Raising the Dead to Life

“Christianity isn’t merely about making good people better; it’s about raising the dead to life.”

~ Robert Capon

The dead spots in all of our lives are precisely the ones Jesus tends to aim his full focus, for while they remain in us, we can’t be whom we were meant to be. For Jesus wants us whole, and as CS Lewis said in Mere Christianity, He is not going to finish with us until the whole work is done.

When we are willing to come face to face with our individual, unique blind spot, holding our Lord’s hand while we summon this courage, we can find that our worst problem has been trying to tell us something important—as all pain does.

But once we listen to what it has to tell us, willing at last to accept God’s power within us to change it, then the dark cloud over that part of our lives can lift, revealing the brightest of sunshine.

~ Stephen Reed

On Worship

Worship is the believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, body – to what God is and says and does.

~ Warren Wiersbe, Real Worship, p. 26

I've been pondering worship today. I participated in worship this weekend - four services in all - and it had an incredible impact on me.

I was profoundly affected by the truths we were singing. Much of what we sang was directly taken from Scripture. All of it was truths about God, His character and His greatness.

Expressing truth thru music and worship has such a way of capturing hearts. I feel it happen in my own heart. My eyes are taken off however I am feeling or anything I have brot with me emotionally to church, and is directed to the only One who is worthy of praise.

I see it in other members the worship team and choir. I see the tears on the faces around me, hear the emotion in voices as the Word move deeply in hearts softened by worship. Words seem to be sung more passionately with each service because they are set deeper in our hearts each time we sing them. That is, at least, what I feel.

There are even moments we can't sing. Twice this happened to Jared this morning. Instead of leading in the next verse he had to simply take a moment and lift his hands to the Lord, as the musicians continuing playing till he could sing again.

I see it in a director that is so moved by the Truth of the words she stops directing the choir in the middle of a song and raised her hands in worship. I have never seen or experienced this type of directing before.

And I see it in the church body as they sing with us. I can't even describe what it is like to see glimpses of what is happening in hearts during worship, but it's amazing, incredible and powerful. I am so blessed to be a tiny part of such a powerful work of God. How great is our God!

Click and enjoy a moment of worship in your day!

How Great is our God

The splendour of the King, robed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice

He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hide

And trembles at His voice, trembles at His voice

How great is our God,

Sing with me, how great is our God

And all we see how great....how great is our God!

And age to age He stands, and time is in His hand

Begining and the end, begining and the end

The Godhead three in one - Father, Spirit, Son

The lion and the lamb, the lion and the lamb

Here's another definition of worship I like:

Christian worship is the response of God’s redeemed people to His self-revelation that exalts God’s glory in Christ in our minds, affections, and wills, in the power of the Holy Spirit.” ~ Bob Kauflin

Christian worship…is different from every kind of worship because it has been made possible through Jesus Christ. Revelation 5:9-10

Is the response…God has already done something outside of us and inside of us that enables us to worship Him. We are not the initiators of worship; God is. Acts 17:24-31

Of God’s redeemed people…Just as God delivered the nation of Israel from Egypt to worship Him Exodus 8:1, so He has redeemed us as a holy nation to declare His praises. 1 Peter 2:9 Worship of God is intended to be corporate, not simply personal.

To his self-revelation…we can’t know God apart from Him revealing Himself to us. He has shown Himself to us in creation, His Word, and ultimately His Son. Romans 1:20

That exalts…the essence of worship is exalting - raising up, lifting high, submitting to, magnifying, making much of, honoring, reverencing, celebrating – the triune God. Psalm 71:19

God’s glory in Christ…Moses asked God to show him his glory and God passed before him and proclaimed his nature. Exodus 34:6-7. God has enabled us to see His glory in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

In our minds…worship involves thinking, meditating, reflecting, processing, evaluating, understanding what God has revealed to us of Himself. Romans 12:1-2

Affections…true worship involves the heart as well as the head. We worship what we love and value the most. (Mt. 22:37-38)

And wills…If we are truly worshipping God, we will truly be transformed. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Our choices will reflect our profession that God is supreme in our lives. Romans 12:1-2

In the power of the Holy Spirit…We are those who worship by the Spirit of God, Philippians 3:3, and depend on His leading and enabling.

Contentment

How can we learn contentment?

~ J. R. Miller, "The Hidden Life" 1895

"I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." Philippians 4:11

How can we learn contentment?

One step toward contentment, is patient submission to unavoidable ills and hardships. No earthly lot is perfect. No mortal ever yet in this world, has found a set of circumstances without some drawback.

There are . . .trials which we cannot change into blessings, burdens which we cannot lay down, crosses which we must continue to carry, thorns in the flesh which must remain with their rankling pain.

When we have such trials, why should we not sweetly accept them as part of God’s best way with us?

Discontent never made . . . a rough path smoother, a heavy burden lighter, a bitter cup less bitter, a dark way brighter, a sore sorrow less sore.

It only makes matters worse! One who accepts with patience, that which he cannot change–has learned one secret of victorious living.

Another part of the lesson, is that we can learn to moderate our desires. "Having food and clothing," says Paul again, "let us be content with these." Very much of our discontent arises from envy of those who seem to be more favored than ourselves.

Many people lose most of the comfort out of their own lot–in coveting the finer, more luxurious things which some neighbor has. Yet if they knew the whole story of the life they envy for its greater prosperity, they probably would not exchange for it their own lowlier life, with its more humble circumstances. Or if they could make the exchange, it is not likely they would find half so much real happiness in the other position, as they would have enjoyed in their own.

Contentment does not dwell so often in palaces–as in the homes of the humble. The tall peaks rise higher, and are more conspicuous–but the winds smite them more fiercely than they do the quiet valleys. And surely, the lot in life which God makes for us–is always the best which could be made for us for the time. He knows better than we do–what our true needs are.

The real cause of our discontent is not in our circumstances; if it were, a change of circumstances might cure it. It is in ourselves, and wherever we go–we shall carry our discontent heart with us. The only cure which will affect anything–must be the curing of the fever of discontent in us.

A fine secret of contentment, lies in finding and extracting all the pleasure we can get from the things we have–the common, everyday things; while we enter upon no mad, vain chase after impossible dreams. In whatever state we are in–we may find therein enough for our need.