2/6/2003    "Ministering to the Lord"    Topic:  Prayer, Worship & Fasting

"You shall anoint them ... that they may minister to me as priests."  (Exodus 40:15)

"As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said..."  (Acts 13:2)

The prophets and teachers at Antioch were just spending time ministering to God.  This would have been time in worship and prayer - talking to God.  They were functioning as New Testament priests (we're all called to this), anointed by God to do that which He had called them to do.

It was in that place of ministering to God that they heard from Him!  It was in the place of focusing on God, placing their spirits above their physical bodies (fasting) that they received divine direction.  It was when they made room for the Holy Spirit to speak that they entered the Heavenly dialogue.  I need to do the same.

"Lord, today I want to hear from You.  As I go through my day, anoint me to minister to You.  Cause me to hunger and thirst after You more than the things of this world around me.  I know that in that place You will be drawn to me as I am to You."

2/9/2003    "They're Listening"    Topic:  Prayer, Praise & Relationship

"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."  (Acts 16:25)

When Paul and Silas were in prison after being beaten, confined to the stocks, they began to pray and to worship right out loud, loudly enough that the other prisoners who were chained in the prison were listening to them.  They must have been impressed by what was said because when God responded with the earthquake and by loosing the chains and bonds of all the prisoners (not just Paul and Silas), they did not escape!

I would think that upon the obvious supernatural release they would have fled for their freedom.  There must have been some powerful things being prayed and sung to make criminals stay to hear more, however.  They must have seen a freedom in Paul and Silas more desirable than the freedom outside the stone walls of their jail.

Although it can be easy to turn inward in times of trouble, keeping Jesus to myself, I am reminded here that there are people watching me who, despite their appearance, rough or indifferent, maybe even hostile, are trapped in their own spiritual prisons.  They are watching to see if the Jesus in me is worth waiting around for.

"Lord, I want to be a light that shines brightly for You, both in the good times and in the bad.  I want to show You to the people around me in such a way that they see You through me - not just me saying that they should.  I want a heart that cannot only glorify You at any time of life, but one that is not ashamed to do so "in the presence of my enemies," so to speak.  Let my identity be so wrapped up in You, Jesus, that I can throw myself into worshiping You with abandon - that my prayers carry that authority that can only come with intimate relationship and complete dependence on You.  I want to see chains break when I worship You.  I want to see doors opened when I pray.  I know this is Your desire too, so "Let Your kingdom come.  Let Your will be done" in my life as it is in heaven."

2/17/2003    "Guarding the Presence"    Topic:  Ministering to the Lord

"Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, not take a census of them among the children of Israel; but you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle..."  (Numbers 1:49)

Moses and Aaron were to take a census to number the armies.  They specifically did not number the Levites!  They had a different function - even in times of war apparently.  They were to guard the Presence of the Lord by maintaining His dwelling place among the people.  Without the presence of the Lord, why bother fighting anyway?  We need the presence of the Lord in the church today - with His presence will come victory over the enemy.  That presence must be with us or there's no point battling in this city, state, nation, etc.

"Jesus, I want You!  In times of prosperity or in times of war, You are still the center.  Remind me to guard Your presence in my life, even when the busyness of life's "stuff" would like to keep me running.  I need You, Jesus!"

2/21/2003    "When God Breaks Camp"    Topic:  Following God

"Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey."  (Numbers 9:22)

When the cloud remained over the tabernacle, it was fine to rest in the encampment.  If one were to move off and leave the cloud, very quickly he would not see the cloud so well.  At the same time, what if Israel decided not to follow the cloud one day as it began to move?  Again, those who did not move would soon find themselves on their own, not able to see the cloud.  Then where would they look for direction?  They would have to rely on their natural senses, knowledge of the lay of the land, etc.

How often do we rely on our natural circumstances in decision making?  All we need to do is watch to see what God is doing.  If we can't tell, maybe it's time to follow the tracks back to the cloud.  Once we can get to God (or rather, allow Him access to us), then we just move with Him!

"Lord, I want to stay with the cloud and the fire.  I ask so often to see You; help me to stay near enough to see!"

2/24/2003    "More Unauthorized Fire"    Topic:  False Worship

"And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense."  (Numbers 16:35)

There were 250 Levites offering up public "prayer" and "worship" to the Lord with wrong motives.  (Their incense is symbolic of prayer and worship today.)  They weren't really worshiping though!  It probably looked the same as the offerings of Aaron and his sons, but the heart motivation was for power and prestige, not for worship.  These men were actually offering fire which was commanded by the Lord.  God told them to do this!  And yet, it was still not received and blessed by God because it was all for show and to gain the admiration of the people.  Songs and prayers offered up to God out of pride are no more accepted today than they were then.

"Father, help me to remain humble and to truly worship You, whether in public or when I'm alone.  My heart's desire is to worship in spirit and in truth, not sing, play and pray for show.  I want to touch Your heart!  I want to fulfill my purpose, not chase after someone else's calling!"

3/16/2003    "Put it in Their Mouths"    Topic:  Singing

"Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me..."  (Deuteronomy 31:19)

"He has put a new song in my mouth-
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord."  (Psalm 40:3)

God gave Moses a song in Deuteronomy 31.  It sounds like God must have sung it to Moses, or how would he have known how to teach it to the nation of Israel?  God instructed Moses to "put it in their mouths"; He understands the power of song and rhyme; together they form a cement that seals the message into the heart and mind.  This passage also shows that God uses song and poetry as a witness of Himself.

A few hundred years later, David writes in Psalm 40 about a "new song" that God put in his mouth to use in praising God!  He writes that many will see, or understand, and fear God.  God will use song today to open up the eyes of our understanding, to foster a holy fear of the Lord, and to cause us to trust in the Lord.  What a blessing!

Our God is a singing God and He gives songs to His people so that they may praise Him and learn His ways and His truths.  He wants to do this today with His musicians, singers and poets.  The words "many will see" could also refer to the visual and performance arts as well.  God wants to express Himself through creative people today just as He did through David and Moses!

"Lord, take the creative gifts in the church and use them form your glory.  Give us songs to teach Your church, Your bride.  I ask for a release of Your creativity in me and in those I have the honor to serve.  Let Your music resound through the earth including right here in Missoula, MT.  Lord, I want to know You as the God Who Sings."

3/24/2003    "More Than Enough!"    Topic:  Praise & Blessing

"The inheritance of the children of Simeon was included in the share of the children of Judah, for the share of the children of Judah was too much for them."  (Joshua 19:9)

It's not surprising that the people of praise and surrender to God found themselves with more inheritance than they could handle.  When I live a lifestyle surrendered to God and keep praising Him, I can expect to be overtaken with blessing!  However, this is not intended for me to keep to myself.  There was "too much" for Judah.  If they had tried to keep all of their inheritance for themselves it would have overwhelmed them.  They were able to share with another tribe and there was still plenty to go around!

Who did they share with?  Simeon.  Simeon means "hearing" (OT: 8095).  So, the people of praise and surrender shared their blessing and inheritance with those who heard.  This ties right into 1 Corinthians 9:11:  "If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?"  Verse 14 states, "Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel."

This example of Simeon and Judah is yet one more symbol of the spiritual truth laid out in the New Testament.  I am to share the fruits of my blessing in God with those who are hearing from God and benefiting me.

3/26/2003    "Boast of God"    Topic:  Praise & Warfare

"For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me.
But You have saved us from our enemies,
And have put to shame those who hated us.
In God we boast all day long,
And praise Your name forever.
Selah"    (Psalm 44:6-8)

"I will not trust in my bow."  The bow represents the air war in the spirit.  God calls Judah (Praise) His bow in Zechariah 9:13.  We are not to put our trust in our praise and intercession by making them an idol.

"Nor shall my sword save me."  The sword represents the ground war and hand-to-hand combat with the enemy.  It also represents the Word of God.  Using God's Word as a magic formula, a silver bullet so to speak, is no more than superstition if we really have no knowledge of Whom we're speaking.  Taking the Word of God as a weapon in evangelism done in our own power will have limited fruit.

It is when we simply honor and boast of God, praising Him, that we see victories.  It's not our theology or our own righteousness or even our own striving in works or in prayer that really accomplishes anything.  It is God!  It is God who fights, who wins - we just obey!

Yes, we are to fight the air war through prayer, through worship and praise, and through prophetically declaring God over situations.  Yes, we have been given the "Great Commission" and there is a ground war to be waged and we will use the Word and good works in doing so.  The point, though, is that all of this is fruitless if our trust is put in these things as religious rituals instead of placing our trust in God which is where it belongs.

"God, in You I will boast and will praise Your name forever.  As a warrior for You, teach me to rely not on my spiritual weapons, but on You, the source of them.  I trust You to equip me for the battles that will be waged in the spirit.  Father, let my praising, dancing, praying, etc. be done not as routine or as a mantra, but in genuine celebration and knowing You, my Lord."

3/27/2003    "Battle Partners"    Topic:  Praise & Prophecy

"And the LORD said, 'Judah shall go up.  Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand.'
So Judah said to Simeon his brother, 'Come up with me to my allotted territory, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I will likewise go with you to your allotted territory.'  And Simeon went with him."  (Judges 1:2-3)

"There are differences in ministries, but the same Lord."  (1 Corinthians 12:5)

Judah was given the command to go up first.  This is critical for the church to understand.  First, we must surrender in praise to the Lord.  In modern military terms this is the "shock and awe" phase of spiritual battle.  When we praise we release God's hand on our behalf.  The people whose primary ministry is praising god should not forget that there are other parts of the body too.  Judah did not go up to fight alone.  They took Simeon and became partners together.  Simeon (Hearing) plays a different role; he hears.  This is understanding what God is saying and knowing His strategy for the battle.  It is vital that the communication lines between us and heaven are open - both ways!  We need to hear from God and He wants to hear from us.  These are two necessary ingredients for victory and dispossessing the enemy.

"Lord, teach me to listen as well as to pray.  I want to hear You and to partner with others who are hearing from You."

3/31/2003    "The Soul of God"    Topic:  Personal God

"So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD.  And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel."  (Judges 10:16)

Imagine!  When Israel repented and turned back to God, His soul couldn't take it anymore!  He just couldn't let them go on being oppressed by their enemies!  He had to deliver them.

He is still the same God today.  When I begin to chase after other things, placing God on the shelf, He will allow me to stumble that I may realize that I need Him, not my other "gods."  When I return to Him and cast aside the competitors, His heart is moved with passion and compassion for me.  How much better then, if I do not stray to idols, but continue in passionate pursuit of Jesus every day!

"Lord, I want to remain in close relationship with You every day.  Today, I want fellowship with You, my Friend!  What an amazing friend You are!  You desire to bless me and to be with me even more than I long for more of You.  I am truly blessed!"

4/4/2003    "Judah First!"    Topic:  Praise

"'Which of us shall go up first to battle against the children of Benjamin?'  The Lord said, 'Judah first!'"  (Judges 20:18)

"We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  (2 Chronicles 4:18)

God used Judah to prepare the way to Goshen, to lead as the first camp to move during Israel's journey to the promised land, they were the first to go up into the land to possess it, and now God says they are to be the first to go up against Benjamin, their own brother.  Judah means praise!  It also involves a surrendering to God in a situation. 

When I praise God in a situation I am telling Him that I trust Him and that He is in control.  By giving the command for Judah to go first, God is reminding us to look at the unseen spiritual battle that is going on, not just at the immediate conflict we see in the natural realm.  God is eternal and when we side with Him we cannot lose in the eternal realm!

In this case, praise is employed in a conflict within the church.  Even within our local church family praise should proceed before the rest of the "army."

"Lord, help me to apply this principle of praising You before I take on problems by myself in the natural realm.  Teach me to war in the Spirit!  Teach us this weapon and this battle plan in the church today.  Thank You, Lord, that You go to war for me when I praise You!"

4/6/2003    "Keys to Breakthrough"    Topic:  Praise & Righteousness

"May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah."  (Ruth 4:12)

Perez means breakthrough.  Judah is the surrendered praise.  Tamar is a palm tree which stands for uprightness and righteousness (Ps. 92:12-15).  Praise all by itself bears no fruit.  However, when there is an intimate union between praise and righteousness there is an offspring; the fruit of praise from the upright is breakthrough!  I have been made righteous through Jesus.  When I am standing in that place praising Him I can expect breakthrough in my life.

"Thank You, Lord, that the praise of Your children (the righteous) bears the awesome fruit of breakthrough!  Thank You that we will see amazing things at CFCC when we pursue You and praise You at the same time.  Lord, cause us to love righteousness and to love praising You.  I am ready to see breakthrough in Missoula and in Montana.  Let's go!"

4/12/2003    "The Spiritual Blacksmith:  Part 1"    Topic:  Warfare

"Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, 'Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.'"  (1 Samuel 13:19)

Just as a blacksmith is needed to sharpen tools and weapons to keep them in working order, so spiritual blacksmithing is required to equip the church for both waging spiritual war and for keeping our harvest tools sharp.  Interestingly, the Philistines wouldn't allow Israel to have any blacksmiths so they could not equip themselves with swords and spears.  The blacksmiths weren't the military trainers, they made the very weapons for the military to work with!

Our weapon today is still the sword - the Word of God.  Our enemy wants to keep us away from the word because with it we can know the Truth and the Truth will set us free.  With knowing the Truth comes faith - "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith."  When we begin to train with our faith, knowing the word and learning to use it in love, satan suffers major defeat.

The Bible is our sword and Jesus is our Blacksmith.  He calls us to be like Him and will continue to use men today as He used Paul 2000 years ago to work in  the blacksmithing role of equipping the saints.  As iron sharpens irons, so the preaching and teaching of the word today sharpens our harvesting tools and our battle skills.  God is still using men and women today to equip the church to do the work.

Blacksmithing in the Spirit requires getting the focus off of oneself as the tools you are honing will be given away for others to use.  Pride must be laid aside, as your best work will give others the victory in war and facilitate them bringing in a great harvest.  Joy may be taken though in knowing that those you have equipped will have much more effect than you ever could have by yourself!

"Lord, You are the Master Blacksmith and I want to be like You!  I want to see Your people equipped to destroy the works of the enemy.  My desire is to be an excellent apprentice under You and those You have placed over me that I may also be a master smith here in this world.  Mold me into an equipper and releaser of sharpened tools and weapons in Your hand!  My only personal wish with this is that I get to wield the weapons and the harvest tools myself as well.  Amen."

4/13/2003    "Where's the Blessing?"    Topic:  Praise/Faith

"But his brothers did not have many children, nor did any of their families multiply as much as the children of Judah."  (1 Chronicles 4:27b)

This verse specifically states that Judah had more children than his brothers.  The children of Simeon (The hearers) were not as blessed as the children of Judah (The praisers).  Children were referred to as a blessing from the Lord, therefore Simeon was walking in some blessing, but in a limited fashion.  On the other hand, Judah was flourishing!

There seems to be a lesson here regarding hearing the word and doing it.  There is more to being blessed than simply hearing the word - blessed are those who hear the word and put it into practice!  The Bible specifically instructs us to be a people of praise.  It is in praising the Lord that we carry out God's edicts in the earth.  The Lord is enthroned on our praise and He is revealed to the next generations through our praise.  It is not hearing the word that releases the blessing, but in believing and acting on it, standing firmly on the promises contained within God's words and speaking them back to Him in grateful praise.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word - true!  This faith without action though is dead - praise is acting by faith and is living and powerful.

"Lord, I want to be a hearer, but then, more than that, I want to be a doer of the word, one who boasts on You through my actions and with my tongue."

4/14/2003    "Judah Prevails"    Topic:  Praise

"So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and then thousand men of Judah."  (1 Samuel 15:4)

"Yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph's-"  (1 Chronicles 5:2)

Interestingly, the writer in 1 Samuel makes a distinction between the main part of the army and the men of Judah.  While praise is not our only weapon, it is a significant one - praise prevails.  To go to war without praise in our arsenal would be foolish in light of the emphasis God places on it.

The kingdom of Israel was given to David, of the tribe of Judah and the Kingdom of God has been given to Jesus, whose natural lineage is of the tribe of Judah as well.

"By faith, I am a part of the tribe of Judah.  Teach me, Lord, to walk according to who I am, to let You prevail in my praise and to let the Lion of Judah roar through my mouth.  Teach me to prevail through praise instead of forcing my will in my own strength."

4/16/2003    "Bending the Bow"    Topic:  Praise & Prayer

"For look!  The wicked bend their bow,
They make ready their arrow on the string,
That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart."  (Psalm 11:2)

"...the men whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord..."  (1 Chronicles 6:31)

Elsewhere in scripture, God says He will bend Judah (praise) as His bow and will fill it with Ephraim.  The bow speaks of aerial warfare.  Now, the enemy fights in the air too; he is the prince of the air.  Whoever wins the air war and dominates the skies has the major advantage. 

The enemy wants to shoot secretly from a distance at the upright in heart to knock out our foundations - identity, relationship, vision, purpose, etc.  This is a major reason why God had David appoint those who would minister in song in the house of the Lord!  Read the Psalms!  These aren't just benign little tunes to be sung.  This was major intercession, crying out to god in times of trouble and proclaiming His victory over His enemies.  It's no coincidence that every revival in Israel and in modern times as well involved returning to the principles of the Tabernacle of David.  They won the air war and then took ground - both in the spiritual realm and in the natural.  The devil and his cronies fight with spiritual air warfare as we do, but we have the armor of God and God is for us.  Who can be against us?

