In Spirit and In Truth

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:23-24

What do you expect when you “come to worship”? Do you expect to feel “good”, or better than when you arrived? Do you expect to feel reverent? Excited? On fire for God? Smarter or wiser? Do you feel closer to God? Is it the highlight of your week? Are you convicted? Do you feel unworthy? Or do you feel frustrated, confused, disappointed, tired, bored, or even angry? Did we do it right, or are you worried that we may have missed something or that some things weren’t done just right? Do you feel anything at all? Or did you come to just punch your “time clock” so that God and the Elders knew you were there?

What does God expect of us? Most of these feelings I just described have to do with “us” – how WE feel. Too often we focus on ourselves in our worship. In John 4, the Samaritan woman asks what she thought was the important question, “where is the right place to worship?” And I believe that the answer surprised her. Basically, Jesus told her that the “where” doesn’t matter, it’s the “how” that matters to God.

The Greek word that Jesus uses means to prostrate oneself in homage, or reverence, or adoration (literally to “kiss toward”, like a dog licking his Master’s hand). Our job, as worshippers is to ascribe worth to our Father...to realize that we are not there for us. We do not come to our worship assemblies to feel good, or Godly, or penitent, or righteous, or pious. We come simply to honor our God and Creator, who loved us enough to save us from our sin and ourselves. Our job, as the worship committee and as worship leaders, is to help you facilitate your worship – as you come into the presence of God in adoration. Each song is designed to help you focus your thoughts and heart on honoring God and encouraging one another. For each speaker that is chosen, we suggest that their thoughts be designed to help us remember Christ’s sacrifice. Each prayer offered is to direct our hearts in praise and submission to the Father as we petition Him for the needs of our church family and for guidance.

There are ample opportunities for men to serve in the worship service, and I truly appreciate your willingness to be assist and support the worship of your brothers and sisters. Whether or not you play a visible role in the service, I encourage you to do all you can to minimize distractions and to uplift and serve those around you.

Most of all, remember that worship is about what we give to God, not about what we get out of it.

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 act of worship. Romans 12:1

Think Outside the Box

Don’t you just hate the business clichés that have become standard vernacular in American society today? Terms like “synergy”, “leverage”, “gravitas”, “critical mass”, “mission critical”, and “800 pound gorilla”. Why don’t we just say what we really mean? When did we get away from firing people and start “downsizing” or “rightsizing” them? When did we begin to “multi-task” and stop being just plain busy? Too often, we try to sugarcoat our language to make us appear better than we are instead of just giving someone the “straight dope”.

But there is one cliché that I do like – “think outside the box”. This regularly overused phase tells us that sometimes we need to try to think of unusual or unorthodox solutions to problems…to be innovative and not confine our thinking to the standard, ordinary, comfortable, safe methods that we have always considered.

The question I have to ask myself is “do I put God in a box?” Do I try to limit his power and effectiveness by my small, trivial, human understanding? All too often growing up I heard that we need not bother God with the small stuff in life…after all; He has much bigger things to worry about, right? Things like world peace, famine, natural disasters, and the like. One day, a dear friend and mentor told a small group that he was having difficulty changing a tire and he asked, jokingly, “is it wrong to pray for God to help with a couple of lug nuts?” This really got me thinking. Why would it be wrong to ask God to help out in what seems trivial matters. Do we believe that God is so small that He can’t handle all of the global concerns and my minor problems too? By saying that, I put God in my own little box. One where He can handle only what I think He can. By saying I and my problems are too insignificant in God’s eyes trivializes and diminishes His sacrifice of His only Son for me!

What would happen if we turned ALL of our problems over to God? How free would we be? How powerful could we be for His kingdom? How selfless and outward focused would we be? How much more joy would God have when we allow Him to show His power and glory through us and in our lives?

