KEEP SINGING TO THE LORD!

Sing to the LORD a new song. Psalm 40 tells us a new song can flow from divine grace. 

A Psalm also filled with steadfast love references motivating worship!

Think praises. An overflowing fountain. 

"Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Tune my  Heart to Sing Thy Grace".

Even an old familiar hymn can wash over us with renewed vigor (loud shouts, Psalm 33:3) when we add our personal praise lyrics to it.....or a lyre, a harp of 10 strings. (Psalm 33:2.)

Singing is worship! Keep singing even if others carry a tune better than you. (For me, it's sweet Pat, from Tampa who summers in the mountains & carries a beautiful tune as she sits beside me on the back row.) 

 

Singing from the heart is the key and delights the LORD!

Keep singing! Let the Lord's steadfast love be upon you! (Psalm 33:22)

"W" = WISE WORTHY WORDS!

My emotions are a mess! From hyper-sensitivity, jumble & a library, in my grief to total numbness, I'm an emotional assemblage that defies reason. 

W (s) flood my mental library. Whines need to turn to Worship. Wrap Weeping in Hope. More worship than worry needed! Worry is waste. Wise words come from His Word!

This morning I awakened remembering my disconcerting medical news.

May medical diagnosis not fuel fears. I know the Great physician and my times are in His hands. 

Whether he takes me sooner rather than later, I need His transendent "peace to guard my heart and mind." (Philippians 4:6-7)

Wise & Worthy Words! Amen!!

HEART OF WORSHIP!

It's a new day dawning!

Daily I will worship you passionately

and with all my heart. My arms will wave to you like banners of praise. 

I overflow with praise when I come before you, 

for the anointing of your presence satisfies me like nothing else. 

You are such a rich banquet of pleasure to my soul.

(Psalm 63:4-5, TPT; emphasis mine)

I'm coming back to the heart of worship.....

It's all about you---Jesus!

SERVICES OF WORSHIP FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH II

From singing of phrases of scripture and the "Twenty Third Psalm" to family and attendees reciting together The Lord's Prayer, her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest honoring the One True Majestic King, her Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Truly services of WORSHIP!

"Love Divine All Love Excelling" at her funeral along with "All my Hope of God is Founded" at her committal service left no doubt of this stalwart's Christian's faith!

Though the Queen's piper played a lament, there was no lamenting.

There is rejoicing in heaven for one who knows the Triune God; the One who is the  Alpha and Omega with whom she will spend eternity!

TUESDAY TRUTH

Worship is about God.
Worship is a time to give back to God.
Worship is being in God's Presence.
Only Jesus Himself can lead us into God's Presence.  (Bob Kauflin)
He is our worship leader.

Worship can be individual or corporate.
Corporate worship comes when God's people join together. Sitting or standing.

Worship is NOT about music style, praise songs/hymns choices or hand positions.

A worshipping church is believers together in His Presence for His glory. 

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. (Psalm 29:2, ESV)

Sunday, 8/26/18. First Evan Worship pastor, Ron Man, in his semi-farewell address, reminded the congregation of those truths. His analogy of corporate worship was given as he read from Stone Soup--a very familiar tale to this librarian, who loved it.

It clearly illustrated that as the villagers had brought to the "pot" from their own larders, God's people come to worship bringing their own full hearts of praise and gratitude.

Hearts blended together.
A great feast before the Lord in which all participate to His glory.
A sweet aroma unto Him. (2 Corinthians 2:15)
And....that's the truth. A "Tuesday Truth!"

DISCOVERING DIVINE DESIGNS

Compulsive. Idiosyncratic. Strange. Weird. That's me.
But God.....tends to honor my uniqueness.
Today's quiet time was a real "heads up" as I saw my W "caricature creation" in My Utmost for His Highest devotional journal. From today's entry I could tell that I had been embellishing Ws in both my Bible and MUHH at least since 2009.
WOW--I noticed the entry title, "Discovering Divine Designs." Oh my, that's exactly what I've been doing all these years with Ws!
My own "unusual way of "highlighting" worship as I read---and sometimes with an "eye" for worship reminders in my surroundings.

