Worship Wednesday: Working up an Appetite

There is something that seems missing from our praise and worship in some churches around the world. We may dutifully stand and sing, and maybe even go through the outward signs of praise, like lifting our hands, but something is missing. What is it? Could it be the Holy Spirit's power that creates in us a passion and a hunger for more of God?!! Where is our passion and hunger? As my husband so eloquently put it a few weeks ago, "We love God politely." How true that is! We often treat a worship service like an etiquette class! How dare we love God passionately with our whole being!! But that is what we are called to do! Our praise and worship should create in us a passion for God and a hunger for more of His Spirit...a desire to grow closer to Him and dwell in His presence.

Look at what scripture says:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.                   

                                                  Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (ESV)

Jeremiah the prophet said:

If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,”there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

                               Jeremiah 20:9 (ESV)

Jesus and the two men on the road to Emmaus:

27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31  And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Where is our burning passion...a passion so strong that we cannot be silent...a passion so strong that we must sing His praise and lift up His name before all people!! Where is our hunger...a hunger that burns within us and invites the Lord to come into our spirit and feed us! Do we love the Lord our God with all that is within us, or do we worship Him out of sheer habit!

True worship will create in us an appetite for more of God, more of His Word, and more of His Spirit.

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.  Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.  So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

                                                                     Psalm 63:1-8 (ESV)

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.When shall I come and appear before God?

                                                                    Psalm 42:1-2 (ESV)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

                                                                        Matthew 5:6 (ESV)

I have found that the deeper I enter in to worship my Savior, the deeper I want to go and the more I hunger and thirst for His power and His presence in my life! I want others to feel that same hunger and that same thirst! May our worship lead us to love our Savior deeper and more passionately, and may it create within in us a greater hunger for Him and His Word! Lukewarm love will never do!

Here is the worship song for today. Please pay close attention to the lyrics and use the song to enter in to a time of personal worship. Ask the Lord to put a fire within you...a passion and a hunger for more of God!

Savior King

Hillsong

Fabulous Friday Happy Song: Moving Forward

I haven't posted a Fabulous Friday Happy Song in ages. So, I want to share another song with you that has been an anthem for me this week, encouraging me on. It is not a new song, and you have probably heard it before. However, I hope that it speaks encouragement to you, just as it has to me this week.

First, let me share some scripture:

Philippians 3:13-14 

(NLT)

...I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Psalm 84:5-7 

(WEB)

 Blessed are those whose strength is in you;

who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.

Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs.

Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings.

They go from strength to strength.

Everyone of them appears before God in Zion.

Proverbs 4:10-15, 18-22, 25-27 

(NLT)

My child, listen to me and do as I say,

    and you will have a long, good life.

I will teach you wisdom’s ways

    and lead you in straight paths.

When you walk, you won’t be held back;

    when you run, you won’t stumble.

Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.

    Guard them, for they are the key to life.

Don’t do as the wicked do,

    and don’t follow the path of evildoers.

Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.

    Turn away and keep moving.

The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,

    which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.

But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.

    They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

My child, pay attention to what I say.

    Listen carefully to my words.

Don’t lose sight of them.

    Let them penetrate deep into your heart,

for they bring life to those who find them,

    and healing to their whole body.

 Look straight ahead,

    and fix your eyes on what lies before you.

Mark out a straight path for your feet;

    stay on the safe path.

Don’t get sidetracked;

    keep your feet from following evil.

Fabulous Friday Happy Song:

Moving Forward

By Ricardo Sanchez, Free Chapel

Here is another great version of this song by Israel Houghton 

with I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Feeling Fabulous Friday: Moving on with Joy

Ministry and life can be extremely draining, both physically, mentally and emotionally. Especially if you really don't have a large support team of family and friends nearby. In many ways, we feel like we are on an island. We sometimes feel like foreign missionaries alone on the field. It is a struggle to keep our joy in those circumstances. But in the struggle, there are often moments that quietly speak joy to our hearts. We treasure those moments and hold on to them with all our might!

A few weeks ago, amidst the stress of preparing to lead our congregation in worship, I received a text from my brother, who lives about an hour & a half away. He said that he was planning to bring his girlfriend up to Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountain National Park. He knows that we love the national park, so he asked if we wanted to go as well.  There were a million things on our mind that we needed to do on a Sunday afternoon, both personal and ministry related things. However, we realized that we don't get to see any of my family very often, and we needed some Sabbath rest. So, we decided to take my brother up on his offer, and he stopped at our church after the morning service & picked us up for the trip.