"Lord, teach my hands to war and train my fingers for battle.  Let my songs of intercession and proclamation devastate the enemy.  Teach us to pray!  Teach us to worship!  Bend us as Your bow and launch Your blessing into the world."

4/19/2003    "Run to Judah"    Topic:  Praise

"Now the prophet Gad said to David, 'Do not stay in the stronghold; depart and go to the land of Judah.'"  (1 Samuel 22:5)

David and his men had been discovered at their "cave of refuge" or "cave of retreat."  They fled to the land of praise, specifically to a forested hiding place in Judah.  God was essentially saying to leave their own protection and go to His.  They left their "retreat" and moved into praise.  God then hid them in His secret place.

As I choose to abandon my own cave of protection, leaving the fortified place of my choosing and begin to praise God, He will provide the shelter and protection that I need.  He will be my fortress and stronghold!

"Lord, thank You that we can rely on You to be our defender and that we don't have to barricade ourselves in the darkness of the "cave of retreat."  Show us where we have built caves in our hearts, in effect allowing them to become hearts of stone.  Give us hearts of flesh as we praise You.  Give us a new stronghold named Jesus!"

4/23/2003    "Judah in Captivity"    Topic:  Praise

"But Judah was carried away captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness."  (1 Chronicles 9:1b)

"Now in Jerusalem the children of Judah dwelt..."  (1 Chronicles 9:3a)

Jerusalem = The Church    Judah = Praise

The rightful place of praise is in Jerusalem, the church.  However, because of a loss of God-given purpose Judah fell into idolatry.  When Judah was no longer fulfilling their purpose in the church, Babylon took Judah captive.  Praise was carried away from the church.

We've seen this in history too, but Judah is returning to Jerusalem.  Praise is being restored to its rightful place within the church.  Our arsenal is being filled again.  Let it not slip into idolatry!

"Lord, thank You that we are in a season of restoration of Your truth and a time of outpouring revelation in the church.  Let us see the church standing tall, taking its place as a bride at Your side as we join with You in joyful praise."

4/26/2003    "Song of the Bow"    Topic:  Praise

"And he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow;"  (2 Samuel 1:18a)

The Hebrew here seems to say, "teach the children of Judah the Bow;"  It mentions nothing about a song, but then a song follows.  The song title could be "The Bow" or this could be saying teach Judah to use the bow - teach them to fight the air war.

We need to learn to use our praise as the weapon it is.  We, the people of praise, need to learn to shoot:  learn to pray and combine it with our praise arsenal.  We can do this in songs of prayer, songs of praise, and prayers of praise.  It's time for Judah to learn the bow.

4/27/2003    "Soul Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;"  (Psalm 142:7a)

This is a cry from a man in trouble.  He's on the run and hiding in a cave.  While he longs to praise the Lord, he admits that his soul (mind, will and emotions) are constrained.  It's as though they are held captive in the cave.

This seems to happen today within the church.  People who are burdened with the cares of life often have difficulty praising God.  People with deep emotional wounds or areas where their mind or will are not submitted to God have difficulty abandoning themselves in praising Him.

"Jesus, free my soul today that I may praise Your name!  Free Your church and continue releasing us from the strongholds in our soul that we may enjoy You in praise as well as in worship.  Let freedom reign in Clark Fork City Church and in the Church of Missoula!"

4/30/2003    "The House of Worship"    Topic:  Worship

"The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months.  And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had."  (1 Chronicles 13:14)

When Obed-Edom received the presence of God into His home, God blessed his home.  When he received God's presence and made room for His presence to rest in the middle of his family, God blessed his family.  The cherubim covering the ark in Obed-Edom's home represent our worship, covering the throne of God.  When I make my home a house of worship there will follow the blessing of God in my home.

"Lord, let me host You and Your presence in my home!  As I do work all day let me not just look at my home as a retreat from everything, but as a place I can run to to be with You.  Let my home be a strong tower and a refuge because of Your presence there.  Bless my house, Lord, and all that I have.  Amen!"

*In the house of worship God's presence is a blessing.  (Obed-Edom)
*In the house of idolatry God's presence is a curse.  (Philistines)

5/1/2003    "The Dynamic Duo"    Topic:  Righteousness & Worship

"Sanctify yourselves ... that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it."  (1 Chronicles 15:12)

"All Israel brought up the ark ... with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps."  (1 Chronicles 15:28)

"Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy."  (Psalm 132:9)

The Levites sanctified themselves and brought the ark up successfully after that.  They were able to throw a pretty good party, so to speak, once they had set themselves apart and prepared for that purpose.

There is a sanctifying that must take place to prepare the way for the very presence of God to come.  However, once that process is complete the actual carrying of the presence to the place prepared for it (the church) is a joyful, celebratory process!  It's fun!  It's loud and exciting!  Once we as priests are clothed with righteousness (clothed in Jesus) it's time for us (the saints) to shout for joy!  Repent.  Then party!

"Jesus, You are my righteousness!  I want to be set apart to You and Your joy.  I want to usher in Your presence with singing and dancing and music.  Let my praise and the praise of Your church be coupled with the sanctification process."

5/5/2003    "The Key of Love"    Topic:  Worship

"'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?'  Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.'"  (Matthew 22:36-40)

While the Pharisees knew there were many laws in the Law, they also knew that every one of them must be kept.  Jesus cut right through all of the Law and the Prophets to the core of the matter.  The whole point is to love God!  We become like what we worship so when we worship the God of love, we will become loving people.  God's command is that we love Him and love people - His creation.  As we worship Him, we will be transformed in His presence and loving people will become natural for us.  As we truly get to know Jesus through time spent with Him in worship and prayer we will find ourselves loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves, thus fulfilling the law through Jesus.

"Thank You, Jesus.  I know I'm changed in Your presence!  Make me like You."

5/7/2003    "The King's Face"    Topic:  Intimacy

"Now therefore, let me see the king's face;"  (2 Samuel 14:32)

"He came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king.  Then the king kissed Absalom."  (2 Samuel 14:33)

This is a great picture of how we can be with our Heavenly Father!  Even though we've sinned and deserve death, we have been given mercy!  Not only was Absalom not killed, but through his persistence he gained access to his father's very presence.

His cry was not just to live but to see the king's face.  He longed for relationship.  I too long for deeper relationship with the Father.  I have been given life, but I can have intimacy and see my Father's face!  I want to be embraced and kissed by my Father.

1.  No one can come unless the Father draws them.

2.  Worship in the presence of God - bowing down.

3.  The Father's response to our worship - passion & intimacy.  "When you seek me you will find me when you seek me with all your heart."

"Father, show me Your face!  You've given me mercy and salvation, but there is so much more..."

5/8/2003    "No Oil"    Topic:  Holy Spirit

"Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps."  (Matthew 25:3-4)

Taking no oil is like having a great wine bottle of a wonderful vintage with none of the actual wine inside!  Now, all of the women in this story had flame in their lamps at the beginning.  We know this because the foolish ones' lamps were "going out" later.  The difference was that the wise ones brought extra oil with them.

We are told to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.  This means having reserves of the Spirit in us so that when we need a refreshing or a refueling we don't have to go to a revival meeting get prayer from some other anointed person.  Not that there's anything wrong with either of those things, but what if they aren't available?  Our "crutch" should be God and tapping into the Holy Spirit ourselves making Him a part of our lives all the time - continually!  In the midnight hour it's not always going to be someone else's anointing that will save the day.  How much Holy Spirit oil am I carrying with me?

5/11/2003    "Waiting For Judah"    Topic:  Praise

"Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, 'The king saved us ... he delivered us ... and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.  But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle.  Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?'  So King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, 'Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, "Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house?"'"  (2 Samuel 19:9-11)

"And all the people of Judah escorted the king..."  (2 Samuel 19:40)

The king had left the people on their own as they had chosen to follow Absalom.  When we choose to follow after rebellious men who would set themselves up as king in God's place, He may just leave us to them for awhile!  He will depose the Absaloms, but He is waiting for Judah to escort Him back into Jerusalem.  God is faithful and shows us through David how to bring Him back in glory once we have repented.

The church (Israel) is asking for the return of the King.  The King has sent prophetic intercessors (Zadok & Abiathar) with this message:  Judah will bring the King back to His throne.  God is enthroned still today on the praises of His people.  Judah (praise) escorts Jesus to His rightful place in the church.  Even when the church is crying out for Jesus to take His place as the Head and the King, He is waiting for our praise.  Just as the people of Judah were close to David, God is waiting for those who draw close to Him and who will celebrate with Him in praise!

"Come, Lord Jesus!  Come as King with all Your household and Your hosts!  Teach us to be not just Israel, but Judah as well.  Teach us to be a people of praise.  Give us, the people of praise, the burden to see You restored tangibly as King in our city.  As a leader of praise, I ask You, Lord, to come in glory to Your house in Missoula."

5/12/2003    "A Bow of Bronze:  Part 1"    Topic:  Praise

"He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze."  (2 Samuel 22:35)

"For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit..."  (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

Judah is God's bow.  The Lord desires to train us and strengthen us with so much power that we can bend a bow of bronze.  Teaching us to war implies that without this training from the Holy Spirit and through the Word of God, the Bible, we may only be able to bend a smaller bow of praise.  Thus, not knowing how to war in the spirit to the "bronze degree," our arrows would fall shorter and be driven with less force.

Paul, who wrote the passage "not ... in word only, but also in power..." was the same man who saw his bonds broken as he and Silas worshiped in the Philippian jail.  Their praise was not just empty words, but was honored and backed up by God Himself.

"Lord, I want to bend a mighty bow!  Teach me to war effectively that my arrows shoot far, straight and forcefully.  Let my praise and declaration of Jesus be in power and in the Holy Spirit!"

5/15/2003    "Sanctified"    Topic:  Prophetic Music

"Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals."  (1 Chronicles 25:1)

David and the elders set apart, or sanctified, the musicians for the house of the Lord.  These men were to prophesy with their instruments and they were to be schooled and trained in how to do so.  They were under their fathers and mentors and were chosen because they were skillful.

Their job was to minister in prophetic song and they were accountable to those over them for how they did.  Even their leaders were held accountable by the king.  Every prophetic musician and intercessor under authority and accountable for their prophetic "flow" - everyone being trained and taught.  This was truly a sanctification principle - set apart from other music unto the Lord.  Set apart from other employment unto the Lord.  Purposefully training and being teachable for this purpose.

"God, teach me, train me and give me the humility to receive instruction from others."

5/18/2003    "Chosen"    Topic:  Praise

"Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph,
And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which He loved."  (Psalm 78:67-68)

God still chooses the people of praise to lead His people.  He often bypasses those with great gifting and talent (the double portion of Ephraim) and picks out instead the one who loves and fears Him.  God chooses "Davids" who may have flaws but are genuinely passionate for Him.  As Paul wrote to the church, "Follow me as I follow Christ," this is the type of leader God is looking for:  one who will really praise and glorify God.  Jesus is looking for the John the Baptist types who are willing for Him to increase and receive glory even if that means we don't!

"Continue to mold me, Lord, into a man of praise who honors You and brings glory to Your name.  I thank You for the skills, talents and giftings You have given me.  Let those 'Ephraim' traits be used and cultivated into tools for 'Judah.'"

5/20/2003    "Pillars"    Topic:  Praise & Prayer

"Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz."  (2 Chronicles 3:17)

To enter the temple one would have to pass between these two pillars.  Jachin means "he will establish" and Boaz means "in him is strength."  These are the two pillars of the church today.  He will establish and in Him is strength.  What God establishes will last.  It's not my strength or my work that really accomplishes anything; it's all Jesus.

Another point here is that Jachin was a priestly name (see 1 Chronicles 24:17 and Nehemiah 11:10).  This represents intercession.  Boaz was in the line of Judah which represents praise.  Prayer and praise are the pillars in the church.  A worshiping church and a praying church will stand strong.  We need to keep these pillars in place and well maintained!  God establishes things through our prayer and strengthens us through our praise!

"Lord, establish Your church and strengthen us!  Let our prayer and praise be strong pillars, that they may support a great structure that You desire to build!"

5/24/2003    "In the Wilderness"    Topic:  Praise

"And Solomon built Gezer, Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land of Judah,"  (1 Kings 9:17-18)

These are areas of our inheritance in the Lord that are still wilderness and desert.  Solomon entered places in Judah that were as yet undeveloped.  God had called the land "Judah" even though it was wilderness.  When we begin to be the people of praise even in the wilderness areas, praising in the dry times, we can turn the desert places into an oasis, making streams in the desert!

There are cities to be built!  Clark Fork City Church is a wonderful oasis in many respects and yet, compared with what God desires to do here, it feels at times that we are praising in the desert.  God has called this place Judah though and as we praise even in dry times, we are laying a foundation for oasis cities to be built.

1.  Are you longing for your portion in God?  It is built in the wilderness with Him.  (Gezer = portion.)

2.  Are you desiring to hide in the cleft of the rock?  That too is built in the dry times.  (Beth Horon = House of Hollowness - like a cave.)

3.  Are you frustrated, wondering, "If we're the Bride of Christ, where is our dominion?"  It's molded in the desert.  (Baalath = mistress, as in the feminine of master.)

4.  Do you desire righteousness and holiness?  It's formed in the desert places.  (Tadmor = Palm City, which represents a city of righteousness.)

"Jesus, help me to see the wilderness areas in my life, my church, city, etc. as land to be developed in You, as an opportunity and not a liability.  Teach me to take wilderness places and build them into cities of Judah.  You have called the land "praise" and I know that as I praise You in the wilderness You are laying a sure foundation and will build mightily upon it in my life.  Thank You, Jesus!"

5/25/2003    "The Best of the Best"    Topic:  Music

"And the king made steps of the almug wood for the house of the LORD ... also harps and stringed instruments for singers.  There never again came such almug wood, nor has the like been seen to this day."  (1 Kings 10:12)

"... and there were none such as these seen before in the land of Judah."  (2 Chronicles 9:11)

We should never use the statement "God uses the foolish things to confound the wise" as an excuse for mediocrity.  As shown in these scriptures, God provided the best of the best for His musicians.  Would He then desire only a half-hearted effort from them?  I don't think so.  He provided instruments of quality wood never seen before that time and never seen since!  It's interesting that God gave David the creative ability to design instruments and to put in place a training structure for the musicians to learn.  Then he provided this amazing wood to Solomon to build the best instruments possible for His equipped musicians.  When they had the skills, God gave them better tools!

5/28/2003    "Prepare the Ground"    Topic:  Zion

"Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,
And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."  (Romans 9:33)

Zion is an expressive place.  It represents the Biblical place of worship and prayer, praise and prophetic proclamation.  Jesus is the stone represented in this passage.  It's interesting that Jesus, the Foundation Stone, is laid in Zion.  Nothing else but what is built on this foundation stone will last the storm.

Just like a farmer plants his seed in ground that is well-prepared, so the seed of Jesus will grow best in prepared ground.  The ground must be prepared before the foundation is laid.  The ground of our heart is prepared by becoming Zion - the place of worship, praise, prayer, etc!

Spending time in intercession and standing in the gap for the lost prepares the spiritual ground for them to receive the Foundation Stone.  When the lost come into our gatherings, their hearts can be prepared for the Seed by hearing us and experiencing the atmosphere of Zion!

"God, give us an atmosphere of Zion in our city!  Let my home and my life be a Zion, that my soil and the soil in the hearts of my family receives You readily."

5/30/2003    "Out Of Zion:  Part 1"    Topic:  Prayer/Praise

"The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;"  (Romans 11:26)

Many complain of sin and hypocrisy in the church.  There is something to be done about it however and it's not complaining!  The Deliverer of Jacob (the deceiving or hypocritical church) will come out of Zion (the praising, praying, worshiping, proclaiming church)!  Remember too that Zion was not just the ecclesiastical city but also the ruling and reigning city.  As we pray and worship and praise God we step into a position of authority as we step into the place of humility before Him.  (Proverbs 15:33 says "before honor is humility.")  When we humble ourselves before our God He honors us by allowing us to proclaim His plans and purposes, in effect ruling and reigning in Zion!  "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them," says the Lord.  When we praise and worship and pray and proclaim together, we are functioning as Zion and the Deliverer will come out of Zion!  He will turn away ungodliness from His church, purifying and washing His Bride-to-be.  Jacob can be renewed!  Praise God!

*When I release the "Zion" in me, my Deliverer, Jesus, can deal with the "Jacob" in me!

6/3/2003    "The Satisfied Soul"    Topic:  Spiritual Hunger

"A satisfied soul loathes the honeycombe,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet."  (Proverbs 27:7)

The satisfied soul has been fed, watered and satiated.  It perceives that its needs have been met and it's desires fulfilled.  This can be good or bad.

Just as a child (or an adult for that matter) who has gorged himself on sweets and candies no longer is hungry when it's time for dinner, so too can we be so filled with the distractions of the world that we simply aren't hungry for the food our Father has prepared for us, the sustenance we really need.  On the other hand, when we've been filled with the bread of heaven, the stuff of life's distraction is just no longer that appealing.  When we're full, we're full!

When we're empty it's another story.  Often we look for anything to fill the void and ease the pangs of hunger - anything!  It may be drugs, it may be alcohol or television, it may be food or music - anything to fill the space, the time, the silence.  No matter how bitter, to the famished soul it seems sweet while it's eaten.  But the pain quickly returns and it's time to quench it again.

