Song Series: Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)

Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)

Read Acts 2:14-36

'THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME. – Acts 2:20

What a great day! A work associate, whose investments had exponentially grown, recently purchased a motorcycle as a personal reward. He was describing what a great deal he’d gotten through one of the online clearing houses, and how he couldn’t wait to ride it home. Now, this wasn’t the first “great deal” he’d come across. He also owned several rental properties, a business, and like I said many positive and equitable investments. For all intents and purposes, things were really going his way. One might even say, “His day had come.” Well, after having the bike less than a week he found himself lying in ICU at a local hospital as a result of a traffic accident with said motorbike. The very thing which days earlier symbolized good times and good days ahead now represented the precariousness and unpredictability of life.

In Acts 2:20, Peter was quoting the prophet, Joel, from Joel 2: 28-32. He wanted the gathering crowd to understand that prophecy was being fulfilled in their midst. God’s Spirit was being poured out on ordinary people right in front of their eyes as a precursor to the great and awesome day of the Lord. He was clearly stating to everyone present, Jesus, the Christ, could return at any moment!

Believers in Peter’s day lived with the full expectation that Jesus could and probably would return at any moment. Now, two millennia have gone by and believers still live in expectation and hope of Christ’s soon return…or do we. When was the last time we actually lived life in the light of eternity. The day to day practice of our faith does help keep things in perspective. A daily quiet time, moment by moment prayer, a thankful spirit, and a continual self-reminding that all we do is to be done for Christ are essential elements for remembering Christ’s soon return. Jesus really can return at any moment and I, for one, want to live in the light of His coming.

GLORIOUS DAY (LIVING HE LOVED ME)

Living He loved me, dying He saved me, buried He carried my sins far away

Rising He justified, freely forever.

One day He's coming, Oh glorious day

VISIT: castingcrowns.com

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/glorious-day-living-he-loved-me-casting-crowns/2225cf43eb02f548d68e2225cf43eb02f548d68e-502150857874?q=glorious+day+by+casting+crowns&FORM=VIRE1

Song Series: Our God Reigns: Sing Strong

Our God Reigns: Sing Strong

Read: Revelation 19

Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. - Revelation 19:6

God is not against LOUD PRAISE! There is coming a day when the bride of Christ, the church, will sing before the Lamb of God. All of our miscues, misunderstandings, and misrepresentations, as well as, all our dysfunctions, disagreements, and denominations will come to an end and we will stand together clothed in white linen (representing purity) praising the One True God with a really LOUD voice. There is a time for quiet reflection, even silence, but I’m convinced that holding back when we should be hollering God’s greatness is absolutely and unequivocally wrong.

One of the best ways we worship leaders can guard against timidity in worship is to know the song we’re singing. Sure we should understand the melody and chord progressions, as well as, the rhythm and breaks; that’s just common practice. However, until a song has ministered to us and we’ve made it our own we may be able to sing it loud, but we will not - cannot sing with heart felt abandon.

Here’s a method for learning a new song that may work for you (I call it R.I.P.D. pronounced “ripped”)

1. Rhythm: Playing along with a recording is helpful, but make sure you can play it solo without losing your way. First, find the tempo and practice your part several times through with a metronome. Then, break down the sections that seem to be giving you trouble. Most musicians will have difficulty with anything syncopated or off the beat, so spend time locking in

2. Inference: What’s the scripture reference, study it, memorize it, and meditate on the message. Also ask yourself, “What’s the song saying to me, how can I express it emotionally, visually, and of course musically?”

3. Parts: this is straight forward if you’re a vocalist, but when you’re part of a band that has several instruments, determining your specific space becomes critical and a lot more difficult to discover. You may need to actually sit down with the other musicians for a special session or develop a predetermined approach for each new song

4. Dynamics: Here’s where things get a bit tricky in a live presentation. Our tendency is to rip the upbeat songs fast and furiously, depending on how much we’re “into it”. Many song writers spend hours crafting songs to emotionally enhance the message in the music through very specific levels of volume, swells (crescendos) and accents. That’s what dynamics are all about. So, respect the writer and learn it the way he wrote it before changing it to how you want it.

Here are some additional ideas from The Palms Community Worship Team:

Listen to the song several times without singing or playing it.

Learn to sing it first, even if you're an instrumentalist.

Learn to play the song by ear before looking at the chord chart.

Listen to the lead singer. (believe it or not, this suggestion came from our drummer!)

Loop the songs in your media player until you know it well enough to play without the CD. Learn the flow of the song but be ready to follow the worship leader if things begin to change.

OUR GOD REIGNS

Sing to the King of Glory.

Sing to the King of kings.

All creation declares Your greatness as Your people bring You praise.

Generationunleashed.com

Quiet Time: Prayerful Participation

Prayerful Participation

The early church seemed dynamically dependent on prayer. Today’s church too. However, I often find that prayer is sometimes added, indifferently, to a pressing need. Come on, you’ve heard it: a voice filled with emotion, maybe a tear, and then the plea, “Hi friends, please remember that this is a viewer supported ministry; your prayers and gifts are greatly appreciated!” Then the announcer spends the next several minutes emphasizing how much the donor’s support is needed, without a peep on prayer. It seems to me that Paul took a much higher view of the power of prayer in ministry.

