Welcome to the Journal page. Here you will find thoughts and ideas on worship and teaching and encouragement for worship teams. Most of the items written here came from the monthly worship team schedule of Grace Community Church.
Are We Missing Him? (February 2006) Have any of you ever felt like you did all the rights things for God, but somehow missed Him? You serve on the worship team, go to a small group, and maybe even teach a Sunday school Class. But, you feel like you're hired labor rather than a joyful servant. God's chosen people, Israel, had the same problem. I've been reading in Romans lately, and a passage jumped out at me for our church when reading it in The Message. Paul is explaining how the Gentiles "got it" and how Israel "missed it."
"How can we sum this up? All those people who didn't seem interested in what God was doing actually embraced what God was doing as He straightened out their lives. And Israle, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. They were so absorbed in their "God projects" that they didn't notice God right in front on them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road. And so they stumbled into Him and went sprawling." (Romans 9:30-32)
I hope and pray that none of us miss God in what we're doing. We can't get caught up in worshipping the creation rather than the Creator. Doing stuff for God is great, but if we miss Him in the process, we really have missed the best part of serving. It's all about Him!
One Thing (November 2005) One of my favorite scenes in the Bible is when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead in John 11. The main purpose of the miracle is to glorify Jesus and for those around Him to know that the Father sent the Son. But, I love the secondary story of Mary and Martha even more.
The two sisters, Mary and Martha, are quite different. Martha is a doer...a worker...a server. What Martha does is a good thing, but not always the best thing. Mary, on the other hand, is captured by Jesus. She wants to be near Him, hear His voice, and worship Him. Luke 10:38-42 teels the story of when Mary and Martha host a reception for Jesus. Marth is hard at work preparing everything for the guests, while Mary is more interested in being with Jesus. When Martha complains, Jesus says, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Remember too, that Mary was the one who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume, and wiped His feet with her tears (Luke 7:36-50).
Now back to a dead Lazarus...What is interesting from the account in John is that Mary and Martha greet Jesus with the exact same phrase, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." (John 11:21, 32). Jesus first responds to MArtha with facts but little emotion. When Mary sees Jesus, the first things she does is fall at His feet. Then, she make the same statement that Martha does, but receives a different reaction from Jesus. Verse 33 says, "When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled." Then, Jesus displays His compassion in verse 35, "Jesus wept."
Same statement...different response. Why? I believe Jesus responded differently because of the relationship that Mary had with Jesus. Though Jesus loved both Mary and Martha, He responded with compassion to the one who was always found at His feet.
So, where do you find yourself? Are you are Martha or a Mary? I can honestly say that my tendency is to be a Martha. I often find myself doing things for Him instead of just sitting at His feet and worshipping Him. I long for more Mary times in my day, and I must really make myself sit still and enjoy Him.
I really believe that as we find ourselves in more Mary moments, our corporate times of worship will grow, and we'll find Jesus responding more to us as we seek Him.
Finding God (October 2005) Where do you find God? Do you find Him on Sunday mornings? How about in your homegroup or other small group? Is He there? Do you find Him when you're listening to a worship CD in the car? How about if it's really loud to block out all the other noise around you?
Let me suggest that God can be found in these places. But, He can be found in many other places as well. Remember in Genesis that God first uttered the words, "It was good" after He looked upon all He had created. Also, the Bible says that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father. Hmm...if every good thing comes from God, and He even said that His creation was good, shouldn't we be able to find Him in everything since all He created was good? David Crowder in his book, Praise Habit, calls this "habitual praise" - a perpetually sacred acknowledgment of the Giver of every good thing. A relentless embracing of good and a discarding of bad with an awareness of the One who in the beginning spoke those life-affirming words. When good is found and we embrace it with abandon, we embrace the Giver of it. Yes, we can find God in church on Sunday mornings, but also in the seemingly mundane. In rush-hour traffic at 5:15 pm. In a parent-teacher meeting. In the colors of the sunset. On the end of a tragic phone call. Every second is an opportunity for praise. There is a choosing to be made. A choosing at each moment. Finding God moment by revelatory moment, in the sacred and in the mundane, in the valley and on the hill, in triumph and tragedy, and living praise erupting because of it. This is what we were made for!
