:00

"Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them." -Matthew 7:12 (Message)

I did research project a few months ago on, "How to determine those who take initiative in an interview." There were a few companies who have some interesting methods. An example would be the interviewer would be let into the room he was to be interviewed in and find that there are no chairs. The interviewer would then say something like, "Ohh they were cleaning the carpet i think the chairs are in the room next to us." Weather or not this person was hired depended on how they respond to the situation. If they said something like, "well let me go grab two chairs." They were probably in, if they let the interviewer go and get them, they were out.

All this is interesting but how does it relate to scripture? Well the interview-e would have gotten the job every time if they took the attitude Jesus is speaking of here. "What would i want for myself? That's what i need to do for others." We have an easy time knowing what we would like for ourselves. It would for example be nice not to have to open a door for yourself, even more so if the handle is cold in this winter weather. The barrier we run into is thinking of others, then taking the initiative to DO for them. This takes a little courage and boldness. I have found a smile always makes it easier.

What does this mean for our worship?
Jesus is calling us to do for him the things we would want ourselves. I think we would all like to be told by someone every day that we are loved. I think we would all like for others to speak highly of us.
One way to explain worship is as an attitude. To have an attitude of worship would mean maintaining a sensitivity to God's presence carrying yourself with an outlook that gives first to others, and takes initiative for them. Thinking of your wants last, a giving personality, not handing "things" to others, but kind words, encouragement, spreading God's presence. Share Joy. I will share joy with others because i love when people share their joy with me. The wonderful thing about joy is it never runs out when you share it, it multiplies.

Jesus' Birth in Bethlehem

2009-12-10T08:02:00.000-08:00

"Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house of the family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth."
-Luke 2:1-6

Lets start slow and get the details right. Mary and Joseph had to return to their home town, engaged, with Mary ready to give birth at any moment. They were Jewish, and in Jewish law if a man is engaged to marry a woman and she becomes pregnant and the child is not his by law he is to leave her. The bible tells us before the angel came to Joseph and told him this was the Son of God, he was going to leave her quietly because he was a righteous man. All of this is to show you the gravity of the cultural pressure on this renown couple. Why would God choose this circumstance to bring Jesus, to redeem the world?

What does this mean for our Worship?
The greatly revered couple, the earthly parents of Jesus were placed in a very uncomfortable situation, by God himself. Not to mention that there was also no place for them to stay, for a woman to give birth (no room for God in this world). Sounds like they were taken as outcasts to me. Perhaps the innkeeper saw them and said, "we don't have room for "you"."
Is God trying to tell us something? I believe so. I think he is saying, "I want your worship through comfort and discomfort." How hard is it to worship God in the moment you feel awkward, or when someone is trying to bring you down. When someone is spreading negativity, and you feel your joy being drained by them, or you just don't feel God's presence.

These moments are the hard to worship God in. God is unchanging, and longs for our worship at all times, it is the least we have to offer for someone who loves us so much he sent Jesus to save our immortal souls. This year when you celebrate Christmas, think about how comfortable or uncomfortable. Then in that moment worship God regardless. Regardless of how you feel, what you see, what you have gone through, where you are. After all look where Jesus was born. Enter Emmanuel "God with Us."

Call Him by name

2009-12-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

El, Elohim, ElShaddai, Adoni, Jehovah, JEHOVAH-JIREH, JEHOVAH-ROPHE, JEHOVAH-NISSI, JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH, JEHOVAH-SHALOM, JEHOVAH ELOHIM, JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU, JEHOVAH-ROHI, JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH, JEHOVAH-SABAOTH. To name a few.

Check out this site to see more and what they mean.
http://ldolphin.org/Names.html

This week we will focus on Elohim. Here is what the above site has to say:
God (a plural noun, more than two, used with singular verbs); Elohim occurs 2,570 times in the OT, 32 times in Gen. 1. God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong. Eccl., Dan. Jonah use Elohim almost exclusively. See Gen. 17:7, 6:18, 9:15, 50:24; I Kings 8:23; Jer. 31:33; Isa. 40:1.

When simply put or summarized Elohim is usually said as "God most High."

What does this mean for our Worship?
Is God your Elohim, your Most High? Of all the things in your lift, what is at the top, the #1 most important, the most high? I might be easier to define if you think about your actions, because they speak our inner values. About what and where are your first thoughts when you wake up in the morning? Apart from work or school, running around and all the tasks of the day where is your mind during all this? Where is your heart?