Photo by my brother's wonderful girlfriend Michelle. 

Photo by my brother. Credit

I had forgotten how much I missed spontaneous trips. What joy it used to bring me to break away from the demands of this life and go somewhere with no other purpose than to enjoy God's creation and fellowship with Him along with friends and family. I took so much joy from this little trip of ours. It was such a blessing just watching the face of my brother's girlfriend when she saw a creature or flower. Her pure joy and excitement reminded me of something I had lost...the ability to push past the demands of "religion" and "religious" people to enjoy a God who loves me and gives abundant life. He created a world full of beauty so that He would be glorified and we could enjoy the beauty of His glorious creation.

Photo by Michelle. Credit

On this trip, we stopped into one of the old, one room church buildings in the Cove. My brother broke out his guitar and we began to sing praises. We sang songs that were both old and new. People stopped in to listen and sing along. We sat there worshiping for nearly an hour...sweat pouring down our faces and praises pouring from our lips. It was good...we were FREE!

Photo by Michelle.

Photo by Michelle.

Photo by Michelle.

That trip and a service that we attended the same weekend was the beginning of a new phase in my life. I have felt a deep change. The Lord has told me to move on with joy! I struggled for a week or so with what that looked like, but I know for sure that the Lord wants me to go on in my current circumstances, but instead of feeling trapped and standing still, He wants me to move forward. If others don't follow, than so be it, but I WILL MOVE FORWARD in FREEDOM and with JOY.

You see, I had made an idol of what others thought of me. I had made an idol of what others expected from me. I had let people steal my joy away from me, and I had let Satan keep me from forward progress in my life. A chat with my dear friend from Ireland this week revealed this to me. She simply reminded me that we serve the Lord. It was so simple, but it just spoke to me in that moment. I evaluated my efforts in ministry for the last few months, and I realized that I had been trying to soothe a group of people who don't want forward progress because it is uncomfortable. I have been serving people who are stalled in their faith, but I realize now that if I just get back to serving the Lord and moving forward with my life and my spiritual walk, then the Lord will move... and people will either be moved by the Spirit or stay where they are. That is not up to me. That is not a burden I must bear.

Psalm 16: 4-11 says:

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;

    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

    or take their names on my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;

    you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;

    in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me;

    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

    my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

     or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;

    in your presence there is fullness of joy;

    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

The Lord is my portion. I will set Him ever before me. I will serve him with joy & move forward in Him. That is my declaration...that is the change in me!

Originally posted to Artist of the Soul

This is the song that is my anthem today:

As For Me and My House

By John Waller

Ministry Monday: Don't Keep Me From the Storm

We all want to avoid trouble and pain in life & ministry, but lately I am realizing the benefits of sticking it out through the rough spots & disappointments. I have even been learning the benefit of asking God to put me through the fire. I firmly believe that embracing the storms of life, no matter how difficult they may be, is the only way to grow into all that God wants me to be. 

Is it easy? Not at all. Do I have days when I just want to bail out? Absolutely. However, I am trying to remember that it will one day be worth it all and that God is good and will see me through.

I have a lot that I want to share on the blog about things I'm learning and issues I'm facing, but for now, I just want to share this poignant song by Robin Mark.

Lost and Found

When the rain falls, and it some days will, 

and the pavement under my feet, 

sparkles silver and gold, in reflected light 

that I otherwise wouldn't have seen.

And when the storm comes and the strong wind blows

 I will bow my head to push through; 

And every step that I take,I will watch and pray 

and be sure my foothold is true.

Jesus, don't You keep me from that storm 

I wanna walk that sacred ground; 

For You are Master of it all 

And I am but a lost and found.

And in the dry place, in the wilderness 

when Your word seems so far away, 

Oh I will think of my life, and I will bless Your name; 

For Your promises never have failed.

And when the night falls, at the end of days,

 I will lift my eyes to the heavens, 

and we will shine like the stars, for eternal days; 

In Your presence forever and e'er.

So, Jesus, don't You keep me from that storm

 I wanna walk that sacred ground; 

For You are Master of it all 

And I am but a lost and found.

Lost and found, lost and found

 I am but a lost and found 

For can there be a sweeter sound, 

than singing with the lost and found?