Pray for President Obama today as he has his daily briefings with economic and security advisors, and meets with key leaders. He will also welcome the World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies to the White House for a photo opportunity and to congratulate the team on their success...
8 And I'm an olive tree,
growing green in God's house.
I trusted in the generous mercy
of God then and now.
9 I thank you always
that you went into action.
And I'll stay right here,
your good name my hope,
in company with your faithful friends. (The Message)
"Let us learn from David to prefer a place in the house of God to all the lying vanities of this world. He adds the reason why he should be like the green olive-tree--because he hoped in the goodness of God.
The passage puts us in possession of the grand distinction between the genuine children of God and those who are hypocrites. They are to be found together in the Church, as the wheat is mingled with the chaff on the same threshing-floor; but the one class abides forever in the steadfastness of a well-founded hope, while the other is driven away in the vanity of its false confidences."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms
"Theology and Doxology"
1 Timothy 1:17
To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Here's some Latin for you...Theologia Deum docet, a Deo docetur, ad Deum ducit. What's that mean? I'll have to take the magazine's word for it. It is, allegedly, a quote from Thomas Aquinas, which means, "theology teaches of God, is taught by God, and leads to God." "This reminds us that the final goal of doctrinal instruction is to direct us to the Creator." We fall short if we use theological instruction as a springboard for "pointless intellectual speculation." It should, rather, lead us to a greater understanding and worship of God Almighty.
It reminds us who we are up against who God is, and inspires us to worship him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is why Paul occasionally bursts into "doxology" in the middle of his "theology." Sometimes, it just seems like random phrases of praise, doesn't it?
"It is very easy to sing hymns in the church without paying attention to what the words are saying about God. As we offer praise to the Lord each Sunday we should also consider what it is we are saying about Him in order that we might glorify Him with understanding and learn even more about Him as we honor Him. Let us think on the lyrics of the songs, hymns, and spiritual songs at our churces as we sing them, and may we praise the Lord with all that we are."
Wow. I wish I'd written that! It sounds exactly like something I would say, too.
Here's the thing. Those of you who might read this who attend worship at South Haltom Community Church...this is what I adhere to when I am working on selecting the music for each Sunday's worship time. People may wonder, "Why don't we sing (insert song here)?" Maybe I've examined the words to (insert song here), and feel strongly that they are either not biblically sound, or just not worthy of lifting up to God in worship. I have a strong conviction that most of (if not all) the music that we sing in worship should be directed to God. Sometimes, we do sing songs that are more about God than to him, and sometimes we sing songs that are more directed towards encouraging each other. But I prefer to sing a majority of songs that speak to God, either in the individual or the corporate sense.
So there, in a nutshell, is my philosophy of worship.
Week 4/Friday
"Our Highest Moment"
Galatians 6:14
But 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.
Here are some words spoken by Mutua Mahiaini (I'm not even going to try to pronounce that, ok?), leader of The Navigators ministry in Kenya. They deal with the subject of performance vs. grace.
Sin grieves God. We must not down-play the seriousness of it in the life of a believer. But we must come to terms with the fact that God's Grace is greater than all our sins. Repentance is one of the Christian's highest privileges. A repentant Christian focuses on God's mercy and God's grace. Any moment in our lives when we bask in God's mercy and grace is our highest moment. Higher than when we feel smug in our decent performance and cannot think of anything we need to confess.Whenever we fail--and fail we will--the Spirit of God will work on us and bring us to the foot of the cross where Jesus carried our failures. That is potentially a glorious moment. For we could at that moment accept God's abundant Mercy and Grace and go forth with nothing to boast of except Christ Himself, or else we struggle with our shame, focusing on that as well as our track record...One who draws on God's Mercy and Grace is quick to repent, but also slow to sin.
My friends, that was beautiful!
Father, I thank you that you have placed within my heart such a strong desire to worship you. I thank you for the desire that I have to see others worship you, too. I pray that you help me to adequately convey that every Sunday morning. I love doing what I do at South Haltom Community Church. When I hear people applaud YOU on Sunday morning, I know that I have done my job. (I only hope that they understand that it is you that they applaud and not those of us on the stage...) Keep me humble, Father. Let me never seek the spotlight, but always be hidden behind the Cross of Christ.
Grace and peace, friends! I love you.