This week's "Walk of Worship" (WOW walks) on the beach was not to intentionally see Ws everywhere but to see God's perfect design in creation and to praise & thank Him for the privilege of "seeing" it!
But God....showed me a W in the wings of a bird in flight as well as webbed footprints in the sand!

Even as we returned to the condo last night from Cafe Thirty-A, I saw an arrow pointing to a glowing W. It was for a road warning....but I saw it as one more reminder to thank the Lord for the day's blessings.

Ws are everywhere---when one starts looking! Little "God Winks" to remind one of His Presence and to "worship the King!".

Heart of Worship

Because you asked---link to hear me teaching, "The 3 Rs of Worship in the spirit of Hezekiah"
Be forewarned there are lots of Rs but the main three are Return, Restore & Rejoice."

http://firstevan.org/media#!/swx/pp/media_archives/127169/episode/65279?play=1
or this link if that one falters
https://soundcloud.com/user-338572722
Maybe the PP outline w/ verse citations will aid in note-taking,

1. HEART of WORSHIP pic

2. heart of worship lyrics

I'm coming back to the heart of worship

And it's all about you,

It's all about you, Jesus

I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it

When it's all about you,

It's all about you, Jesus

3.            TITLE  HEZEKIAH
3 Rs of Worship

4.             3 Rs of Worship to Revive a Heart….
in the spirit of Hezekiah

•RETURN

•RESTORE

•REJOICE 

5.            RETURN…..TO THE LORD                        2 Chronicles 29

•Repent                         2 Chronicles 29:3-5a

•Remove the Rubbish    2 Chronicles 29:5b-

•Refocus                        2 Chronicles 29:6-10

6.Principle:                        Return to the Lord

When the Lord’s people refocus, repent and return to Him, He is ready to receive them.

7.   RESTORE…..A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP

•Revere the Lord                                     2 Kings 18:3-5

•Rev up your prayer life                         2 Kings 19:14-19, Isaiah 37:15-20

•Rely on the Lord                                     2 Kings 18:6

8. Principle: Restore a Right Relationship

•When one reveres the Lord through a rejuvenated prayer life and complete reliance on Him, the Lord, Jehovah Raphah will heal and restore that right relationship.

8. REJOICE…..INDEPENDENTLY & CORPORATELY 

•Respond                                     2 Chronicles 29:30 - 30:19

•Refresh…worship anew                         Isaiah 38:9-20

•Revive….with singleness of heart                          2 Chronicles 30:12 & 26 

•Principle: Rejoice Again & Again!

•Responding in worship as God leads, enables one to rejoice afresh with a revived undivided heart! 

NEW BEGINNINGS

....welcome 2016! The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Or is it???

It seems that I'm always in the midst of a struggle as old years transition to the new ones. This year is no exception. Except....that I'm making NO resolutions.

My hubby and daughter, on the other hand,----along with a friend, a doc and a wise counselor are resolving to "help me" cut back. Maybe it's a reflection of the inner disarray that becomes "outer" when I let down my guard around them.

For a Christian, all new beginnings, in new years or new seasons, start at the cross and continue with obedience to His word.
For me, I want a renewed emphasis in my life on worship. My study in Revelation has been an impetus for that. Loving God and serving others are an overflow of worship..... so, how do I pare down? Relationships take time----time with the Lord and time with others. What a conundrum!
So far, the only fresh start I have made is to begin with a "new" Bible and a new journal. (Thanks, Nancy)

For a journaling junkie, these are essential tools. Maybe the new "journaling" Bible will help me see anew. See truth from Him rather than relying on years of "scribbled notes" (tho marginalia sounds better) in my old Bible. Maybe the new journal will help me keep up with sermon notes and improve my memory and "scattered thinking. "

Yet, the quandary remains---how can there be a "new beginning" when the old ways are so familiar!

"proximi-TEA" : a Re-Brew

Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3, NLT)

Still pondering those times of proximity to the Lord, I realized that often I am drawn to Him during times of trial. Hard times. Heavy heart times. 

Suffering or sharing in someone else's suffering pulls me to my knees and lifts my head and heart to Him. It's not my favorite way to seek Him but it is one of the surest and swiftest----pain, especially of others, tugs at my heart and in turn I tug at the Lord's heart. 

