How Big is Your God?

All through Scripture we find references to "mighty God".  Also, "God's mighty power", "mighty to save", "mighty hand of God", "mighty God of Jacob", "mighty defender", "mighty One", "God's mighty works", "mighty power".  On and on we see a big, mighty God described in the Word and you remember what happens when Isaiah gets a vision of Him in chapter 6 of that book.  So what keeps us from seeing just how big and mighty our God is?

I think there are several things that block our vision of Who God truly is. We, not He, sometimes make Him smaller than He is in our own hearts and minds.

One is a lack of spending time with Him in personal private worship and devotion, getting a glimpse of who He is on a regular basis.  We so neglect spending time with Him, yet it is indicated in His Word that he longs for us to do this.

Two is we are easily distracted by this world and all it has to offer, and therefore fail to truly get a vision of the Mighty God who is at work in our lives and our world - carrying out His kingdom and mission.

Three, sometimes in our attainment of knowledge and technology we have become too intellectual or have gone beyond simple faith in the Creator and Sustainer of life.  I just finished reading the biography of Steve Jobs.  I was amazed at his insight, intellect, and intuition, and yet, evidently, he was never able to put his simple faith in a loving, caring God and trust Christ as his Savior.  What a tragedy to be as brilliant as he was and yet seemingly miss the "light of the world".  

If we are not careful all of us, even as believers, tend to ignore what God puts right in front of us and forget that He is with us moment by moment, working out His plan and purpose for both us and His kingdom.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss what our Mighty God has for us.  Let's continue to seek Him with all our heart, soul, and mind - worshipping our Creator and Sustainer, Who is truly worthy of our worship!  mjm

Diverse Worship, both Local and Global

As our church approaches our season of emphasis on world missions, I am reminded of how diverse and global our worship continues to become.  Without really thinking about it, we have been singing hymns multi-culturally for years as we sang, English hymns, German hymns, Wesleyan hymns, American Gospel hymns, African American spirituals, Camp Revival songs . . . all of these being born out of a particular culture or sub-culture.  

A lot of the "contemporary choruses" we are singing today are coming from other countries and cultures.  I approach the worship of our local church much as I did the mission field in that you have to determine the best resources to use in a particular culture or sub-culture in helping people use their heart language to worship the Lord more effectively.  Because we are a multigenerational church we have to approach worship as multigenerational and to some extent multicultural.  

Diversity is not born our of a "political correctness" which we hear about all the time now.  Our concern with diversity comes from our deep understanding of the gospel and God's intention for the body.

First of all, we belong together as "one body" in Christ.  We live in a church age where the church could be overdoing the dividing up of generations when it goes beyond small group Bible study and starts dividing the body for worship.  That is not Biblical.  We are to be one body, one family in our worship.

Second, unity-in-diversity is patterned after the mind of Christ and the trinitarian God we worship. We should work and worship with each other where special concerns become mutual concerns and we "count others more significant than ourselves."This is the fellowship we have in Christ, koinonia. 

Finally, the Word of God constantly and consistently paints a picture of the coming Kingdom of God in which people from every tribe, nation, people, and tongue gather around the throne in praise bringing their gift of worship to God.  When we worship with a global expansive worship we are preparing ourselves for that time when we will join all the peoples of God in wonder, love and praise of the Father.  

When I left Zimbabwe, Africa, I told my students, one day we will join together again as the global body of believers in worship of Him!  mjm

"Eyes of My Heart" Worship

Well, I began the day on Saturday in the Opthamologist's office, because of black cobwebs and blurring of my vision, where we discovered I had a tear in my retina that had to be repaired with laser.  In relation to this weekend's worship and spending the day with some discomfort and impaired vision, I got to thinking.

We are singing "open the eyes of my heart, Lord".  When we take the time and effort to truly see God we will end up as scripture shows us in Isaiah 6 with some basic revelations.  One, we will see who we are; two, we will cry out, "Holy, Holy, Holy"; and three, we will begin to see God's heart and plan and want to be a part of what He is doing.  Paul's goal was, "that I may know Him".
Chapter 11 of Deuteronomy, from the Youngs Literal Translation, says,  "But it is your eyes which are seeing all the great work of Jehovah, which He hath done."  Later, it talks about keeping the statutes of the Lord on the door posts so that our children are constantly "seeing" them before them.  And then, we are challenged to diligently keep all His commandments, to love Jehovah, walk in all His ways and cleave to Him.  Then He says, "'See', I am setting before you to-day a blessing and a reviling, the blessing if you hold to my commands, and reviling if you don't."
Why do we sometimes not see?  Or what keeps us from the vision that God would have us have.  I am afraid our vision is impaired by the tangled dark webs of our lives and the things we put before Him.  Our vision of Him becomes blurred or distorted and therefore we are not sure of His purpose in our lives and His kingdom.  May the honest and impassioned plea of our hearts be, "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, that I may see You" and we will sing, "Holy, Holy, Holy" and will be clear about His mission!  mjm

Every Tribe, Language, People, and Nation

"And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priest to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.' Then I looked, and heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of triads and thousands of thousands, saying, with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!'"(Revelation 5:9-12).

