He's Been Faithful

We are able to "know in whom we have believed and are persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have committed to Him against that day." (2 Timothy 1:12)  God calls us, keeps us and is completely faithful to empower us to do that which He calls us to do.  "Because of His great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness.  The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)  What joy, what rest, what hope to know that the one we worship is not only worthy, but His lovingkindness, great compassion and complete faithfulness make us able to completely rely and depend on Him.  He is always faithful to those who seek Him and put their hope in Him. 

Anything and everything God asks us to do is for our ultimate good and His glory.  In every circumstance we find ourselves as we follow Him completely, we must view our circumstances in light of God's character.  Our only real hope is in the character and promises of God.  He never calls us to anything without His complete faithfulness to carry us through.

Even when we are in the pit of disabling despair His Spirit whispers to our souls, reminding us of who He really is.  Though at a given moment we may not "feel" it, still we can know that His steadfast love never ceases and that He has promised to never forget us or forsake us.  There is absolutely nothing that can separate us from His eternal love and faithfulness.  Not only is it truth. It has been proven out over and over in lives of service and ministry directed by Him!

I am so very thankful that I can say and sing - "He's been faithful to me - Great is Thy faithfulness!" mjm

Come to Worship . . .

"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind . . . " (Mark 12:30)

...WITH ALL MY HEART - The Lord wants our total devotion.  He is not willing to share our heart with another.  He must be the primary object of our affection.  Coming from deep within is our whole-hearted adoration and praise to the Lord.  Deut. 5:7 says, "You shall have no other gods before me."  I Sam. 16:7 says, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  "Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me," says Ps. 51.  God wants all my heart, not part.

...WITH ALL MY SOUL - It takes the full expression of all our emotions to love Him.  My soul will rejoice; He restores my soul;  my soul rests; my soul yearns; my soul praises; my soul pants - all come from different places in God's Word.  If we truly love someone there is emotion involved.  We must not make all of our worship cerebral.  There must be a full range of emotions involved when we worship Him.

...WITH ALL MY STRENGTH - It is appropriate, according to Scripture, to express physically what is happening or transpiring in our spirit.  We use our bodies and the physical in our work and in our play and recreation, but the very highest use should be in worship.  We honor and glorify Him in our bodies with great strength. We are told our bodies are temples and "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual worship." (Rom. 12:1)

...WITH ALL MY MIND - "Do not be conformed to this world, . . . set your minds on things above not on earthly things, . . . prepare your minds for action" are all words from scripture reminding us to not be distracted by this world, diverting our attention from Him and eternal things. Whether worshipping privately or gathered with the body of Christ, God is worthy of our full and laser-focused attention on Him when we worship.  When we meditate on His character and attributes it deepens our understanding of Him and enhances our expressions of worship and praise!  mjm

A Tribute to a Faithful Father

There was a young man in his early teens who felt that God was calling him to music ministry.  It was the very early days of music and worship ministry coming into its own in the church.  He grew up in a family that worked very hard but had very little and he started throwing a paper route as a very young man.  He bought his own bicycle, becoming somewhat self sufficient at an early age. He quit school in the 8th grade and went to work at the cotton seed oil mill where his father was superintendent.  He fell in love a few years later and at 17 married a girl who was also 17.  She finished high school after they married.  About 3 years later she was with child.  Back then they didn't know whether it was a boy or girl until the birth.  But the young man prayed . . . "God, I failed to follow you, quitting school and all, to be the minister you wanted me to be.  If you will give me a son, I will dedicate him to music ministry in your name."

The son was born . . . and it was me.  Without any real musicians before in a family of mostly athletes, early on I became very interested in playing piano.  At age 7 my parents sacrificed more than I realized and bought me a brand new piano (on a salary of around $90 a week as a machinist/welder).  I took to it and my mother made sure I practiced.  She said to me more than once, "We sacrificed a lot for you to have this piano . . . you will practice."  As a 9 year old, being brought to church from the beginning by my faithful parents, I was saved in a revival with Bo and Dick Baker in our church.  From that moment I wanted to play and sing just like Dick Baker.  I was student director of the high school choir and high school band and drum major.  I was church pianist from 12 years of age, playing for the adult choir in our church and conducting a 40-voice Junior Choir my junior and senior years of High School.  I got a scholarship to Hardin-Simmons University.  Without my father saying anything other than that he wanted me to go to college, I pursued a Church Music Degree from HSU.  A short while after I graduated, my quiet father told Fran and me the story of how he had given me to God for ministry.  All those years he never pushed me, just simply made it possible for me to have the tools to grow.  I had no idea that my faithful earthly father had given me back to the Heavenly Father for His ministry and glory.  There could be no better heritage and I am so grateful that my dad stepped up in the way he could.  I am grateful to the Heavenly Father, also, for giving my dad 86 years+ to see what God would do with a bashful little guy like me.  Thank you to both my Heavenly Father and my earthly father on this special day!  mjm

