Worship 24/7

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.” - John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad 3rd ed.

This quote has impacted me more in my personal ministry than any other. What John Piper is saying is that worship is eternal. We will always be worshipping. Revelation 4:8 says:

“And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME." - (Revelation 4:8 NASB)

One thing I find is that worshipping something doesn’t come natural...or does it?

Someone once told me, “You always worship something.” He was right. Worship is all about where you place “worth.” The definition of worship means to “ascribe worth.” so whatever we value, is what we will worship and whatever we give the most value is what we worship most. 

Even though we don’t necessarily have little idols sitting on the mantle at home, whatever is most important to us is what we worship.

I had to evaluate that in my life. What could I not do without? Cars? Computers? Family? My wife? My career? God? When it came down to it, the only thing I couldn’t do without in my life was God. However, He wasn’t most important and therefore, not the object of my worship. That presented a problem, but not an uncommon one. John had to address this problem in his letter. John says:

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” - (1 John 2:15-17 NASB)

In order to worship God properly, according to John’s letter, we have to do His will. 

“Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.” - (John 14:23-24 NASB)

In order to show the world that I truly worship God, I have to do what He said for me to do. Sounds easy...but to keep God on  my radar 24/7 is a challenge. There are so many earthly things that want to get in the way. That’s why it is important to stay “close and clean” before God. It’s part of “renewing my mind” (Ephesians 4:22-23).

The way to worship God on Earth is to follow His will. It’s really the only “practice” we’ll have for when we get to His throne and praise Him forever.

God Bless,

Art Sauer - Choir Director

God Wants Us to "Chill Out"

or those that did not get to know me last Wednesday, my name is Art Sauer and I am your new Choir Director. I can give you details about who I am in person, but let me take a few sentences to charge my heart with you. My heart is for each of you to worship God and lead others in worship. In order to lead others in worship, you must be first worshipping the One true God first. Let me share with you what I believe God says about worship.

Worship is not necessarily music. Music is a clear tool to worship, but not all music is worship and not all worship involves music. There are a good many people that are serving in the preschool area that are worshipping just as much as the person on stage. One of my favorite passages in Scripture is: 

Psalm 46:10 - “Be still and know that I am God.”

Is it possible to be still and worship? Being still is not part of many people’s regular routine. I may need to explain being still. When I first read this verse I imagined a Buddhist monk, with his legs crossed, eyes closed, and chanting. That is a version of being still. Being still in this verse means to “drop down, sink, relax.” Ironically, the Bible tells us to “chill out” and know that He is God. So first we have to literally push “pause” on our lives to know God.

We are a busy people. Cell phones, laptops, clock watching, alarm clock people. We enjoy microwaved bacon, fast food, immediate emails, texts, Twitter, and online chatting. We want it fast and we wanted it yesterday! God tells us to relax. It is only through quiet, silent, slowing down of life that we can ever really know God.

Think of Elijah. 

[11] Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, [but] the LORD [was] not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, [but] the LORD [was] not in the earthquake; [12] and after the earthquake a fire, [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. - (1 Kings 19:11-12 NKJV)

God speaks often times so quietly in our busy lives that we cannot hear Him. The verse doesn’t say to hear Him, but to know Him. What does it mean to know God?

To “know” God in this verse is a personal relationship with Him. This isn’t a casual acquaintance. This is an intimate knowledge that only comes through spending time with God.

So what does “being still” and “knowing God” have to do with worship? If your not spending time to know who God is, or taking time to listen, you are worshipping something else. What is it that takes more time in your life, or more influence in your life, than God? It could be your job. It could be your family. It could even be the work of the church. 

As lead worshippers, we are expected to take time and prepare ourselves to lead other people to the throne of God. If we are not there ourselves, how can we lead people to somewhere we’re not regularly going? I pray, through the weeks and months ahead, that we give, not just time, but our lives to God so that we are able to take others with us each week as we stand leading in praise each week.

God Bless,

Art

Operation Inasmuch

One of the greatest mission opportunities that I have been involved with is our “Operation In As Much” here at SHBC.  It is a one-day community blitz where the church goes out into the community to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Matthew 25:40 “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  

A couple of years ago as we were participating in this one day mission blitz, we were able to do some yard work for a very sweet lady.  She had a beautifully landscaped yard and it was in need of a little TLC, so we donned our gloves and hedge clippers and headed out!  One of the jobs we needed to do was put out some fresh pine straw and remove any old, dead bushes.  Someone asked where the dead bushes were and she said that we would definitely notice them in the bunch.  Well, she was right.  In the middle of all those beautiful bushes and trees were two bushes that were dead.  No leaves, dry, brittle branches, yep! They were dead.  We took an ax and started at the bottom.  As we pulled on the branches to bring it out of the ground, they just started breaking off.  What an eyesore to such a serene setting.  They were of no significance to that setting because they did nothing.  They could not produce any flowers or leaves and they just caused the others to seem dull.  Once we removed the dead bushes, the landscape was once again a place of serenity and beauty.  The same is true with our lives.

