2/7/10 worship set

For All You've Done
All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises
He Knows My Name
Rescue

Change My Heart, O God (Tommy w/Sherry accompanying)

perfect praise: part I

We have learned that worship to God should include everything we do.  Our very breathing in and out is an expression of our worship and a testimony to God’s faithfulness in our lives.  We also learned that praise is but one part of worship.  Stated another way, while all acceptable praise is worship, not all worship is praise.  Praise is that upward focus toward God.  You may not even consider some of the things you do to be worship because they flow so naturally from your heart and mind and are almost unconsciously given to God.  However, you are almost sure to know when you’re praising him.  That’s because praise is direct and deliberate adoration.  Praise is a choice.

I was in Salt Lake City a few years ago leading the music for a group of students on their mission trip.  Every morning after our worship service, we would go out on buses and vans into the community to share our faith.  One day as we were riding to our assigned area, everyone in the bus started singing praise songs.  We sang and sang.  The girl beside me was one of those Christians who had the “glow that shows.”  Her smile was contagious.  She kept smiling even while she was singing.  At the end of one of our songs, she looked up at me and said an amazing thing.  She said, “You know, I don’t sing very well.”  She paused for a moment, the whole time maintaining that wonderful smile.  Then she said, “But that’s OK with me, because I figure this: God made my voice.  And since he made my voice, he must like to hear it.”  Now her smile got even bigger and brighter.  “So I’m just gonna sing as loud as I can!”

That girl made a choice to praise God with her voice.  It didn’t matter to her if others thought she was “un-cool” or even fanatical.  What motivated her to praise was nothing less than passionate love for and devotion to her Lord.

Luke 7:36-50 describes another woman who was motivated by a heart full of devotion.  “...and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.  Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” (v. 38).  We can see in this passage how this was a deliberate act of praise.  The woman outwardly expressed her love to Christ.   “Do you see this woman?... her many sins have been forgiven -- for she loved much...” (vs. 44 & 47)

[taken from Pure Praise: A Heart-Focused Bible Study on Worship, Dwayne Moore, 27-28.]

1/31/10 worship set

***ALL SERVICES CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER***

Alive Forever Amen (choir special)
For All You've Done
He Knows My Name
Rescue

Change My Heart, O God (Tommy w/Sherry accompanying)

the priority of praise...

God’s people have always praised him.  In one form or another, praise to our wonderful God has always been in vogue among his followers.  In Psalm 33, the opening words of the call to worship include, “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.”  Throughout Israel’s history, the people’s most shining moments -- those most pleasing to God -- were times they lifted God up in praise.  In fact, David said of God, “You are the praise of Israel.” (Ps 22:3).

Throughout God’s Word we find praise being lifted up to him.  The word praise can be found well over 200 times in the Bible.  When we include related words such as worship, sing, shout, and bow down, that number climbs to close to 500.

For all eternity God will be praised.  Revelation 4 describes part of a vision that the author, John, had of a glorious gathering in heaven that will take place at some point in the future.  It’s interesting to note, however, that everything John described was in the past tense because he was telling about a heavenly vision he had already seen.  Yet when he spoke of the praise taking place in heaven in vs. 8-11, John suddenly spoke in the here and now.  I believe John’s abrupt change from the past tense to the present tense was intentional.  John wanted to be clear that the praise he was witnessing was not a one-time event.  Praise in heaven is ongoing, both in the present and in the never-ending future!

Throughout all creation God will be praised.  According to Revelation 5:11-14, all heavenly beings, including angels, living creatures and elders will praise him.  Every created being, including people, animals, fish and all of nature will sing to him.  Praise is obviously both pleasing to God and natural for his creation.

At this very moment in heaven, God is being praised.  This is perhaps the most amazing of all.  If you’ll read Revelation 4:8 again, you’ll notice that the four living creatures never stop saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty”.  Praise to our holy God is so important that heaven itself never stops praising him.

[taken from Pure Praise: A Heart-Focused Bible Study on Worship, Dwayne Moore, 25-26.]

1/24/10 worship set

Filled With Your Glory
Firm Foundation
My Hope (with The Solid Rock) (choir special)
God of This City

Give Me Jesus (duet special during offering)
People Need the Lord (Tommy w/Sherry accompanying)

true worship changes us...

Anyone who has a “green thumb” knows how to love and care for their plants.  They make sure they get plenty of everything they need to be healthy and happy (if plants can be happy...).  Occasionally they move a plant closer to a window if they see that it isn’t getting enough sunlight.  It’s amazing how quickly the plants perk up and look healthy (and happy) again.

Worshipping God has a similar effect on our souls.  We cannot encounter his presence and awesome glory and not somehow be affected.

One great example of the transforming power of worship is in Isaiah 6.  At the beginning of this chapter, Isaiah was mourning the death of his friend, King Uzziah.  Through a vision Isaiah found himself right in the middle of a heavenly worship service.  He “saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted”.  He went on to describe the seraphs all calling to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.”  Their voices were so loud that the entire place shook.  The Temple was filled with smoke, which represented the holy presence of God.

Can you imagine what that service must have been like?  Wouldn’t you love to have been there with Isaiah?  But notice that Isaiah wasn’t actually “in” the service at first.  Verse 1 says he “saw the Lord.”  He was an observer, an onlooker.  Perhaps he was like some of those who come to our worship services -- not really participating, just watching.  But even the person in the farthest corner of the room will be somehow be affected when God shows up.  That’s exactly what happened to Isaiah.  He couldn’t stay uninvolved for long.

“Woe to me!” I cried.  “I am ruined!  For I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”  Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand...  With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”  Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?”  And I said, “Here am I.  Send me!”I (vs. 5-8)

Isaiah’s first response was to recognize his sinfulness and let God cleanse him.  Then he went from a downcast and reluctant worship spectator to a willing participant in anything God wanted him to do.  That’s the amazing change God can make in people’s lives through worship.

[taken from Pure Praise: A Heart-Focused Bible Study on Worship, Dwayne Moore, 22-23.]

1/17/2010 worship set

Fields of Grace
I Am Resolved
The Heart of Worship
Revelation Song (choir special)

Break Through (Tommy w/Sherry accompanying)