Sing with the Spirit and Understanding

Monday, October 30, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Psalm 47:6-7  “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all of the earth; sing praises in a skillful psalm, and with understanding.”

I Cor 14:15  “I will sing with the spirit and I will also sing with understanding.”

How often do we merely mouth the words without ritual understanding?  Certainly in our worship leaders we need to cultivate our best talents and hone our skills, but we need the Holy Spirit’s enablement and sensitivity in understanding.  That causes our song to soar.  It can then flow to God’s honor and glory through a dedicated single-minded heart and not through a technically accurate, but double-minded musician whose spirit is not in tune with the Spirit.

Our singing in a worship service is not a preliminary “warm up” to the main event called a sermon.  It is an integral part of the worship, made vibrantly alive in us as we sing with the Spirit and with understanding. 

Psalm 30:11-12

Psalm 33: 1-5

Isaiah 12

Acts 16: 25-34

Worship and the Meaning of Life

Friday, October 27, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Psalm 90:12  “So teach us (me) to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

When life seems hard, defeating, unfulfilling, and aimless, we must be as honest in our prayers as the psalmist was.  Cry out to God, not in dark unbelief, but in the light of HOPE.  Worship God!

The fact that our heart isn’t overflowing with blessings or abundance need not be a hindrance to our worship.  We should never stay away from our public, or private, worship because ‘we don’t feel like worshiping.’

Even in the dark times we must realize the vast power of worship to give our lives meaning and purpose.  If we surrender to the liar who is veiled in feelings of despair and aimlessness, we will bow before hopelessness, exchanging the Almighty God for a lesser god.

When we worship God even in despair, we defy the enemy and declare our valuing of the good, the best – the Lord.  There is no more worthy purpose to praise and no more worthy time for it. 

In worship of our Lord putting God first enables us to focus on His Love, our blessings, instead of temporary feelings of despair.

The despairing moments will pass.  We will overcome by remaining in God’s presence.  In our times of confusion and aimlessness, remember that the power of worshiping in the darkness will enable us to order our days aright and to finish them, not with a sigh, but with a SHOUT.

Lord, grant me, as I praise You, a vision of who I am and what I am to do.  Enable me to order my days in ways that glorify Your name, and even when I cannot see my way, to trust Your providence. 

In Jesus, my Lord! Amen

Enter His Courts with an Offering, Too

Wednesday, October 25, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Psalm 96: 7,8  Give to the Lord, oh kindreds of people, give to the Lord glory and strength.  Give to the Lord the glory due His Name; bring an offering and come into His courts. 

It is impossible to talk about worship in the biblical framework without talking about offering to God our material substance – our money.  He doesn’t need it, but the fact is, giving our financial resources is a proper response that opens the way to the spiritual law of giving and receiving. 

Giving generously is the measure of how generously we can receive, how open we are to the impouring of God’s blessing. 

II Cor 9:6  “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”   God wants to pour into our lives His blessings, but our capacity to receive depends on whether we ‘let the plug out’ at the giving end of our lives.   We are created to be channels of blessings. 

Here is the process:

*  He provides

*  We trust and give

*  He blesses our gifts

*  He fills us again with His abundant provision

God’s intended blessings of material resources are far more abundant than we can imagine or ever repay.

Let praiseful obedience break any stingy spirit and according to His generosity and grace let us worship with abounding financial gifts of gratitude.   

Jack Hayford's words say it well, "God of good and gracious gifts, I praise You for blessing me with so any good things"   

Increase my capacity to be content with what I receive, and as You enable me to become a generous giver, make me an example of one You can trust to give aboundingly as You have increased my ability to praise You in this way.  

Through Him who gave His all for me - AMEN!  

The Lord’s Beauty Salon

Friday, October 10, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Psalm 147:1 – “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant and praise is becoming”

Jack Hayford says, “If you want to become a handsome or a beautiful person, praise the Lord!””