Facts Not Feelings (September 2005) I love the Sunday mornings when I'm soaring on a spiritual high and get to lead worship. There really is nothing better than to worship the Lord when all is going well and I "feel" good. However, our faith is not based on our feelings or our current situation. Our faith is based on the fact of who God is, what He has done for us, and who we are in Him through Jesus. Our feelings or life's circumstances are ever changing, but the fact of our relationship with God is our firm foundation that is never changing.
The real test of our faith, and thus whether or not our worship is true, comes when we are going through some trial or adversity. When trials happen, our feelings say that God doesn't care about us, and therefore we don't need to worship Him. The facts state that the trials and adversity are brought in to our lives to test our faith and produce endurance (James 1:3). If we know the facts and we believe them, then we can live out our faith and worship Him in the midst of any and every circumstance that God allows in our lives.
Job knew the facts about God and responded accordingly when everything was stripped away from Him. He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 2:21) The next verse proves that Job wasn't just providing lip service. It states, "Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God." (V. 22) Wow! I wish my walk with God was that strong.
So, this Sunday, choose to worship God based on the facts rather than your feelings. Whatever your situation or circumstance, whether on the mountaintop or in the valley, praise God! Bless His name!
Living in Wonder and Awe (May 2005) I love to watch a child enter an amusement park for the first time. Their jaw drops open in awe and wonder at the colors, sights, and sounds that are there to bring them joy. They laugh and giggle as they experience the rides for the first time. Then, wide-eyed, they race to a costumed character such as Mickey or Bugs to embrace them with love.
Can you remember the last time that you were awestruck with something...with anything? God has created an amazing world for us to live in. He's given us beautiful sunrises and sunsets, paints pictures in the sky with clouds, displays His greatness through majestic, snow-capped mountain peaks and roaring oceans, and allows to share in the sounds of creation worshiping Him through singing birds, gentle bubbling brooks, and the wind whistling though the trees. But, do we just ignore it and miss out on God's creative detail, or do we live in wide-eyed wonder at what He's given us?
Listen to Jesus' words from Matthew 6, "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"
It's time to live with wonder and awe again! It's time to appreciate all that God has given us to enjoy! It's time to let our bodies fill up with His light!
The Cost of Fuel (Apr. 2005)
So, how high will gas prices go? Economists predict the cost of fuel will continue to rise. But, we have to have it. We need it for our cars so that we can get from here to there. We need it to heat our homes. We need it to run equipment that is important to the production of goods and services. We need fuel, so we must be willing to pay whatever price it costs.
Likewise, we need spiritual fuel for our souls. Our physical bodies need the fuel of food and all the nutrients it provides. Our souls need the fuel that only comes from times of intimacy with the Lord. We need a fresh impartation of the Holy Spirit in our lives on a regular basis. Just look in the book of Acts. Even after the initial filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentacost, time and time again, the Bible describes how the disciples were "filled with the Holy Spirit." But, they weren't just filled so that they could feel good or get goose bumps. The filling of the Spirit was necessary so that they could do ministry with boldness. Just look at Acts chapter 4. "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's Word with fearless confidence."
Each one of us has been called by God into this worship ministry. We must serve Him by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by our might and power. Be sure that you are constantly serving Him with a full tank of spiritual fuel. So, are you willing to pay whatever it costs for this kind of fuel? Are you willing to put in the time it takes to seek Him? I hope we all are!