Worship - the Old and the New

I'm not talking about old and new styles, but Old and New Testaments.  Proverbs 16:2-3 reminded me of some thoughts on motive and worship as I was reading yesterday morning.  I have often spoken through these blogs of how "missions" and "worship" are intertwined.  John Piper is quoted by many saying, "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church.  Worship is."  John Piper explains thoroughly that the worship he is talking about is not the outward expressions but the simple inward expression of adoration and devotion.  It is the inward experience of the heart.  

I was reminded of this when reading Proverbs 16: 2-3,  "People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.  Commit your actions to the LORD,  and your plans will succeed."  I'm afraid our motives for worship sometimes get stuck on the outward expressions that are carefully laid out by our Lord where worship is tied to place and form.  This is where we begin to worship "worship" if we are not careful and aware.  Place and form are meticulously laid out for us in the Old Testament.

However, Jesus frees worship from place and form with the most explicit example, which we find in John 4:20-24.  Here He uses the word proskyneo, which is the Old Testament word for worship that gives weight to the outward and localized meaning.  But then He transforms it into a meaning that is mainly inward rather than outward, and mainly saturating all of life rather than localized.  It is worship in "spirit and truth".  Now true worship is carried along by the Holy Spirit and mainly an inward, spiritual event, not mainly an outward happening.  In fact this is the reason for the words by Jesus in Matt. 15:8-9, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me."  

In fact the Lord shows us what worship looks like in the Old Testament, but then makes clear in the New Testament that those outward expressions must spring forth out of a totally devoted passionate heart for God.  This kind of worship permeates all of life outwardly.  This is the essence of both Ephesians 5:18-20 and Colossians 3:16, both showing the "overflow" of worship.  Our joy in the Lord itself is an honor to His all-satisfying worth before it becomes our outward expression of praise and adoration.  If not, our praise and adoration is in vain.  This is why Paul continually tries to tell us that all of life is an expression of our worship.  All of our life should enhance our complete satisfaction and "rest" in our God.  

Our motive for worship is to experience inwardly His manifest fullness, completely satisfied in Him to the point that our goal is to see that experience happen among all the peoples of the world. John Piper puts it in these words, "May the power of the gospel awaken the dead, bring them from darkness to light and from the power of satan to God, so that they see Him and savor Him with all their hearts.  And may they be radically satisfied in Him that they are freed from the fears and pleasures of this world and follow Jesus on the Calvary road of love.  Then others will see their good works and give glory to their Father in heaven - and the Word will go on from glory to glory." The New says if we worship Him properly inwardly we will see the outward expressions laid forth in the Old and our motive for worship will be in sync with the Father's plan and His plan for missions will always succeed.  mjm

It is Well

Most everyone knows of the story behind the writing of the hymn It is Well with my Soul.  The story of the successful attorney, Horatio Spafford, whose four precious daughters perished in the sinking of a ship.  His wife was miraculously saved.  On his way to meet his wife across the ocean, as he reached the place where his daughters had drowned he wrote, "When sorrows like sea billows roll . . . it is well with my soul."  The hymn in its entirety is a picture of hope that millions have sung since being given the assurance of the faithful God whom we serve.

Circumstances do not control our lives or our worship.  Mature Christian faith is evidenced when there is inner peace no matter the surprises or difficulties that come our way.  We live with a confidence in our heavenly Father.

In Psalm 34:14-15 we are challenged by the words of David to always do good; turning away from evil, searching for peace and maintaining it.  That peace that passes all human understanding can only come from intimate fellowship with the Father.

Sometimes it is not difficulties or evil but just being completely overwhelmed that challenges us in our circumstances.  But again, David says in Psalm 142:2-3 that even when we are overwhelmed the Lord Himself shows us which way to turn.  What a blessing!  What comfort and assurance!

In I Peter 4:19 we are reminded that if we are suffering from doubt, or wanting to give up, that God wants us to keep  on doing what is right and trusting in Him who created us as He has promised to never fail us.  

And then, if we are in great trouble we are reminded in Ps. 46:1 that God is always our refuge and strength and ever present to help us.

Then in Galatians 2:20 we find the secret to actual trust no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in. It is the Christ life living in us that gives us the power to "rest" completely in Him and be able to say quietly and sing confidently - "It is well, it is well with my soul". mjm

Attract and Please vs. Honor

It is very easy in worship and church music today to fall into the trap of attracting and pleasing, rather than the honor and glory of God.  The worst possible thing a church can do is to choose music and worship forms according to the taste of their youth and children when their tastes are not yet Biblically understood and formed.  