This too has a brighter side when we fill our souls with God's intended meal.  When we come to God genuinely hungry and thirsty for Him then we are no longer looking for just the candy-coated Christianity or junk food religion.  We're ready for the real meal even if it doesn't taste as pleasant going down.  Repentance comes easier.  Tears flow more freely.  Forgiveness suddenly becomes something we do, not just a present we ask for.  No, we're eating the main course now and there is real satisfaction - and fruit.

Amazingly, we feel better!  The old proverb is really true - we've behaved our way into good feelings.  Now the honeycombe facade of the hamster-wheel culture falls off and we see it for what it is - junk!

"God, give me eyes to see, ears to hear and a heat that refuses to be fattened and starved by distraction, a soul that holds out for the real thing.  Jesus, I am hungry for You.  I desire for the places in me that are complacent to come alive with a passionate appetite for You.  I am willing to hunger and thirst after more of You, Jesus.  I am willing, but only if You will satisfy my hunger and thirst with You.  I long for You more than anything - make that true in my heart, Lord, not just my words on paper!  Let me soul find its satisfaction in You."

6/5/2003    "Unleashing the Power"    Topic:  Praise

"Judah is my lawgiver."  (Psalm 60:7)

Praise is used by God as an extension of Himself.  The scepter, as some translations have interpreted "lawgiver," was the ruling staff, much like the modern judge's gavel.  When it comes down it seals the sentence or proclamation of the judge.  When praise is unleashed from our lips and through our physical bodies it acts as the scepter of God.  Declarations of the King of Kings are set in place, the works of God are set in motion and the devil is defeated!  God passes judgment on His enemy and we get to be a part of it through praising Him!

"Thank You, Lord, that You are defeating Your enemies.  You are exalted in this city and You reign in Missoula, Montana!  Your plans for this place since before the dawn of time will be accomplished in Jesus' name.  I am blessed to worship and praise You and it's exciting to know that while I'm enjoying You, You're defeating Your enemies!"

6/6/2003    "Rejoice and Enjoy"    Topic:  Enjoying God

"I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor - it is the gift of God."  (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)

This is great!  God has ordained that it is good for me to enjoy myself!  Of course in this book of Ecclesiastes he also mentions that apart from God all is vanity.  With God, however, all is not vanity!  It is good for me to rejoice in God and in what He has provided for me - this is His gift to me.  This puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step.  Ecclesiastes 2:26 says in effect that as I am good in God's sight, he will continue to give me wisdom and joy and that He will cause sinners to work on my behalf.  God likes me and I have His favor - awesome!

"Father, thank You for choosing me and for blessing me!  I am truly blessed by You.  I ask on behalf of my city and especially for my church that You would bring that revelation to our hearts of how good You are and that You like us!  When we know You we can rejoice."

6/7/2003    "A Bow of Bronze:  Part 2"    Topic:  Praise

"He teaches my hands to war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze."  (Psalm 18:34)

Praise is a bow according to the Lord.  he said He would bend Judah as His bow and fill it with Ephraim.  As God teaches us to make war in the spiritual realm by using our physical bodies (hands) to praise Him, we are then better equipped to bend the bow.  As we withhold the physical release of our bodies in praising God we are still praising Him, but how strong of a bow are we able to bend when we're giving a 25-30% effort?  This is not to say that there is a requirement that we must do this or we must do that.  The question is, "Are we submitting to the Lord and praising and worshiping Him wholeheartedly?  As we allow Him to be our praise trainer He will teach us to bend a more powerful bow, thus enabling us to see great blessing (Ephraim) launched from our praise.  (Also, the praising church will be filled with blessing!)

"Teach me to make war, Lord, by praising You and releasing my physical body to enjoy You!  Teach me to abandon myself in You, withholding nothing.  I want to bend a strong bow of praise, so teach not only my hands, but my feet and my whole being to make war - and I want to enjoy it!"

6/10/2003    "The Worship Aroma"    Topic:  Worship

"How much better than wine is your love,
And the scent of your perfumes
Than all spices!
Your lips, O my spouse,
Drip as the honeycomb;
Honey and milk are under your tongue;
And the fragrance of your garments
Is like the fragrance of Lebanon."  (Song of Solomon 4:10-11)

This reminds me of the incense offered by the priests and Mary's broken alabaster box poured out for Jesus.  This gives a picture of how much Jesus is blessed when we approach Him with sincere worship.  The expression of my love to Jesus is better to Him than wine or the best of spices.  He loves to hear my voice pour out my heart's adoration of Him.  It's not even the garments themselves here that are attractive to Jesus but the fragrance of worship on them that draws Him.  It's not my righteousness but my love for Jesus that He really wants.

"Jesus, thank You for loving me and drawing me to Yourself!  Your love truly is better than wine.  Keep calling me and I will keep coming to You.  Draw the worship out of me."

6/11/2003    "Can't Stop Love"    Topic:  Passion

"Turn your eyes away from me,
For they have overcome me."  (Song of Solomon 6:5)

"He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"  (Philippians 1:6)

Jesus is portrayed in the Solomon's Song of Songs as the husband - male - and very attracted to His Bride visually.  He sees more deeply though than just the surface appearance of beauty.  He is overcome by us when we, searching for Him with all our hearts, lock eyes with Him.  This is beautiful to Jesus.  Our God is stirred with a passion for us and, as it says later, "many waters cannot quench love" and "love is stronger than death."  When we are longing for more of Jesus nothing will stop Him from getting to us.  he will deal with anything in our lives that would stand in the way of our relationship together!

"Lord, I long for even more of You.  I need more revelation of the passion that You have for me.  Meet me in the secret place.  I am willing to give up anything that stands in the way of knowing You radically.  Keep doing Your good work in me."

6/13/2003    "Prepare Your Heart"    Topic:  Repentance

"And he did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD."  (2 Chronicles 12:14)

How do you prepare your heart to seek the Lord?  Seeking Him and His will through prayer and Bible reading is one thing but preparing for this is another.  Many cults have been started by people who pray and read the Bible but misapply it or leave parts of it out.  They were seeking God to some extent but their "eyes" were blinded.  They prayed but were unable to distinguish the voice of God from that of their enemy or themselves.  Why?

I believe the lack of genuine repentance is the reason, or at least one of them.  The Bible speaks of those who, because of their continual lack of repentance, have had their hearts hardened or their eyes blinded.  A repentant heart is a soft, changeable heart.  An unrepentant one is a hard, blind one.  The Word says we will find God when we seek Him with all of our heart.  Repentance prepares us for this!

"Lord, reveal to me where I need to repent.  I want a soft heart - one that can see, hear, smell and taste in the Spirit.  Repentance is a small price to pay for this."

*(You're less likely to stumble into evil when you're actively seeking God.  Evil may try to stop you but at least you won't be aiding and abetting it!"

6/14/2003    "Fortify Your Position"    Topic:  Praise

"Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted ... God struck ... the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD God of their fathers."  (2 Chronicles 13:15,18)

"Therefore he said to Judah, 'Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us.'"  (2 Chronicles 14:7)

The shout from the people of praise, made in faith, loosed the power of God into the natural realm, enabling them to route their enemies.  This gave them peace in their land.  Then "praise" built cities and fortified them in peacetime.  (The words of our mouth can build up or tear down.  Praise constructs cities in the spirit realm.  It builds our faith acting as a shield (bars, walls, etc.) around us.)

God gives us ground in the battlefield of praise.  We then need to build up and fortify that ground.  The walls of prayer must rise.  Clark Fork City Church is a city of Judah, a stronghold of praise.  We need to continue fortifying our city, building foundation and solid theology around what we do that it will not be taken later, but that it will last for generations.  A theology of praise and worship fortifies the city.

6/21/2003    "Our Eyes Are On You"    Topic:  Praise

2 Chronicles 20

Jehoshaphat was under attack.  He was afraid.  Many of us may try to deal with the situations we face first and then find time to worship the Lord.  Jehoshaphat called a fast - the people of praise (Judah) fasted and prayed.  The devil would like us to surrender our prayer and worship in the face of his schemes.  God's plan for us though is for us to durrender the situation to Him through prayer and worship!  By this we declare that He is in control, not us or our enemies.

They all prayed and then they heard from God.  He told them this was His battle, not theirs and their response was to worship.  They showed their genuine faith and trust in the Lord by making the front lines of their "battle force" be musicians who were praising God!  If they had planned a literal battle this would have been silly, but God had said that they would not have to fight!  So they just had church and praised the Lord!  God did what He said He would do and destroyed their enemies Himself.

The only responsibility the army had then was to collect and retrieve the spoils of the enemy.  They rejoiced, had a great time praising God and went home to have some more church!  Their enemies feared God and left them alone.  Awesome!

We get to praise God, enjoy Him, worship Him and seek His direction.  We pray and He fights.  We then go in and get the spoils of war - both the riches and the people who have been held captive by the enemy!  Tangible wealth and salvation - not a bad combination considering all the fun we get to have in the process!

6/28/2003    "Praise, Prophecy and the Church"    Topic:  God's Voice

"The LORD roars from Zion,
And utters His voice from Jerusalem;"  (Amos 1:2)

"Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?
The Lord GOD has spoken!
Who can but prophesy?"  (Amos 3:7-8)

God roars from Zion, the place of praise, worship, and prophetic intercession.  This place, within the parameters of the church (God's people) is where God speaks.  God is always moving and He does nothing without revealing it to His prophetic people; therefore, God is always speaking!  We, the prophetic people, need to come into alignment with a local church and get into Zion.  Come freely and come often into the place where you are praising, you are worshiping, you are interceding and praying and you will begin to hear the voice of the Lord for yourself!  When He speaks, listen.  Do what God tells you.  Say what He tells you to say.

"Let me hear Your roar, Jesus.  Lion of Judah, roar into me and roar through me.  May I be both a receiver and a mouthpiece for You."

6/29/2003    "Seek Me and Live"    Topic:  Abundant Life

"For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel:
'Seek Me and live;'"  (Amos 5:4)

"...And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;"  (Amos 6:5)

David was known for being a man after God's own heart.  He passionately pursued God and lived a radical life.  David was a musician.  God called to Him and David responded; when David called to God, He responded.  They had a deeply intimate relationship and because David sought the Lord he found life, and he was given the desires of his heart as well.

When God called David to serve the nation and chose him as king, David did not have to give up his love for music and songwriting.  Instead, we now have many of David's songs recorded for us in the Psalms and we read here that he actually invented new musical instruments!  His use of music was ground-breaking and innovative and he was given both a platform and resources by God to excel in it.  Very cool.

6/30/2003    "The Remnant of Edom"    Topic:  Worship/Revival

"On that day I will raise up
The Tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
And repair its damages,
I will raise up its ruins,
And rebuild it as in the days of old;
That they may possess the remnant of Edom,
And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,"  (Amos 9:11-12)

This passage goes on to speak of the plowman overtaking the reaper, hills dripping with sweet wine and abundant blessing in the Lord.  God has big plans for the modern-day version of David's tabernacle, the tent of continual worship and prayer.  When we see the intercession and worship established in the earth, we also see revival!

I believe God has shown us in this passage the key to seeing His plan released into the Arab-Islamic nations of the world today.  "That they may possess the remnant of Edom," it says.  Edom represents some of the Arabic people today!  God wants to use our worship and prophetic intercession to see the Islamic peoples turn to Jesus.  "All the Gentiles" are mentioned, but Edom specifically.  God has a plan for the neighbors of Israel, the Islamic people.

Our prayer and time spent in worship has a significant effect in the spiritual realm and God wants to use us to affect change in the Middle East!

"Lord, send revival to the Middle East!  May spiritual Edom turn to Jesus and find salvation and freedom.  Lord, open the blinded eyes to see and cause deafened ears to hear.  Let the tongues of Your people, including my own, speak Your word boldly and confidently, both in evangelism and in the place of worship and prayer.  Jesus, I ask for the remnant of Edom."

7/1/2003    "Out of Zion:  Part 2"    Topic:  Praise

"For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."  (Isaiah 2:3)

Out of genuine worship, praise and prayer focused on Jesus, God's rule will be established on the earth.  We will learn how to apply what we see in the written word of God to our lives by spending time in Zion.  We will stay on track and on course by being connected within a local church body.  Within "Jerusalem," the church, there is accountability and every prophetic word that we think we are hearing can be brought into judgment.  There is safety in Jerusalem!

Our prayers and our worship offered in the place of a unified purpose with right motives and in faith will affect change on the earth.  The law is not just proclaimed within Zion; it goes "out of Zion."  Judah is God's bow and also His law-giver.  Our praise launches God's word and life into the world!  Even on the local church level, the time spent in communion with God in Zion will result in His plans for us being revealed.

7/2/2003    "Shelter and Shade"    Topic:  Tabernacle of David

"Then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night.  For over all the glory there will be a covering.  And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain."  (Isaiah 4:5-6)

God has placed His protection above every home which is a place of praise and above the gathering of the people of praise.  This new Tabernacle of David, the praising and praying church, will give us a shade, refuge and shelter from storm and rain.  The people who give themselves wholeheartedly to God through praying, worshiping, praising, etc., set themselves up for a blessing of God which keeps the storms of life from harming them.  (This happens after the dealing with sin in Zion and the church - Is. 4:4.)

7/3/2003    "Corporate Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones."  (2 Chronicles 26:15)

If our individual praise is a bow then this is like corporate unified praise.  Together, and with this "machine," they could launch much stronger and more powerful weapons than they could on their own.  This is like comparing a slingshot with a catapult!  Obviously, the catapult can inflict serious damage on an enemy - much more than a slingshot could ever do.

This also demonstrates the creativity that should be operating within the church.  By thinking outside the box and beyond the realm of the usual, these inventers made their king and their nation famous!

"Lord, may our creativity in praising You both devastate our enemy and make You famous in all the earth.  Take Your church into greater cooperation and unity that we may use the heavy artillary in our worship."

7/5/2003    "Jesus Praises Too!"    Topic:  Praise & Prophecy

"I will declare You name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."  (Hebrews 2:12)

Jesus sings and praises in the midst of His people.  He is right there with us leading the way when we gather together as the people of God!  He is also releasing a prophetic flow, declaring the name of the Father to us.  Declaring God's name is declaring His attributes and His character (In Hebrew every name has a meaning).  Jesus' testimony of the Father through song is a prophetic thing and when His Spirit flows through us we are energized as the prophetic people He has called us to be!  "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

So praise God and declare who He is both when you're alone with Him and when we gather together with the saints.  Jesus is singing a prophetic, life-releasing song about the Father; when we hear Him singing and release the song into the natural realm through our mouths we will see great things happen.  We will overcome our enemy, the devil, through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.  (In this case, it's really Jesus' testimony of the Father released through us!"

"Jesus, let me hear Your song and help me to sing it!  Release Your prophetic song in Your people."

7/8/2003    "Better Than Anywhere Else!"    Topic:  Praise & Worship

"Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
...Enter into His gates with thanksgiving
And into His courts with praise."  (Psalm 100:1,4)

"Those who dwell under His shadow shall return;
They shall be revived like grain,
And grow like a vine.
Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon."  (Hosea 14:7)

Psalm 84:10 says that a day in the courts of the Lord is better than a thousand anywhere else.  Psalm 100 gives a glimpse of how awesome and exciting God has intended it to be when we come into His presence!  Joyful shouting, gladness and thanksgiving abound and this is just the beginning.  When we come closer to the Lord, into the inner courts where we dwell under His shadow (This is a place of deeper intimacy and vulnerability.) we will be revived and flourish.  Our very scent will be of wine.  The aroma of the Lord and His presence will permeate our very being - amazing!  The people we are around will smell something wonderful.  All this from enjoying God!

"Lord, teach me even more how to enjoy Your presence.  Take me through the outer courts and all of that excitement.  When I'm winded and flushed from the fun take me into the inner courts, into the secret place where I can rest in Your shadow."

7/9/2003    "Revelation in Judah"    Topic:  Praise

"And what are the high places of Judah?
Are they not Jerusalem?"  (Micah 1:5)

"For out of Zion the law shall go forth,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."  (Micah 4:2)

God's intent is that through the church and out of Zion - out of the mouths and physical expression of the people - revelation will go forth.  The life-giving word of God is intended to resound from Jerusalem, the church, and God will do this when the church is not just another idol or "high place" to us.

Micah 1:5 describes a church that has become an idolatrous place and that has become an idol that hinders praise and the people of praise (Judah).  When we restore the "Zion-ness" to Jerusalem and root out the idols, God's word will ring out and many nations will say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord!"

7/11/2003    "Lord of Hosts:  Yahweh Tsaba"    Topic:  Zion

"...the LORD of hosts,
Who dwells in Zion."  (Isaiah 8:18)

"Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."  (Isaiah 9:7)

The Lord of hosts (OT: 6635) dwells in Zion!  Although we have yet to see the whole of creation bowing before the throne of Jesus, we can see right now the expansion of the kingdom of God in our world and in our cities and neighborhoods!  It is the zeal of the Lord of hosts that will accomplish this and the Lord of hosts lives in Zion; He dwells in the midst of a praising, worshiping, praying, prophetic people.  Learn to pray.  Learn to proclaim god's truth in your neighborhood.  Learn to praise and worship the Lord.  He will come and take up residence in that place and with those people, doing more in His zeal than we could ever hope.