Physical pain. Emotional pain. Chronic pain. Seemingly hopeless situations. Without God's grace, both they and I can grow weary, lose heart and sink into despair. 

I prefer to enter into His Presence through praise and singing---sadness and sorrow is just too wearying. But God....showed me thru Crickett's H2H lesson on Psalm 66, that the way into the Lord's Presence is the same...whether I come with a heavy heart or a light heart. It's through WORSHIP. Worship starts with praise and thanksgiving, regardless of how one feels. 

"A heavy heart lifts on the wings of praise. " (J. Roberson McQuilkin) 

Dr. McQuilkin speaks our of his own pain as he shared in his book, A Promise Kept, about leaving the presidency of Columbia International University to care for his wife, who was suffering from a physical and mentally debilitating illness----Alzheimer's. He concludes that "in acceptance there is peace."

I sense the darkness and hopelessness in situations of loved ones. I "feel" their pain, but only as a sideliner. How long before relief comes? Does acceptance come first? How do I help? What do I pray? 

Proximi-TEA---a big cuppa is needed---Tea for Two. Shared verses as reminders of the Lord's nearness. Shared prayers. Shared joy from being in His Presence with the same purpose.

Prayer: Oh, Lord may we start with praise for all the treasures you give-----treasures You can give that are hidden in this darkness, this hard dark place. Grant secret riches from your hand as "we" wait on You. Thank You for the life lessons of patience and trust which can be learned as we draw near to Thee.

Thank You, Father God, that You are close, You call us by name, and You keep us hidden in the shadow of Your hand until this great darkness is lifted. Praises for Your grace that can keep us from growing weary and losing heart as you strengthen us by the power of your might that we all might have patience and endurance during this hard time....'til we might joyfully give thanks. May our hearts be lifted on wings of praise as we pray in Jesus' name.

(Isa. 45:3, 49:2 and Colossians 1: 11)

3 Ws

10/2/13  3 Ws  were blog thoughts that wandered away after I headed to bed last night. Regrettably, I think the first one was worry----thus the headache that had me to "take to the bed." Possibly the second W was wait. Certainly waiting is a more spiritual activity than worry. Worry is a lack of trust. Worry is sin.
Waiting on God for direction can sometimes be difficult, especially for "doers"......for those who prefer answers sooner rather than later. Yet, today as I tried to recapture the Ws from the recesses of my memory, I realized that God was waiting on me. Waiting for me to give up the worry and trust Him in the situation that loomed with unknowns.

Once that happened, wisdom arrived all the way from France. Words of wisdom via God's child. So timely....but then His timing would be, wouldn't it?

An email arrived from Aggie to ask about the absence of the 3 Ws blog text, AND to share truths she gleaned from from her Lydia prayer cell's meditation of Psalm 67, especially the first 2 verses. To her it was just a way of sharing today's meeting, which is similar to our prayer for revival group. To me it was God-speak. (Even the cross ref to the Numbers verse was one used by me in  9/16 & 9/18 blog entry)

1 May God have pity on us and bless us!

 May he smile on us. Selah  (Numbers 6:24-26)

2 Then your ways will be known on earth,

your salvation throughout all nations.

She added: What stood out to me was the fact that when we are in trouble or testing, we - I - tend to ask God for the way out, "O God, help me!  Send your light and blessing and grace."  But vs 2 makes it clear that the purpose of God's intervention and blessing is (also) for the purpose of making Him and his ways known to those around us, and to the ends of the earth.

Aggie didn't have a clue what I was facing but God knew.

When I replied to her with my situation concern, she sent more wisdom gleaned from others along her life path.

"WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES; it takes away today's PEACE."

She also wrote:  I wish that a lesson learned once is permanently acquired.  Not necessarily.  One time I said to a retired pastor, "I get discouraged because I get the impression that I'm always going through the same things, same lessons and spinning my wheels.  He replied, "No, Agnes.  It's a spiral and each time we go through a lesson we move on, and upward.  If we come to what seems like the same thing again, it is on a different level, because we are moving on in the Lord, growing in grace." That was SUCH an encouragement to me!  God is good, He is faithful. 

That's it---the 3rd W---came to mind.

WORSHIP---He is worthy.

He, who is good and faithful and waits patiently on me to give my burden of worry to Him, is worthy of worship.