The burden...

Blessed friends, as we are pulled out into the greater ocean of service, there is one thing that must be real: we must have a burden upon us to know what we can do, and how we can do it.  And we must recognize that while we are now operating under God's power within us, we need His wisdom to show us what is right and wrong.

"I need Your true conviction; take my life in Your hands.  Would You break my heart for the things that break Your heart?"

"Break My Heart" by downhere

We sail out into the depths, and sometimes we can see things in our own light.  Something that we may view as "acceptable" or "just the way it is" might be on a totally different plane for the Lord God of Hosts.  We need His conviction about these things, friends.  Clearly, there are things in the Bible that are written down for all of us to see that God hates.  Let me say that again: there are things He hates.  As followers, should we not hate the same things?

"I seek no signs or wonders; I need on miracles.  They are just a swirling dust trail behind everywhere You go."

"Break My Heart" by downhere

So often, when in the midst of a crisis of conscience, we find ourselves seeking a miracle or a sign or some answer beyond the Bible.  If we're honest, this is probably due to our dislike of the answer in the Bible.  But what did Jesus say to those seeking a sign?  He wasn't happy about it, and promised that they would not see one at all (Mark 8:12).  We are to operate on faith, knowing that God knows what is going on. 

"Is there a better reason to do what I know is right?"

"Break My Heart" by downhere

Is there?  Honestly, if you really think about it, is there any better reason to do what we know we should?  Is there a better reason to stand for God and His purpose?  I mean, really... is there any reason that you can think of?  And regardless of any "better" reason, is there even any OTHER reason?  We have been saved from eternal hell and damnation, granted grace and peace and freedom beyond anything we can imagine, and our right response should be to follow His Word.  Because in accepting Him, we accept...

"To carry Your cross, to wear Your Name"

"Break My Heart" by downhere

This is what we've accepted.  This is the burden we've asked for.  Thankfully, we are able to carry it, because of the strength we are blessed to use (Philippians 4:13).  But the question remains, are you ready to do what is right?

Remember: Break my heart with the things that break Your heart.

God bless you all!!!

Not our power...

So we've been given a pretty specific call, right?  It's fairly clear that we are charged with the spreading of the Gospel of Christ, the Truth of eternal salvation through Christ, right?  And we know that we are both sinner and saint together, incapable fo carrying out such a task on our own, in our flesh, right?  So what now?  What do we do to get from the pit we're in to the path we should be on?

"Anchor up, tow me out of this pit I'm dreading.  Turn this vessel's path around."

"Headed" by downhere

We need to understand that we accept the pulling of the Spirit, and we seek the gift of salvation from Christ, and we decide to accept that gift into our lives.  And when we do that, we gain a more powerful engine than just the sad little trolling motor that we are born with.  All of a sudden, we have a massive engine on the back that allows us to move away from the trap of sitting still and doing nothing.  It is an engine filled with God's power... not our own.

"I look above, I'm in love with the pace You're setting!  From this stream we're ocean bound."

"Headed" by downhere

You see, we got into the stream, but were unable to even navigate that on our own.  Imagine if we had made it to the ocean without the power of God within us!  Or, better still, do you suppose we were in that ocean, and the waves forced us into this stream because we couldn't possibly keep up?  Think about it...

"And I know for sure I'm headed straight for the edge, 'cause that's just where You are!"

"Headed" by downhere

We are charged with heading straight for the edge of the line, standing firm for Christ and the Gospel, regardless of what is brought to us in the world.  And as things come to us that will undoubtedly seem negative at times, never doubt that God can use anything for His will and purpose.  He can use ANYTHING for good!  But if we never give Him the chance... if we cower in the corner and refuse to step forward and allow Him to tow us into the deeper waters... then what kind of spirit are you operating under (2 Timothy 1:7)?  Are you showing the trust you should in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6)?  The question is, have you raised your anchor yet?

Remember: 'Cause that's just where You are!

God bless you all!!!

What it means...

What does it mean to answer the call to discipleship?  What does it mean to follow the way of the Christ?  What does it mean to openly and completely follow the One that made all things?

"I'm moved by this grace again, and again; Your love so complete; how can I explain?  I want to live for You... oh, I want to live for You."

"Live For You" by downhere

The grace we have been given is immense, Christian.  And it frees us from the necessity of performing works, which could never have saved us anyway (Ephesians 2:8-9).  It frees us from the trappings of our flesh, as there was no possibility of humanity maintaining the law.  It would never have happened, I promise.  And that grace is what causes us to cry out, "Here I am, Lord, send me!"  But what does it mean?  What is it to live inside the will of the Father, in the missionary call placed onto and into us?


In Greek, the word "euangelizo" (εὐαγγέλιον in Greek proper) literally translates to "evangelism."  And the definition of evangelism is "the spreading of the Christian Gospel" or "zealous advocacy of a cause."  When you and I became Christians, we accepted this Gospel, and everything in it.  We accepted the Father and the Son and the Spirit, and we were made anew, saved for all eternity.  And we became washed in the Blood of Christ, covered in grace, and freed from any works-based system for salvation.  But a part of the Gospel is the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20), which tells us to go and share the Gospel.

"Prepare now the mission, plant in me a dream; I'll give You back the life You've given me.  All You've given me."