When you look around today you see many churches who have sacrificed their identity in an attempt to please certain people.  The church is called to be set apart to be an alternative community in our world.  If they are taught, young people can enjoy and identify with a wide range of music.  And more importantly, youth who love to sing in worship are usually the children of parents who sing and worship in joy and gladness - with passion.  

Youth and children should be taught by their parents and congregation why some of the older members value certain songs and yes, even hymns.  They need to be taught why our worship contributes to keeping our focus on God and nurturing us in His ways as individuals and as the body.  As a part of their discipleship we also should encourage them to bring to our worship planners new music that accomplishes the goals we have mentioned.  

We must be vigilant about finding what is appropriate for our mission and goals as a church, bringing young and old together as a community.  Constantly keeping in the forefront music and worship that will appropriately nurture us on both individual and corporate levels must be consistent.  May we pray together - "Lord, worthy of our worship, forgive our using worship to attract or please, rather than simply to honor and glorify you."  Amen.  mjm

God Gave the Song

Yes, that's the title of an old song by the Gaithers.  But it highlights a great Biblical truth. Throughout the whole of scripture we see this truth told and demonstrated.  The People of God have always been a singing people.  Robert Ingersoll, the famous atheist, left clear instructions that there would be no singing at his funeral.  To him the heavenly throne was empty and without hope - why would we want song?  John Wesley said, "Beware of singing as if you were half-dead or half-asleep.  Lift up your voices with strength.  Be no more afraid of your voice now, or more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sang the songs of Satan."  And then of course there is the old hymn that says, "Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God."  

Some people say that they just don't like to sing, or that they don't want others to hear them sing. The problem with that kind of reasoning is that the person isn't singing for the people surrounding him in the pews. He should be singing for the glory and pleasure of God.  David Jeremiah says "the joyfulness of the joyful noise isn't determined by the social evaluation of your instrument, but by the divine evaluation of your heart."  

We need to be reminded that Jesus is the song.  He is the "new song" spoken of in scripture.  He is the song of our hearts and our lives.  It is in redemption and hope in Him that we are commanded over and over "to sing the new song."  We are given much to sing about.  We sing because of His Word and Spirit indwelling us.  There seems to be implication for singing because of the rich diversity of our individual experiences, as well as the diversity of our different experiences from one another.  Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs implicate that diversity of response to God's wondrous grace.  

God's song is a special way for divine blessing, comfort, and strength.  Even in the depths of suffering, we are able to turn our hearts to the Song God has placed there.  Someday we'll stand before the throne singing and proclaiming praises to the King of Kings with an excellence and eloquence never dreamed of.  But, we must not wait.  God has given us a song here in the earthly realm; a preview. . . a foretaste of glory divine! mjm

Our Worship in the Church and in the World

Believers are notorious for trying to separate the vertical and horizontal dimensions of worship. But, it is clearly not Biblical to do so.  The linkage between the two is clearly shown by Paul in his letters. We cannot do a thorough study of Rom. 12:1-2, Ephesians 3:10-11, Col. 3:16, and Eph. 5:19 just for a few and not see that God-ordained ministry of praise and prayer and edification are very intimately linked in the New Testament.  Paul transforms definitions of worship to include the work of Christ, the preaching of the Gospel and new life discipleship of believers.

We don't just "go" to church to worship God.  Believers are meant to worship God in every sphere of our lives.  When our worship works itself out in our response to God's grace we realize that our ministry to others is our service or self-giving to God.  It becomes God's work in the midst of our lives.  Prayer and praise are our faith responses to the gospel -  edifying the congregation - not for self edification.  And we cannot effectively give and receive ministries to one another apart from our meeting and engaging God.  

Service and ministry exercised in love amongst the people of God and the world has to be an outworking of the Spirit's transforming power because we have been with Him!  All of it is our significant way of worshipping and glorifying Him.  Paul clearly says to us that the "vertical" and "horizontal" should not be artificially separated.  One part of the gathering of God's people cannot be "worship time" (prayer and praise) and another part "edification time" (preaching and teaching) because both activities culminate in the same place.  

When God ministers to us and we respond to Him we end up ministering to one another in the gathering of the church for worship.  Prayer and praise is not an end to itself and preaching, teaching, and ministry are not an end to themselves.  We worship God because of Who He is, and in response to His grace towards us.  The edification of the church is an extension and culmination of our devotion and service.  They are divinely linked.  mjm