Repentance, Hunger, Expectation

I was having a conversation with someone this morning and we were discussing our desire for God’s move and presence among our church, the Body as a whole, and the nations.  As we were sharing I was reminded of some of the things we see or often come before God’s move.

Repentance.  Part of us beginning to walk in the freedom we were designed for is for us to pray and turn from our wicked ways as the scripture says.  When we are hung up on ourselves, harboring sin, and living in self reliance, it becomes a hinderance to our being a part of the move of God or sensing His presence.

Hunger. Simply, we must desire it.  As humans, we are so easily caught up in fleeting and short lived satisfactions.  We give in to the desires of our flesh and shelve the hunger of  our souls.  There is so much in scripture related to us choosing the things of God – wanting them.  ”Set your mind on things above”, “Clothe yourself with Christ”, “Believe”, “Where your treasure is there is your heart”.  If we want to encounter God in deep and fresh ways we must want it.

Expectation.  Do you believe?  Do you believe God can? Do you believe He will?  Faith.  Without it we will only see with our natural eyes.  When we live with the expectation that God is present and moving, we will begin to encounter and see His move much more often.  It is an issue of concrete perspective.  It starts with choosing to declare that God is who He says He is and continues in declaring that He will do what He says He will do.  The more we choose to see things from God’s perspective the more we will see things that way.

What would happen if today in your quiet time, or at your Bible study, or this week at church, or just plain out in public somewhere – if you would repent of your own sin and lack of belief, hunger and desire for God’s presence more than anything else, and actually believe that He will meet you there?  Try it.

Facing the Wall Sermon

One of the books on worship (aside from scripture) that has had the most impact on me as a worship leader has been “Facing the Wall” by Don Potter.  Below is a link to the the message I shared this past Sunday at church on the subject of worship entitled “Facing the Wall”.

Why do we worship? What should it look, sound, and feel like? What are the results of worship?

Sermon Audio

Sermon Notes

On the IPod

Here’s a couple of albums I’ve picked up recently.

Joy – Allen Levi, Bebo Norman, and Ed Cash

Beautiful You – Rita Springer

Jesus Culture: Everything – Kim Walker, Chris Quilala, Melissa Wise

The Writer’s Collection – Paul Baloche

Facing the Wall Sermon Notes

Here are the notes from the message I gave at church today regarding worship.  The title is drawn from Don Potter’s book and his story of how he learned who worship is really for.  I also drew some insights and quotes from Matt Redman, John Mark McMillan, Richard Foster, Bob Kauflin and Mark Driscoll.

Facing the Wall – 11-01-09

We’ve been talking about things (vitamins) we need in our relationships over the last few weeks.   One of the key things we need in our relationships as a body and in our relationship with God is worship.

God is so serious about it that the first two commandments are to Serve and Worship God only.

This is a vast and sometimes divisive subject and I want to deal with the heart of the issue.

• Don Potter intro and story
  • Book “Facing the Wall”
  • His story
    • Pro Musician – Judds
    • Saved and decided to serve God with gift because he was good at it
    • God kept him from that for 15 yrs
    • During that time God had him “face the wall” – spending alone time in worship to learn who worship is for and what it is all about.
    • We have specific images that come to mind when we hear the word worship
      • Music, lifestyle, expressions, lack of expressions, etc.
      • I want us to take a look at some questions today regarding worship and prayerfully make some discoveries as people who are called to worship