"Live For You" by downhere

Our mission has been prepared, and it is the same for all of us... yet different for all of us.  We all are charged with the sharing and representation of the Gospel, but we will not all do it the same way.  Some will write, some will speak, some will preach, some will teach, some will sing and some will make music... but we all have a call, and we all have a responsibility to share the Gospel.  These acts, what some will call "works," we call service.  And this service shows the whole world that our faith is NOT dead (James 2:17).  We are alive.  Very, very much alive.  The question I put to you today, is whether or not you will answer this call that has been placed upon you?

Remember: I want to live for You!

God bless you all!!!

A realization...

Today is another one that will have no link to a lyric video, but this song is a necessary one to download, for anyone.  You simply must have it.  And the reason it's so important is because this song speaks to a truth unmentioned from yesterday, one which I'm sure you have already realized: we are called to missionary service, but we are incapable of fulfilling that call completely without Christ (John 15:5).

"Surrender... surrender... surrender, all these things to You; all my life to You; all my dreams to You; I keep falling in surrender to You."

"Surrender" by downhere

There is a calling laid upon each of us, as mentioned yesterday, and sometimes it comes really quietly.  Other times, it comes in a thunderous roar.  The point of our walk and our mission, as individuals, is to be faithful to that calling.  We must persevere.  But then something happens, and all of a sudden we feel like we cannot go on any further.  Our flesh kicks in, and we realize that we have not yet surrendered ourselves fully to His will. 

Know this, blessed ones, and never forget it: the moment you resign yourself fully to the will of God for your life, what He is capable of doing with your service is so far beyond anything you can ever dream!  As my senior pastor says often, "When our faith intersects with His faithfulness, miracles happen!" 

"In this fall without a bottom, the deeper my surrender, the higher we will rise!"

"Surrender" by downhere

Have the faith necessary to surrender your life, your dreams, your very being into His hands.  He is, as we said yesterday, able and beyond able to do anything (Ephesians 3:20).  Anything is a tough word to break down, but that is what God can do... ANYTHING!  The question is, will you be faithful to be a part of that?

Remember: Surrender... surrender... surrender.

God bless you all!!!

Here I am...

Today, blessed ones, we are going to look to a song that drove directly into the hearts of Christians everywhere, and did not let go.  It is a fundamentally truth-filled piece of music, one which shows both who we are and Whose we are, and speaks directly to the desire for true discipleship.  And it is appropriate to use this one today, I think, because we just covered the desire to become more heavenly (or even something heavenly at all), and we covered the war that rages within us between our sin nature and Christ's nurture.  And so we proclaim...

"Here I am; Lord, send me!"

"Here I Am" by downhere

We come to His altar, and we are ready to serve.  It is only in discipleship that we take on the calling to "take up your cross," after all (Luke 9:23).  And in standing ready to go, proclaiming "Here I am!  Send me(Isaiah 6:8)," we show the Lord that we are willing to accept His will for our lives, and surrender ourselves to Him completely.  We openly accept whatever may come, knowing that He will deliver us to and through it all, for the glory of His Name.

"Somehow my story (all my story) is part of Your plan."

"Here I Am" by downhere

And accepting the path He lays before us does not mean that it will be all wine and roses.  Some of us, myself most definitely included, have to go through things to recognize and realize just how awesome God is.  Without my failures in life, without my mistakes and wrong choices, without all the tears I have shed over my own self-deprecating behavior in my past, I would not have come to the place I am in now.  And I would venture to guess that the same can be said of you, my Christian sibling.  If you look hard enough, you just might start to see His hand blessing you to turn in some places, and not to turn in others (Proverbs 16:9).   

"In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces.  I can't put this together, but You can."

"Here I Am" by downhere

He is able, friends.  He is able, beyond anything we can think or imagine or dream.  He is able to right the puzzle of your life and mine, and put all pieces (including you and me) right where they belong.  The question that remains is whether or not we will allow Him to direct that placement... will you?

Remember: Here I am, Lord, send me!

God bless you all!!! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as8BVjPdgm8

My own worst enemy...

I'll apologize up front, because this one does not have a link to watch/listen to a song... but you should download it, for sure, and make it a part of your normal playlist.  That way, when it pops up at "random" times, you'll be able to remember the truths contained within it.  Believe me, it's one of the more important ones we'll cover.

"If I had not such a blind spot, would I have a less difficult time surrendering my ways?  I would hang on every word You say!"

"Something Heavenly" by downhere

Our blind spots are pretty magnificent, you know?  I mean, people know all about blind spots in a car, and they are fixed and immovable, and we do our very best to add mirrors and drive safely, so that we can eliminate them and ensure safety.  But this blind spot is different.  You see, it moves... a lot... to wherever we want it to block out what we don't want to see or admit to. 

You ready for the worst part?  It's us that moves it.  I do it, you do it, the guy or gal in the cubicle or office next to you does it, and we all CHOOSE to make it acceptable, because it is for us.  Interesting, right?

While that may (and should) sting a little, the song goes on to point out that Jesus still chooses us (Romans 5:8), His church, the Body of Christ, Christian believers, and makes each of us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).  The vocalist makes it very personal, showing a TON of accountability and honesty, and draws the listener right into the emotion of the moment.

"Why so big a place for me in Your heart; to leave Your glory home just to make a broken man Your own?"