Elohim wants to be the first in our hearts, or the highest. Carrying Him with you through out the day in your heart, does not have to be a obvious thing. It is an inward remembrance, just saying "you are with me", and taking God along for what ever you are doing. The truth is he is always there, but he delights in being acknowledged and put on the top of our priorities. After all we owe him at least this much, we are not our own, we were bought at a high price. God, Elohim, sent Jesus to save us from our sins, gave up his Son, part of himself to save us. As we approach the Holiday season, think of Elohim everywhere you go he is always with you.

The Name of God

2009-11-23T10:05:00.000-08:00

Do you know the Origin of calling God "Lord?" The Hebrews were so concerned with the Holiness of God's name, as a precaution they called him Lord. The Hebrews did not want to even take a chance of accidentally taking his name in vain. This was a decision made out of reverence, and follows this way throughout scripture. The Hebrews are cited with this attitude, "Our lips are not worthy to speak The Name."

What does this mean for our worship?
In a shift to consider God in a more personal way people have lost reverence, and a grip on holiness. Our Lord is the creator of the universe, the mastermind of all we encounter with our senses, he is Good and Holy. Holy so much that people used to believe they were not fit to use his name freely. God wants a personal relationship with us yes, but he also is God, not some friendly force we can talk to. He is Lord of all, the Bible tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord! Basically you will fall to your knees or be forced.
This is not intended to be harsh, just to bring up this though in our heads: What does God think of how we use his name?

In your worship of a Lord with a precious name, say what pleases him. After all a dynamic of worship is selflessness looking to do everything you can that is pleasing to our Lord God Eternal.

Sabath and work

2009-11-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

"You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. Six days you are to do work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor." -Exodus 23:10-12

Can you imagine what our society would look like if everyone followed this commandment? just imagine, because if this ever happened you better believe the world would be changed. An important thing to note is this, you only leave the field you don't harvest and give it away to the needy. There is something good for the soul of man when he works to earn his way, not having it just given to him.

Note how it is six year you work, and on the seventh rest. Six days and on the seventh rest. God has designed us to handle six days, then recover, six years then recover. Our culture would have us work 67 years then rest.

This can be taken in two directions for different people. Personally i am good at resting, an expert actually. So for me i need to focus on working for six days then resting. For many others you might have trouble stopping, from work to running the kids around you just go go go. There are different ways we keep ourselves busy. To you i recommend this: when i started my MBA a professor told me i should make a "stop doing list." In order to keep yourself rested and balanced, happy and successful. It is just this, when you start something new, you stop doing something else, or limit how much time spent on something else, maybe cut that time in half.

Another thing to note, is not all work is a job. For all you stay at home parents you are working full time, don't let society fool you, keep up some of the hardest and most important work there is, our future.

What does this mean for our worship?
Part of worship is our attitude. If we are balanced in our schedules, well rested, and focused how do you anticipate that will affect our worship of the most high God?

Cold and Darkness are only absences, and do not exist of themselves.

2009-10-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

Copy this link and post it in your browser, to watch a short 1 min video.
The video is about a student telling his atheist professor the truth.

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=77647fc3ce406950d943
This is a great explanation for the existence of evil. The absence of good...
What do you think?

One Foundation Lasts

2009-10-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock." Matthew 7:24-25

We all know this verse, and we have heard it many times. When brought up it is usually to talk about building your house on the rock, to endure with God, which is true. A key part that is often passed over is this "and acts on them" which is the point Jesus is trying to make. The foundations is his analogy, but this is really a call to action.
James points this out "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only." The significance of this passage is Epic. Jesus is wrapping up the sermon on the mount, started in Matthew 5. His final parable is the two foundations, a call to action.

What does this mean for our worship?
It is one thing to have not heard the truth, to not know it in your heart, and be passive or lazy. It is another to know the truth, hear it, and do nothing. Jesus is challenging us to action, we have heard the truth now go and Do. I am not speaking of salvation through works, i am talking about action. You will know if people are Christians by their fruit. If i call myself a Christian i should have the fruits of the spirit. They should be obvious, you cannot hide good fruit, not flaunting, but recognizable. Our love needs to be obvious, visible to the world. Worship is an action, a decision. Someone who worships in spirit and in truth, exudes the fruits of the spirit naturally. That person is gentle.

Can you name the fruits of the spirit? Comment if you know them.

Depth of Dedication

2009-10-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

"Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt on them (E.s.v. says earth on their heads.) The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth the confessed and worshiped the Lord their God." -Nehemiah 9:1-3

First of all this is amazing that all of Israel gathered fasting, and dirty. Imagine Americans going to church dirty, none the less fasting. Next lets clarify a fourth of the day is six hours. So for six hours they read God's word, when was the last time we read God's word for a half hour? Then for another six hours they confessed their sins and worshiped God. That is depth of dedication.