7/13/2003    "Hastening Righteousness"    Topic:  Tabernacle of David

"In mercy the throne will be established;
And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David,
Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness."  (Isaiah 16:5)

The tabernacle of David on Mount Zion is the location of the throne of God on earth.  God sits on this throne in both mercy and truth judging His enemies on behalf of His people.  We have been crying out for a revival of righteousness in our city and in this nation.  This passage declares that when we stet up a place in Zion for Jesus to sit enthroned that He will hasten righteousness!

"Bring it on, Jesus!  Give us Your vision for what You want the tabernacle to look like in Missoula.  Reveal You plan to us for this city.  I am asking, Lord, for righteousness to prevail in these streets and in our lives and homes.  Reign in this place, not from afar, but near to the people in Missoula.  Judge the works of the enemy and cause the powers of darkness to tremble and to flee from this region!  I ask this in the name of Jesus.  Amen!"

7/14/2003    "By Faith"    Topic:  Faith & Worship

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."  (Hebrews 11:6)

It is my faith that makes everything I do pleasing to God.  When I step out in the prophetic realm of praise and worship it is not the physical acts of singing, clapping, shouting, etc. that please Him.  It is that I receive His word in my heart and step out in it that pleases God.  Anyone can go through the religious motions of "praise and worship" in a superstitious fashion and walk away unchanged except for an emotional high or adrenaline rush.  However, when walked out in an act of faith in genuine submission to the Lord, trusting in Him and standing on His word, there is power released!

Isaiah 19:7 says that "the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt;" so in application, the praise of the people of God will cause the enemies of God, the system of this world, to be terrified.  If I truly believe this word from God and I obey it by faith by praising the Lord then I can see God's kingdom advanced around me - by faith.  If I do not believe this then by doubt and unbelief I may begin to question, "Why should I be so physical in my praise and so emotional in my worship?"

As I praise Jesus, surrendered to Him in praise, lifting my hands in agreement with His authority and placing my faith in Him, the spiritual forces behind "Egypt" will be terrified.  I love this!  They are terrified by the land of Judah.

The physical territory possessed by the people of faith, the people of praise, cannot be defeated by the enemy.  When we, by faith, accept this word that our very personal property is covered, we begin to walk in greater confidence in our God.  Why worry?  Why fear?  God is for us so who can be against us?

Why does "Egypt" fear this?  Because it cannot triumph over the land of praise.  Instead the people of praise will begin to walk in even more blessing as they:  1. Praise God in faith.  2. See Him enthroned on their praises.  3. See the enemies of God fall back at His presence ("The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,/ And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst."  (Isaiah 19:1))  4. The kingdom of God advances and the cycle starts over!

When Judah praises in faith its influence increases and Egypt's sphere decreases!  The devil knows that the Bible has prophesied in Isaiah 19:24 that at some point the Lord will say, "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance."  Even Egypt will be a part of Judah some day.  We win!

7/15/2003    "Key of David"    Topic:  Worship & Intimacy

"The key of the house of David
I will lay on his shoulder;
So he shall open, and no one shall shut;
And he shall shut, and no one shall open."  (Isaiah 22:22)

David was known as a man after God's own heart.  He was known as a man of worship, the sweet psalmist of Israel.  He was a man who was known for knowing God.  "The key of David - intimacy" are the words from a song by Jason Upton and I think he is right.

When I come into the place of intimacy with Jesus I walk in an authority on this earth.  When I know Jesus deeply it is easier to pray in faith and I can ask for things because of the relationship.  I can open doors and close doors because of relationship.

Jesus says to some, "Depart from me, I never knew you."  Paul expressed his desire to know God and to be known by Him.  If God knows me then He can trust me because in the place of worship in His presence I am changed and made more and more in His image.  Then, entrusted with His authority, I can speak things in the name of Jesus and see them happen.

"Jesus, I desire to know You and be known by You.  I long for greater intimacy with You.  Change me in Your presence.  I cannot deny that I desire to walk with Your authority in a greater measure, but I desire intimacy with You even more.  The authority to work amazing miracles would be empty without You, Jesus."

7/16/2003    "Sow Some Seed"    Topic:  Zion

"Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation..."  (Isaiah 28:16)

"Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow?
Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods?
When he has leveled its surface,
Does he not sow..."  (Isaiah 28:24-25)

Zion, (our praise, prayer, etc.) is only the ground for the Foundation Stone.  This atmosphere of relationship with God sets the stage for the things God intends to build.  But praise and prayer is not the end for us on this earth.

Judah, our praise, plows the ground, but that is only in preparation for the harrowing.  Jacob, prayer-intercession, harrows the ground and breaks up the clods but only in preparation for the seed.  At some point some seed must be sown!  If all we do is pray and worship we create fertile ground in the spiritual realm of our hearts and the hearts of others.  This is good but the weed seeds will grow well in that plowed ground too.  We must actively sow good seed into the fields.  Prophetically release good seed by the words of your mouth.  What kind of seed are you sowing?  What seed are you planting in your friends and neighbors for whom you are praying?

*Every word that leaves my mouth is a seed!  Every action that I make is a seed!

7/17/2003    "The Power of Our Worship"    Topic:  Zion

"In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."  (Isaiah 30:15)

By returning to the Lord with all of our hearts and truly resting in Him we will be saved from our enemies.  Our strength is in Him!

"Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him."  (Isaiah 30:18)

Our praise, worship and prayer acts as incense before the Lord.  It brings us into His very presence.  Worship the Lord and patiently wait for Him.  He is waiting for us to be a people of worship so that when He shows up we will not die in His justice but live in His mercy because of relationship!

"Through the voice of the LORD
Assyria will be beaten down
As He strikes with the rod.
And in every place where the staff of punishment passes,
Which the LORD lays on him,
It will be with tambourines and harps;"  (Isaiah 30:31-32)

God goes to battle to the sound of music, including our music and song! (see vs. 29)

"As a lion roars...
So the LORD of hosts will come down
To fight for Mount Zion and for its hill."  (Isaiah 31:4,5)

God will fight for the people of praise.  Jesus, our Lion of Judah, will defend us!

"'...his princes shall be afraid of the banner,'
Says the LORD,
Whose fire is in Zion
And whose furnace is in Jerusalem."  (Isaiah 31:9)

Jesus is our banner and the princes of the enemy fear when they see the Banner with us!  We have been asking for the fire of God in this place and for revival fire to burn through Missoula.  Well, the furnace is in the church... the fire for the furnace though is in Zion - surprise!  The fire comes in the place of passion and intimacy - Zion - the place of praise, worship, prayer and prophetic declaration of the rhema word of God!

7/18/2003    "Promises in Zion"    Topic:  Zion

1. "The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness."  (Isaiah  33:5)

2.  "The sinners in Zion are afraid;
Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites:"  (Isaiah 33:14)

3.  "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like deer,
And the tongue of the dumb shall sing."  (Isaiah 35:5-6)

"And the inhabitant will not say, 'I am sick;'
The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity."  (Isaiah 33:24)

4.  A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness."  (Isaiah 35:8)

1.  God fills the land of Zion with justice and righteousness.  When we seek Him and make room for Him, He moves on our behalf.
2.  In the prophetic atmosphere of Zion sinners and hypocrites are convicted in their hearts.  Sin is exposed.
3.  There is healing in Zion!
4.  There is holiness in Zion.  There is a road of protection for the people of God.  We can walk in holiness when we live in Zion.  We can simply walk on the highway instead of striving for holiness.

7/22/2003    "Let God Wage the War"    Topic:  Spiritual Warfare

"In Judah God is known;
his name is great in Israel.
In Salem also is His tabernacle,
And His dwelling place in Zion.
There He broke the arrows of the bow,
The shield and sword of battle.
Selah"  (Psalm76:1-2)

God is known and made known in our praise.  It is a releasing of His supernatural character through our natural bodies.  Israel (which means "He struggles with God") has the testimony of how God moved on his behalf when he cried out in prayer to the Lord.  God has made His tabernacle in the place of peace.  When we calm down and rest peacefully in the Lord He makes His presence be our peace. 

God's dwelling place is Zion!  When we live in this place of praise, prayer, etc., God goes to war on our behalf breaking the arrows, shield and sword of our enemy and his cohorts.  The enemy's air war (arrows), ground war (sword) and his defenses (shield) are destroyed by the God of Judah, Israel, Salem and Zion.

Let's look at an example of this in action:  Isaiah 36:21-37:38
1.  Hezekiah praised (Isaiah 37:16)
2.  Hezekiah prayed (Isaiah 37:17-20)
3.  They held their peace and did not sin with their mouths.  (Isaiah 36:21)
4.  They sought the prophetic word of the Lord - Isaiah declared it. (Isaiah 37:21-35)
5.  God destroyed the enemy! (Isaiah 37:36-38)

7/23/2003    "The Living Tabernacle"    Topic:  Tabernacle of David

"You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."  (1 Peter 2:5)

"The living, the living man, he shall praise You,
As I do this day;
The Father shall make known Your truth to the children."  (Isaiah 38:19)

We've read in both Joel and in Acts of the rebuilding of David's tabernacle.  We are the living stones for this dwelling place of the Lord.  We are being built into a spiritual house as are our children.  This house is built tier upon tier, line upon line, precept upon precept, generation upon generation, with Jesus Christ as our chief cornerstone (1 Peter 2:6).  I have a responsibility to make known God's truth to my children, in this context by teaching them through my praise:  telling them what God has done in my life and by expressing my thanks in song and in word.

With God's help, as I teach them well they can stand on my shoulders to go farther in seeing the Tabernacle of David restored than I have.  As living stones, they can be set in a tier above me.

"With Your help, Lord, let our children (and our spiritual children) grasp the principles of being a prophetic people of praise, worship and prayer.  Let them understand who they are in You and who You are in them.  Build up the next generation, Lord, and use us to do it!"

7/26/2003    "Singing Arrows"    Topic:  Praise & Singing

"Hear this, O house of Jacob,
Who are called by the name of Israel,
And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah;"  (Isaiah 48:1)

"Go forth from Babylon!
Flee from the Chaldeans!
With a voice of singing,
Declare, proclaim this,
Utter it to the end of the earth;
Say, 'The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!'"  (Isaiah 48:20)

"And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;
In the shadows of His hand He has hidden Me,
And made Me a polished shaft;
In His quiver He has hidden Me."  (Isaiah 49:2)

The wellsprings of our praise lead us naturally into intercession.  Jacob, fleeing from wickedness and captivity, prophetically speaks of being redeemed "with a voice of singing."  Thus our very songs become intercession.  As we allow God to speak through us in our song of praise or intercession we are are activated as a polished shaft of an arrow and our mouths like sharp swords.  Our mouths are weapons when  submitted to the Lord.  When we allow Him to hide us in Himself, in that place we become fashioned for war.  The quiet place of rest in Jesus acts as a training ground for spiritual warfare.

We then come out of that place with fresh revelation of who God really is and we naturally thank and praise Him for it.  This easily leads into intercession for the revealing of Jesus to the lost.  (Again, from the wellsprings of Judah comes Jacob.  Praise gives birth to intercession.)  We stand in the gap on behalf of the lost, letting Jesus speak through us declaring freedom for the captives.  (Praise leads to Intercession which leads to Prophetic Declaration.)

7/27/2003    "The Sound of Singing"    Topic:  Zion & Singing

"So the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness;
Sorrow and sighing shall flee away."  (Isaiah 51:11)

"Your watchmen shall lift up their voices,
With their voices they shall sing together;"  (Isaiah 52:8)

The ransomed of the Lord (that's us) shall return to Zion with singing!  Joyful singing, no less!  "But, Jon!" you say, "there is so much serious prayer needed in so many areas!  How can we have all this fun when there is so much work to be done?"  Remember, when we enjoy God, He is getting glory and when we focus on Him wholeheartedly our praise and delighting in Him is a weapon in His hands. 

So, does that mean we just throw prayer aside and ignore the world?  Of course not!  Zion is the place of prayer too.  We come to Zion with singing and pleasure.  We praise God and get the right perspective of Who is in charge.  From that place, we pray.  Isaiah 52:8 says that even the watchmen (intercessors) shall lift up their voices and sing together.

Singing while we stand guard.  Singing our prayers of praise and our petitions to the Lord.  We need to remember to thank God in advance for what He's doing even when we're still in the midst of the problem and we'd really rather wallow in it for awhile!  We have the promise of God given to the people of Zion:

"For the LORD will comfort Zion,
He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the LORD;
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody."
(Isaiah 51:3)

Our barren places will be made like Eden.  Our dry, dusty deserts will be turned into lush, shaded, aromatic gardens.  There will be joy, thanksgiving and the voice of melody!  We will be fruitful!

"Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
To declare that the LORD is upright;"
(Psalm 92:13-15)

"Jesus, thank You for song and melody.  Thank You for this tool to both praise You and to cry out to You.  Teach me to sing out not only my praise but my deepest intercession as well.  Teach me to pray like You, Lord.  I want to understand how to have fun with You while I do."

7/28/2003    "Joy in the House"    Topic:  Prayer

"For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."  (Isaiah 56:7)

"I will... make them joyful in My house of prayer."  (Isaiah 56:7a)

Being joyful in the house of prayer, while it may sound like sacrilege to some, is declared by God as something he will do for those who come with an open and submitted heart to Him.  Do we really believe that our Heavenly Father hears us when we pray?  Do we have what we ask or don't we?  Are we praying in faith or in no more than religious ritual?  The house of prayer was not ordained by God because it would be a futile exercise that would not work, only meant to test the patience of the saints.  God ordained the house of prayer because prayer works!  This is reason for joy!  "No weapon formed against us will prosper."

Yet more reason for joy is given here, even in the midst of spiritual warfare!  "Sing, O barren," says the Lord.  By faith we can celebrate the Lord's breakthrough even before we see it come to pass.

"Lord, teach us how to be joyful in the house of prayer.  Even in times of travail, of weeping and crying out to You, teach us to do it in faith."

7/29/2003    "The True Fast"    Topic:  Seeking God

Isaiah 58:1-59:2

God claims here that what He is really looking for is not just a religious fast but a true fast, a "turning away" from our own selfish ways to pursue God and to love His creation.  He claims that when we do this God will answer "Here I am" when we call out to Him.  He will guide us, satisfy our souls, strengthen our bones, cause us to flourish and bear fruit, and that we shall be restorers of those things which have been lost.

God promises also that when we make Him the center of our Sabbath, not just pursuing our own pleasures, that we will then delight ourselves in the Lord and that He will feed us with the heritage of Jacob - blessing!

God says here that it is our sins that separate us from God.  Our own selfish desires and pursuits have distanced us from Him.  He is not too weak or deaf or deficient in any way.  He's just waiting for us to do two things:  1. Seek Him.  2. Turn from our wicked ways to follow His.

7/30/2003    "Gates and Walls"    Topic:  Prayer and Praise

"Therefore your gates shall be open continually,
They shall not be shut day or night,
That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles,
And their kings in procession."  (Isaiah 60:11)

"But you shall call your walls Salvation,
And your gates Praise."  (Isaiah 60:18b)

"I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent,
And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth."  (Isaiah 62:6-7)

"Go through,
Go through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people;"  (Isaiah 62:10)

Prayer is like building walls and standing guard.  Praise is the gate through the wall.  At some point we must walk through the gate to get to the land on the other side.  At times our praise may act as the gate through which Jesus walks to get to us in our situation.  The gates of praise are to be open continually.  The watchmen on the walls shall never hold their peace.  Prayer and praise should be going up before the Lord all the time!

I just imagine the unity of a citywide church praising and praying continually, the gates open between the churches and between us and heaven.

7/31/2003    "Heart and Soul"    Topic:  Joy

"Fools, because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
...Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.  (Psalm 107:17-20,22)

Sin leads to destruction and affliction.  All the fasting in the world won't move God until there is a genuine repentance and crying out to Him.  It's not our religious acts that get His attention but a real heart cry for him.  Then, by His word He heals us, saves us and delivers us from our destructions whether they be sickness, disease, addiction, or even the trials of life:  marriage problems, other relational problems, work issues, etc.

Verse 22 then asserts that we are to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing!  When God moves on our behalf it is appropriate to praise Him in joy!  If it was the genuineness of our hearts' cry that moved Him in the first place, why should we assume that our response to His salvation would be to return to the religious fasting that didn't work in the first place?  It won't be any better now.  Enjoy God!  Remember, He was at the wedding party in Cana of Galilee too (John2)!

8/1/2003    "God's House"    Topic:  Intimacy

"Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build for Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
...But on this one I will look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word."  (Isaiah 66:1,2)

At first glance it may appear that God is saying that there is no "house" for Him in the earth.  However, we know already that Zion is His dwelling place.  The key here is that we cannot build a house for God in our works of flesh.  The house of God is a spiritual house, built with living stones.  Who are these stones? - Those who are humble in the sight of God, of a soft and moldable spirit, and who love the word of the Lord and obey Him.  We, His bride who are desperate for Him, are the house of our God.  We are the place of His rest.

"Jesus, mold me into a comfortable dwelling place for You.  Enlarge my capacity to contain You and rest in me.  I want to live in Zion - the place of the King's chambers, the place of deep intimacy with You."

8/2/2003    "What About Form?"    Topic:  Worship and Warfare

"Then he put military captains in all the fortified cities of Judah."  (2 Chronicles 33:14)

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."  (John 4:24)

John 4 tells the story of the woman at the well and her life-changing encounter with Jesus.  This is a worship defining moment from the very lips of Jesus.  The place where we worship, the denomination we are in, the day we gather together, etc., is unimportant.  It is our knowing Jesus, knowing Whom we worship that matters and that we do in fact worship Jesus beyond the trappings of our religious background, whatever that may be - beyond the form and ritual where our hearts connect in relationship!