Let the Flames Begin! (Mar. 2005)
When it's a cold day outside, we love to start a fire in our fireplace. Now I know that some of you may think that my fireplace isn't a real fireplace because it's just one of those gas log things. When we moved into our home 6+ years ago, we decided to do the gas log option because my wife and I both hate to clean up the ashes after a real fire. Regardless of your opinions about our gas logs, we like them. They throw off enough heat to warm our downstairs living areas. They also do not leave a mess to clean up. But, probably my favorite thing about the gas logs is the overall simplicity of starting a fire. I don't have to get firewood and deal with it being too wet or too dry or too green. All I need is a match and the gas. I light the match, turn on the gas, and place the lit match close enough to the gas to ignite the flames. Viola! I have made fire! What's interesting here is that I must have both components, a lit match and the gas. Without the match, the gas is useless. Without the gas, the match would die out in a minute or so, and not provide the warmth in our home that we need. It takes both. It also takes placing the lit match near the flame.
So, what in the world does all this mean? WE ARE FUEL. HE IS FIRE. PROXIMITY IS EVERYTHING! We are that combustable gas that must be ignited by His flame. How do we do this? We must be close to Him. Seek Him. Desire Him. Be desperate for Him. When was the last time that you really sought Him where a passionate bonfire was ignited because of the nearness to His flame? I know it's been too long for me. Has it been too long for you, too? Remember His promise, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jer. 29:13) Let the flames begin!
If I Do Not Have Love (Feb. 2005)
As I was reading in 1 Corinthians this week, I came across one of my favorite chapters in the New Testament - Chapter 13, the "love chapter." My wife and I even used many of these verses in our wedding vows to each other almost 20 years ago. In my Bible that I've had for over 23 years, verses 4-8 are highlighted from my early study of this passage..."Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong sufferred, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." That's good stuff!
As I studied Chaprter 13 this week, however, I found myself coming back to verses 1-3. "If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing." This realization hit me right in the heart. Do I really love the people that I'm serving with? Do I really love the people that I'm serving? If I don't, then whatever I do for th kingdom of God is just noise that profits me nothing. I must be motivated by love if one day I want to hear the Lord say to me, "Well done!"
So, as we serve together in the worship ministry, let's be people who genuinely love each other. Let's also be sure we're loving the people we serve.
Larry
Don't Go Solo (Jan. 2005)
The Christian life was never meant to be lived out alone. We walk a dangerous tightrope when we choose to walk alone in our faith. Paul writes in Romans 12:4-5, "In this way, we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of His body. But as a chopped off finger or cut-off toe, we wouldn't amount to much, would we?" (The Message) If you remove an organ from the body, it will wither and die.
Are you connected to the body of Christ? I am talking about more than Sunday morning services. Are you involved in a small group where you can intimately share your life with a group of friends? As a follower of Jesus, this is as important as your study of the Word of God, worship, and prayer. You must be connected. Without connection, you will begin to wither up and die spiritually.
I am asking each of you to consider joining some kind of small group. This could be a homegroup, singles group, young adult group, college lifegroup, or youth ministry small group. get connected and share your life with others. Share your joys, hurts, questions, doubts, and praises. We need each other. We need relationships. Don't be a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe. Don't go solo!
Larry
Touching the Nations (Dec 2004)
Our home church, Grace Community Church has a heart for the nations, and specifically, the unreached people groups of the 10-40 window. As we worked on the recently released Bless God CD, our prayer for the project was that God would use it to somehow touch the nations. We didn't know how, but we had faith that He would use it.
It's awesome how God takes care of details. After sending the master in for duplication, our Missions Pastor asked if the CDs would be ready in time to take on his trip to Asia. Our Missions Pastor and his family would be visiting 10 overseas worker families sent out and supported by our church. The CD manufacturer finished a day early, and I had them send me a handful of CDs overnight so that they could make their way to China, Mongolia, Thailand, Bhutan, Burma, Malaysia, and Nepal. Wow God! Now that's a fast answer to prayer! The first batch of CDs out there touching the nations!
