Music has the capacity to align our thoughts with the wonder of God’s character. If this happens, everything else will fall into place. Thus the songs we offer to the Lord are not primarily designed to make us have a more enjoyable worship experience. Jehoshaphat led Israel into battle against a vastly superior army. He directed the people to have faith in God and then to praise God for his holiness and faithfulness. Remember, the music was offered before the battle began! May the music you sing this Lord’s Day and everyday cause you to be thankful for greatness of your God. There is no better way to enter into the battles of life. …As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood […]
Worship
159 posts
Dear holy, heavenly Father, you have given each of us much to do this day. We have school and other work to do, we have appointments and practices to go to, we need food to sustain us, and we need your protection as we travel about. Help us not to worry about these things, but cause us to praise you in all that we do today. By your grace, may we seek your kingdom first in all that we do. Right now, this day, may we serve you. If you bring us into tomorrow we will deal with that then. Please father, give us what we need today, our daily bread, so that we can serve and honor you. In […]
Did you pay your dues at church today? This is a ridiculous question, isn’t it? Of course it is. Nevertheless, the question must be answered – did you pay your dues at church today? Christians often miss the most obvious implications of our faith. As Paul tells the Ephesians, we have been saved by the gift of grace. There is no room for boasting. Even though we believe this to be true, we can still attempt to pay dues. How does that work? If you go to church when you would rather be somewhere else, you are paying dues. If you go to church because you want others to think well of you, you are paying dues. If you go […]
If worship is genuine it must rooted in the character of God. Otherwise, worship becomes self-serving. But, if worship is a response to the person and greatness of God then it will be life-changing. It is among the gravest of human errors to think that worship has only to do with your benefit. God is not restricted to a worship service, or a church building, or your quiet time. When you talk or sing to God you are engaging the One who at that very moment shapes all that happens in this world and beyond. This means when you look out at the world around you and ask where is God, you are asking the wrong question. What you see […]
Jesus directed his followers to pursue him through the narrow gate. The narrow gate opens to a narrow road that leads to life. The narrow gate is not as appealing as the wide gate. The wide gate is the gate that accommodates the crowd. It is the one that offers enticement and intrigue. The wide gate boldly flies it banner – “You only go around once!” There are many objects worthy of your worship. Enjoy as many as you can. The narrow gate leads to truth. Instead of a multitude of things to worship, there is only one Who is worthy. Not surprisingly, few desire such a restriction. Worshiping one God to the exclusion of all others is too […]
Who (or what) do your kids think you worship? Your children know you for who you really are. They see you when you are not aware they are watching. They hear your words when you think they can’t. They see your face in your unguarded moments. They know what is really important to you. They know what you really think of God and his word. Would you welcome hearing their honest assessment of who (or what) you really worship? Something to think about. Something to talk to God about. Be honest with your children. Be honest with God. Love God and your kids enough to pray this prayer: Search me, God, and know my heart; test […]
This past week’s headlines certainly grabbed our attention. There were at least two that indicated America’s growing intolerance of God. One was a study from the University of Michigan that finds cohabitation has statistically become the living arrangement of choice for young women. Pamela Smock, a director of the study said this: “By the time they’re 20, 1 in 4 women ages 15 to 44 in the U.S. have lived with a man, and by the time they’re 30, that ratio climbs to 3 in 4, the new study shows. “The question becomes not who cohabits, but who doesn’t?” Smock says.” The second story is about a federal judge clearing the way for a “morning-after pill” to be available for […]
God commands that you love others. Do you love because this pleases God or because it benefits you? Here are some provocative words from Paul Tripp. “God created us to be social beings. His plan, from day one, was for us to live in meaningful community with another. It is one of the primary ways that we can image him. Have you ever considered that God himself is a community? He is the only being in the universe who can say that. Our relationships are so important to God but he position ed the command for us to love one another second only to the call love him. We are called live in productive community with others, and those […]
What do you have waiting for God? In Psalm 65 David proclaims to God that praise awaits him from the hearts of his people. What do you have waiting for God as you prepare for worship? David’s heart is full with the blessings of God. The blessings that David speaks of are ones that are shared by all of God’s people – rich or poor. Your sins have been forgiven when they overwhelmed you. You have been made royalty by virtue of your relationship to Christ. You have had the treasures of heaven bestowed upon you. Your future has been made secure by the deposit guaranteed by the Holy Spirit. Praise is indeed the appropriate state of […]
Do you pray for God’s will to be done or yours? To pray effectively, in a way that honors God as hallowed, we must pray that God’s purpose and plan must prevail and not our own. The reality is that we often come to God when we have a problem. Our problem and our solution to the problem dominates our prayer. This is not good. It is vitally important to realize that the solution to our concerns lies not in our understanding of what is best, but in God’s understanding of what is best. If God is our heavenly father, if he is the King, then it is his plan, his rule that you should desire above your own. […]