"Something Heavenly" by downhere

And, reaching back to a truth from "The Problem," the song points out vividly that it is I who am my own worst enemy.  I am the flesh that makes the decision to become a Christian, and then makes choices following that to sin.  I, myself, am the one who decides to follow wrong things, listen to wrong things, watch wrong things, indulge in wrong things... Christian brother or sister, don't ever dare to say "the devil made me do it," because if Christ is in you, then the enemy is not.  And that means that the sinner inside you is you.  Yet take heart, because with Christ in you, you are a different being altogether (Romans 8:10). 

"I'm so far; stay close to me."

"Something Heavenly" by downhere

His grace is what we need, blessed friends... nothing else (2 Corinthians 12:9).  And it is His grace that lifts us up on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31), and allows us to continue.  And He will bring us to that place where we are, finally, something Heavenly (Philippians 1:6).

Remember: Please don't let me get the better of me; take this earthly thing and make it finally something heavenly.

God bless you all!!!

The war...

Today I would ask that you focus closely on the lyrics of the song we're going to examine.  This is one of those songs that is written in poetic triumph, but backed with pure blessing, and it must be heard by all Christians everywhere.

"The sinner and the saint, the old arch-enemies, all at war in me."

"All At War" by downhere

The song describes our lives as being within the "law of inversion; and it's all turned around."  I cannot think of a more accurate description, honestly, other than another line later in the tune, which I'll get to in a moment.  We all walk that line, though, between thinking of justice and thinking of mercy.  We fight this battle against ourselves, within ourselves, every moment of every day.  We are, even as Christians, at war between our nature of sin and our nurture from Christ.

And as we face these trials, we become more and more aware of the need to triumph over the sinner within us.  As mentioned yesterday, it is the flesh that causes the problem... but this song accurately points out that within us, also, is a saint!  Christ in us IS the solution, and He rectifies the problem of our flesh in an eternal sense.  However, He does not turn us into a robot that only makes good and great choices, which is why we still fail as Christians... you see, we fail because we are involved.  But be encouraged by this...

"Into Your great reversal, I am born again."

"All At War" by downhere

He has made it to where we give in order to receive (Luke 6:38); we follow in order to lead (Matthew 20:16); we die in order to live (Galatians 2:20)!  That is the principle of "great reversal" the song speaks of, and it is as real as the air we breathe.  It is something for which we should be forever thankful.  And we must also remember, always and everywhere, to continue fight on the side of the saint within us, and not give in to the sinner.  They are both very much there, and very real... anyone who says otherwise is simply a fool.

Remember: I was born depraved, but created for the Divine!

God bless you all!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2d5WKgxs9c 

The problem...

I gotta be frank with you, folks... today is going to be a little bit uncomfortable for all of us.  And I say this, because as we approach the altar of God, we inevitably forget that it is only ourselves we can bring.  We want to bring forth other problems, blaming the world's follies on other things, looking through what we perceive to be the "big picture viewer" and assuming we are wise for doing so.  But the problem stems from one thing, and one thing only... me.

"I'm not a prodigy!"

"The Problem" by downhere

I say "me," not literally referencing myself as the root cause of all problems with the world.  I'll explain how that ties to it in a second... but think of what I am, and what you are, that is similar.  We are flesh.  And it is the flesh, the sin nature, the nature which we carry from conception (Psalm 51:5) which causes the problems.  The sin within us produces desires to go and do and say things that we shouldn't... and sometimes we are successful in fighting that urge.  Other times, we are not.

I called a friend of mine, and I told him that this was a perfect song, because I know who causes all the problems, and I can point them out with little to no effort.  Of course, I was employing severe sarcasm in this, and he responded in the same sarcasm, and then I shared with him the final choral ending of the song, one which I believe should be on your lips and mine every day.

"The sooner you can sing along; the sooner you can sing this song, the happier we'll be.  'The problem with the world is me.'"

"The Problem" by downhere

We can name and list and identify all kinds of things wrong in the world, and we can seek apology from all kinds of entities and organizations that don't line up with our particular ideology or theology, but the one thing we often fail to do is look to a passage like Philippians 2:12b as it tells us that we should...

"... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..."

Philippians 2:12b

Seek Him first (Luke 12:31-34), and don't try, as stated yesterday, to bring the whole world to the altar.  That has been done already, friends, by our Savior and Redeemer... Jesus Christ!  Instead, as I often tell my small group of high school boys I teach, you need to own who and what you are: a sinner, born of flesh and redeemed of the Spirit.

Remember: The problem with the world is me.

God bless you all!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9iPHGyaWuE

His altar...

As we come to the altar before Him, presenting ourselves a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), we need to be grateful that His is an altar of love.  His perfect and holy love is present there when we arrive, wherever that may be, with our broken spirit (Psalm 51:17).  This is where we come to die to our flesh (Galatians 2:20).

"Yes, you come here to die, but you know that it's good, because you come out alive... you come out ALIVE!"

"The Altar of Love" by downhere

That is the major difference between what the world offers and what the Lord offers: we know that it's good.  We KNOW.  So lay all your trappings aside as you approach, because carrying the world to the altar is not our purpose.  Carrying ourselves to the altar IS our purpose, and we must lay ourselves completely down to Him in surrender.  And why must we do this, some may ask?  Because He did it first (1 John 4:19).  He loved us enough to do it... shouldn't we love Him enough to do the same (Mark 12:30).  So...

"Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."

Romans 12:2

Remember: You come out ALIVE!

God bless you all!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az8EIHWM_Qw

He will...

We're going to look at another truth of His amazing love for us today, in that He died for us when we most definitely did not deserve it (Romans 5:8).

"Yes, I'm gonna bleed for this love."

"Bleed For This Love" by downhere

To put a blunt point on it, fellow Christian, we deserve nothing short of hell and death and damnation.  We are awful, fickle, wretched things, in and of ourselves.  It is Christ in us who blesses us with the grace that we NEED, and because of that grace, we are able to commune with the Father.  Without that grace, we are nothing... less than nothing.  And He loved us so much that He came and bore the punishment for us all (Isaiah 53:5) and died carrying our sins (1 Peter 2:24), even though He was BLAMELESS!  Just like yesterday's song, I will ask if there is any being or creature you can name that has done anything even remotely similar to that for you...

This is why we serve... this is why we bow... it is not out of terror or cowering or kowtowing to someone wielding power.  It is out of awe-inspired respect for a love that passes all understanding, and is literally unbelievable!  We don't think often about just how difficult it is to believe that He could love us that much, and yet He does, and more so than we can possibly fathom!  He bled and died, once for all, and rose again to conquer sin and death and hell itself.  Among all the miracles shown to humanity, none compare to this miraculous love that shines to and through us still today.

Put simply, He served in my place and yours for my sins and yours, past, present and future, and He took upon the weight of all our iniquities to redeem us and reconcile us back to the Father from whence we came.  For that reason, I will forever take a knee and serve in whatever capacity He asks of me.

Remember: I'm gonna bleed for this love.

God bless you all!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuEH1JKPABk

How many...

We have to take a look today at how God loves us, as a matter of His character.  Know this, friends, that God and His character are immutable, meaning that neither can change... ever.  And with all power, all knowledge and being everywhere in time and space at once, God never changes.  His love IS that amazing!  So I pose to you a question: how many love you that much?

"Only one did that for me!"

"How Many Kings" by downhere

Only one... more properly, THE only One... Jesus Christ, the Son of God, yet one with God and the Spirit in the Holy Trinity, the Creator, the Righteous Judge, the Alpha and Omega... loves us that much and that perfectly.  And it is shown every day in the salvation we are blessed to have.  Never forget that. 

I would ask you to examine, also, if there are any people (like celebrities) or things (like sports, hobbies or TV) that receive more worship-like attention than the Savior does in your life.  Then, if you find anything, ask yourself if that person/thing is worthy of such attention.  It is humbling and hurts a little to really be honest about it, but so helpful for remembering Who it is we serve... and Who served in our place!

We are to present ourselves a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), and sacrifice is made upon an altar... let's be grateful that His is an altar of perfect love. 

Remember: Only one did that for me!

God bless you all!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF952rzG3Yk&feature=related

Further orientation...

I mentioned yesterday that we should guard our steps (Ecclesiastes 5:1) and not approach boastfully.  But I want to be clear on the reason for that...

“Who was and is and is to come, the Father, Spirit and the Son; holy, holy, holy One; holy, holy God!”  “Holy” by downhere 

This is Who we approach.  This is Who we pray to.  This is Who we worship... and He is the only Being worthy of such attention.  I'll say that again for anyone who missed: He is the only being worthy of such attention. 

As you listen today, please focus on His character of holiness and purity and perfection... and think about how you approach and with what attitude.  Again, be aware that He is the Creator, and we are what He created. 

Remember: You are holy God!

God bless you all!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZoF95mdtoQ

Orientation and explanation...

Blessed friends, I am about to take you on a journey through devotion and music, prayer and praise.  I have been given permission to work through this material by the artists that I will reference extensively, and I will attempt to always have a video link to the song I speak of each day.  Today, being the first day, I realize that some orientation is needed before we dive in too deep.

"Because I'll never hold the picture of the whole horizon in my view; because I'll never rip the night in two it makes me wonder... who am I?  Who am I?  Who am I, and great are You!  Great are You, Lord!"

"Great Are You," by downhere

This journey will be one of introspection, but before we look to ourselves, we must first look to Him.  We must do this, because He is to be first in our lives, and we must be aware of our speech and thoughts when we approach Him.  Ephesians tells us we have boldness and access directly through Christ (Eph 3:12), and this is certainly true.  Couple with that, though, the wisdom of Solomon from Ecclesiastes as he warns us to guard our steps (Eccl 5:1), and we see that we can enter... but we do not need to burst in with demands.

This first song today is for the purpose of reminding us of our own place.  He is great.  We are not.  That's really all there is to it.  So as you listen today, please focus for just a few minutes on orienting yourself to prayer.  Be more aware of how you pray, and with what heart and mind you speak to the One that created all things. 

Remember: who am I... and GREAT are You, Lord!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCglkTHeMPo

Next topic...

So... I'm gonna start into a new topic next week, and it will be a ton of fun.  I truly hope that you are all keeping up with this, and that you will stay with us through the next one.

But more than that, I pray that during our examination of respect and fear for the Lord, each and every one of you has taken time to examine your own methods of preparation for entry into God's house.  It's not just any other building, you know?  It is the house of the Creator, the Lord God of Hosts, the Most High, Sovereign, the great I AM!  It is not just another structure.

