Why Singing?

Worship is an intentional response to something...or someone. For the followers of Jesus...God is the object of their worship. So if one can worship through so many different ‘vehicles’, why do we sing when we gather as the church?

From what I've experienced and from what I read in my bible, singing has been a unique and special expression of worship for a really long time. I mean, you got the whole book of Psalms…beautiful words put to music. Exodus 15 describes how Moses & the Israelites sang a song to the Lord. In fact, according to biblegateway.com, the word “sing”, present or past tense, is used 131 times throughout the bible.

The people of God have a rich tradition of singing and making music to Him. When we sing together at our meetings, we are participating in an expression that has been taking place for thousands of years! We join an ancient chorus declaring that our God is the one true God and proclaim that He is alive and reigning!

It’s something a majority of us can do together…though some may sound better than others…everyone can participate. Even if you are unable to make noise with your mouth, the bible even says to do it in your heart. (Eph. 5:19-20)

God is obviously passionate about us singing to Him…and my bias opinion is that we should be passionate as well.

What do you think?

Do We Devalue Worship?

Do we devalue worship by saying that worship is everything? Granted…worship is a response…and in our case…a response to God…and one can respond to God in many ways that honor Him and bring Him joy. But what about the uniqueness of getting together as a larger group/body of people to worship God using the vehicle of music?

Throughout the bible, Old & New Testaments, we are told by multiple writers to ‘sing’, ‘worship’, ‘praise Him’, ‘make music.’ That’s rather specific. Paul does indeed say to do everything for God’s glory…not ours…which I believe whole heartedly we should do. But if you compare just the amount of times we are told to ‘sing and make music’ to God versus doing ‘everything’ for God’s glory, the first exceeds the later.

I’m in no way saying that worship through music is more important than doing everything to God’s glory. The only thing I’m pointing out is that, for some reason, there is a huge, specific emphasis on worshipping God through the vehicle of music & singing. The song is not more valuable than someone painting to God’s glory, or writing, or building something. BUT…using the song & music is, as shown over and over in scripture, a specifically unique response to God that we are instructed to do.

I’m going to talk about why it’s unique in my next post…as well as what can happen when we worship God through the vehicle of music.

What are your thoughts?

Shame & Worship

Shame is a huge barrier in the worship and enjoyment of God. Believe me...I know this first hand...I've experienced it & seen it. The reality is that God is a good Father. He isn't waiting to slap you on the hand for saying something wrong. He isn't setting you up for failure so He can prove how weak or stupid you are.

The fact is that God deeply loves, deeply accepts & deeply heals. He sets free. He restores. He comforts. He is gracious. He is compassionate.

It's not because of what we do that He loves us...His love is not dependent on performance or achievement. He doesn't love you because you have a 'quiet time'. He doesn't love you because you work at a church. He loves you because you are made in His image...His likeness. And because God loves Himself...He loves us...

He will never love us more than He does right now...and He will certainly never love us less.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 8:1)

"The condemnation of shame says to cover your sin because it makes you unlovable and unforgivable; the conviction of the Holy Spirit says you are loved, so bring your sin to God in repentance and be forgiven." -Joel Balin

2 Corinthians 1:2-4 (God of comfort)
Psalm 103 (attributes of God)
Ephesians 2:4-5 (saved by grace)

Worship & Expectation

Expectations can be a good thing...but they can also be a bad thing that will lead to disappointment when they're not met.

When we come together to worship God, do we expect Him to be there & move? Psalm 22:3 talks about God inhabiting or dwelling in the praises of His people. That's rather epic. In Matthew 18 Jesus straight up says, "When two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there." (Matt. 18:20, msg)

So if God - Father, Son & Spirit - promises to be wherever we get together in His name, we can expect it to be so. He isn't trying to trick or confuse us. He is simply there & present in all His 'offices'. All powerful Son of God Jesus - who heals, restores, reconciles, frees & forgives is here in our midst! We will not be disappointed because He is who He says He is!

That deserves a big 'Booya!' So awesome!

The Kingdom

We've been discussing the Sermon on the Mount at His Place...and the conversations have been amazing. As we start, and/or continue to agree with what the Spirit is doing we are going to see God do some awesome stuff.

We're already seeing it! The sick healed, the demonized delivered! We are seeing the rule and reign of Jesus in action...

Good stuff!

Forgotten God - Francis Chan

Looking forward to reading this...

John 17:1-5 (MSG)

Jesus said these things. Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said: Father, it's time. Display the bright splendor of your Son so the Son in turn may show your bright splendor. You put him in charge of everything human so he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge. And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, the one and only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do. And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor, the very splendor I had in your presence before there was a world.

Beholding & Seeing...

If you're married, or in a relationship, you probably love looking at the other person...you behold them. Sometimes, not even saying anything.

As we see God for who He is, we can't help but behold Him...to be amazed...

But, if we're not seeing God for who He is, as shown to us in the word & by His Spirit, then there won't be much to behold...and we will be rather unimpressed and unmoved. We won't be enamoured by Him and beholding Him will become a chore or a dry ritual...

Questions...

If Jesus is who He says He is, and I believe He is, why don't we 'see' more of the supernatural in our Sunday morning meetings? If the Holy Spirit is in us, why don't we experience the gifts of the Spirit? If the Father is who He says He is, then why do so many feel they are without a father? Why don't we see more healing? Why don't we experience deeper intimacy with Him? Why don't we see deliverance and people being set free?

I'm not saying that these things are not happening at all at HPC. Signs and wonders are not the end goal...the end goal is Jesus...the Father...the Spirit...signs and wonders are an evidence of sorts of His power and reality. The Word says that the Spirit points us to Jesus...and Jesus reveals the Father.

I get scared because I feel so comfortable...that all we do is so planned out that we make this thing about a system, rather than God...who He is, what He did and what He does...

God Loves Himself

I've been thinking a lot about how much God loves Himself. Think about it...if God loved someone more than Himself...then He wouldn't be God...because there would be something/someone greater than Him worth loving.

And then I think of the relationship God shares with Himself...Father, Son & Spirit. The Son and the Father share intimate relationship with each other...and Jesus constantly talked about how He came to show us the Father...and that They are one.

I really believe we present an incomplete gospel at times. We leave the thought at, 'Jesus saved us so we wouldn't go to hell.' True...but we need to follow that thought further...doing that will lead us to the very heart and nature of God.

Since God loves Himself...He loves to behold Himself. Man is made in God's image. We chose something other than God to give ourselves to. God desires the relationship with us to be reconciled. He sends Himself to do what only He could do, and in doing so, makes a way once more for us to be together...sharing in the same intimacy He shares with Himself.

I absolutely love this thought.

I Absolutely Can't Wait For This...

September 24th can not come quick enough...

Phil Wickham - Heaven Song