it's been a while...

since I posted anything on here... The other night I just opened up a blank word doc and started writing. This is all just stream of consciousness, but it's just stuff I've had floating around in my head, as I'm preparing to start a LifeGroup with a worship focus... Enjoy, think, and respond, if you so choose. :)

I believe in a God who cannot be manipulated. A God who knows the content of every man’s heart, the blueprints of every psyche… He knows your buttons, better than anyone, better than you.
And though God possesses emotions, (He’s no Dr.Spock), those emotions aren’t moved by the same fickle things ours are. Temporary circumstances, time, waiting, shortsightedness, lighting, music, outward beauty, emotional outbursts (positive or negative) from others…

He is moved not by worship that is beautifully poetic, aurally stimulating, visually stunning, well-orchestrated, well-performed, difficult to achieve, simple in form, or extremely complex (for those reasons). The worship SONGS that move us DON’T move Him, and he doesn’t have a favorite.

He is moved by hearts that are DEVOTED to Him. He is emotional about PEOPLE that he invested a great deal to save. He is passionate about seeing a dying world snatched from eternal flames by people who know Him enough to care about what he cares about.

He doesn’t celebrate achievements, perceived perfection, or great efforts as much as a repentant heart, or an obedient child.

He is not moved by the wording or content of a prayer (or song). He is moved by the one who prays it. He is not moved by the plea of the sinner, but by the faith, brokenness, and repentance that causes the sinner to make his plea... the heart behind the plea.
GOD IS HOLY. He is “other-than” us… He is not like us. We are made in His image, but exist mostly in a world limited by 5 senses. We prioritize our felt needs above what He would deem of utmost importance. We worry about things that God doesn’t think twice about, yet many times fail to consider the deepest passions of our Father’s heart. It must be heartbreaking for Him…
Yet He is not a God, a priest, a king, a friend unfamiliar with our fatal human-ness. He is well aware of our weakness and temporal tendencies. He is COMPASSIONATE on us, as we walk around trying to follow a fuzzy, dim picture of who we see Him as, and dreams for the day that we will finally see the big picture… As those who long for His return share the same dream.

We deceive ourselves if we think that our “WORSHIP”, our SACRIFICE of praise is more important or enjoyable to God than our faithfulness and obedience to Him. We DISTRACT ourselves from the LIFESTYLE God has called us to, if we PLACE TOO MUCH EMPHASIS OR IMPORTANCE on what we as a modern Christian sub-culture have deemed “worship”.

I believe in a God who is perfect. Every command, whether it seems fair to me or not, is at the same time just and full of love. I believe in a God who is a perfect Father. He disciplines those he loves. He is always watching and present… Yet doesn’t intervene in every situation, for the ultimate good of His children, His family. He provides, gives gifts, makes plans, and displays a pattern for us to follow. He sacrifices Himself.

He is idealistic. He is realistic. And has a plan to make the two co-exist. :) He is ultimately just. He will seek revenge, punish wrongdoing, reveal secret sins… Every human being should shudder with fear. But he is extravagantly loving and merciful as well. Willing to forgive and show mercy to us. Praise Jesus, our Redeemer, Mediator…

You don’t have to conjure the Spirit of God with drums, singing or shouting. He doesn’t come in SONGS and loud noises… But many times a still small voice. I am always, by nature I think, skeptical of my own emotional responses… Because I know how deceitful my heart is and how fickle my emotions are.

But the times in my life that God invaded the situation, in spite of chaos, in spite of my own carnality, in my moment of weakness and UNMISTAKEABLY reveals Himself in a still, small, voice. I’ll remember those moments more than amazing miracles… Because they are solid rock moments of my faith. Moments that were unmistakably… HIM.

So why have I decided to make a career of leading corporate worship at this point in my life?

First, I believe this is what God has for me at this point. But my motivation... I want people to MEET GOD, see themselves in the light of WHO HE IS (grace, holiness, mercy, justice, perfection, compassion, omniscience, omnipresence, forgiving, forgetting our sins) and corporately and individually pledge themselves in worship. With the END RESULT of LIFE CHANGE and a LifeStyle that is OBEDIENT and GLORIFYING of God.

I love music. It moves me. And it moves alot of people. It disarms people. It teaches people. It’s a powerful tool. It can create atmosphere and environment. It is THE EASIEST way for God’s people to simultaneously unite themselves in corporate prayer. It is the most repeated command in the bible.

I love worship. I long to be the worshipper God desires. I want to go deeper in my relationship with Him, and love leading a congregation of people who feel the same.
I want God to love coming to church. He’s never missed a service, and never will. But I want HIM to be glad He came.

I want to be a part of equipping the saints to be salt, light, ambassadors of Christ, of God’s Kingdom to the earth… To be citizens of heaven where worship is like American TV… It's never off the air. :)