Thursday, February 11, 2010

Your Hands

"In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:10)

This morning I awoke to JJ Heller's song, Your Hands
The lyrics are powerful. Soak them in:

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Your hands
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave You when...

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave...
I never leave Your hands

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

True Worship

"The Church's worship today must correspond to the worship that is going on in heaven." -- Chuck Pierce, The Worship Warrior

Worship is not just a time when we gather at church and sing a few songs. It is not just a ritual that we perform, nor a duty to be carried out. It is not silently striking a pious pose with heads bowed and eyes closed or with hands raised. True worship is not found in an act of performance, but rather in a life of heartfelt dedication and commitment. In other words, it is not relegated to a specific time or place, but rather becomes an all encompassing lifestyle. [excerpt from the book, "The Deborah Company: Becoming A Woman Who Makes A Difference" Chapter 18: Deborah the Worshiper]

True worship before the Lord is a multifaceted experience that:

PRIORITIZES -- "The one thing I ask of the LORD – the thing I seek most – is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD's perfections and meditating in his Temple." -- Psalm 27:4

EMPOWERS -- "For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high, above my enemies who surround me. At his Tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the LORD with music." -- Psalm 27:5-6

AWAKENS -- "Awake, my glory! Awake, lyre and lute! I will awaken the dawn." -- Psalm 57:8

MAGNIFIES -- "O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." -- Psalm 34:3-4

TRANSFORMS -- "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." -- 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

TEACHES -- "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." -- Colossians 3:16-17

CONNECTS -- "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" -- Psalm 133:1