And for the fear of speaking out about our faith and about our purpose and beliefs, we must always and everywhere remember that we cannot sit around and minister only to ourselves.  We need it, sure, but we cannot be so exclusive a group that we don't reach others.  And we cannot just talk about going to seek out the lost, we must actually go and do it!  So don't get comfortable in your pew and rely on someone else to go witness... uncover your calling through prayer and quiet time with the Father, and then GO FULFILL IT!!!  Your feeble efforts will be enhanced by Him to make amazing things happen!

Lastly, don;t get caught up in numbers.  There is not a metric measurement for faithfulness, and whether you bring one person directly or 1,000 people... or even if you help to bring people forward and are never actually aware of it... you were faithful to your calling and to the Great Commission.  So go share the Gospel in whatever way you can, evangelize and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Respect... another thought...

Today, I would like to make it clear to everyone reading this that any Christian can be a teacher, regardless of age.  Sometimes the Spirit lays a concept on someone, it gets shared, and someone else learns something.  The great part about this moment today, though, is that the person who posted this thought on facebook is not someone I teach... just a member of the youth group at my church who happened to post this thought when I happened to be looking.  It's neat how that works!

"If you don't hear it with your own ears or see it with your own eyes, don't invent it with your small mind and share it with your big mouth."

I won't name this youth unless given permission, but the statement speaks volumes to all believers.  And I believe that the wisdom of it is two-fold.  We'll start with the first part, and tie it to a favorite Scripture of almost everyone I know.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Human beings are such an interesting species, really, because we all tend to invent our own realities when we cannot see them.  We all lack faith in just believing what we read of God and what will come.  And how different would our lives be if rather than just believing in Him, we started to BELIEVE HIM?  The youth says, "don't invent it with your small mind," and that advice is sound.  And before anyone gets all offended and says that their mind isn't small, let me tell you that mine is.  And the one who said it has a mind the same size.  And so is yours.  In comparison to God and the way He understands things, we are all so small-minded and incapable of even grasping the simplest and easiest of His concepts, for He is higher and above us (Isaiah 55:8).  

We concoct all kinds of nonsense in our own minds that leads us to ridiculous conclusions that never would have existed, and all because we forget that we are small-minded and simple and fickle and sad, sad, sad little things in comparison to the One worthy of all our worship and praise, the One Who gives us the commandments and the way we should live.  Some suddenly think that we have attained some level of superior knowledge, and that there is a "new" discovery or level of understanding that somehow has been missed since the creation of time... each generation has "this person" who believes and pushes this belief out there.  But did they see it with their eyes or hear it with their ears?  Or did they invent it by jumping to a conclusion that they can control, unlike God, which will never fit into a box we make for Him?  Is that not blasphemy?  Something to think about...

"There on the storm, I am learning to let go of the will that I so long to control."

~ "Calmer of the Storm" by Downhere

It is an accurate statement, is it not, that we all wish and yearn and long for control.  But rather than surrender those things we cannot control and seek blessing for the ones we can, we try to force the issue and invent our own rules and regulations.  And THAT is what it means to be a Pharisee of the time of Jesus.  Did that sting for you?  It does for me. 

Then we come to the second part of that statement, in that we should not share it with our big mouth.

"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."

Proverbs 10:19

All I'll say of this is that gossip and rumor destroy lives.  They are evil twins who wreak havoc on relationships and character, and there is never a complete healing from the evil that is inserted by them.  We grow past it in some sense, and we certainly forgive... or at least, we should... but forgetting is difficult, especially when it hurts (Proverbs 12:18a).  But the second portion of that verse is where our Christian lives should take over, because we should employ whatever amount of wisdom we have in our speech (Proverbs 12:18b). 

But again, if we are looking at our level of respect, isn't it disrespectful to the Lord, the Creator, to disrespect His creation?  So if we gossip about each other, is that not an affront to God?  He created all these people, right?  So that makes them all His children, prodigal though some may be.  So wouldn't we do well to respect each other, and therefore show more respect to the Lord?  Again, it's something to think about.

This study has been powerful for me... I pray that it has been enjoyable for you, as well, and that some examination of your preparation and awareness of your worship has been enhanced, in even the smallest way.  Now go and encourage another to do the same examination, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!! 

Respect... in song...

So... we talked on the first day a bit about the amount of respect we show in the House of the Lord, and one thing I mentioned was about the way we participate in music.  I would call it worship, but everyuthing we do is worship, from study to reading to prayer to singing to cleaning to paying bills, so it is better described simply as music in church that is worshipful.  And this one, I must admit, will be pointed mostly at me.

"Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name."

Psalm 30:4

Did you notice that it doesn't say that we are to sing praises "only if we like the currently-being-played version of the song?  Did you notice that it doesn't say that we are to choose how involved we are in it?  Did you notice that it doesn't mention that it's okay to be halfway in our approach of this practice?  How do I get to these conclusions, you may ask?  It's quite simple: the whole world needs to know what He has done for us (Psalm 9:11), and we are not just singing to sing, in this moment, but singing to the LORD, the Creator.  We are offering praises to the One who is worthy (Revelation 4:11).  And what we offer to Him should always be our living sacrifice, should it not (Romans 12:1)?  Otherwise, we run the risk of offering only what we choose to give (Malachi 1:6-14), and that does not honor the Lord and His grace upon us. 