Paul encouraged the Corinthian church to “join” him in ministry through prayer (2 Corinthians 1:11), he told the believers in Rome to “strive” with him through prayer (Romans 15:30), and declared to the Philippian church that he would be “delivered” through prayer (Philippians 1:19). He spoke as if everything depended on prayer.
So, after reading Paul’s view I asked myself, “When was the last time I joined a pastor, worship leader, teacher, missionary, insert name here ________, in the ministry through prayer?” To be honest, I can improve.

Who knows, may-be God’s been waiting on me to get involved. Therefore, I’m determined to become dynamically dependent on prayer. How about you?

Quiet Time: No Substitute for Self Control

 No Substitute For Self Control

Read: 2 Timothy 2:14-16

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God -

1 Timothy 2:15

One of my favorite bible teachers is Christian financial adviser, Larry Burkett. He often said, "There is no substitute for self-control." I typed out taped up this bit of wisdom to my locker at work to remind myself that working with excellence is a choice. We all know that we should do whatever our hand finds to do "mightily as unto the Lord and not unto men" (Colossians 3:23) but how often do we accept good enough as good enough.

Last week our worship team discussed the need for personal discipline in practicing on our own at home. Learning our parts to the point of excellence takes time and good ole hard work. But the rewards are tremendous. Come Sunday, we find ourselves actually leading the congregation toward intimate worship and we also discover the joy of knowing that God is pleased with our effort, because we've chosen to work as unto to Him and not unto men. We sense that we are "workmen that need not be ashamed." (2 Timothy 2:15)

In my vocational position with a local power company we have a saying after a hard day's work: "I don't back up to my paycheck." What that means is that we actually gave an honest eight and more. For the Christian, there is no other way to work. We do everything with excellence all the time, or at least that should be our goal...including personal practice.

Song Series: All Glory (Celebrating God's Sovereignty)

Glory
by Oni

 ALL GLORY (as heard on Before You Now)


Celebrating the Sovereignty of God In Times of Trouble

Read Psalm 86


Psalm 86:9 - All nations whom You have made will come and worship before You O Lord, and they shall glorify Thy name.

I recently heard a reporter describe a disheartening comment made by a government official in Japan. It seems that this governor blamed the tsunami on the gods not being pleased with the Japanese people's prideful attitudes. Since the majority of Japanese follow Buddhism and Shintoism, neither of which philosophically support this particular line of reasoning, the general public were somewhat nonplussed. The reporter went on the praise the value of these two belief systems in helping the Japanese people to pull themselves up by the proverbial boot straps. It is hard not to admire a society that's self-reliant and disciplined, yet simultaneously others focused and self-sacrificing. However, in all frankness, this view tends to shine the spot-light on man and how proud we should be of his ability to overcome challenges through his man-made religion and personal hubris. But then again, I suppose man-made religion by its basic tenants is designed to glorify man, as opposed to Christianity which teaches that man was designed to glorify God.

Now I don't know how one would go about validating whether or not the man-made gods or the One True GOD was displeased with the pride of a particular people and was disciplining them with a time of trouble, but one thing I know for certain is that tragedy tends to humble us. Through it, we remember that life is tenuous and fragile. Furthermore, GOD, that is the One True GOD, tells us that he opposes the proud but lifts up the humble. My prayer is that many nations, particularly the Japanese nation, will humbly turn to Him in this time of trouble. I pray that they will be lifted up and then lift HIM up in the process.

One way we can encourage Japan during this terrible ordeal is to help tangibly while praying fervently. Here's a link from Moody Radio to help us get involved. http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_MainPage.aspx?id=67148

ALL GLORY

(verse 1)

Every tribe and every tongue

Every nation everyone will sing the greatness of our King

Every breath and every cry

Every day and every night will sing the greatness of our King

(chorus)

All glory be to God

All glory be to God

We will shout

We will sing

All glory be to God

http://bryonbos.bandcamp.com/album/before-you-now

Song Series: You Never Let Go

You Never Let Go God

Read: Romans 8

If God be for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

 

No one asks for pain's presence, it always comes uninvited. However, we stand, knowing that pain can't push away God's nail pierced hand, because He will never let go and he will always hold us even when we don't hold Him.

Christian song writer & Londoner, Matt Redman and his wife, Beth, intimately understand this reality because no one, not even those who are mightily used by God through song & verse are protected from suffering. You see, Beth experienced a miscarriage the week of July 7, 2005. And, as if to nail home an already tragic and overwhelming sense of loss, that same week terrorists claimed the lives of more than 30 innocent people on the the London transit system. Yet it was in pain's presence that Matt responded to these tragedies. You see, God used that pain to move Matt in writing the song "You Never Let Go". Matt references (Psalm 23:4) where the psalmist declares "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me." Matt knows that God never stopped walking with him. He always walks with His children as the God who is kind, caring, and still in control regardless of the circumstances.