What a week of vacation -  staying here close to home, fellowshipping with long time missionary friends who spent 31 years in Africa (being in Zimbabwe with us part of the time we were there).  

First, we witnessed two Muslim couples being baptized because of their faith in Christ at a church on Sunday morning.  Then, on Sunday evening we worshipped with the most diverse congregation ethnically we have ever been a part of, with the Dallas Baptist Association of churches.  Our association of churches has over 71 different language groups worshipping every Lord's Day.  The world has come to us.  We sang praise in several different languages on Sunday evening with this diverse congregation, and at one point during the chorus of "How Great Thou Art" were encouraged by the worship leader to sing in our own heart language.  What a glorious sound of many different languages giving praise to our Lord.  It reminded me of the Revelation passage quoted above.  

It also reminded me that again, it is not about music style, language, particular culture, or even what I might be comfortable with at the moment.  It is about the ransomed people of God joining around His throne and singing, "Worthy is the Lamb"!  After those experiences on Sunday, we have spent the last three days in African Markets and Restaurants visiting and fellowshipping with our African brothers and sisters.  Almost feels as if we spent our vacation in Africa and didn't even have to leave home.  Glory, Honor, and Blessing be to our wonderful Lord!  Pray for our Mission's Musical "Into all the World" to be presented in our church on November 13 during each of the three morning services!!!  mjm

Angels and Worship

Hearing a great message about angels from Jack Graham, while on vacation this morning, got me thinking in this direction.  Psalm 103:20ff - "Bless the Lord, O you His angels, you mighty ones who do His word, obeying the voice of His word.  Bless the Lord, all His hosts, His ministers, who do His will!  Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion.  Bless the Lord, O my soul!"  Just in this one passage we see that angels are worshippers and that they are warriors.  

Interesting, as I have asked for years for our worship leading choir to be worshipping prayer warriors and we now have a group of folks in our church who have joined us in praying for both private worship and the gatherings of the body of Christ in worship.  

Notice, an angel's purpose is to worship the Lord and make sure His sovereign will is accomplished.  They don't exist to bring attention to themselves, but to give honor and worship and focus on Him and the accomplishing of His Holy will.  And notice in this passage they bring attention to both the Lord because of who He is, and also bring attention to His great works in all places over which He has dominion.

So, as exemplified by angels created by God, the worship is not about them and it is not about us.  It is about Him.  And their purpose is to see that the sovereign will of God is done, even as we are to focus on our purpose of seeing that His will, not ours but His, is done in His kingdom.  So may we not only be blessed by the fact, according to Scripture, that there are angels who are charged with worship and working out God's will, but may we also learn something from them about our own purpose in glorifying Him and being a servant of His kingdom and will here in earth as it is in Heaven.  mjm

Worship Style or Music Style???

I'm afraid over the past few years, people have gotten the two confused.  Some people think music style determines worship style, but that is really not the case.  They are two different things altogether.  

Because of my own personal experiences of the last two weeks, this has been brought up to me often.  Last week I was in an associational revival and talked with folks from several different churches.  Monday and Tuesday of this week I was in an executive committee meeting in Tulsa that put me in direct contact with several State Music Directors, Baptist College Music Professors, Seminary Professors, and local Ministers of Music or Worship.  Therefore, these last two weeks I heard a lot of discussion about churches who had gone to separate "kinds" of worship services, i.e., Contemporary, Traditional, or Blended.  

Many churches who previously went to separated services are now asking how to get back to one.  Why?  Mostly because of the way it has divided the body and the fellowship of churches involved.  I heard one after another talk about how it had become more divisive after going to multiple kinds of services than it was before.  And, some who were trying to go back to one were also seeing selfishness rather than servanthood exhibited.  When did "I want what I want" become the mark of a follower of Christ?  That exact question was asked of me.  