John 15:1-2 “I am the vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Are our lives producing fruit for the Savior?  Jesus’ words here distinguish between those lives that are producing fruit, they will be cut back to promote new and more fruitful growth, and those that bear no fruit, they need to go.  They will be cut off at the trunk.  Ouch!  This is serious stuff!  I want a tree that is beautiful and bountiful with fruit!  Sure those times that God prunes my branches can be painful, but oh so necessary to strengthen my character and promote new growth that will bring him glory.  Those that choose not to follow and lead unproductive lives will be cut off in order to keep the rest of the tree from being infected.   How do we produce this fruit for him?

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We need to remain in him.  There is no way to produce fruit without him.  We have it plain and clear and I am so grateful that he guides me and shows me everything I need.  His Word is my source of guidance!   I choose this day to follow and obey my Savior, to produce fruit that is sweet and pleasant for him.  

Have a blessed week~

Allison Jordan

 SHBC Praise Team

5/1/11 worship set

You, You Are God
All The Earth Will Sing Your Praises
Give Me Faith
Awakening
Break Through

Stop Doubting and Believe

What a blessed day it was!  Easter Sunday is such a time of celebration as we praise our Risen Savior!  The whole weekend was a time to focus on the ultimate love of our Jesus as he suffered and died for us but then conquered death and the grave and rose again!  It literally makes me want to shout!  I love this special weekend and I think that most of us can say the same things.

Now that Easter Sunday has come to a close for this year, what do we do now?  I was studying through scripture as all the disciples began to see Jesus after his resurrection; it says, “they were overjoyed” (John 20:20).  As you read a little further and realize that Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus appeared, you can almost hear the conversation as the disciples began telling Thomas what had happened.  I have to chuckle a little as I can imagine Thomas’ response to the disciples telling him that Jesus was alive!  There was probably some “NO WAY!” or “Ya’ll are crazy!” (by the use of ya’ll, I’m assuming Thomas was southern like me!  Ha-ha!)

Of course, scripture records Thomas as saying in John 20:25 “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

No wonder he is nicknamed “Doubting Thomas”.  He earned that nickname! Lol!  Oh, but the best part is yet to come as a week later and the disciples were all hanging out at the house and Jesus comes through the door.  Now, mind you, Jesus could have knocked on the door that was locked, but instead he came through the door…that was locked and looked at Thomas and said, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:26-27)  I love it!  

Though Thomas had been with Jesus before his crucifixion just as the other disciples, and had listened to all that Jesus told him would happen, he still did not believe it.  He wanted physical proof that it was Jesus before he believed.  But as Jesus walked right through that locked door and stood before him he told Thomas “Stop doubting and believe.” You go Jesus!  Thomas no more doubted that it was Jesus, no; instead he looked at Jesus and said, “My Lord and my God!”  He knew it was his Lord!  And as Jesus looked at this disciple, this friend that walked so closely with him, he said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

What struck me about all this, is if Thomas could doubt even walking all that time with Jesus, knowing Jesus as he did, how many now still doubt Jesus? We have his Word, we know the whole story, and we know what happens at the end!  We say, Yes! Jesus is alive! But how many times do we doubt his presence in our lives? How many times do we ask, “Where is he?” “Are you there, Lord?”

Well, my friend, Jesus is ALIVE! Jesus is here and active!  He says right here in scripture that “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” It is time to put away doubts, get into God’s Word, and spend time talking and listening to your Savior!  His love for us is so great!  It is hard for me to fathom the vastness of his love for me, but I know that he stretched out his arms and died for me, rose again, and IS alive and active in my life! Hallelujah!

Easter Sunday is over but a new day is here and life to be lived for our Risen Savior!  Celebrate this life that he sacrificed for!  There is so much to do!  Souls out there that don’t know, don’t believe that we can share the good news to!  The time has come!

I pray that you all have an awesome week of celebrating and serving our Lord! And in the words of my Jesus…”STOP DOUBTING AND BELIEVE!”

Believing~

Allison Jordan 

SHBC Praise Team

4/24/11 Easter worship set

Alive, Forever, Amen
     **choir special
Let God Arise
Christ Is Risen
O The Blood
All Because Of Jesus

4/10/11 worship set

Arise *choir special and worship song
My Savior Lives
How Great Thou Art
Christ Is Risen