What does this mean for our worship?

I'm not saying we need to get together dirty on Sunday and spend twelve hours in this fashion. But imagine what would happen to America if all the Christians spent a day like Israel did here. Imagine what would happen if just one church did this, can you visualize God moving? All this aside, we tend to lack in the depth of our dedication. We small times to God, which is good, yes, very good. But our lives and world would be changed if were had this kind of depth, an entire nation fasting and worshiping God, confessing their sins... You know God is listening. I encourage you to take a deep step, into dedication to God, out of his love and sacrifice for us. His step was deeper than any we can take. How great his depth of dedication.

Joyful Noise

2009-10-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous songs and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!"
-Psalm 98:5-6

So we are to make a joyful noise, i thought we were supposed to sing pretty. Funny isn't it, God wants a joyful noise from us so what do we do? We sing pretty, or try to that is. We have to get away from the idea that only good singers can worship God in a church service. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. You know the best part? God knows your voice, he knows how he made you, he is not worried about intonation or rhythm. He just wants your worship and praise.

This reminds me of the book of exodus, God tells Moses at the burning bush that he is to deliver Israel from Egypt, from pharaoh. Moses essentially tells God, don't you know i cant speak well, i stutter and fumble. God reply's, who do you think makes the blind, blind? Who makes the deaf, and the dumb? After this God tells to take Aaron his brother to speak for him. But Moses acknowledged that God made him this way, and for a reason. God wanted to work through Moses' weakness.

What does this mean f fo foo for our worship?
God knows how he made us, so don't worry about how you were made.
God will work through you just the way he made you. In the gospel Jesus heals a blind man, and the Pharisees ask him, "who sinned this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus said, "neither, he was born blind so that the glory of God may be revealed in him."
Wow, so no matter your vision, or your voice you are this way so that the glory of God may be revealed. Let us make a Joyful Noise!

The Cure for Anxiety

2009-09-23T10:49:00.001-07:00

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; not for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.” -Matthew 6:25-29,
“Do not worry then, saying, “what will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear for clothing?” For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” -Matthew 6:31-34

I don’t know about you, but I am prone to thinking about the future. Part of my personality is strategy so I am always running scenarios in my head. If I cannot find a best scenario, I start to feel like Jesus is telling me the above. “Don’t worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.” In attempting to plan sometimes we go overboard, and our nerves go with it. Our society has anxiety issues; Prozac and Zoloft sell more than gumdrops, and lollipops. How much of this could be healed if we had faith that God is watching our backs. The birds don’t plant anything to eat, they don’t really work at all, but God feeds them.
We sometimes lose sight of what we need, and Satan convinces us that everything we want is what we need. When our need becomes our want, we are more prone to worrying. Because it is difficult to acquire all we want, even assuming that those wants are healthy and realistic.

What this means for our worship.
To Worship God involves trusting him, knowing he will provide for us. The Jews would call him Jehovah-Jireh, the provider. If we know he will provide us with our needs, our anxiety dissipates. When Moses was on mount Sinai receiving the law, God sustained him for forty days and nights. Moses didn’t need to spend any time or thought on food or even sleep. God sustained him completely. Read the book of Exodus if that sounds interesting to you, it is a colorful majestic book.
All this to say we should not bring worry to worship, if anything we should let go of our anxiety and hold onto God’s presence.
We don’t want to let go of everything and be empty when we worship, we need that passion that desire and heart for God. Let go of distractions yes, hold on to the Good.

What makes you anxious? Are there any wants that have become needs in your mind? Do you bring worry to your worship of God?

Living Sacrafice

2009-09-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

“Therefore I urge you, 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.” –Romans 12:1 (NASV)

This verse has some serious implications on our lives as Christians. Not only is this a foreign idea to our culture, it requires a totally different way of living. In order for us to be considered a holy sacrifice and be acceptable by a Holy God we have to be the following things: Holy, which is set apart, sanctified, righteous in God’s eyes, without blemish, or defect.
Leviticus 6:6 says, “Then he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the Lord, a ram without defect from the flock.”
Leviticus 2:1 says, “Now when anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flower.”
Leviticus is full of these examples, without defect, fine or finest, choice of the flock/herd. We are supposed to live our lives in this way, a sacrifice Holy and acceptable to God. As the best of all our people, not to incite competition, instead that we should love God so much to worship him in this way.