First of all, it is never to be about style.  It is to be about Him.  Second, we in the body need to Biblically yield one to another, putting others before ourselves.  Third, every church is different.  For instance our church is a multi-generational church.  We have managed, with God's help, to keep the Body together as one and do worship style and music style that touches all generations.  We must minister and worship with "all" the body of Christ.  It is family worship.  And, that is Biblical.  You can't find Scripture that supports the idea of splitting up the family of God in worship into different age groups or style preferences.  We need to pray that satan will not be given a victory in something that should be all about our Lord!  May we put Him first and have His attitude, found in Philippians 2, where Christ humbles Himself, taking on the very nature of a servant. May we worship "together"!  mjm

A Personal Observation

Just over a year ago we started writing this blog on worship.  The very first blog was "Igniting a Passion for the Presence of God".  We talked about one of George Barna's reports that many who attended church here in America said they never experienced the presence of God in worship.  Heartbreaking,  for sure.  We also talked about Psalm 40:3-4 and how when people see us singing His (new) song in the midst of all the messiness of life, they will be drawn to Him and put their trust in Him.  

During this last year I have seen our own local church grow in their passion for His presence, both in their private and public worship.  And it is not because of a blog; it is because at least over 200 people are praying every week for the gathering of God's people on Sunday to worship Him, and praying that the members of our church will grow daily in their own personal daily worship and devotions.  There have been more people talk to me about "worship" as opposed to the "music" of the service this last year than ever before.  I have had people tell me how much they have grown in their understanding of and participation in worship this past year than ever before.  Our Worship Leading Choir continues to emphasize the importance of all of us praying for worship.  And more than 120 people have committed as Worshipping Prayer Warriors in our church to pray for one another and specifically for our worship.  God has spoken through His Word through our Pastor and Assistant Pastor this past year in power as God's people have prayed.  Our congregation has shown an intensity and focus in the midst of worship of Him.  There have been high and holy moments of spontaneous response to the overwhelming presence of the Lord.  There has been the glorious singing of the people of God!

None of this is something we control.  It is of Him, by Him, and for Him.  It is for His glory and the building up of the Body.  Praise the Lord we know by His Word that if we are faithful to worship authentically and passionately, then we will become much more effective as salt and light in a dark and needy world.  May they continue seeing us worshiping Him and "singing the new song"!  mjm

Our Private Worship Time

I remember as a young teenager reading about the great men and women of God who spent an enormous amount of time with God each day in private worship.  I remember making attempts to do the same and failing time after time.  Then, I read a simple tract by Dr. Stephen Olford, "Seven Minutes with God" that gave direction in how to start small with just seven minutes and then allow that to grow into a longer time with God each day. 

I can not over emphasize the importance of our private worship time and how it directly impacts our corporate worship as the Body of Christ gathers for worship each week.  If you have been struggling, let me encourage you to try again and just start with a few minutes.

Of course you have to figure out a place and a time that you won't be disturbed.  Then, come before the Lord and wait for a minute or two.  "Be still and know that I am God".  Don't rush into His presence.  Then simply pray a short prayer asking God to lead you in a time of private worship.  Next, open God's Word and read and meditate on a short passage asking God to speak to your heart.  This time is not a one way conversation.  Allow Him to speak through His Word.  It is God speaking directly to you through the enlightenment of His Spirit in you.  Then spend a few moments worshipping Him possibly by both singing and praying to Him seeking to bless Him.  Finally bring your petitions and needs before Him for others and your own walk with Him.  

Many of you have an established time of devotion and private worship.  Continue to nurture and grow it.  If not, start small and let it grow.  And, may we all commit to praying for our fellow believers.  We would be shocked to know how many never spend daily time with Him.  Let's pray specifically that those numbers of the Body will increase and we will see how it impacts our corporate worship and the glory of God!   mjm

Worship - Theological or Anthropological?

Sally Morgenthaler has been known for her passion for relevance of worship in the post modern world.  It is interesting that even in the midst of her belief in the use of digital technology and well crafted worship, she contends that we have a great need to return to Biblically based worship.  

If not careful, contemporary worship becomes simply need-oriented; too focused on human needs, feelings, and perceptions.  

Rather, as time moves on, we are seeing a movement toward focusing on who God is, who we are, and who we were created to become.  That takes our worship discussion from anthropology to theology.  A Biblical basis for proper anthropology is: God's revealing the human condition and the need for reconciliation and forgiveness.  It is the recovery of God's story and  how our stories become connected with Him.

We don't need more of our culture in worship from the world we live in.  The Bible teaches clearly that the church is to keep three relationships to our culture at once.  It is part of the culture; it is the opposite of the culture; and, it is called to transform the culture.  

As we see how these things are held in tension with our culture, and give thought and understanding to the truth, we will see our worship becoming more Biblical and authentic and probably simpler in nature.  

I believe we have come through years of emphasizing what man needs from worship rather than having God-centered worship.  Bottom line, may we be more concerned with being Biblical in our worship.  After all, as we have said before, it is about Him.  He is our audience of one in worship.  mjm