And if we do refer to the musical portion of our service as "worship," then why would we not show our love with everything we have in that time (Matthew 22:37)?  I can speak for myself in this.  I am a tenor, and I like to sing where my range is comfortable and loud.  I like to, for lack of a better term, show off my abilities in song, which means that the lead and melody line of the song being played (in my view) should be in my "butter range," as one friend of mine puts it.  However, this is not always the case, as some are led by women and some are led by bass and baritone voices... some are even led by children, and, as embarrassing as it is to admit, I have this thought during those songs, as well.  But I am thinking about it now, and I realize that I cannot be the only one who wishes to be a better worshipper in song?  After all, is it His name that receives praise, and He is worthy of my very best in that regard, whether I like the song or the key or the version or not.

This also speaks to the way in which we approach with our worship (Ecclesiastes 5:1), and warns us not to be foolish in this.  Again, I'll have to own the embarrassment that exists, and do better in the coming services.  And I think I have discovered where the problem comes in, with me at least: I think that I can define what my very best to give Him is by the range in which something is sung, by the way it sounds.  Really, the key or the tune or the tone or the timbre are irrelevant if the heart is pure and we make a joyful noise as we worship (Psalm 98:4, 100:1). 

The song is not what matters... another quote from Downhere, in a song called "My Last Amen" says:

"Like a note thrills in a song, when I play it again it's gone... because it has never been the sound!"

The song is irrelevant.  Chord progression, which can be used to evoke certain emotional responses, is irrelevant.  Major or minor keys are irrelevant.  Length of verses and choruses are irrelevant.  Who sings it is irrelevant.  The words used... they matter a lot.  But what matters MOST is the attitude with which we approach the singing of the song, regardless of all factors above.  After all, He is Who we sing to... and no one around you is not receiving your worship but God the Father, so why worry about the song being your favorite and in the best key and by the proper artist (speaking DIRECTLY to myself, here)?  Just SING, and shout praises to the Most High (Psalm 7:17), and let your heart turn to Him in reverent submission (Joel 2:12-13).

This was tough for me today, to be so open and expository on this point, but I pray that it will help you to see the value of looking at oneself in the mirror mentioned a few days ago, examining the personal worship that we bring forth to the Lord.  I know that I will sing differently today, and I pray that you will, as well, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Fear... one final thought...

We're going to stick with the same Scripture from yesterday, and focus in closely on one single and very pointed question: can we follow the Great Commission without leaving our church campus?  Get ready, friends... because this is one of the greater fears, and it MUST be overcome.

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'”

Matthew 28:16-20 (The Great Commission)

So, as I mentioned yesterday, it seems as though Christ was fairly clear on whether or not we are to go forth in the Great Commission given to us.  We don't exactly have a whole lot of choice in the matter, you know, since we were created for His good pleasure (Ephesians 2:10).  And if we are saved Christians, having Christ in us and being in Him, then we rely on greater strength than our own to perform the tasks before us (Philippians 2:13).  But I'll ask again, can we follow this command without leaving the church campus?


Don't misunderstand: I spoke at length yesterday about how important those things we do on campus really are.  All of the people who serve faithfully, week in and week out, are evangelizing and worshipping and providing whatever service they can, and that is to be admired.  But let's be really objective for a moment, step outside of it all, and look at what all that would mean if everyone were already a Christian.  Would anyone be saved?  Would any Kingdom Purpose be served?  Would we be following the Great Commission, or ignoring it with our heads in the sand?  Hopefully lost people do come and visit churches, which is why we have all the ministries and volunteers who fulfill them... but what if they don't?  Then what?


A dear friend mentioned yesterday that it sometimes seems that much of what we do to minister is done to minister to ourselves.  I won't deny that even the saved need it, because we still experience difficult things and tough times and hurts and pains and loss.  But shouldn't we be resting on His power the rest of the week, and sharing our salvation and Good News with everyone we encounter (2 Corinthians 12:9)?  Shouldn't we have a deeper and greater understanding of what it means to be eternally saved from hell and damnation, and so grateful for it that we worship everywhere we go as a right response to the gift we have been given?  Shouldn't our Wednesday and Sunday be a recharging of the Spiritual batteries that we run on, so that we can go forth in service to the kingdom?  After all...

"On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'"

Mark 2:17

Jesus didn't move in circles of only saved and/or only followers... so why do we?  Why would we ever assume that we could fulfill God's purpose for us in evangelizing and witnessing if the only people we CHOOSE to associate with are inside the four walls of our church?  Sure, there are some who walk an aisle every now and again, but it doesn't happen every Sunday, and that tells me that perhaps we should be outside looking for them if they're not coming to us.  Think about it... eventually, every created being will have no choice but to recognize Christ as Lord of all (Philippians 2:9-11), and we are supposed to be spreading that Name so that the majority of those in recognizing will have done so already, receiving salvation (Acts 4:12).  But if we never leave the sanctuary, how are we impacting that?  If all we do is set up gimmicks to try to draw people to us, are we following the Commission?  And since there is a named "Seeker Movement," where people seek the "right" church, why are we not starting our own "Seeker Ministry," where we the saved GO OUT and seek the lost?

