(No Brainer) Lessons from the Farm

While my time away at the farm was a short vacation, a typical vacation it was not.
I went intentionally to work on some things around the place for mom and to spend time with her. I didn't really go with the intention of relaxing and getting caught up. Knew it wasn't going to happen!

But on the plane ride home, I had the opportunity to upgrade to 1st class, something that rarely if ever happens. So I took it. Comfy, roomy and well attended to. I told my wife I could get used to this...but I'm a realist.

Don't get me wrong - while at mom's I did 'rest' more than I normally do here in town. But for the first time in I don't remember when, I actually relaxed. It caught me off guard! I had that 'I forgot something' feeling.


And then I heard all those voices from my family, friends and church - "Karl, you had better take your day off and relax...You need to just goof off for a bit, stop biting off more than you can chew..."


You'll all be glad to know it's beginning to sink in!


But here's the deal: not only does this affect my ability to lead here in my home and church, it adversely impacts my witness to a watching world. And not in a good way.

• The lesson - let some stuff go (and some die) and get my heart and head back in the game for God. That means that folks in the church will need to step up and find a place to serve.That means that I will need to (and am willing to!) LET some stuff go. 

• The other harsh lesson of this trip was that I am not surrounding myself with people who need to hear about Jesus. I am surrounded by Christians at work and all my friends are Christian. My witness 'circle' is not so large!

How are you doing in these areas? Are you so busy doing 'church work' that you don't get any time for you, your family or your God? Are you surrounded by Christians more than non-Christians? What is your witness like?

If you're like me, we need some work. Know that I'm in the boat with you, striving to make the right choices and balance life out for God over what I think.

40 Days of Worship - Day 40

Tomorrow – we worship!

Well, technically it's a couple of days away...but who's counting?

We will all be worshiping somewhere on Sunday. We will go through our own routines of getting ready - prayer walks, vocal warm ups, mental checks, tuning of instruments, playing through progressions and transitions in our head - all in preparation to lead worship.

Then we'll walk out onto our respective stages and do what we do week after week. The caution for us is that it turn into a routine, something we 'just do week after week'.

Throughout scripture we're reminded that our God provides NEW and EXCITING things for us each and every day. His mercies are new...each day is new...His love for us is fresh each day. Do we look for Him daily? Do we look for what He's doing around us every day?
When we walk out onto the stage each week, do we look FOR HIM or do we look at the people and forget that it is FOR HIM that they are here? If we get into a routine, we will only see the people and miss Him. If we get into a routine, we have lost our first love for Him and need to step back.

I am humbled each and every time I get to lead worship. Especially on those days when it's just not 'on' with the team. I mentioned this earlier in our study, but on those days I am grateful for God's filter. It's not that our hearts and minds weren't right. We just weren't prepared as we should have been, so instead of worshiping that day we were working (almost like a rehearsal).

That's not what God desires nor what He deserves.

Do yourself, your church, and God a huge favor this week: DON'T take the platform if you're not ready, sold out or passionate about doing this for Him this Sunday. God is SOOOO worthy of the very best that we have to offer Him. He has blessed us and He expects us to use it for His glory. Don't disappoint Him or let Him down.

In reality, you're the one who gets shortchanged when you go through the routine.

Let's WORSHIP GOD like we've never done before and see what it is He wants to do in our churches!

Can't wait to hear more of the stories --- GOD BLESS!

40 Days of Worship - Day 39

Praise JUBILANTLY!

Scripture: Psalm 150

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Sing this Psalm today. Dance this Psalm today. Play this Psalm today. Live this Psalm out right now and throughout the day!

40 Days of Worship - Day 38

Praise as a weapon for God?

Scripture: Psalm 149

What an interesting psalm!

The verse that really caught my attention was verse 6. “The praise of God in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands…” (paraphrasing).

Wowsers!