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Pray Hard

Have you ever wanted to develop a deeper faith? We all do…but sometimes it seems so hard. We all know that faith requires many hours of study to gain a complete knowledge of what God wants us to do, right? After all, Paul confirms in Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (KJV) And on top of that, we need to be sure that we are at church every time the doors open so we can show others what we have learned and to answer all of their questions by using the knowledge we have gained. And we have to be able to quote at least one verse for every trial and tribulation we face. Paul also commands us to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV) Isn't that how we often think about our faith?

And because so many of us are not the “studious”, “book-learn’n” types, we ask, “is there another way to deepen our faith?” We all struggle with our faith and sometimes wonder how we can possibly muddle through our circumstances. I am reminded of the story of the possessed boy in Mark 9 and Matthew 17.

You remember the story…as Jesus and three of his disciples descended from the event we know as the “transfiguration”, they approached a crowd. One man stepped forth, fell to his knees and pleaded with Jesus to heal his son who had been possessed by a demon since childhood. Even Jesus’ disciples – the very disciples who have spent the last three years walking with God on earth – could not drive out the demon. Jesus became frustrated with them and chewed them out, calling them “faithless” (KJV) or “unbelieving” (NIV). He then quickly dispenses with the demon and returns the healed boy to his father.

The disciples are now confounded and wonder what they did wrong. What I find interesting is Jesus’ response. Matthew records that Jesus tells them it was because of their lack of faith (vs. 20), but we read the rest of the story in Mark 9:29, “…This kind can come out only by prayer.” (NIV) How was Jesus able to drive out the demon? Through the power of prayer! How did the boy's father increase his faith? Through the power of prayer! “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’” (NKJV)

Isn’t it good to know that “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16, NIV) When was the last time we “cried out with tears” to our Lord and Protector? When was the last time we saw our prayers fulfilled through the power of God? And how much did our faith increase when we realized that Jesus really will take care of us just as He promised?

Pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

PRAY HARD!

Remember

They say time heals all wounds. I’m not exactly sure that is true. Time may “scab over” all wounds…may “seal up” or “close” open wounds…may make it easier to block out the pain or provide us with methods to cover up the scars, much like certain makeup used cover a blemish…but is a wound ever completely “healed”? And would it really be good to eliminate all evidence of a wound?

The older I get, the more I am convinced that God has given us the scars on our bodies to help us remember the wounds we have suffered – not to forget them. For instance, I am reminded daily of my repaired anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in my knee (an old “war” injury suffered during the greatest pastime on earth!). After my injury, the exceptionally skilled surgeon replaced the ACL with a portion of my patella tendon (the ligament that holds my knee-cap in place), and told me that it would probably be stronger than the original. Yet I still feel a twinge when the weather changes or I have to walk up and down the stairs. The minor discomfort (sometimes a dull pain) and the rather large scar on my knee reminds me daily that I am not whole as I once was, (leaning over my belly to see my knee also reminds me that I am not as I once was). Even the tiniest scar, like the one on my foot that I got when I cut myself on a piece of glass or the one on my hand when I learned that a hand saw is not for sawing my hand, projects a memory as clear and vivid as a plasma screen television.

I had such an experience today…not about my knee or foot or hand…but about real life and real tragedy. As we were continuously bombarded by the media on this 5th year anniversary of the devastating 9/11 terrorists’ attacks on our country, the emotions and thoughts and feelings of that fateful day came flooding back over me as if the Hoover dam had burst. The wound was re-opened and I was reminded that, although our country may be stronger and more resolved than before, we are not as we once were. I again grieved for the loss of life and for the family members left behind. I was again relieved and grateful for the safety of my own family and grateful for those who fight on a daily basis to keep them safe and free.

But most of all, I was reminded again that God is sovereign and that He reigns supreme. I do not have to fear because God is in control. I am once again convicted by the words of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, “…the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:17b-18. I am more and more convinced that, although might does not make right, I am mightier with God on my side because He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for all of us. Romans 8:31,32.

Thank You, God, for being my rock, my shield, my protector, my friend, and my redeemer. Thank You for being faithful and true, the only constant in the universe.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8