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

Proverbs 16:3

The world will all come to fear Him at some point (Psalm 67:7), friends.  The question we need to ask ourselves is whether or not we are helping in that process.  I love a good sermon as much as the next saved Bible-reading Christian... but I cannot have my salvation enhanced by it any more than any other Christian (Ephesians 2:8-9).  And I love to worship and sing praises and read and commune together on Sunday and Wednesday as much as every other Christian... but what am I doing the other days of the week, and who am I speaking to about the same things I learn on Wednesday and Sunday?

Inside ministry is good... outside ministry is great!  And I will say again, none of this is intended to make anyone feel like they should go and become Spurgeon or Moody.  It is all intended to make us think about how we worship and how we serve.  Our service in the church is important, and must go on, so keep singing, folding bulletins, cleaning up Kleenex, or any other thing you do to serve the Lord and His saved people.  Then go do the same thing for someone who needs to hear that message that saved you once, a long time ago, when the world was a different place, and people went to church more regularly than they do now, and people were walking the aisle regularly for a profession of faith.  Bring someone to visit, or talk to them outside the walls of the church... God is still present, you know, and He will bless your efforts to reach and save those who need to be saved.  So be bold (2 Timothy 1:7) and talk to someone - anyone - even just one person.  If we all did that, the churches tomorrow would have no seats left, and that would be an amazing honor we could offer to the Lord!

God bless you all!!!  

Fear... again...

Today I'm going to stick with fear a bit, but from a different viewpoint altogether.  I am going to look at what happens when we are afraid to try... when we are afraid to move... when we are afraid to go and do!  And we'll have a couple of very, very familiar passages here to reference in this.  Before I go on, though, I want you all to know that I am looking at this with specific respect to evangelism, and the fear to evangelize.  We'll get deeper into that in a minute...

One way to show respect to any authority figure is to follow directions and rules, right?  We follow company policies, traffic laws, classroom etiquette, etc. and show respect to each particular governing party by doing so.  Well then...

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20 (The Great Commission)

So, I'm just gonna go out on a limb for a second and point out that it does not seem that Jesus gave any room for doubt in whether or not we are supposed to go and do precisely what He said we should go and do.  I'm reading it online right now, in multiple translations and variations, and it pretty much all says the same thing, leaving no room for confusion.  It's pretty clear that we are to go evangelize.

It's also clear that He is right beside us the entire time, within us even, to aid us in this command.  His strength is what we should remember to cling to in this, because our own is insufficient for the journey (Philippians 4:13).  And I'll once again quote a song from Downhere:

"You're not alone anywhere you go.  You're not alone; hear the Voice whisper to your soul.  A promise you can always hold... you're not alone!"

But let's be clear on something: this does not mean that you have to become Paul of Tarsus, winning over multitudes.  This also does not mean that you need to be as powerful and influential as Moody or Spurgeon.  What it means is that you and I have a calling in and on our lives from the Lord.  That calling for some of us is to go a preach to nations who have never heard the Name.  For others of us, it is to lead worship and sing praises to the Christ with every ounce of our being.  Others still will write and write and write and write and write (wink*) and always have more to learn and more to share.  But let's not forget that there are some who stand in the back of the sanctuary and hand out bulletins.  There are others who swing doors for people, to make them feel welcome.  Others still are there to watch children and teach the very simplest truths of Christianity to the little ones.  And every single person - all the way from the most powerful conversion in the Bible (Paul) to the kind staffer who cleans up Kleenex from the pews - is under a calling.  The honoring of each calling makes us one body (1 Corinthians 12:27).

That calling becomes that person's realm of evangelism.  And if we do it, and do it well, God will take our small and feeble efforts and multiply them.  We may never see that multiplication, and we may never have a clue that it even happens.  But if we do not work at whatever it is as though directly for God (Colossians 3:23), then we will never have the opportunity to see Him move in us.  And since we know that a relationship with Jesus is what matters most, and we know that relationships are formed in small steps, then we must infer that each individual step that is taken toward Christ is a small victory.  If you are the one who smiles at that person visiting who has not yet met the Lord, and they smile back, your calling has been fulfilled and they are one step closer.  Amen and amen to that for each time it happens!

And, again, we may not know the outcome of our efforts.  But as my Senior Pastor says, when we have the opportunity to witness our faith coming into contact with God's faithfulness, mountains will move!  They may not move in front of us... they may not even move in our lifetime... and you and I may never be able to say that we led multitudes to the Savior.  But even one sinner choosing to turn toward Christ causes immense joy in Heaven (Luke 15:7), so we must all remain ready and willing to be faithful to our calling.  Because...

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."

2 Timothy 1:7

Do not fear the process of evangelizing.  And do not fear the word and its definition.  And do not fear the calling placed upon you, blessed one, for the fulfillment of that calling IS both evangelism and worship!  Go forth, have no fear, respect the Lord in the calling He has placed upon you and honor Him in doing so!

God bless you all!!!     

Fear... a different perspective...

I used a bear yesterday, but today I'm going to use something even more frightening.  I am going to make use of an instrument that strikes fear into the heart of every person, regardless of age.  I will employ this terrible tool only once, but it must be done for us all to see this particularly powerful aspect of fear.  Are you ready?  Today I'm using a mirror.