This does not do away with form altogether though.  There are times when we are truly worshiping that God will speak prophetically and ask us to do something specific, maybe as simple as lifting our hands.  We have entered the realm of prophetic worship.  Sometimes it will be our leaders who hear from God and invite us to respond.  They are acting as military captains in our fortified city of Praise (The Church).  For the greatest effect in the spiritual realm we need to respond and work together.  God has met us in our simple worship directed to Him and asked us to move with Him.  What an honor and privilege!  Now we fall in step with the One we love and move out in faith.  We may be waging war, we may be training and testing - it could be anything!  This is God we're talking about!

He is the Captain of the Host and His food is "to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work" (John 4:34).  We have the great blessing to worship God freely and with that blessing comes the responsibility to respond in faith when He speaks to us.  (Our food!)

To worship in spirit and in truth does not mean that we do not submit to those who are over us in the Lord.  Jesus may use our leaders to expose in us areas in our life He wants to address.  We all desire greater intimacy with the Lord.  Sometimes it takes a little warfare and direction from a military leader (discipline!) to get us there!

"Lord, thank You for the freedom to worship You apart from empty ritual!  Help us to not turn that into a spiritual anarchy where we cast aside all restraint.  Show me, Lord, how to operate in a Godly authority without abusing it.  Give me the grace to submit to authority as well.  Thank You!"

8/3/2003    "Keep The Feast!"    Topic:  Celebration

"O Judah, keep your appointed feasts,"  (Nahum 1:15)

God has said that the people who praise Him should have feasts.  Feasting and celebrating together is a part of being a man or a woman of Judah.  Why?  Because Jesus is proclaiming peace for us who know Him.  We celebrate because of salvation from our enemy, the devil.  Salvation from the Assyrians was reason for Judah to celebrate.  Salvation from the wages of sin and death is an even better reason to celebrate!

Imagine the feast we will have in heaven celebrating enthusiastically with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit.  We should not feel that we must wait until heaven to party.  We can and have reason to be the most exciting happy people on the planet!  We are redeemed, chosen and loved by God!  That's definitely reason to celebrate.  There is a time in our praise for festivity and celebration!  Remember, feasting isn't meant to be experienced alone!  It's a community event.  It is relational.

"Thank You, Lord!  I long to abandon myself even more freely in celebration with You Jesus.  Thank You for saving me and bringing peace to my soul.  Teach me what it means to have fun with You and with Your people.  Teach us to celebrate You together as a community of believers."

8/4/2003    "Burden Bearing"    Topic:  Prophetic Music

"Others of the Levites, all of whom were skillful with instruments of music, were over the burden bearers and were overseers of all who did work in any kind of service."  (2 Chronicles 34:12-13)

The musicians here were assigned to be with the laborers as they worked.  Songs in the church serve as the cadence for the work of the Lord.  When we sing about our God while we work and do the manual labor of ministry it keeps our focus on Jesus where it should be.  The "burden bearers" in the spirit, intercessors who are yoked with the Lord, have their job made easier when there is a musical outlet for them.  (Much like the prophet asking for a minstrel so that he could prophesy.)  The music of the Lord facilitates getting that burden moved in the spirit to where it needs to go.  Somehow the physical music being played to the Lord helps us keep in step with Jesus.  When we are all singing the same song together it fosters harmony and agreement between believers.  This is a unifying factor in the church as well!

8/5/2003    "Let It Flow"    Topic:  Living Water

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  (John 7:37-38)

This was spoken by Jesus concerning the Holy Spirit.  When we come to Jesus and drink, we are drinking in the Holy Spirit.  Then out of our hearts will flow not just a trickle but rivers of living water.  Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, right?  So what comes out of my mouth today will reflect how much I've been drinking the Living Water.  Jesus promises rivers for those who drink, so if the words of my mouth don't flow from that life-giving river they must be coming from somewhere else!  I'm either drinking from an inferior, polluted source or I'm dry and not drinking at all.

The rivers of Living Water will flow out of of my heart.  I need to let them come out of my mouth and my actions throughout the day.

"Lord, I love Your water!  I choose to drink from You today.  Holy Spirit, flow out through me.  By Your grace I will not dam up the river but will let it flow freely."

8/6/2003    "Even in the Bad Times"    Topic:  Rejoicing

"Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fall,
And the fields yield no food;
Thought the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls-
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation."  (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Rejoice = OT 5937 'alaz - to jump for joy
Joy = OT 1523 giyl - to spin around (under the influence of any violent emotion)

"Though I am in turmoil and my worldly possessions are no more; Though my financial stability is washed away and I see little or no fruit in my life; Even if I see no harvest and the flock for which I am responsible is separated from me, my joy will be in the Lord!"  This is basically what Habakkuk says.  He speaks of jumping for joy and spinning around wildly in praise to the Lord in spite of everything else!  This seems crazy and yet no matter how bad things get here on this earth, God is still infinitely, amazingly good!  Is my joy truly dependant only on God or am I caught up with other things?  Can I say as David did, "Though He slay me, yet will I praise Him?"  "Lord, I want to!"

8/7/2003    "The Dancing Father"    Topic:  Rejoicing

"I will stretch out My hand against Judah,
And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place."  (Zephaniah 1:4)

"Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!...
...Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.
The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."  (Zephaniah 3:14,16-17)

God will judge idolatry and rebellion in the church and in those who live in the land of Judah, but do not live the life intended for Judah.  Once we've allowed God to work in us we can expect the promise that follows:  He will dance (spin) over us with gladness and singing.  He sings, He dances, He rejoices over the people who love Him and pursue Him.  We can sing, shout, be glad and rejoice as well with our Father!  There is no need to be afraid - God is in our midst, He is mighty and He will save.

"God, deal with me.  Any idolatry in me must go and I want You to reveal and remove it.  I just want to follow You and enjoy You.  Dance over me."

8/8/2003    "Knowing Jesus"    Topic:  Relationship

"And those who handle the law did not know me;"  (Jeremiah 2:8)

"For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns - broken cisterns that can hold no water."  (Jeremiah 2:13)

"To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep here his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice."  (John 10:3-4)

It is important for us, especially those of us who would call ourselves teachers, to know Jesus intimately!  To handle "the law" without really knowing Jesus leads to legalism, to harshness or to the opposite extreme - subjective "truth" that bends according to popular opinion.  Both extremes are broken cisterns and are the result of forsaking Jesus, the fountain of living waters.  Even studying the written word in place of knowing Jesus can be building a broken cistern!*  This is not to say that the Bible is not the guidepost to lead us to Jesus.  But it is not Jesus!  We will hear His voice through the Bible though if we are His sheep.

These following benefits of being one of Jesus' sheep are wonderful:

1.  To Him the doorkeeper opens.  Jesus can open doors no man can shut and close doors no man can open.  He will lead you into pastures you never thought possible!

2.  He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.  He knows us, calls us and leads us.  He will speak to us and lead us into His ways.

3.  He goes before us.  Jesus doesn't ask us to do something radical by ourselves.  He is blazing the trail in front of us!

4.  We follow Him because we know His voice.  If we know Him we will know His voice and this will lead to faith to step out and follow Him.  (It's when we're not sure that we really heard His voice that we live in mediocrity, doubt or unbelief, not stepping through the doors He opens.)

*Hint:  Every man-made method that tries to fill the void apart from knowing Jesus is a broken cistern

8/9/2003    "With Her Whole Heart"    Topic:  Praise

"'And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,' says the Lord."  (Jeremiah 3:10)

"For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
'Break up your fallow ground,
And do not sow among thorns.
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD,
And take away the foreskins of your hearts,
You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,'"  (Jeremiah 4:3-4)

Jeremiah 3:8 mentioned the lack of the fear of God in Judah.  They had seen the fall of apostate Israel and yet they treacherously committed the same sins.  Then in their "repentance," they acted in pretense.  There is a danger here that we can come on Sunday morning to praise the Lord and not really turn from our ways to His ways with our whole heart.

Genuine praise, wholehearted praise, plows the ground.  God says to Judah, "Break up your fallow (freshly plowed) ground."  The things God has exposed and begun in our praise need to be prayed through and dealt with.  If we do not truly deal with the weeds and the roots that have been exposed, we're just sowing among thorns!  The seeds we plant may very well be choked out.  God then tells the people of Judah and Jerusalem to circumcise their hearts.  This is true repentance and genuine turning to the Lord.

8/10/2003    "Costly Worship"    Topic:  Worship

"Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.  And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  But one of His disciples...said, 'Why was this fragrant oil no sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?'"  (John 12:3-5)

Mary could have sold this perfume for a lot of money.  Instead she chose to "waste" it on Jesus.  She poured out a full pound of oil on His feet!  She easily could have used an ounce or even less to anoint Him and sold the rest.  She could have given Him the "tithe" and blessed Him - but she gave everything.

As a songwriter/worshiper I can give Jesus what is "due" to Him or I can pour out the anointing He's given me in extravagant worship back to Him.  The singing and playing ability could be used to bring me wealth, but will that go down in God's memory journal?  Probably not.  (This is not to say that using God's gifts effectively in the market place is wrong.  Far from it!  It's all about motive:  Am I focused on bringing glory to God?  If so, then there's nothing to worry about!)

8/14/2003    "Praising Kids Rule!"    Topic:  Praise

"Bring an offering and come into His courts."  (Psalm 96:8b)

"...Bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; ...if you heed Me... then shall enter the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, ...they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin... bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, bringing sacrifices of praise to the house of the LORD."  (Jeremiah 17:21-26)

When we have come to worship the Lord we are to lay our burdens down.  Yield the weight of them to God!  And yet there is something we do bear - our praise, worship, thanksgiving and gratefulness to the Lord.  As we come into His courts with that offering His promise is that the throne of David will be occupied among us.  The ruling and reigning aspects of dominion over the earth will be realized as we honor the Sabbath, resting from our burdens and cares of life to focus on Jesus and the joy of our salvation!

The promise to leaders here is that as we take a day to rest and wait on the Lord that the offerings and sacrifices of the people, the incense of prayer and worship will flow!  They will return from far and wide as we stop the striving and slow down to be with Jesus.  It's not going to be our might nor power, but God's Spirit that gets the job done!  As we take the time to draw near to Him He will draw near to us.

Jeremiah 17:19 says that the gate of the children of the people is the gate by which the kings of Judah come in and go out.  The King of Judah likes to hang out with His kids.  As we come to the Father as His children, casting all our cares on Him, we gain access to Him!  Come as a child!  Come through the gates of childlike, faith-filled praise!  You can be sure that the gate of the children was a fun place to be.  Not a formal, stuffy, "rules and regulation" place most of the time.  Our king, Jesus, likes to come in and out among us through this gate.  We, as kings with Him, can move in the kingdom through this gate as well.  Let's lay down our burdens, come to the Lord in faith as little children and enjoy Him on our day of rest.  Blessings will follow!

"Lord, I choose to rest in You, to lay down my burdens this week and to praise You as Your child.  I love the idea of a day of true and genuine rest with You as the center.  Help me and my family to apply this in our lives."

8/15/2003    "Just Noise?"    Topic:  Praise

"The LORD on high is mightier
Than the noise of many waters..."  (Psalm 93:4)

"...all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give into the hand of their enemies, who will plunder them, seize them, and carry them to Babylon."  (Jeremiah 20:4)

In Revelation we hear of the praise in heaven resounding - "the sound of many waters."  What happens though when praise becomes insincere, when we sing loudly, lift our hands, etc. but live like the devil all week long?  Our praise goes from the "sound of many waters" to the "noise of many waters," like a clanging gong in the ears of the Lord.  Guess what?  He is mightier than the noise of many waters.  When our praise becomes phony the blessing is removed.  When the people of praise become idolaters God will remove their treasures and they will be left to Babylon, the world system. 

Judah's demise was gradual.  They were plundered and the items used for worship were taken when they were not used by the priests and Levites in spirit and in truth.  When they were functioning in their duties and the people were worshiping and following the ways of the Lord, "Babylon" could not prevail.  The same is true with us today.  When we live to the Lord, worshiping Him wholeheartedly, we prevail over our enemies and we do the plundering.  When we turn to our own ways we are the plundered.  The very treasures of the kings of Judah (us) are used to glorify Babylon instead of bringing glory to the Lord.

The very teachings of scripture, when not appropriated by the church, are often taken to "Babylon."  These treasures are meant for the church!  The treasure of music, dance and loosing creativity into our worship were meant for us!  It is time (and it is happening) to redeem the treasures of Judah!

8/17/2003    "The Spiritual Blacksmith:  Part 2"    Topic:  Spiritual Warfare

"...Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon."  (Jeremiah 24:1)

When the Babylonian king took Jerusalem captive he pointedly took the rulers so that there would be less chance of rebellion, the craftsmen so the war machines could not be built (and to utilize them himself), and the blacksmiths so the swords, spears and like materials could not be crafted (also to utilize them for himself).

Imagine no metal workers, no smiths to hone and sharpen your tools and weapons.  The common people were left with no rulers or leaders and no skilled workers.  They would have been so pre-occupied with eking out a living and staying alive that there would be little time for much else, much less for plotting warfare.

Today we are in a time of restoration - of surrendered, praising leaders (kings of Judah) and skilled smiths and craftsmen.  It's time for the spiritual craftsmen and blacksmiths to forge the weapons and help the church to sharpen them and keep them in working order!

"Lord, bless the smiths and the craftsmen who are called to enhance the treasures contained in Your word, to reveal the tools and weapons carried within it.  Loose their ministries in the church."

8/19/2003    "Call Upon His Name"    Topic:  Prayer & Praise

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD!  Call upon His name;"  (Psalm 105:1)

What strikes me here is that we are to be thanking God and praising Him while we are calling upon His name in prayer and in our need.  Even in the times of need, don't forget to praise the Lord!  The rest of that verse and following verse go on to speak of singing to the Lord and telling everyone how good He is and what He has already done.  This stirs up faith for the need at hand when we remember the needs He has already met.

8/20/2003    "The Increase of Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"Let all the peoples praise You.
Then the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us,
And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him."  (Psalm 67:5-7)

When all the peoples praise (yadah) the Lord, the earth will yield its increase.  As we've seen recently in Latin America, when a particular region of the earth praises God the earth literally yields a magnificent increase!  God blesses His people, including the work of their hands, when they are truly a surrendered people of praise.  When he pours out His abundant blessings on a people the rest of the world that sees it happen will fear the Lord.

In short, praise leads to blessing which leads to increased fear of the Lord.  If we do not praise God in the blessing though it will dry up.  If we do not fear Him in the plentiful times, we will find ourselves in times of famine and the rest of the watching world will diminish in the fear of the Lord as well.

"Lord, let all the peoples of this region praise You.  Let us see Your abundant blessings poured out on us as we do, causing the people of Montana to fear You and to follow You.  I know this will result in more blessing and prosperity and defeating and demolishing the devil's strongholds here.  Let us see him under our feet across this entire region!  Send revival!"

8/22/2003    "Bring Back Judah"    Topic:  Praise

"'For behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,' says the LORD.  'And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.'"  (Jeremiah 30:3)

We are living in a time of restoration of the land of Judah and Israel.  Not only is physical Israel in existence once again, but the church is possessing its inheritance of praise (and many other things) once again.  We are rebuilding "Zion" and "Jerusalem" just as the Jews did after their captivity in Babylon.  We must lay hold of and intentionally posses the principles and truths in the word of God to enjoy their benefits.  All of the promises found in scripture for those who become the people of praise, spiritual "Judah," are for us when we step out in faith, praising our God as He has instructed.  His ways are much higher than ours and the benefits of seemingly simple things like singing, dancing, lifting our hands, bowing before the Lord, etc. are very real.  My choice is to return to the land and to possess it.

8/23/2003    "The Goodness of the Lord"    Topic:  God's Character

"Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion,
Streaming to the goodness of the LORD-"  (Jeremiah 31:12)

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out all fear, because fear involves torment."  (1 John 4:18)

There is a side to God's character that is in intolerant of and judges sin.  However, this did not stop Israel and Judah from sinning!  They wanted to hear prophecy that spoke of His blessing, but were too afraid to draw near enough to Him to be changed in His presence.

Many people today have an unhealthy fear of God that leaves them tormented but unchanged.  When the church presents and models the goodness of God the captives and prodigals will come "streaming to the goodness of the LORD."  To hear that their Heavenly Father could possibly love them and receive them even though they've blown it will cause an influx.  Then when they encounter the Father they will be changed in His presence.  A healthy fear of God is a good thing; that awe and respect for the Lord is wonderful.  It is our own sinfulness though that would cause us to be afraid of God in the scared sense.

"Lord, let my life cause others to stream toward Your goodness.  May the atmosphere of our church allow Your goodness to be revealed."

8/25/2003    "Restoration"    Topic:  Praise & Celebration

"the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah, which have been pulled down to fortify against the siege mounds and the sword:  ...Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.  And I will cause the captives of Judah...to return, and I will rebuild those places as at the first...  Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it...  Again there shall be heard in this place-...the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride..."  (Jeremiah 33:4,6-11)

Rebellion against God and willful disobedience leads to the siege and sets us up for destruction - no surprise here.  When the people are living under God's blessing, there is abundance to build the houses for the kings of Judah and for the inhabitants of the city.  When we're stuck in fortification mode and self defense in the church there's no room in the budget for the leaders in Judah (Praise leaders).  It's when we're living with vision, destiny and purpose (blessing) that we can expand with some luxuries (like my job as worship director - it exists because of God's blessing on our church!)

