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.