You may know people who have lived in the presence of the Lord so long and who love Him so much, that they prove the truth of the above Psalm.  Their very demeanor speaks of the beauty of holiness.  Psalm 115:8 and 135:18 say that those who worship idols “are like them,” but the same is true of we who steadfastly look into the face of His countenance and He is mirrored in ours – His grace is fashioning us into gracious people.  His beauty transforming our countenance.

The inner beauty of Christ Himself begins to shine.  As we are forgiven and loved by Him, our pinched and anguished faces relax in God’s peace.  Our countenance begins to glow, caught up in praise, we worship in the beauty of Holiness. We have indeed been given beauty in place of ashes  (Is 61:3)

Beautiful Savior, I love to gaze upon You and to feel Your love becoming as part of who I am.  I honor You above all beautiful things in heaven and on earth, just for who You are, and for Your power to touch sordid lives and transform them into beautiful people.  I praise You. 

Praise and the New Creation

Wednesday, October 18, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Ps 104:24, 30  “O Lord, how many are Your works! ^[a]In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground.”

Jack Hayford said “we should be equally impressed with the new creation that he brings about when we allow the wind of His Spirit to breathe through the branches of our lives.  Our psalms of praise become an accompaniment to his created works (Job 38:7) and hearts are changed, lives turned around, and sins forgiven”

My Lord, the angels and stars shouted praise and sang as You created the universe.  How much more should we sing and shout your praises when a child is born into your ever-expanding universe of love.  Or even when you pour out special gifts and blessings on us. 

A polite ‘thank You’ is not enough.  May my awareness and desire to openly praise You whenever I have the opportunity to do so be loud, joyful and truly sincere and contagious.

There is no limit!  Creation is on-going.  There are people to be converted, hearts to be enlightened, eyes to be opened, people to be healed!  And God is looking for a chorus to provide the accompaniment.  Hallelujah!  Amen!

Praise: The Weapon of Our Warfare

Sunday, October 15, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Psalm 21: 13 (AMP)  Your hand shall find all Your enemies.  Your right hand shall find all those who hate You.  Be exalted, Lord, in Your own strength, we will sing and praise Your power.

II Chronicles 20:22-30

22  As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the enemy and they were self-slaughtered

Psalm 147:1-11

1 Praise the lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God, for He is gracious and lovely.  Praise is becoming and appropriate. 

Revelation 19:1-7

1 …exclaiming Hallelujah, praise the Lord

3. the 24 elders and living creatures all fell prostrate and worship God

6. and a vast throng were all exclaiming “Praise the Lord”

7.  rejoicing and shouting for joy, celebrating His glory

It is always appropriate to praise You, Lord, to sing our praises.  Doing this takes our focus off the circumstances and places it back where it belongs – on you.   

Enable and empower me to keep focused on You, always.  May I become a constant and continuous worshiper!  From this day forward throughout all eternity.  

With Tongues of Men and Angels

Thursday, October 6, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Ps 117  O praise the Lord, all ye nations. Praise Him all ye people. For His merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endureth forever.  Praise ye the Lord.

Biblical faith is a missionary faith:  “all ye nations.”

The early church was told to stay in Jerusalem until they were given power from on high (Luke 24:29).  With visitors from every nation in Jerusalem for the feast day, they all witnessed the amazing display of God’s power on the new church.  “Suddenly, the Holy Spirit descended with a sound as of a rushing mighty wind.” (Acts 2:2)  Tongues of fire appeared above the disciple’s heads and they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Each person heard them speaking in their own language.  Some who did not understand the other languages mocked and accused the disciples of being drunk. 

But imagine the impact of the visitors who heard the message in their own native tongues.  A missionary outreach of the Holy Spirit.  What a glorious, cosmic gift.  The various melodies of earth’s different languages all blending in the power of the Holy Spirit into a chorus in which both people and angels lift their voices to glorify the Giver of every good gift. 