I believe we are living in a season of restoration.  The captives of Judah and Israel are being loosed and instead of living in fear of God (afraid of God - this is different than awe and respect which is a healthy fear) we can live in peace and truth.  When we live this way there is an abundance released - health and healing are a part of this!  Joy, prosperity and gladness are a part of this.  The voices of the Bride of Christ and her Bridegroom, Jesus, resound in this.  There is celebration in knowing our God!  The nations of the world will literally see the blessing and prosperity with us from our Father and they will revere and respect the Lord!

Do it here in Missoula, Lord!  Give us an even greater revelation of You and Your pleasure in us.  Help us to stay true to You and to make our delight be in You, not turning aside to worthless idols.  (Those who make them are like them.)  Let the church in this city be a wonder to behold and cause the nations and peoples of the world to hunger and thirst after Jesus and after righteousness.  Come in an even greater and physically tangible way to Missoula.  Let Your glory come and fill the temple..."

8/25/2003    "From Generation To Generation"    Topic:  Praise

"So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture,
Will give You thanks forever;
We will show forth Your praise to all generations."  (Psalm 79:13)

To show forth = to write down, record or recount in some fashion.  The praise recounted here is "tehillah."  Tehillah can be a spontaneous song of the Lord and also can speak of praiseworthy deeds.  It definitely involves singing though.  There must be an expression of this praise!

This can imply many things:  1. Singing to our children the things God has done for us.  This recording and recounting helps seal the work of God and the word of God in their hearts.  2. Writing down the spontaneous worship and praise that happens in times of communion with the Lord.  Songs may later be composed around those themes, lyric ideas or melodies.

Many "Sunday School" songs fall into the scope of this scripture as we sing biblical truths in rhyme and melody.  This seals the truth in a child's heart along with the music.  We need to continue to write down the great things God does and pass them on to the next generation.

8/27/2003    "Trained For Battle"    Topic:  Music/Spiritual Warfare

"Blessed be the LORD my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle-
...Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them [mountains or enemies]
...I will sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,"  (Psalm 144:1,6,9)

Vs. 1:  God trains the hands and fingers of His Psalmists for battle.  Training is important for effective warfare!

Vs. 6:  Our prayers and songs of praise are arrows in the hands of our God which He uses to destroy that which would stand in the way of His plan.  (Air warfare)

Vs. 9:  The new song (the spontaneous cry of our hearts to Him expressed through our voice) accompanied by the trained hands and fingers is a wonderful expression and a powerful weapon in the hands of God.

"Lord, keep training us.  Train my hands so that whether I'm playing for You or writing down Your truth I do it skillfully.  Tune my heart to sing Your praise and my mouth to be an arrow in Your hands.  Teach me to war according to Your Spirit."

8/29/2003    "The Place of Fellowship"    Topic:  Relationship

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."  (Revelation 3:20)

Jesus is knocking and speaking in this passage.  Our response is to open the doors of our hearts to Him, to let Him in and to dine with Him.  I've heard this passage quoted many times in reference to salvation and to the initial receiving Jesus "experience."  In applying this scripture to myself now, having already done that, I find the need to open wide the door of my heart today and to enjoy the fellowship of communing or dining with the Lord.  Jesus spoke of His food being to do the will of the Father.  The prophets spoke of the Word being food to them.  Paul spoke of it as both pure mild and as meat.

When I read my Bible it is like a spiritual meal.  When I pray and hear from the Lord that is spiritual nourishment as well.  When I do these things and consciously make Jesus a part of it I am dining with Him!  When we both together do the will of the Father we are dining together!

At our family dinner table we talk about the events of the day, how everyone is doing, what's going on in life, etc.  When we "eat" with Jesus, expect the same!  I often correct my children at the dinner table, teaching them appropriate behavior and training them for life.  Expect the same when dining with Jesus - and don't feel bad about it!  He rebukes and chastens those He loves!  Jesus may teach you some theology while you eat together.  He may want to hear about your day or maybe He's like to just enjoy your company.

"Lord Jesus, right now I open up the door of my heart to You.  I'm inviting You in to dine with me.  Whatever You would like to do is what we'll do.  I just love being with You!  Sometimes it's been hard for me to make the time and to put everything down, but my favorite memories are of the times when, having done that, I have truly been in Your awesome presence, cried out to You, heard from You and felt Your touch.  I long for more of that - for more of You.  I'm blessed that You would want to be with me too!"

8/31/2003    "Kingdom Leaders Worship!"    Topic:  Leadership

"Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song..."  (Revelation 5:8-9)

The leaders in heaven worship!  They unashamedly fall down before Jesus, they praise, worship, pray and sing a new song from their heart.  These leaders aren't stoic, "reserved" and stuffy.  They are passionate, emotional and biblical all at the same time.  these are the elders in heaven!  We pray very frequently, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," and this picture we see in Revelation 5 reveals a heavenly kingdom principle. - Kingdom leaders worship extravagantly!

9/1/2003    "Be Glad"    Topic:  Knowing God

"Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;"  (Psalm 70:4)

In seeking God there should be rejoicing.  There should be gladness in knowing Him.  God intended that it be pleasurable and fun to be with Him and to know Him.  I know the emotional tension of pressing in for more of God and the feelings of spiritual hunger and thirst for more of Him.  He is the author of that longing!

And yet, the times of just being with Jesus are so totally rewarding and meaningful, so fulfilling that it makes the whole journey - even the dry parts - worth it.  The word is true.  "In Your presence are pleasures forevermore!"

9/4/2003    "Oholibah, City of Peace"    Topic:  Praise

"...Jerusalem is Oholibah."  (Ezekiel 23:4)

This passage equates Samaria (Israel) with Oholah and Jerusalem (capitol of Judah) with Oholibah.  When translated literally, Oholibah means "My Tabernacle Is In Her."

Jerusalem (the church) was the capitol of Judah (praise).  The church is intended by God as the center for worshiping Him.  This is where we learn to worship according to God's patterns in the Word.  I recently heard a pastor teaching on peace (shalom).  Jerusalem is the city of peace.  In Hebrew, "peace" means basically "nothing missing, nothing broken," or wholeness!  Coming into the place of praise is the first step to entering into spiritual, mental, relational, physical and financial wholeness. 

We, the church, are God's tabernacle today.  Praise the Lord, let Him be enthroned over your life's situations as you praise Him, and experience the wholeness that comes from dwelling in the city of peace!

"Lord, I want to experience more of what it means to live in the city of wholeness.  Let Your church today be the representation of what You intended us to be as "Jerusalem!"  Manifest Your dwelling among us, Jesus."

9/5/2003    "The Anointed Cherub"    Topic:  Musicians & Worship

"The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes
Was prepared for you on the day you were created.
You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God;...
...Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;"  (Ezekiel 28:13-14,17)

The description of the fall of satan from his previously exalted state in heaven also serves as a warning to worship leaders and musicians in the house of the Lord.  Our musicianship is a gift given to us to serve the Lord and to facilitate the worship of God's people.  The worship is to be directed God-ward not musician-ward or worship leader-ward.

To turn the hearts of the people away from God toward ourselves or using their love of worshiping God to exalt ourselves is to allow pride and the lust for prestige and power to destroy us as it did satan.  A warning is here as well for all who have been given a leadership gifting.  Do not use this gift to draw people to yourself in opposition to the leadership God has delegated in the church.  This too is just like what satan did.

9/7/2003    "Living Behind the Walls"    Topic:  Prayer

"Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around.  So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah."  (2 Kings 25:1-2)

The city walls in scripture are a symbol of prayer.  Our prayers build spiritual "walls" of protection.  For instance, I pray for my kids' protection and blessing every time I put them to bed.  There will come a time though when my children will be responsible for building the walls of prayer themselves and for choosing to walk obediently before the Lord.

The people in Jerusalem were living behind the walls of someone else's prayer, and these walls were effective for awhile.  The scripture applies though that unless the Lord guards the house the watchmen are wasting their time (paraphrase)!  These people were living in open rebellion to God, ignoring His written word and His prophets.  The old walls of prayer in this case could be effective only to a point.  And they were effective...

It took a year and a half (approximately) for the Babylonian army to defeat Jerusalem and in the end it wasn't that the walls were breached even though the enemy built a siege wall against them and did breach it!

They were starved out!  There was no food behind the "walls" of "prayer!"  There are several things that could apply to us today.  1. There was no harvest brought into the city.  2. They used up the provision they had stored.  3. There was no ability to grow more food behind their walls.  Apparently, they ate all their seed!  - Oops.

In prayer and worship we are fed in the spirit.  Our spirit man is nourished and developed as we eat from the Lord's table.  We are fed as we read the Bible and "eat" the living word.  When we stop praying, reading, worshiping and spending time with the Lord we will still eat for awhile and function, but we'll be using up what we had.  Eventually we'll run out and have no food to eat!  That's what happened in Jerusalem.  Then all the prayer walls around us will do little good.  What use is it to be protected from the enemy on the outside (satan) when we allow ourselves to starve behind the walls of someone else's prayer?

Sooner or later we'll have to come out from that protective barrier when it becomes a prison.  Then, starved and weak in the spirit, we are easy prey for the enemy while we try to feed ourselves with anything we can find, filling our emptiness with various addictive behaviors (TV, drugs, alcohol, sex, etc.) or maybe just battling against temptations or even crises in life while we try to escape somewhere to refuel our spirits.  How much easier would it be to pray?!  To worship?!  To read?!  There will still be trials but the outcome will be totally different!

9/8/2003    "More On Zion"    Topic:  Zion

"Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge."  (Psalm 48:2-3)

When Zion functions as God intended it is the joy of the whole earth, God is in her palaces (prosperity) and is her refuge (protection).

"Fear took hold of them [foreign kings] there [Zion],
And pain as of a woman in birth pangs
As when You break the ships of Tarshish
With an east wind."  (Psalm 48:6-7)

In the face of a praising, worshiping, praying church the enemy fears, feels pain and is broken in the wind of God.  A "Zion" church sets the stage for revival!

"Walk about Zion,
And go all around her.
Count her towers;
Mark well her bulwarks;
Consider her palaces;
That you may tell it to the generation following."  (Psalm 48:12-13)

There is an instruction here to know Zion like the back of your hand, so to speak.  Know it's towers, where you can see prophetically for "miles."  Know its bulwarks and what makes it strong.  Understand its palaces and the blessing of ruling and reigning, of being the head and not the tail that accompanies the appropriate God-ordained function of Zion.  Know it well, because the next generation must know what makes the church great and what causes families, cities, churches and nations to thrive:  the power of a God-fearing people that pray, worship, praise God and declare His word with authority.  Zion is our secret weapon.  When we do this we hear from God who will be our guide for everything, even unto death!

9/9/2003    "The Zion Tree:  Part 1"    Topic:  Zion

"But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance,
And there shall be holiness;
The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions."  (Obadiah 17)

There is deliverance and salvation in Zion and there is holiness!  when we truly come into a place of focusing on the Lord through worship and prayer we are changed in His presence and we are made holy.  In Zion we will possess what already belongs to us as well.  There are many promises of God that are ours but that we are not walking in fully yet.  However, it is in the place of Zion that we take possession of them by faith, thus setting us up to tangibly walk in them.  In Zion we walk in faith and in authority!  (God inhabits our praise.)  These three things are fruits of Zion.  I don't have to make them happen!  They grow on the "Zion Tree." 

3 Fruits of Zion:  Deliverance, Holiness, Possessing God's Promises

"Lord Jesus, I ask for the "Zion Tree' to grow well in me and around me that it may bear much good fruit.  I submit to You for pruning and watering the "Zion Tree" You have already planted in me."

9/10/2003    "The Song In Heaven"    Topic:  Worship

"They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:
    'Great and marvelous are Your works,
    Lord God Almighty!
    Just and true are Your ways,
    O King of the saints!
    Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
    For You alone are holy.
    For all nations shall come and worship before You,
    For Your judgments have been manifested.'"    (Revelation 15:3-4)

This is a song being sung in heaven.  It praises God and exalts His attributes.  It is also focused outwardly:  "All nations..." speaks of the bigger picture.  In our quest for intimacy with God we should also remember that He is worthy of highest praise simply for who He is as well.  It is a blessing that He desires intimacy with us as well - we just need to get the focus of our worship on Jesus more than on us.  (It's also a blessing to me that they use instrumental music in heaven!  See Revelation 15:2)

9/12/2003    "Open Up and Enjoy!"    Topic:  Praise

"Sing aloud to God our strength;
Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
The pleasant harp with the lute.
Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
...Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
...Oh, that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!
I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn My hand against their adversaries."  (Psalm 81:1-3,10,13-14)

God's plan was for us to enjoy Him in praising and honoring Him!  He promises that if we open our mouths to receive from Him, He will fill us!  His desire is for us to walk in his ways, which were never intended to be a burden.  If we do this, removing everything that would stand in the way of enjoying Him, we will be filled and God will give us victory and success in our lives.  Our enemies will be subdued as we walk in God's favor.  He will judge and remove the things that stand in the way of those who come close to enjoy the Lord and who stand with open mouths expecting to receive good things according to His Word!

9/14/2003    "Sight, Sound and Praising People"    Topic:  Praise, Zion

"'...and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,' says the Lord God, 'when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.'"  (Ezekiel 36:23)

"The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore."  (Ezekiel 37:28)

1.  The nations will know who God is when they see Him in us and when they see His power and His blessing and His presence among His people.  When we actually honor and revere God (hallow Him) in the sight of non-Christians they will see a difference and this can cause a respect for the Lord instead of the mocking that comes when the people of God act like the rest of the world, calling Jesus Lord but not doing what He says.

"Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand."  (Ezekiel 37:19)

"The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion."  (Psalm 110:2)

2.  God's plan is for the praisers (Judah) to be joined together with the doubly fruitful (Ephraim).  Judah is the ruling tribe in God's plan.  Ephraim needs to come into agreement with this.  I'm seeing the result of the Ephraim side of our lives (our businesses, our finances, etc.) brought into unity and one-ness with our praise and "spiritual" side of life.  Imagine when our businesses are submitted in worship to the Lord and treated as tools to serve Him!

They will become weapons of praise in Zion!  They will prosper as a result of our entire lives being lived in worship.  The Father (LORD) will send the rod (scepter - ruling, etc.) of Your (Jesus') strength out of Zion (praise, prayer, worship, prophetic).  When we are a Zion people, our entire lives centered around Jesus, our businesses will prosper as Jesus' strength and ruling authority is launched through our praise!

"And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Allelujah!  For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!  Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come...'"  (Revelation 19:6-7)

3.  Heaven is loud at times - like rushing waters and thunderclaps!  Not just quiet, "put-you-to-sleep" music.

9/15/2003    "The Praising Father"    Topic:  Fathers

"One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts."  (Psalm 145:4)

The word for praise here is shabach which means to speak loudly or to shout.  This is an exciting declaration of how good God is and the amazing things He has done.  As a father I am to excitedly proclaim to my children the mighty acts of God.  The Bible stories and the prayers will teach them and train them.  The passion in me as I share with them and pray with them will probably speak even louder to them though.  When they see that I am excited about Jesus and energized this may spark the desire in them to truly know and experience this amazing God they've heard about from their father.  Actions speak louder than words!  My actions will shout to my children how much I really believe what I tell them.

"Lord, may my light shine brightly for You in front of my kids.  May my life and my words cause them to hunger and thirst after You.  Let my kids encounter You and know You more than just knowing about You.  Mature and empower my children."

9/16/2003    "Living on the Inside"    Topic:  Singers-worshipers

"Outside the inner gate were the chambers for the singers in the inner court..."  (Ezekiel 40:44)

Worship teams and singers on those teams are often ready to spend little time in praise and exuberant physical expression so that they can get right into deeper places in God, into more contemplative worship or "soaking," as many call these quiet, intimate times in worship.  This happens much to the chagrin of those coming who would like to spend more time praising!  Why do worship leaders dive deep so quickly?  Why do them seem to get to the "communing place" faster than the people they are leading?

I think this scripture may shed a little light on this.  The singers in the temple lived in the inner court, just outside the gate to more intimate encounters with God.  They did not have to come through the outer courts, through the gates of praise, etc. to get to where they were every time they would worship.  They were already there!  Many singers and worshipers today live in a place of intimacy with God where He is a focus of their lives to a greater extent than others who are required to work out in the trenches regularly.  Worship leaders should be aware of this tension during corporate gatherings and remember to bring along those who are just entering the gates of praise with those who are already prepared to enter the Holy Place.  We are there to serve both sets of god's children.

"Lord, help us as worship leaders to worship You while ministering in this place of tension!  Increase Your anointing on us that we may better lead Your people."