During our worship team's last practice we read from (1 John 4:18) after singing through the song "You Never Let Go "We reminded ourselves that "perfect love casts out fear" and how God being love is perfecting His love in us. We went on to discuss (Romans 8:31) that tells us "If God is for us, who can be against us", and finished with (Romans 8:38) affirming that we too are "convinced...neither death, life, angels, principalities, things present, things to come, nor powers, height, depth, or anything created, will separate us fro the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus." We are determined to live for Him and in Him longing for the day of His appearing.

 

But that said, we still feel pain's presence from time to time as it pushes it blackened tentacles toward the soft parts of our hearts. This week, Luz Mourino, a vocalist on our team, lost her brother through a terrible turn of events. We mourn with her and her family...pains presence is real. However, we are confident that NOTHING will separate Luz's brother from His Jesus. In fact, he is seeing Him face to face right now! We are part of an unshakable kingdom, Christ is our Sovereign, heaven is our home, and He will NEVER let go of us until the day we finally say good-bye to earthly pain and hello to Him.

Oh no You never let go, Through the calm and through the storm.

Oh no You never let go, In ev'ry high and ev'ry low.

Oh no You never let go, Lord You never let go of me.

Quiet Time: The Real Thing

The Real Thing

Each week, my daughter picks up Gracie from the day care for a busy urbinite couple. Gracie is their two year old daughter, and she is "sweeter than puddin'" to coin a phrase. Well, as God would have it, this little girl taught me a valuable lesson on Super Bowl Sunday.

You see, Gracie wanted some milk, so Candice filled her little sippy cup with Almond Milk and handed it back to her. Gracie took a big swig and stopped mid gulp. Her cheeks bulged out like Dizzy Gillespie playing Ool-Ya-Koo! There was no doubt that Gracie fully understood: the stuff in her mouth was cold like milk, it was white like milk, and even smelled like milk, but it was NOT M.I.L.K.! She may have been only two, but she already knew the difference between the real thing and a wanna be.

Now, I don't know about you, but sometimes (not often, thank you LORD) church seems a lot like almond milk to me. When it comes to leading praise and worship, I sometimes find myself getting caught up in the mechanism of music instead of loosing myself in the wonder of worship. And before I realize it, I've replaced an intimate God moment with a cold man made substitute that leaves me looking for a place to spit.

My hearts desire is to become a looser. I want to loose myself in true and raptured worship of the Father each time I sing His praise. The alternative is bulging cheeks and as Gracie so aptly pointed out, there aint no substitute for the real thing.

Song Series: Sing Sing Sing

 Sing Sing Sing (His Name)

by Chris Tomlin and band

Read: 2 Chronicles 5:12-14

...they praised the Lord saying, "He indeed is good for His loving-kindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud...

2 Chronicles 5:13-14

Like most parents, Deseri and I considered carefully the names we would choose for our children. We named the eldest, Candice, which means "glowing". At her baby dedication we spoke a blessing over her declaring that she would, "glow for God in word and deed." As she grew we often encouraged her to give glory to God in all that she did. Matthew, our youngest name means "gift from God". At his dedication, we held him up before the Lord and said, "You are a dedicated son of a dedicated son. Your name means gift from God. A gift from God you are and gift to God you have become." Both children came to know Christ as their personal Savior and Lord at a very young age and are continuing to glorify Him through walks of faith and service.

Today, Candice leads worship as part of The Palms Community worship team and and Matt often works with the tech side behind the scenes for our team as needed and enjoys worshiping at The Crossing Church. We pray that God will continue build His temple within their hearts.

Second Chronicles tells what happened at the dedication of the King Solomon's temple. When the vocalists and instrumentalists began praising the name of the Lord and exalting His attributes, God showed up. I mean He visibly showed up! The same cloud which represented His presence in the midst of His people by filling the tabernacle of Moses in the wilderness, was now filling the temple in Jerusalem. The priest were actually so overwhelmed that they had to stop ministering. God was in the house and all anyone could do at that point was to simply worship Him.

We need to consider carefully the names God uses to describe His glory and character. We know that the same God Who filled the temple in Solomon's day and filled the tabernacle in Moses', is the same God Who desires to fill our hearts today. However, I believe, that in order for our hearts to be permeated with His presence we must allow Him to push out everything that impedes His praise.

We can learn to pray the names of Jesus and His attributes. The Navigators have a link that may help: http://www.navigators.org/us/resources/items/Thirty%20Days%20of%20Praying%20the%20Names%20and%20Attributes%20of%20God

Finally, for those of you who like to know the story behind a song, here's a link for "Sing Sing Sing" by Chris Tomlin telling how he and his band developed it together. http://www.todayschristianmusic.com/artists/chris-tomlin/features/story-behind-the-song-chris-tomlin-s-sing-sing-sing/

SING SING SING

Verse 1
You are the Love that frees us

You are the Light that leads us

Like a Fire burning

Son of God You are the One

You are the One

We're living for!

Song Series: Song Related Devotions

Beginning today, I'll start posting my personal devotions as they relate to the songs our worship team are working through. The first song will be "Sing Sing Sing" by Chris Tomlin. Feel free to share these song stories and bible studies with your teams or use them as a catalyst to get your own quiet time moving.