Father, I praise You that Your Name is being praised in loving and supernatural ways around the globe.  Today where people of every race and tongue have heard and received the Good News. 

Please use me in whatever way my tongue can best be used to glorify You and to speak the truth in love and to release ever-new praises to Your Name.  Amen

What Language Shall I Borrow?

October 4, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Psalm 65:1-2 (NKJ) Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; and to You the vow shall be performed.  O You, who hear prayers, to You all flesh will come.

Psalm 65: 1-2 (AMP)  To You belongs silence (the submissive wonder of reverences which bursts for the into praise) and praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion; and to You shall the vow be performed.

God wants us to employ every part of ourselves:  body, soul, mind, and spirit in glorifying and worshiping Him.  When we speak, we are using our mind.  Humans can speak, animals cannot.

When we pray and praise we use our mind and tongue to use language – our language

• Prayer of confessions
• Prayer of petition (Matt 7:7
• Prayer of praise (Ps 100:4)
• Prayer of meditation – this is our way of waiting upon God to seek His will for us.
• Prayer of intercession
• Prayer of supplication

Intercession – we are bold enough to ask Him to step into the muddle of a situation

Supplication is contracting with God to invade our dilemma with His wisdom, power, and provision. 

Adoration – we magnify Him who is worthy above all others and we adore Him simply because of who He is!

My Lord, I use my mind deliberately to confess my sin to you this day.  Forgive  me for being complacent about sin.  I praise You for convicting me to repent and be cleansed. 

Even now, my Jesus, bring to the surface any unconfessed sin that I may stand before you, forgiven and clean.   Pride always pops us.  Forgive me for being proud as someone shared that they has used something I had said and done.  Enable me to not yearn for acknowledgement like that.   Forgive my pride.

May you clearly reveal your will to me as you speak to me in times of meditation.  May my intercession and supplication on behalf of all be acceptable this day.  

The Power of Weakness before the Awesome God

Monday, October 2, 2006  From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Isaiah 6

This throne room scene is an awe-inspiring confrontation with the “Thrice Holy God.”  Isaiah is totally melted by the awesome power of God and can only cry “woe is me!”  But in one of the most profound paradoxes in human experience, Isaiah emerges from the Heavenly Throne room as a man of vision, direction, strength, and mission.

His trembling gave way to trust God’s supreme power was transferred to Isaiah.  His insufficiency was swallowed up in God’s all sufficiency! God is not playing games.  He is not disposed to frighten us to death for entering His presence, but to awe us o life because we have seen His presence.

God wants us to be able to stand our ground in life’s trials.  To do this requires frequent visits to the Holy Place.  We must never hesitate to come to the Awesome God, though we come in our weakness. 

Borrow from His divine strength and honor Him and praise him as the source of our healing. Learn from the prodigal son and acknowledge God and return to His security. 

Never believe the lie that you are too down and weak.  Remember that He’s waiting in the Throne room, not to resist or dispel you, but to receive and reward you with strength sufficient for every tomorrow. 

Oh God, my Father, I would not dare to come into your presence without Your having called me to come, and without the covering of Jesus’ blood.  I honor You and magnify Your Name, asking only that I may be strengthened by being in Your presence.  In Christ, my Lord, Amen. 

The Universe's Largest Choir

October 1, 2006 - From a study on worship from Jack Hayford's book "A Heart of Praise"

Psalm 68:24-26

24 They have seen Your procession, O God,
The procession of my God, my King, [c]into the sanctuary.
25 The singers went on, the musicians after them,
In the midst of the maidens beating tambourines.
26 Bless God in the congregations, Even the Lord, you who are of the fountain of Israel. 

It is ritual (that in today's worship) that the congregation participate.  However, we must not just sit back and be critics.  We are not the audience - God is.  

The worship leaders and choirs should be like directors leading the people to express their worship. Just as a choir has multiple voices and gifts, so each one in the congregation has gifts to offer that are essential for acceptable worship.  