1. Why do we worship?
   1. Why did you get out of bed and come to church today? You didn’t have to.
      1. i.      Is it routine? Is it the cultural norm?
      2. ii.      Is it fear? Is it pride?
2. 6 people in 3 situations
   1. i.      Habakkuk 3:17-18 – He is distraught over the evil in his day among his people and wants God to do something about it. God is going to raise up the Babylonians who were more wicked than they to bring judgment upon them. It’s going to be rough, but he knows it will be God’s mercy upon them for their good. So, he gives this worship/praise to God.
   2. ii.      Acts 16:16-40 – Paul and Silas deliver fortune teller girl from spirit and shut the business down.  Owners complain and they are beaten and thrown in jail.  At midnight in prison, in stocks, they are worshipping.  The other prisoners were listening.  God moves in power, brings salvation, and sets them free all bringing glory to Himself.
   3. iii.      Daniel 3 – Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego – In the face of Death would not worship an idol, but God alone.  God saved them from death brought glory to himself.
3. What is it that they understood that drove them to live sacrificial lives of worship even when it was hard, painful, costly?  THEY UNDERSTOOD THE WHY
   1. i.      It wasn’t about their circumstances, their personal ideas of what God should or shouldn’t do for them.
   2. ii.      It was about God – It was about His nature
      1. Matt Redman says, “Worship is about God, to God, and for God.”
   3. iii.      GOD WAS THEIR GOD – First Commandment. There was no other option because nothing else was God!
4. Why? He is God!
   1. i.      Talk about our idol problems  – what is your God? What drives your decisions? Who are you seeking approval from? What’s your goal in life? What’s your savior?
5. Why? Because of mercy!
   1. i.      Romans 12:1 – “Because of mercy”
   2. ii.      Romans 5:8 – “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us”
   3. iii.      We were lost, hopeless, no future, no way out and He came and had mercy on us!
   4. iv.      Bob Kauflin’s perspective – nothing about our worship is acceptable, but in Christ God receives it as if His own Son is offering it.
   5. What should worship look, sound, and feel like?
      1. Define Worship
         1. i.      Greek word – proskuneo – to kiss the hand
         2. ii.      Hebrew word – shachah – to fall or bow down
         3. iii.      Psalm 95:6 – Subject to the king!
         4. iv.      English word literally means – worth-ship to ascribe worth to
6. We all worship – the question is what.
   1. i.      Examples car, church, church methods, person, money
   2. ii.      Story of my panic about flying with Joe guitar
      1. Stewardship versus idol
      2. Fear or freedom
   3. iii.      What do you sacrifice for and what are you sacrificing for it?
      1. Family for job? God for girl? Offering of praise for dignity?
7. If worship is giving or ascribing worth to – then worship costs.
   1. i.      2 Samuel 24 – David and altar
      1. God was angry with Israel and David and punishes them
      2. David goes to worship God after realizing his mess, he comes to the realization that he is sinful and he has to give God all
      3. Read 21-24
   2. ii.      It’s about sacrificial giving “Living Sacrifice”, “giving a sacrifice of praise”
      1. Singing is important and part of it, but it’s about your whole life
      2. That will impact our time, talents, finances, physical expressions, relationships
      3. It’s not about how much do I have to, it’s about first.  Give first – the upmost.
      4. It’s obedience even when it’s costly.
8. We all have preferences. That’s a great thing!
   1. i.      Problem is when we decide our preferences are God’s
   2. ii.      Tell Pharaoh Pharaoh story
   3. iii.      John Mark McMillan quote “Our common expressions (of worship), even the most traditional, still look relatively nothing like those of the bible . . . and that’s ok because “it” (the way of worship). . . seems to be more about the level of our authenticity not the precision of our mimicry”
9. God’s not after our ritual and repetition he’s after the authentic based on His word lived out in community.
   1. i.      A.B.C.
      1. Authentic – overflow of private
      2. Biblical – scriptures are our guide (psalms, Jesus “rejoice”)
      3. Community – cooperate expression – gathers, teaches, encourages

1. What are the results?
   1. Worship Declares – 1 Peter 2:9
      1. i.      We are His, He is our God, We Declare – this involves every area of our life
         1. How you living out there?
         2. How you living in here?
   2. ii.      He is glorified on the earth
      1. The world will see
2. Worship encourages and teaches – Colossians 3:16
   1. i.      Want to know God more?  Then do it!
   2. ii.      You will grow more by practicing what you know, not just hearing more of it  – James – “Be doers”
3. Worship transforms lives
   1. i.      We are changed by what we declare, are encouraged about, and teach. The presence of God changes us
   2. ii.      Isaiah encountered the presence of God and discovered his true self
   3. iii.      We discover the love of an adoptive Father – we discover our identity
   4. iv.      Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline, “If worship does not change us, it has not been worship.  To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change.  Worship begins in holy expectation and ends in holy obedience.”
   5. Close
      1. Habakkuk worships because he sees the mercy in God’s correction
      2. Paul and Silas worship because they know God, God moves in power in their lives, saving people and setting people free
      3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have no fear, even of death, because they know their God and He is faithful
      4. We worship because He is our God, because He has shown us mercy
      5. It will cost us everything but we gain everything

It declares God to a lost and dying world that needs him desperately, draws us together, and never

Authenticity verses Mimicry

I came across this quote by John Mark McMillan today while I was studying and praying through the idea of worship.

“I’m not at all against traditional expressions of worship (btw I consider most “contemporary” expressions still to be incredibly traditional), but I am against the stupid idea that these expressions are any more “correct” or “Biblical”. Our common expressions, even the most traditional, still look relatively nothing like those of the bible… and that’s OK because “it” (whatever “it” is) seems to be more about the level of our authenticity, not the precision of our mimicry.” ~ John Mark McMillan

Being a worship pastor, I am often confronted not only by people in churches but also in my own heart with our perceptions of what worship is and how we practice it in our modern construct.  I get so frustrated sometimes and the level of conviction we develop over styles of music and worship expressions and how we wound one another in the process.  Let’s remember that God is looking for “whatever we do” (Colossians 3:17) that we do it with an authentic heart to glorify His name, not that we mimic perfectly some other churches method.  We can look like the highest and best but be just as lost on the inside.  God’s looking at our hearts (I Samuel 16:7).