9/17/2003    "Near To His Table"    Topic:  Ministering to God

"But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of my sanctuary...they shall come near to Me; ...They shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge."  (Ezekiel 44:15-16)

"They shall not clothe themselves with anything that causes sweat."  (Ezekiel 44:18b)

Those who are not faithful to the Lord, who choose to go along with the prevailing will of the people instead of staying true to what God has spoken disqualify themselves from ministering to the Lord.  They can still work for the Lord, doing the "work of the church" (ie. bussing tables, washing dishes) that must be done, but the Lord doesn't allow them to come near to Him in intimacy to minister personally to Him.  By choosing to change this pattern and be faithful to the Lord we set ourselves up to be invited to minister directly to Him, to come near His table in His sanctuary.  The key here in ministering to the Lord is that we must put down our labor, our work and anything we're wearing in our lives that causes sweat.  It's not our works that earn us the favor and presence of the King.  It's choosing to put them down when He calls to us that we may enter His presence and be with Him.  (The invited Levites would have disqualified themselves for the King's presence and sanctuary if they had insisted on continuing in their sweaty garments.)

"Lord, give me the strength to stay true to You when it is not popular to do so.  Give me the strength also in this work-driven society to be able to put it down when I hear Your voice calling me away to be with You.  I want to wait on Your table!"

9/18/2003    "Humble and Hungry"    Topic:  Worship

"...whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate; and whoever enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate.  He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate."  (Ezekiel 46:9)

"...his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord...Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense...the angel said to him, "...your prayer is heard;..."  (Luke 1:9-13)

"He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty."  (Luke 1:53)

Come through the gates of praise hungry and humble before the Lord.  In that state you can expect to hear from Him.  How many other priests came into the place of prayer and worship (incense) and went through the routine of it and then left the same as they came in?  Zecharias had been praying and even though he was skeptical he was still hungry.  He left with good things.  God speaks in the place of communion with Him to those who are hungry.  Then, when He speaks be prepared to continue on with what He says, acting on it.  Don't just go back out the same gate through which you entered and back down the same road you just left.

9/21/2003    "The Songs of Zion"    Topic:  Praise

"And those who plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion!'"  (Psalm 137:3)

The pagan world knew about the songs of Zion.  They expected to hear the sound of Zion - joy!  There should be joy expressed in the songs of the church today!  Obviously not every song must be joyful in nature but the absence of it may reflect that we are not as close to Zion as we need to be.  It was the fact that the musicians were in captivity and living by the rivers of Babylon that left them without joy.  If there is no joy in our music it may be good to ask, "Am I living in captivity or freedom?  Am I planted next to Babylonian streams, drinking from the wrong river or am I drinking from the River of God that flows from His throne and out of Zion?"

"Lord, I want to know more of the joy of Zion.  Help me to express this joy in music and in song.  Rebuke me quickly if I begin to look towards Babylon and its deceptive rivers.  I want to stay close to You and to the place where Your glory dwells - Zion!"

9/22/2003    "Cutting Edge or Comfortable?"    Topic:  New Wine

"But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.  And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"  (Luke 5:38-39)

Neos wine (NT:3501 new in terms of age) must be put into kainos (NT:2537 fresh) wineskins.  When God is doing a new thing in His church we must not try to fit it in our old "wineskins," our old ways of doing church.  They worked for what God did before but they may be destroyed by the new wine causing the church to fall apart.

The phrase "The old is better" could read "The ancient or traditional is easy and comfortable."  Our traditions in church are often comfortable to us.  People in general like predictability and to know what to expect; it brings security and a sense of safety in a chaotic world.  Our religious habits in worshiping God make us feel good and "cozy."  But are they really connecting us to Jesus or just to good feelings?

Notice that our "old wine" mentality does not create a desire for what God is wanting to do now.  Without an understanding of the purpose of the new wine of course the old ways seem better!  (We've always done it that way!)  But the old saying holds true - "If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always got."  This mentality is a sure sign of an old wineskin.  Will it work though when God wants to keep building and expanding?  Can our wineskins handle His fresh moving of the Holy Spirit?  Can our church structures handle revival?  If not, they may need softened, adjusted and made kainos.

9/23/2003    "The Zion Tree:  Part 2"  Topic:  Fruit

"For every tree is known by its own fruit."  (Luke 6:44)

Every tree is known by its own fruit!  How do you know if you're living a life in Zion or not?  Look at the fruit you're bearing.  The good fruits that come up reflect the "Zion Tree."  The not-so-good fruits come from the Egypt or Babylon Tree. (Bad Tree!)  To the extent that we see the fruits of the Spirit in ourselves, to that extent we are living in Zion.  The unpleasant fruits let us know there is some "weeding" to be done!

9/24/2003    "Your Faith Has Saved You"    Topic:  Faith in Worship

"And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil."  (Luke 7:37-38)
"Then He said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved You.  Go in peace.'"  (Luke 7:50)

The woman was not saved by her act of worship; she was saved by God's grace through her faith in Jesus.  It wasn't her extravagant offering of perfumed oil, the wiping of Jesus' feet with her hair (her glory), or her weeping that saved her - it was her faith.  All the other responses she had to Jesus were a result of her faith in Him.  Her faith did produce a response in her though!

Jesus, however, did not say, "Your faith has saved You.  If you just continue to follow me around and wipe my feet with your hair and keep bringing more oil when you do, you can stay saved and live in peace.  Bless you, my child."  It would have set her on a hamster wheel, religious and impossible to achieve, and she would have lived her life in fear of not being good enough for Jesus and His kingdom!  There's no peace in that!  Jesus' response to her set her free and that is still His response to us today.  "Your faith has saved You.  Go in peace."  In that context worship can be and will be offered freely from thankful hearts.

9/26/2003    "Adversary of Judah"    Topic:  Praise

"...the adversaries of Judah..."  (Ezra 4:1)

"Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah.  They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose..."  (Ezra 4:4-5)

There are "squatters" living on the land promised to us and they will oppose us to maintain their status and position.  This entire passage is prophetic in nature, I believe.  When Judah is building things in the kingdom it is fortifying our position, leaving our enemy, the devil, in a position of weaker influence on Jerusalem, the church.  We are rebuilding the temple of God (His people).  We are reclaiming territory in the kingdom.  The devil does not like this!  He will try to use people against us to discourage and work to thwart the advancement of God's kingdom.

Remember, God uses our praise to build!  The devil will try to distract us from this and get us to sin.  If he can't do that, he'll try to water down and dilute what we're doing by infiltrating (vs. 2).  If that doesn't work he'll bring discouragement and trouble (vs. 4) and accusation (vs. 5).  If we keep praying and praising though, we'll keep right on building!

9/27/2003    "The Good Part"    Topic:  The Heart

"'Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?...You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away.  Why?' says the LORD of hosts.  'Because of My house that lies in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.  Therefore the heavens above withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.'"  (Haggai 1:4,9-10)

"But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."  (Luke 10:42)

I see two levels of our lives to which this applies:  first, the kingdom of God, and secondly to our own lives.  When we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness all these things (practical needs and possessions) will be added unto us.  When we seek our own benefit to the neglect of God's "house," we walk out from under the blessing and covering of that blessing.

Two things come to mind here:  tithing and serving.  Are we giving the tithe from our first fruits and serving by giving of our time in ministry?  These two things set us up for blessing as we sow into the kingdom of God.

On the personal level, Mary gives us an excellent example of how this passage in Haggai applies.  She was commended by Jesus for choosing the "good part, which will not be taken away from her."  Even more important than the tithing and serving, doing all the external rituals that Martha was doing (all good things, by the way, and necessary...) was the temple of Mary's heart and the condition that it was in.  She was letting Jesus build His temple within her by sitting at His feet.  We do this by spending time in worship, prayer and reading the Bible, studying and meditating on the word and on Jesus.  This too sets us up for blessing!  Build the temple and while there may be opposition from enemies, God will open the heavens!

"Just like David, whose heart was after You and who made preparations for Your temple, I choose to build Your temple in my heart.  Show me any idolatrous houses of my own making within my heart that I may tear them down to make room for more of You.  David's heart was to build You a house and Your heart was to build Him one.  I know that as I seek Your kingdom and righteousness that You will take care of my house too.  Thank You, Jesus, for this promise!"

9/28/2003    "Terrifying Artists"    Topic:  Art in Praise

"Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.  And I said, 'What are these coming to do?'  So He said, 'These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head; but the craftsmen are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.'"  (Zechariah 1:20-21)

God's plan for craftsmen (creative, artistic people) is to raise them up in Judah (praise) and to work through them to terrify and cast out the enemies of Judah.  In our day Hollywood and Broadway have been used to attack the people of God and what our nation has stood for.  Imagine God's creative people stepping out to use their artistic gifts of design, drama, sculpting, painting, etc. to praise the Lord, to bring glory to His name, and evicting the powers that have tried to scatter the people of God!  God said He would use craftsmen to do this very thing, so why not in our nation?  Why not in our city?  There is no reason why not...

Art has been used to invade and saturate our nation with false religions and belief systems.  This same tool in the hands of God will be amazing!

"Lord, send us the artists, the craftsmen, the creative thinkers, and prepare us to use their gifts wisely while giving us a special grace to shepherd these gems, many of whom will come to us hurting and wounded by the enemy and the world.  Turn the tide Lord, and use us to help, I ask in Jesus' name!"

9/29/2003    "Found Watching"    Topic:  Seeking God

"Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them."  (Luke 12:37)

This reminds me of the eyes of the Lord roaming the earth seeking someone who is seeking Him.  In this case, the Master shows up, the servant is waiting and prepared, and the reward comes quickly along with simple fellowship.  I would love to be found watching when the eyes of the Lord rest on me!  To reap the blessing of being refueled and nourished by Jesus while spending time with him is incredible - awesome!  This is the fruit of time spent seeking Him in prayer, worship, etc.  I serve Jesus and then He outserves me in return!

9/30/2003    "Sword of a Mighty Man"    Topic:  Judah & Ephraim

"Return to the stronghold,
You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare
That I will restore double to You.
For I have bent Judah, My bow,
Fitted the bow with Ephraim,
And raised up your sons, O Zion,
Against your sons, O Greece,
And made you like the sword of a mighty man.

Then the LORD will be seen over them
And His arrow will go forth like lighting"  (Zechariah 9:12-14)

The sons (or fruit) of Zion are those who praise God and are surrendered to Him (Judah) and those who are doubly blessed for a purpose (Ephraim).  God's plan is to fill our praise with blessing!  Let Him bend you like a bow in Your praise and fill you with blessing!  Let Him launch blessing out from you!

Also, God's plan is to cause Judah and Ephraim (Praise and Prosperity) to work together to wage war against powers and principalities (Greece).  He wants to wield us together as a sword, actually as His sword.  God wants to make us a praising people and then take the Ephraim in us (Blessing) and launch our resources (powered by our praise, strengthened by the arm of God), in a focused manner to accomplish His will and destroy His enemies and the works of the devil.

Greece (OT: 3120) - Yavan - probably from OT: 3196; effervescing (ie. hot and active)

wine (vs. 15) (OT: 3196) - from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication.

Greece (the world system), is intoxicating and the world is caught in a drunken stupor.  God wants to saturate us with His wine that we are, in a sense, drunk on Him. He wants to fill us like basins, not just covering us with His blood but filling us (communion).  We shall "drink and roar as with wine" (vs. 15).  This warfare thing with God should be fun!  God will use a people that grasps this to destroy the works of the enemy while they enjoy Him!  He will raise them up as jewels in a crown, sparkling in His hand as a banner over His territory (vs. 16)!

"I can't wait to see this, Jesus!  Take all of me, my praise and worship, my possessions, and work through me to devastate the enemy.  May my life shine like a diamond in Your hands and a beacon in Your land.  May Your church understand this that she may shine brightly and wave like the banner for the nations she is intended to be!"

10/1/2003    "War Horses"    Topic:  Praise

"For the LORD of hosts will visit His flock,
The house of Judah,
And will make them as His royal horse in battle.
From him comes the cornerstone,...the tent peg,...the battle bow,...every ruler together.
They shall be like mighty men,
Who tread down their enemies..."  (Zechariah 10:3-5)

"When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing."  (Psalm 126:1-2)

The praise of a people submitted to the Lord is as a war horse in battle.  God rides upon us to accomplish His will as we praise Him.

The fruits of our praise: 

1.  The cornerstone, Jesus, is revealed
2.  The tent peg holding firm the house of God is set.  (Also driving it through the temple, or head, of the enemy.)
3.  The battle bow is bent in the hands of the Lord.
4.  God's rulers are established.
5.  Praising people trample down the enemy.

No wonder God exhorts us to praise Him.  He's not only enthroned upon our praises but goes out and takes ground through our praises.

It's no surprise that the devil wants to keep Zion in captivity.  When God's people pray, praise, worship and proclaim His kingdom the devil loses territory fast!  The results of our praise may leave us wondering if we too are dreaming, the results will be so amazing!  There will be reason to laugh and sing because the whole world will know that the Lord "has done great things for us."

"Lord, train us, your people, as war horses who are totally submitted to You in our worship and in our entire lives that You can direct us where You desire to go in the battle.  The battle is Yours.  Make us, Your horses, as the firepan in the woodpile, igniting Your flame everywhere we go."   

10/2/2003    "Right At Home"    Topic:  Praise

"Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful."  (Psalm 147:1)

Our praise is beautiful to the Lord.  It is delightful to Him and He is comfortable and "at home" in our praises.  (The word "pleasant" in this verse - OT: 5273 - means delightful and "beautiful" - OT:5000 - originates from OT: 4998, meaning "to be at home.")  God dwells in the praises of His people.  Why?  Because He likes it!

When I lift my voice and sing to the Lord from my heart I am honoring and adoring Him, the very thing I was created to do.  When I am living according to my design my Designer can enjoy the fruit of His labor.  When I worship and praise the Lord I transform the atmosphere around me into one similar to heaven.  Again, this creates an environment in which God is "at home."  It's not the sound we make that is beautiful to the Lord but the fact that we are praising that delights Him!

"Jesus, may my life be an attraction to You, a place where You love to come and rest, feeling at home in an atmosphere of praise."

10/4/2003    "Just Do It!"    Topic:  Praise

"Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary/...in His mighty firmament!/
...for His mighty acts;/...according to His excellent greatness!/
...with the sound of the trumpet;/...with the lute and harp!/
...with the timbrel and dance;/...with stringed instruments and flutes!/
...with loud cymbals;/...with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!"  (Psalm 150)

This, the final psalm of the book of Psalms, gives some instruction on praise with the most important one starting and ending it:  Do it!  The "hows" and "whys" are sandwiched in the middle with the idea being that we are to praise God anywhere and everywhere, praise Him for what He's done and for who He is, praise Him with wind instruments, (both brass and woodwind), stringed instruments, percussive instruments, with dancing and with our mouths (singing, speaking, shouting, etc.).  Halal is the word used here with its basic meaning being "to boast."  Boast of God with all these things!  When we are praising God as directed here we are boasting of Him!  I can boast of God as I play my guitar, sing or play any other instrument for His glory.  It resounds in the spiritual realm and Jesus is glorified!

"Thank You, Lord, for so much liberty in praising You!"

10/9/2003    "Anointing in Zion"    Topic:  Unity in Worship

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing-
Life forevermore."  (Psalm 133:1-3)

The oil running down on Aaron's beard was a physical, tangible representation of the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon him.  Water is also a symbol of the Holy Spirit and the dew of Hermon descending on Zion portrays the Holy Spirit settling down and resting, covering our devotion and celebration of Him.

Imagine the difference between two groups of people gathered to worship:  one group loves each other and worships God together, enjoying Him as well as each other.  The other group doesn't get along with each other and they try to ignore each other while they worship God.  One group is truly dwelling in Zion while the other is going through the motions of "church" and religion - in Jesus' words, "white-washed tombs."  The first group will live in the place of commanded blessing; the second will not.  The first group will enjoy the anointing of God in their midst and there will be an atmosphere of love and peace in the room.  The second will "enjoy" an uncomfortable atmosphere filled with tension and avoidance, and a legalistic fulfillment of duty.  Yuck!

When God's presence is with His people His hand of blessing is present as well.  The word "pleasant" in the first verse is from the Hebrew word yashab (OT: 3427).  (It means to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry.)  When we are in unity it draws the presence of the Lord to sit down with us, to dwell and remain with us.  The Bridegroom is drawn to His beautiful Bride!

Jesus' prayer for His Bride, the church, was that we would be one even as He was one with the Father.  Unity attracts His presence and His anointing (His presents!).  Our unified hearts in worship minister to the Lord as well.  Jesus, our Great High Priest, is "anointed," as it were, with our worship.  Just as Mary anointed His feet with oil, so we anoint Him with our worship.  The worship of the unified Bride is like oil upon His head, running down on His beard and down on the edge of His garments.  (We are his garment as the church!  When we worship Him it is like oil that ministers to Him and then runs back down on us!  Minister to Jesus and He will minister back to you!)

"Jesus, You said that as we draw near to You, You draw near to us.  As we draw near to each other and seek You together You draw near to us in that place of unity as well.  Help me to resolve any differences I have with anyone that an atmosphere of unity may abound around me.  I desire You, Lord, and the commanded blessing that You have promised."

10/10/2003    "Wall-Building"    Topic:  Warfare

"Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows."  (Nehemiah 4:13)

"...half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah.  Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.  Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built."  (Nehemiah 4:16-18)

The wall represents prayer.  It also represents the kingdom of God.  We are all to build the kingdom!  We must remember to keep the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, at our side as we build.  Even if you're a task-oriented, kingdom building Christian you must stay close to the Truth and the Word while you build.  That's not only someone else's job to do for you.

The half that wasn't wall-building was on guard.  They held swords, spears, shields, bows and armor.  Judah stood in front of the leaders.