Larry
The Effects of Unconfessed Sin (Dec 2004)
It's been a while since I've given everyone a friendly reminder on the effects of unconfessed sin on the worship team. Remember the story of the battle of Ai from Joshua 7. Even though the people of Ai were few, Israel was greatly defeated because of the sin of one man, Achan. The sin of one man caused the defeat of a great and mighty army because God takes sin seriously. Understanding our role as facilitators of worship, it is important that we are prepared spiritually to stand up before the church body and lead. We must always be in a place where we come before the Lord and ask forgiveness for our sins. If we're not doing this on a regular basis, and especially on Sunday mornings, it is highly unlikely that we are going to have a successful worship time together. And remember, the sin of just one worship team member can bring down the whole team.
We have an enemy who is out to kill, steal, and destroy, but our greatest enemy just might be the unconfessed sin that we bring to the platform. Pride exists when we feel we don't need to confess our sin to the Lord. The book of James says that "God is opposed to the proud." Forget the fact that our enemy is trying to stop us. If we have pride in our hearts, God will stop us. And, there is no going around that roadblock.
So, please take this reminder seriously and come prepared in your hearts to worship the Lord.
Larry
Boasting in the Cross of Christ
Being on the worship team, a very upfront ministry, can cause attention to be directed to us. When a worship time goes well, we may get encouraging words and compliments. Sometimes it's difficult to avoid becoming boastful. That's when we must turn to the words of the Apostle Paul. "Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14) You see, pride is one of those worldly desires that rises up inside us when things go well and people notice us. We need to crucify our pride and boast only in the cross of Jesus. But, what does it mean to boast only in the cross of Christ?
As John Piper writes in his book, Don't Waste Your Life, "Paul means something that will change every part of your life. He means that, for the Christian, all other boasting should also be a boasting in the cross. All exultation in anything else should be exultation in the cross. If you exult in the hope of glory, you should be exulting in the cross of Christ. If you exult in tribulation because tribulation works hope, you should be exulting in the cross of Christ. If you exult in weaknesses, or in the people of God, you should be exulting in the cross of Christ. Why is this the case? Because for redeemed sinners, every good thing - indeed every bad thing that God turns for good - was obtained for us by the cross of Christ. Apart from the death of Christ, sinners get nothing but judgment. Apart from the cross of Christ, there is only condemnation. Therefore, everything that you enjoy in Christ - as a Christian, as a person who trusts in Christ - is owing to the death of Christ. And all your rejoicing in all things should therefore be a rejoicing in the cross where all your blessings were purchased for you at the cost of the death of the Son of God, Jesus Christ."
Larry
Seeing Things from God's Perspective
Recently, I have been reading God's Eye View by Tommy Tenney. This month, I want to share an idea that he brings up in the book. As a parent of six children, two of which are still small enough to be picked up by Mom or Dad, I can relate to the story and have witnessed similar scenes on multiple occasions.
Picture a child holding hands with a parent on an elevator. Everything is fine until that luxurious but small hotel elevator starts getting crowded. At every floor, people try to squeeze themselves in. The child's view soon becomes limited to a field of knees, belt buckles, backsides, and purses. Some people hate crowded elevators, but the concern is universal among our knee-high population. The child's little arms shoot straight up, and her eyes rivet Dad with urgent intensity. The child is saying, "Pick me up, Daddy. I can't see from down here." Once the child is picked up and elevated to the level of her father's-eye view, she has no porblem.
Worship is the process of stretching your arms to the heavens in the universal sign of surrender and desperation. When you worship, it is as if you look at your heavenly Father and say, "I don't like the way things look down here, Daddy. Would You lift me up? I want to see things from Your point of view."
How are things going in your life? are you bogged down in the day-to-day struggles of life to the point where you have lost your perspective? If you don't like the way things look "down here," then change your perspective. God has given you the key - worship can take you to a completely different understanding and lift you to a new plane of reality. Worship allows you to look from the seat of divine reality. Praise God!