Great Worship Song!

Follow the link over to Bob Kauflin’s Blog and check out the video for this song, “By This We Know Love”. It will bless you. The Gospel should be and should remain the center of our worship!

http://www.worshipmatters.com/2009/09/24/by-this-we-know-love-video-from-next-live-2009/

The Beginning and End of Worship

Here’s a great quote from the book “Worship Matters” by Bob Kauflin that I’m reading.

“Magnifying God’s greatness begins with the proclamation of objective, biblical truths about God, but it ends with the expression of deep holy affections towards God.  We aren’t simply reciting facts about God, like students reviewing their multiplication tables.  God wants us to delight in him (Psalm 37:4).  He is exalted when all our energies are directed to one end – being satisfied in who he is. “The engagement of the heart in worship is the coming alive of the feelings and emotions and affections of the heart,” John Piper writes. “Where feelings for God are dead, worship is dead.”

The Key of Effective Ministry

These are some thoughts taken from Carol Cymbala’s book, “He’s Been Faithful”.  These quotes are generally directed about worship music, but have direct application to all areas of Christian life and ministry.

“Our ministry is to lead people to an encounter with Jesus Christ”

“. . . we can’t lead people to God unless we first allow him to fill us with his Holy Spirit and love”

“Unless your heart is full of God’s love, you will never have the compassion you need to see people through his eyes”

“Sometimes I hear people in churches talking about music as though the music itself were the answer. ‘That song really works,’ they say. but no song “works” when it comes to changing people’s hearts.  Only God can change our hearts.  Just because a song provokes an emotional response doesn’t mean it’s working on a spiritual level.”

“I don’t believe that God is looking for songs to anoint.  Neither is he looking for perfect music. If he wanted perfection, he would simply command the angels to sing.  No, what God is looking for are people available to be used by him to spread the gospel and see his name alone glorified.”

“That’s how real ministry happens. Whether it’s a sermon, a small group discussion, or feeding the hungry, the truth is the same. Those who really minister are those whose hearts have been emptied of self and filled with the grace and love of Jesus Christ.’

Creativity Part 2

Are you needy?

If you are creative you are for sure.  Some quotes come to mind: “Drama Queen”, “Artsy Fartsy”, “When the devil was kicked out of heaven, he landed in the choir loft” (I love that one)

It’s so true!  Did you know there is a good explanation for all of the weirdness related to us creative folks?

If you sing, paint, dance, etc., your gift,  by design,  gets to be seen, heard, felt, or experienced.  Being that we live a fallen world where people are broken, many of us come with our creative gifts and NEED to be seen, heard, approved of, etc. to feel like we are somebody or worth something.

Getting our approval and identity by being seen, heard, and so forth is a dangerous thing.  What happens when we do this is that we make it about us instead of our creativity giving glory to God.  We need to submit our gifts and our brokeness to the Lord so he  can shape us into instruments for His glory.  Remember identity comes from knowing and being known by God.  “Who you are is Whose you are”, not what you do and how good you are at it.

Check your motivations.  Do you NEED to be seen? Do you HAVE to sing on stage in front of people?  Are you always concerned about YOUR part?  Remember it’s not about you, it’s about him.  Our creativity is from the creator and is only something worthwhile in His hands.

Creativity Part 1

I get asked from time to time how I write songs.  I thought I would take a couple of posts and share how that works for me.

I believe there is a difference between song writers and psalmists.  I am more of a psalmist.  Song writers are working a craft or skill.  I believe that to be a God given gift and has a huge place in the Body of Christ.  Psalmists are given songs by God.  In a sense they don’t write songs, songs are birthed within them.

I am not really proficient in figuring out good “hooks” or rhymes in a lyric.  I don’t spend tons of time refining a melody.  Typically, I stumble across a chord progression in my personal times of worship, begin to sing whatever is in my heart, and find that the Lord has given me something to sing.  All of my songs but one have been written this way.  I let you guys figure out which one that is.

My first thought for you guys is that whether you write songs or God just drops them in your lap you must make space for it.  Creativity Needs room to breathe.  If your life is chaos and you never take the time needed to be inspired, you won’t have the depth to draw from.  For there to be an outpouring there must be a source.  You can’t try to be creative, it requires inspiration.  Take a walk, become more expressive in your worship, sing out loud in your quit times, get up early, do something new, read a good book, play with your kids, MAKE SPACE.