Our private times of worship are not enough.  God inhabits the praises of His people as a whole.  The drama of worship is too grand a production to be produced by believers in lonely isolation from each others.  

Every member of the cast gathered to worship God is important.  We must not forsake the assembly of gathering together to worship our Lord (Heb 10:25)

Thank you, Lord, for the church; for believers with whom I can share life and faith in common.  And, when we assemble, grant me a sense of personal participation with them in worship instead of being a distance observer.  

Go Ahead and Dance

September 30, 2006 - From a study on worship from "The Heart of Praise" by Jack Hayford

[Note:  Mom had polio as the age of 3 and lived her life with one leg 3" shorter than the other.  Thus, her balance and strength have never allowed her to dance - something she has longed for throughout her life)

Psalm 150: 3,4, 6
"Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the lute and the harp!  Praise Him with the timbrel and DANCE;  ... Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord!"

II Samuel 6:14
 And David danced before the Lord with all his might."  

David worshiped God with unashamed passion!  He was joyous, jubilant, childlike, and humble in his praise."

The psalms are like this too.  The are dynamic and expressive.  They laugh and weep.  They lament and praise.  They reflect and emote.  And they DANCE. 

So, if the joy of the Lord penetrates you from head to toe, go ahead an dance!!

tever 

Almighty God, enable me to be so joyous and full of praise that at least my heart dances, celebrating your majesty and love and making Your praise glorious.

Allow me to praise in child-like abandon and freedom. 

Lord, as I have been reviewing and thinking about "my year to dance" it sets my heart to longing to dance in my spirit but also in my body.  

I watched the movie "Shall we Dance?" again last night and my heart and throat ache inside.  Keep me dancing, Father.  I never want to lose that desire to be in Your arms - following Your lead in the waltz of my life.  I also want to dance the Two Step and maybe even learn the Jitterbug in the joyous abandon of being Your partner in the dance of life.  

Psalm 30:11  "You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing."

Psalm 149:3  "Praise His Name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp."

Eccl 3:4 "A time to cry and a time to laugh.  A time to grieve and a time to dance."

I worship You, my Lord and King.  I am always amazed and humbled by Your acceptance of my worship.  Thank you for all You are teaching me about how to worship You.

As I facilitate the Worship Class [at the Women's Ministry Center], I want the others to be as excited about worship as I am and when they just stay so quiet and don't pay much attention or contribute, even with questions or comments, I feel I'm failing.  But, knowing You called me to do this, I must and I do choose to trust any and all results to You.

However, if there is any way You could use me to spark them into a little more interest or enthusiasm, show me!

July 25, 2009 - Several months ago as I was along in the warm water pool at Work Out West, I realized I can dance in the water.  Using a small bouyant exercise float, I can dance.  It is wonderful!  God and I meet and dance every Saturday when I am there alone.  Thank you Lord - so very much.  

Singing Against the Night

September 29, 2006  - From a study of Worship from "The Heart of Praise" by Jack Hayford

Psalm 77:4-6

4) You hold my eyes from closing and I am so troubled that I cannot speak
5) I consider the days of old, the years of bygone times of prosperity
6) I call to rememberance my song in the night; with my heart I meditate and my spirit searches diligently
12) I will meditate also upon all Your works (and wonders).  I consider all Your mighty deeds.
19) You way (in delivering Your people) was through the sea and Your path through the great waters, yet Your footprints were not tracable, but obliterated

Someone who tries to "cheer us up" by singing happy songs is applying a band-aid to our spirit. 
  Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
    or like vinegar poured on a wound,    is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.  (Proverbs 25:20)

BUT, the ability for the grieving one to sing against the night is something for that one to receive as a gift from the ONE who gives us songs in the night. 

We praise You, Father, for being a God who has the power to give us a song, not just when we feel like singing, but even in the dark night of our soul.  Enable me to sing in tune with you, and to worship in the dark, too.