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

Isaiah 6:5

And to add a little more flavor to it, just for fun, I'll reference a song from Downhere called "Last Night's Daydream" in saying:

"From my sleep tonight, I woke to a frightening sight.  All the best of me, held up to Your perfect light."

The bear and the power of the bear induces the fear of harm.  But wounds heal, and we move forward.  People have survived bear attacks, after all, and they really aren't that common.  But when was the last time you looked into the mirror and compared your own sinfulness to God's holiness?  When was the last time you listened to a piece of music in church that just broke you down in the realization that we are so unworthy of the gift we have been blessed to receive?  When was the last time you admitted to yourself that you are nothing without the Lord?

In each of these moments, one of which I had two days ago while listening to another song by the same band, the Spirit comes close and brings about conviction.  The Spirit reminds us that we really do NEED God and His grace to wash over us, because we were never, ever, ever going to be capable of maintaining the law given through Moses.  Human beings just cannot do it.  We are not able to remain that focused for any sustained period of time, because of the nature into which we are born, which is sin.  Yeah, I said it... the "s" word that people today don't like to hear... but it is a part of us from conception (Psalm 51:5)... SIN!  

When we confront it, or when we see the Lord in a tangible way in our lives and His light shines upon our sin for us to see, we are forced to fall to the ground in understanding of who and what we really are at the core, begging for reprieve.  Isaiah did just that.  He saw the Lord, and then Isaiah realized how unworthy he was to see such sights!  He expected to die from the sight, just as I would.  It's too pure and too holy and too good for us to comprehend in this fleshly, sinful form.

But - pay attention to this - we have a different method of confronting it than Isaiah and his contemporaries did.  We have Christ (Romans 8:1)!  When we face the sin in our lives, we do so with the full power of Heaven beside us (Psalm 91:11), and we can overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13).  We are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17), and the world and its trappings no longer have eternal grasp upon us (Galatians 2:20).

Pray with me today, friends, about what you would do if faced directly with the Lord, and asked to come to terms with who and what you really are.  Our imperfections are glaringly obvious when held up to Him... but...

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

2 Corinthians 12:9

Pray for the understanding that comes from knowing that God's grace rests upon you.  Be mindful and reverent as you do so, knowing to Whom it is you speak, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!

Fear...

This one will visit multiple aspects, as well, and will span at least two sessions.  It came to me after a conversation yesterday with a colleague who asked a fair question: "Why should I 'fear' a God who loves me?"  No one had ever taken the time to explain what "fear" means in this context, so we went through it... and I'm going to go through it today.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Proverbs 1:7

When you think of fear, what is it that comes to mind?  For some, it will be scary movies... haunted houses for others... frightening costumes at Halloween... dangerous circumstances, like war... accidents that claim or harm lives... but God doesn't usually fit in that expanse for most.  He doesn't fit their in our perception, because we have grown up knowing that God loves us, that He is love (1 John 4:8) and that nothing can ever separate us from that love (Romans 8:38-39).  These are all truths about the Father, and they are all worth learning and knowing and believing with all our heart, soul, mind and body, and they are all things that we should never, ever doubt or question.  Period.

However, we should have a certain amount of fear, as described in the Old and New Testaments.  It refers to "reverential awe," as in guarding one's approach out of respect.  And let me be clear on something here, in that Christ's Atonement has given us access to the Father directly (Ephesians 3:12), and we are made co-heirs with Him in glory (Romans 8:17), and there is nothing we have to fear about approaching the Throne.  But just as I pointed out yesterday, our steps must be guarded (Ecclesiastes 5:1) as we enter, lest we make fools of ourselves before the One who grants us our access into the presence of the Father.  

But let's look at it another way for a moment.  Imagine you are on a camping trip with your family, and you awake in the middle of the night to find a black bear sleeping in your campsite.  This bear is massive, and we all know that outrunning is a bad plan, especially over rough terrain in the dark.  The bear seems undisturbed for the moment, and is not aware of you or your movements... yet.  Now, if the bear awakens and is hungry, and if you are the reason the bear wakes up, there may be a small point of concern, right?  Wrong: a HUGE point!  That bear could rip you to pieces with little to no effort, and has no qualms about doing so at all.  Therefore, you are (somewhat) in awe and will maintain an attitude of respect for the bear and the power it wields, right?  But you would say to others that you were "afraid" in that moment.  That's just a bear... imagine the power of God!

I will never advise someone to cower in terror before the Lord, and I will never assume that everyone can carry the same type or level of reverentially-based, awe-inspired "fear" of Him.  Yet I will advise and admonish and encourage that His power be thought upon and prayed over.  People have been quick to dismiss the tragedies of the Old Testament while saying, "My Jesus wouldn't do that to us... He loves us!"  Great thought... except that Jesus is a part of the Trinity, and was present at each and every event, and is described in Revelation as quite the frightening figure (Revelation 19:11-16).  But it must be noted and realized that God, Christ and the Spirit are holy and perfect, unchanging and constant, and their love is just the same.  That is why we know that His love comes sometimes in the form of discipline (Hebrews 12:6) just as it did/does sometimes from our parents on earth.

Pray with me today, friends, about the level of respectful fear that you carry before the Lord in all things.  It should always be present in prayer, worship, study... in life!  He owes us nothing, yet gave us more than we could ever understand this side of Heaven!  Pray to increase your reverential awe in His presence, and honor the Lord in doing so!

God bless you all!!!