Larry
We Are At War!
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and United States entered World War II, the American people rallied around our troops in support of the war effort. There were rationings, rubber drives, metal drives, women went to work in factories, and every able-bodied man joined the armed forces to defend our nation. Lives were at stake and the very freedom that our nation was founded on was at risk. Everyone did their part.
During peace time, Americans often focus on their own selfish desires. We pursue the American dream...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Most of society believes that life is all about themselves. Sadly, many in the church find themselves pursuing the same things as the world.
I want to remind each of you that we are in a war! It is the war going on around us in the heavenly places for millions and millions of lost souls. People are dying every day without the saving grace of Jesus. Many die without ever hearing the name of Jesus. Their destination is eternal separation from God in hell. We can't just do nothing and act like we're in a time of peace. We must do everything we can to be a vessel used by God to spread the Good News of Jesus. God can use us in the home, in the workplace, in the church, in the community, and ultimately in the unreached nations of the world. The fulfillment of the Great Commission awaits us. The question is, will we answer the call to be light and salt to a dying world.
It's time to wake up! It's time to fight! The battle is at hand and God has called us to the front lines. Are you ready? Let's go!
Larry
God's Benefit Package
The Lord gave me an interesting picture a couple of weeks ago while I was meditating on Psalm 103. He reminded me of how important the benefit package is when looking for a job. A compensation package consists of salary plus benefits. A good benefit plan consists of health insurance, life insurance, an option to participate in a retirement plan, and possibly vacation. It is difficult to accept a job without adequate benefits. Without health insurance, you could become financially devastated with a major medical situation requiring surgery or a lengthy hospital stay. Life insurance protects an employee's family in the event of a tragic death. A retirement plan provides financial stability for the last season of your life. Vacation allows us to have much needed time off to rest and be refreshed.
But, have you ever thought about God's benefit package? Psalm 103:2 says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none on His benefits." Psalm 103 goes on to list God's benefit plan for us: "Who pardons all your iniquities; and heals all your diseases" (verse 3) - Wow! What a health plan! "Who redeems your life from the pit" (verse 4a) - Now that's life insurance! "Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion" (verse 4b) - I'll take that kind of retirement plan! And finally, "Who satifies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle" (verse 5) - Can anyone say, "Vacation!"
Take time to reflect on all that we have in Christ Jesus. The more I think about it, the more I want to shout along with David, "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name."
Larry
But What About My Plans, God?
I am a planning person. I guess it's the CPA in me. I plan out my day. I plan out my finances. I plan out the worship services. I plan out my future. But, sometimes I tend to over plan and not leave enough room for the Lord's plans in my life. We're all familier with Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." It's easy to say," Amen" to that passage when God's plans line up with our own. But, what happens when God's plans don't line up with our plans? What happens when we have an unexpected layoff, a large medical bill, or a child who doesn't want to go to college? That's when the rubber meet the road.
Remember that God's promises are true! Jesus said in John 8:32 that "you shall know the truth and the truth will make you free." God's Word is truth. But, we must know His Word for it to be truth in our own lives. It's the truth that we know that will set us free. It's easy to sing songs of trusting God when everything is great. It's much harder when things are not going well. The more we know the promises of God, the greater our faith, and the larger our shield to block the enemy's fiery darts. Are you digging into the truth of God's Word on a daily basis? Are you storing God's promises in your heart? How big is your shield of faith?
Now back to the rubber meeting the road...Are you living in a place where God's plans have recently been different from your own plans? I sure have recently. So, what do we do about it? Go to the Word! For me, it was Philippians 1:6. "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." It wasn't me who began the good work, it was the Lord! Therefore, it is not my job to perfect it. That responsibility belongs to the Lord! Hallelujah! Now, if I walk in this truth that I know, I will be free. It's now up to me to live that life of faith. How about you?
Larry