What this means for our worship?
This is how we are supposed to live, as a sacrifice, which is our service of worship. We are supposed to live, present our bodies to God as Holy sacrifices, that is our service of worship, wow! Whichever way I say it, the weight of this verse remains. How does this affect what we eat, anything we put in our bodies, or on our bodies if our bodies are to be a living sacrifice to God? A sacrifice is given, the bible also says, “For I am not my own I was bought at a high price” (that price being Jesus the ultimate sacrifice.) For those things we put in our body or our minds, television, games, emotions or anything we put in our hearts. Those things should also be acceptable to God, if we are living a life of worship, as a sacrifice.
This in conjunction with our bodies being temples of the Holy Spirit makes us think twice about how we are living. Our decisions, how we spend our time, and what we do with our bodies. This is something I wrestle with, so I am preaching to the choir.

Recommended listening: “Everything Glorious” by David Crowder Band

Light of Man

2009-09-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

John 1:4-5 “In him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (or overpower) it.”

The first three verses of John talk about the Word being with God in the beginning and everything being made through him, the Word representing Jesus. I talked about this last week. What is incredible is the connection made here. Jesus is the word and in him is life, and the light. This is somewhat mysterious to our understanding. Yet there is power in this connection “the darkness did not comprehend (or overpower) it.” The darkness cannot comprehend or overpower the light. By calling upon the Word of God, we have life, and light is on our side.
The darkness cannot overcome the light think about it.
When was the last time you watched a sunrise, flipped on a light switch, or gazed at a star, which is an unconceivable distance away yet its light reaches us just the same. Darkness has got nothing on light. Darkness cannot withhold light, can’t overpower it, and can’t even slow it down.
There is a recent scientific study conducted that revealed human beings emit light. Through out the day the levels varied, peaking in the afternoon. The most focused place emitting light is our faces. The reminds me of Moses after being on the mountain with God receiving the law, and his face shone with light because of speaking with God. Now we know everyone emits light, Moses was just a little brighter than us.

What does this mean for our Worship?
If Jesus is the Word, the Life, and in him is Light, how bright should we be? Bible verses like these come to mind, “Let your light shine before all men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven.” If our faces emit light more than the rest of our bodies, is that because we speak out of them? Listen out of them; receive light into our eyes by them?
Here is a thought, instead of using the term light year to measure the distance light travels in one year. We could use it to measure how much darkness has been overcome by light in a given year. How many light years do you want to be a part of? With the Word of God, the Truth we can overcome the darkness.

Power, to the Word, in the Word, is the Word

2009-09-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from him nothing came into being that has come into being.” John 1:1-3

There is great power in the Word of God, what is often not mentioned when God’s powerful word is spoken of id this; as written in the book of John “the Word” is Jesus. If you replace “the Word” with Jesus in John 1:1-3 there is no denying the powerful implications. This is part of the mystery of the trinity.

Lets go back to the beginning, Genesis 1:3, “Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.” Hold on just on second, God said. God spoke with words… and light came into being, he then goes on to separate the light from the darkness. With words God created the heavens and the earth, created light, wow! If Jesus is the Word, and all things were made through him, by God. That makes me think twice about something we do every day, speak, with words.

We tend to underestimate the power of our words, they can bless and curse, and as Christians our words have God’s power behind them. Listen to what Jesus says to Peter in the book of Matthew 16:19b, “Whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Jesus repeats this in Matthew 18:18, not specifically to Peter but to the disciples. Authority is in our words, with the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Jesus is saying here, that what we say in his name, those words once said, are backed by Him. The words are backed by Jesus the authority on words, after all he is “the Word.” All things came into being through Him, light, the cosmos, us… power in the word.

What this means for our worship?

If we are to worship God in spirit and in truth we have to speak truth. We must choose our words carefully, they carry weight, they can curse and bless. Proverbs 15:2 says, “The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable (or good), But the mouth of fools spouts folly.” We need to be careful what we say, and only speak truth. We must refrain from spouting folly, or blabbering we might call it. So that when we speak people listen, and care about the words we speak. After all “Let there be light,” was short and sweet and look what that did.

Let me know what you think? This hits home for me, how about you?