But go back a couple of days and recall Psalm 144. We’re in a battle! And if the enemy won’t surrender, then they must be defeated. There’s an aspect of worship that doesn’t get too many songs on the CCLI Top 25!

In fact, I could count on one hand the number of songs that speak about using praise as a weapon!

However, our posture each week from the place where we lead out should be just that. We need to be singing and playing with such conviction that the enemy would hit the doors of the worship center, hear and see what we’re doing and then do a 180 and hit the streets!

Is the passion for God burning so in our hearts when we lead out? As we come to the stage, are we arming ourselves for battle? Ephesians 6:10-18 is a great place to go to be reminded about how we need to be preparing for battle.

Today, take 10 minutes to study the passage in Ephesians. When you’re done, fill in the following blanks:

1. Belt of ________________ - keeps us from giving in to the world’s beliefs.

2. Breastplate of ___________________________ - about being honest, good, humble, fair; standing up for those who are weak.

3. Feet with the gospel of __________________ - being right with God and being contented in troubled times.

4. Shield of _____________________ - being sure that God will keep His promises. Protects you when tempted to doubt.

5. Helmet of _______________________ - believing that Jesus died for your sins and rose again.

6. Sword of ________________ - God’s Word, our offensive weapon. When we tell others of God’s Word the Holy Spirit guides us.

40 Days of Worship - Day 37

Bold and stout hearted…for Him

Scripture: Psalm 138:3

Does it take courage to get up in front of people and speak? Does it take courage to get up in front of people and sing?

There is a difference for a lot of people. As musicians, we’re comfortable behind the mic or behind an instrument. It’s how we’ve been skilled, how we’ve been shaped.

I think we’ve overlooked the fact that, because of Who we do this for, we have received the boldness that the psalmist talks about in this passage. You each, at one point, called out to God and asked Him to help you do this. You were asking for a bold and stout heart – so that you could make music for Him, to Him and about Him.

And He answered your prayer!

Don’t ever lose sight of the fact that, at one time, you were scared, weak and afraid to be used by God. You’re life was such a mess that you thought He could never use you, not for Him. Sad that Satan can convince so many people of that still today.

And now we have the honor of sharing that with people every week. I’m reminded daily that I’m a sinner saved by grace, not worthy of the call He placed on my life. But I strive to live that life out one day at a time, so that He can be glorified.

Savior, He can move the mountains, our God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save. Forever, author of salvation, our God is mighty to save He is mighty to save.
Shine your light and let the whole world sing, we’re singing, for the glory of the Risen King. (© 2010 Starfield)

40 Days of Worship - Day 36

Tell of His greatness to the next generation…

Scripture: Psalm 145:1-4

Okay. Let’s be honest. It’s hard to praise God every day of every week, isn’t it? Why? What is it that comes into our lives and ‘blocks’ us from even starting the day with praise? Have we gotten so busy that we just can’t make the time? Or perhaps the question is have we gotten so busy that we just won’t make the time?

Before you start calling me out and accusing me of being critical notice I said ‘our’ and ‘we’ in those statements!

But we sing about this stuff every week. “Every day it’s You I live for, every day I’ll follow after You…” So are we singing about stuff that we don’t believe? Are we singing about stuff that we struggle with doing daily?

David wrote this psalm as a reminder for us to tell of the greatness of our God. It wasn’t meant to be a downer, though sometimes we need things like this to shock us back to reality. He was so in love with God (a man after God’s own heart) that he did everything he could to ensure that future generations would be awed by God. From the Old Testament we’re reminded to teach these things to future generations, referring to God’s laws.

David’s call to commend your works to other generations means to pass it on so that others may come to know Him. In short he’s speaking about leaving a Godly legacy.

What legacy of worship are you leaving for your family? What will they remember about your life of worship that points them to God? Your mouth will speak praise to the Lord. Is the life you lead doing the same?

Take inventory today of where you are in your walk with God. Are you getting time daily with Him? Are you in His Word, allowing it to shape you? Are you living for Him, serving Him with your life?