Additional random tid bit: Notice it was Genesis 1:3, and John 1:1-3, crazy

Falling for you for Eternity

2009-08-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Falling in love is a popular topic in our culture; love for eternity is not always as popular of a topic. It can be hard for us to imagine love for an eternity when there are fewer examples of long lasting love in front of us. I don’t pretend to know the reason that divorce is more common than it used to be. I also don’t know why long lasting friendships are harder to come by. I do know that as a people we are more selfish in general. Selfishness can make love a difficult thing, for whoever’s involved.
The bible gives us the example of Jesus, who said, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not as I will, but as You will.”-Matthew 26:42. Jesus surrenders his desire to live on earth, is crucified, and rises from the dead to save us from death. For the first time in history man (with the exception of Moses, Elijah, and Enoch) can live eternally with God, all due to the self-LESS-ness of the savior.

The selfless part of love is difficult for us also, in a world that wants to claim credit for itself. Our celebrities are fixated on themselves, and it runs deep in our culture. It is almost impossible for us to see what others need when we are focused on our selves, with eyes as unidirectional as an owl’s.

What this means for our worship:
Jesus is inviting us to a wedding feast, to an eternal love, a relationship that will not end. As hard as it is to understand eternity, eternal love is insane to us.
Our challenge today is to get past our culture’s inhibitors, to live selflessly, to look to others needs before our own, to love with a fierce strength, to fall in love with God for eternity. Part of this love is surrender, and requires selflessness, look to Jesus for the strength to be selfless.

Recommended listening: “Forever and Ever ect.” By David Crowder Band

Be Lifted High

2009-08-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

Be lifted high, high above all, exalted, higher than our hopes, glorified, above the heavens, higher than the earth, atop the mountains, over our greatest achievements, Creator of the universe, arraigned in glory, clothed in light, bright and morning star,
Over all our pride, in our hearts, higher than our desires, greater than our understanding, surpassing in majesty, victor over death, beyond everlasting,
Eternally Gracious king, merciful Lord, gentle Father, Holy God!

What this means for our worship?
This Psalm is to be read with “Be lifted high” before every phrase. Ex. Be lifted high atop the mountains, be lifted high over our greatest achievements, and so on.
Read it out loud; there is power in the spoken word. God spoke the universe into being, speak his praises, and sing unto him this blessing. If feels great in our souls to give him praise, for he alone is worthy.

Recommended listening: “Came to the rescue” by Hillsong united, from the album United we stand.

Yet you have Not returned to me...

2009-08-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

“But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities and lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord. –Amos 4:6

Some times God is just trying to get our attention. It can be hard for us to understand a God who takes away, or withholds. The key is he does so out of love, one reason can be to get our attention. I am reminded of my wife, who when I am not as attentive as I could be says, “Pay attention to me, lets have some quality time.”

I think that is all God is saying, I want to spend time with you I miss you. It is easy for us to go through out our days without consciously thinking about God. Not all examples are as drastic as that in Amos 4, but they are all God saying, “can’t you tell something is missing.”

What this means for our worship

I love this verse because it is food, something so necessary, and is used as an illustration for the bible. God’s word is the bread of life. The best way I know to keep God with me all day, is start with Him. I’ll read the Word and pray, it doesn’t have to be thirty minuets, just five. Then I feel great, having started my day with God. Then through out the day I think about what he taught me that morning.

There is power in someone who can worship, truly worship God through all their mundane daily tasks. There is something special in corporate worship, when we gather together on Sunday mornings. To hear worship rising to God as a sweet aroma, a fragrance of praise, but the whole picture is for us to worship together and apart. One person who lives this way can do much good, an entire congregation that lives this way could change a community, or state. There is no limit to God’s power, especially when we are willing to let him work.

Woship is a lifestyle

2009-06-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

The word worship get thrown around in churches all the time these days, but what is it? Brother Laurence said his desire was to worship God through every act of his life. He said, "The time of prayer does not with me differ from the time of business." He called it the practice of the presence of God. That my friends is dedication, and a lifestyle.

A lot of the time we think worship is just the part of church when we sing. We say worship service, and branch out our understanding of Sunday morning to be all worship. But we still withhold the true meaning from ourselves. Worship is offering ourselves to God. It has nothing to do with our likes and dislikes, and has everything to do with his Love. Worship is an attitude, a way of living. Constantly offering our hearts to the creator of the universe. I can worship through any daily task, and it makes everything worth doing.

God seeks worshipers that worship him in spirit and in truth. Man i want to be that worshiper.

When considering my activities, i have to ask myself, "can i worship God while doing that?" if the answer is no, the activity is never worth doing. To me this is sin, anything i cannot worship God through, or something that brings my worship to a screeching halt.

-=What does this mean for our worship?=-
This means it is a constant decision, an offering, always sacrificing our personal desires for the desires of God's heart. The reward is the ongoing presence of the Great shepherd, and an overflowing joy that is unsurpassed.