Sword = Word of God    Spear = Prayer, Word-based proclamation    Shield = Faith    Bow = Praise    Armor = Righteousness, salvation, etc. (Eph. 6:10-18)    House of Judah = people of praise

We are to be a praising, praying people as we build the kingdom of God!  We are to use the word of God wisely, stand with faith and truth, righteousness, etc.  Even when we are not at war now, our preparedness is a deterrent to the enemy.  By standing and obeying this symbolic instruction from the Bible we may avert much warfare.  Attacks against us may never even materialize although the enemy will undoubtedly be seething with frustration and animosity.  How prepared are we?  How much cover are we giving to the kingdom builders?

10/12/2003    "Priming The Heart To Worship"    Topic:  Worship & Praise

"And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.  And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God.  Then all the people answered, 'Amen, Amen!' while lifting up their hands.  And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground."  (Nehemiah 8:5-6)

The people positioned themselves to worship the Lord in this case in two different ways:  they honored the word of God by standing in reverence and then by blessing God verbally while lifting their hands, a symbol of pledge (allegiance) or surrender.  The people of God made a choice to praise Him in this way.  Then they bowed down, a position of praise and of worship.  We are not told whether their bowing down was still a choice of drawing near to God or whether it was in response to Him drawing near to His people.  Either way, at some point, the people moved from praising God to worshiping Him.  They primed their hearts for worship through their choice to involve their physical bodies in honoring the Lord.  Was it hypocritical for them to lift their hands and go through liturgical forms of corporate praise?  No!  On the contrary this liturgy prepared them to worship.

"Lord, continue to take us beyond our own feelings in worship to the place of choosing to glorify, honor and praise You physically, even when we may not feel like it.  Take us past the point of waiting for something to happen to us to letting You move through us and our act of faith."

10/13/2003    "In Word And In Deed"    Topic:  Praise

"Stand up and bless the LORD you God
Forever and ever!
Blessed be Your glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!"  (Nehemiah 9:5)

The word "bless" here comes from "barak" (OT: 1288) and has the idea of kneeling, bowing or honoring associated with it.  So how do I stand up and kneel at the same time?  Barak can mean to literally kneel, but also to kneel in the spirit.  When I am truly praising God I'm bowing my heart before Him.  The position of standing in His presence could be equated with a military subordinate standing at attention in respect of his superior officer.

When we barak and tehillah ("praise" in this verse) the name of the Lord, it is exalted.  His glorious (kabod OT:3319 - weightiness, copious splendor) name is exalted (OT:7311 - ruwm - to be high actively, to rise or raise) and lifted up.  To lift up the name of the Lord is to lift up His character.  his character is exemplified in the names He has revealed to us.  To lift up and praise the Lord through honoring Him both in word (tehillah) and in deed (barak) sets us up to see His character manifested among us.  He is our Salvation, our Healer, Deliverer, Provider, Redeemer, Restorer...and the list goes on.  When was the last time you lifted up His name in praise?

10/15/2003    "What Language Do I Speak?"    Topic:  Praise

"In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.  And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah,"  (Nehemiah 13:23-24)

"For Judah has profaned
The LORD's holy institution which He loves;
He has married the daughter of a foreign God."  (Malachi 2:11)

The question here is, "To whom are we married?"  This goes far beyond literally marrying an unbeliever.  With what are we in union in our homes and daily lives?  Are we speaking the language of idol worshipers?  Do we sound just like the unbelieving, the followers of foreign gods?  Nehemiah comments here that the offspring, the fruit of these compromising people of God could not speak the language of Judah.  In their homes they learned to speak the language of their parents.  My children will learn to speak the language that I teach them.  If it is the language of Judah, the praise language, the words of surrender and devotion to the Lord will flow naturally in the way they speak and even in the way they think.  "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."  English is my primary language and I naturally think, converse and worship in English.  If my children are raised to speak the language of Judah by praising parents, any other language will be foreign and un-natural to them.

10/16/2003    "The Four 'P's"    Topic:  Praise

"For He is like a refiner's fire
And like a launderer's soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;...
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness.
The the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the LORD..."  (Malachi 3:2-4)

When God's presence is near our wickedness is exposed, but He is there to purify us from all unrighteousness if we will just confess it (1 John 1:9)!  Then we move on and the praise that rises from a repentant, surrendered heart is pleasant to the Lord.  God then moves even closer and will deal with injustice and wickedness that surrounds us.

If, on the other hand, we ignore the conviction of the Refiner the cycle goes the other way and suddenly it is our own wickedness and stubborn refusal to repent that brings judgment on us and God seems a million miles away.  "Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the Lord.  We're coming, Lord.

"Lord, continually soften my heart toward Your Spirit that I respond quickly to You.  I want my praise to be always pleasant to You that You come ever-increasingly nearer and nearer to me, purifying and refining me and affecting the world around me with Your presence."

10/17/2003    "True Grit"    Topic:  Worship

"Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped."  (Job 1:20)

Job had just lost everything that he owned and loved except for his wife.  His children were dead and his possessions completely decimated.  How could he worship God at a time like this?  This shows how devoted he truly was to the Lord.  It wasn't just a religious facade that he put on to impress the other religious people.  He truly was a worshiper and what squeezed out under pressure was worship.  Yes, Job was mourning; yes, he was grieving yet he did not sin - he worshiped.

How often do we sin in our frustration or lack of understanding?  I believe that had Job not turned to the Lord to worship, he would have sinned too.  He was able to get his focus off of himself and his troubles though by choosing to bless God and to honor and adore Him.  I want to put my focus so totally on Jesus that the storms and trials of life, no matter how terrible, pale in comparison.

10/19/2003    "Release The Bow"    Topic:  Judah & Ephraim

"Ephraim also is the helmet for my head;
Judah is my lawgiver."  (Psalm 108:8)

Judah:  Praise is a scepter, a "lawgiver" in the hands of the Lord.  When we praise Him He decrees by His mouth.  This is similar to the gavel of a judge.  We also see from this scripture that God has chosen the people of Judah to rule in this land.  Those who learn to praise the Lord and surrender to Him in humility will be exalted by God into authority.

Ephraim:  No king would go into battle without his helmet.  Ephraim is God's helmet.  God considers the double blessing, double fruitfulness, as vital as a helmet in war.  It allows the warrior to absorb attacks from the enemy and to keep on fighting.  I see this almost as a crown, not just utilitarian but glorious as well.  When God said He would bend Judah as His bow and fill it with Ephraim we can see from Psalm 108 that through praising our lives as praising people are shielded as with a helmet and crowned with a double blessing!

We are intended to be lawgivers though, not to just hold on to the blessing but to in effect decree and speak forth God's blessing in the land.  We are releasers of the anointing and blessing of God if we will release the bow!

10/22/2003    "At The Midnight Hour"    Topic:  Praise

"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."  (Acts 16:25)

At the midnight hour Paul and Silas were focusing on Jesus.  When circumstances were apparently at their worst, these two men focused on the Lord.  It's easy to focus on God and enter in to songs of praise when things are going well, but what about when we're cold, tired, hungry, beaten down and oppressed by the enemy?  It's in that place where our prayers and our worship are a sacrifice.  You can bet that these prayers are exceptionally sweet to the Lord as well!

The prayer and praise of the midnight hour touched the heart of God and caused His hand to move in response.  It's  when things look their worst and we feel our weakest that we absolutely must focus on Jesus because in our weakness He is strong and He is still the God of the breakthrough!

*The surrendered praise has all the same benefits today that it did in the lives we read about in the Bible!

"Lord, bring this to my memory when I don't feel like praising You.  When I feel like rolling over and sitting on the sidelines remind me to surrender to You instead."

10/28/2003    "The Squeeze"    Topic:  Worship

"For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!"  (Job 19:25-27

This is truly the heart of a worshiper!  Yes, Job has struggled; yes, he has complained; still he is longing and yearning to see His God, his Redeemer.  Here is a passionate man proclaiming that he will see God in this life.  He is not content to let someone else have the experience, but wants to encounter God himself.  It's been said that the pressures and problems of life squeeze out what is really inside of us.  In Job's case we see his true heart toward God exposed.  Is he wounded?  Yes.  Is he confused?  Yes!  - And yet, his heart is pointed upwards.

"Lord, make my heart like Job's.  Squeeze out of me what is inside and expose it to my eyes.  Anything within me that would produce bitter wine is not worth having!  Purify my heart that when trials do come I still glorify you.  Let Your glory so fill the temple of my soul that when I am squeezed You are highly exalted!"

10/31/2003    "Am I Honoring You - Really?"    Topic:  Worship

"And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."  (Mark 7:7)

How much of the style and substance of our church gatherings is truly worshiping and glorifying God?  How much of it is tradition?  More importantly, how much of my personal relationship with Jesus is not really relationship at all but religious ritual?  The most important question here for church leaders is, "Is our tradition connecting people to Jesus in spirit and in truth?"  This is the main thing.  Jesus didn't condemn tradition simply because it was tradition but because it was making the word of God of no effect (vs. 13).  The important thing in our corporate worship times, personal worship times and in the everyday life of the church is that we are honoring God.

"Am I honoring You, Jesus?"

11/1/2003    "All Things Are Possible"    Topic:  Prayer & Fasting

"If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  (Mark 9:23)

"Why could we not cast it out?"  So he said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."  (Mark 9:28-29)

Jesus says two statements here that could at first seem contradictory:  "All things are possible to him who believes" and "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."  So which is it - belief or prayer and fasting?

Prayer and fasting exalts the spirit man above the soul and body.  It brings us closer to our Father and to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit.  We can hear more clearly what God is saying and step into a greater authority.  Prayer, specifically, is communing and talking to God.  Just as Moses, who spent time in God's presence, found a greater authority so can we.  (Moses was also humbled in God's presence which allowed Him to minister.  He walked in authority because he was submitted to authority.)  When we spend much time with the Lord we get to know and understand more of His character.  The more we know Him the easier it is to believe His word.

These scriptures in context also reveal that faith and believing are the prerequisites to receiving healing or deliverance (or other miracles).  Prayer and fasting move us into greater and wider realms of authority to minister healing and deliverance and other miracles.  Jesus, who was always faith-filled, prayed up and prepared in the spirit to pour out the power and authority of the Kingdom of Heaven, still could do little in the town of Nazareth except heal a few sick people.  The mighty works could not be done there because of their unbelief! (Mark 6:1-6)

The demon-possessed boy's father had enough faith even with doubt remaining as well to see his son healed and delivered.  The ministry of the deliverance had to be through a vessel prayed up and fasted up though so the disciples could not do it even though the man had some faith!

11/3/2003    "Wasted On Jesus"    Topic:  Worship

"...a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it out on His head.  But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, 'Why was this fragrant oil wasted?  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.'  And they criticized her sharply."

This act of extravagant worship was called wasteful by those around it.  The value of the oil was high.  Today it is often said that our most valuable asset is our time and we often talk about how we "spend" it.  There are so many "worthy" causes in which to invest both our time and our resources and yet Jesus affirmed here that the investment made in anointing Him with our worship is not wasteful in His eyes.  Others, even religious leaders, may criticize and condemn spending extravagant amounts of time in pure devotion to Jesus.  Jesus will not!  This woman's worship prepared Jesus for burial.  Could it be that ours today anoints Him again, preparing Him for great works as well?  What powers of the enemy will be destroyed this time?!

"Jesus, take my worship and my praise to You and use it to defeat Your enemies!"

11/12/2003    "Body Language"    Topic:  Body of Christ

"For in fact the body is not one member but many...No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary...Though I speak...but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."  (1 Corinthians 12:14,22; 13:1)

I often hear people tell me that they are doing well although their body language tells me otherwise.  Often, by watching a person's eyes or their hands and feet it is easy to tell if they are being honest or not.

I may speak kind words to someone but if my body language says something different they may have trouble believing them.  If my foot is kicking you in the shins while I tell you how much I appreciate you, you probably will put more stock in my foot than in my mouth!  Is this any different in the lives of people who come to our churches?  I don't think so.

We are the body of Christ!  We are His representation here on earth.  They may hear from the mouth at the pulpit that Jesus loves them but if the language of the "body" says something different the message may be difficult to believe.  The Body of Christ must speak through its speech and action the same message of the gospel that Jesus, the Head of the church, speaks!  What does our body language say?  What is the language of our local church saying?  How about the Body "Catholic" or Universal?  Are we reflecting Jesus?  We should. 

(In regards to worship:  What does my body language say to the Lord as I worship Him?  Does it reflect my heart?)

11/13/2003    "Sing With The Spirit"    Topic:  Singing

"I will sing with the spirit and I will also sing with the understanding."  (1 Corinthians 14:15b)

Singing in the spirit is apparently an important thing to do, just as praying in the spirit.  Verse 17 says that we give thanks well when we pray and sing in tongues.  It also says that those who do not understand what we're doing are not edified.  Why then is this something we should do?  Why would Paul say that he speaks in tongues "more than you all" and "I wish you all spoke with tongues?"  On the one hand he says that when tongues are interpreted that we are edified.  Prophecy though is more edifying to the church!

Verse 2 says we speak to God and that we speak mysteries when we pray or sing in tongues.  Verse 4 says that we are edified when we speak in a tongue.  When I pray in tongues I am letting my spirit commune with God's Spirit.  I am built up and encouraged.

When I sing to the Lord I am encouraged as well.  There is an emotional release when I sing freely.  Combining this with my prayer language, which edifies me, by singing in the spirit I have a very clear channel to worship and praise the Lord even when my understanding may not know what to say!  In that atmosphere I can ask the Lord for the interpretation and as I get it I can then sing that to Him as well!  So I will sing with my spirit, ask for the interpretation, and then sing with my understanding.

11/14/2003    "Boasting In Humility"    Topic:  Praise

Psalm 149

We are instructed to "halal" the Lord or boast of the Lord.  How? - By singing to Him when we gather together, rejoicing and being joyful, dancing, playing instruments and having a good time!  These sound like extroverted actions that would draw attention to ourselves more than to the Lord.  In my own pride and insecurity (fear of rejection or ridicule), I have struggled with some of this.  It is actually an act of humility for me to praise the Lord in such a way that is not quiet, reserved and "respectable."  Verse 4 of Psalm 149 says that God takes pleasure in us and beautifies the humble with salvation.  God moves on my behalf when I praise Him in humility.  As I sing aloud joyfully letting the high praise of God be on my lips with the two-edged sword of the Spirit in my hands, God uses me and works to destroy powers and principalities.  It is my honor to execute God's judgment on His enemies by decreeing it with my mouth.  The enemy is bound and nations are freed in Jesus' name!

11/17/2003    "Sow Bountifully!"    Topic:  Praise

"But this I say:  He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity;  for God loves a cheerful giver."  (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

Paul is writing specifically about money here but the principle applies to giving in general, so how does it apply to our praise and worship?  This passage, with the word "praise" inserted for "sows" and "give" reads as follows:  He who praises sparingly (reservedly) will reap sparingly, and he who praises bountifully will also reap bountifully (lots!).  So let each one praise as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful (hilarious) praiser.

When we praise, we reap a reward of God's presence!  He who praises extravagantly gets the most out of his worship time.  He who doesn't - doesn't!  To people who say they can't afford to give extravagantly to the Lord of their monetary wealth, the reply is given:  "You can't afford not to!"  The same is true in our praise.  If God comes nearer when we wholeheartedly praise and worship Him, why in the world would we hold back with our hands in our pockets, mumbling the words to whatever song the church is singing!?

Lastly, our praise should never be given grudgingly or because we have to.  We must purpose in our hearts to praise and that we will be a praising people.  God loves the praise from a cheerful worshiper!

"Lord, I choose to worship and praise You.  May I never be a man who sows sparingly in my praise, but one who is extravagant and bountiful in my gift to You."

11/20/2003    "The Authority of a Son"    Topic:  Authority

"And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes."  (Matthew 7:28-29)

Jesus taught with authority!  The scribes did not.  Jesus had an intimate, close relationship with His Father.  The scribes did not.  Jesus knew the word and so did the scribes, but Jesus knew the Inspiration of the word - He knew the heart of the Father.

When we know the heart of God and can walk in not just knowledge, but relationship with Him, we too can speak with a greater authority.  When our words are backed up with God's stamp of approval people will marvel at what we say.  They will listen.

Real authority comes from knowing God and being submitted to His authority.  In this world where absolutes are often ridiculed, one who can speak from a genuine position of knowing God and knowing that he or she is a "son" of God will cut through the anything-goes culture and shine brightly in the dark.

11/21/2003    "The Receiving Position"    Topic:  Worship

"And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.'  Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.'  Immediately his leprosy was cleansed."  (Matthew 8:2-3)

"...behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, 'My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.'  So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples."  (Matthew 9:18-19)

These two men, one a leper and the other a ruler, both found themselves in a desperate position.  Death was grasping at both of them.  Their positions in society meant nothing now - only Jesus mattered.  Two men, very different, yet they came to Jesus and worshiped Him.  They "proskuneod" Him.  Kneeling and bowing before one superior in position or authority whether physically or honoring them with appropriate words is still used today.  It is still the way to approach the Great Physician.  Worship combined with faith moved Jesus then and moves His heart now.  When I find myself in the position of weakness and needing to receive from the Lord, I need to assume the position of worship.  Giving Him the worship he deserves positions me to receive the miracle I desire.

11/24/2003    "Through The Needle's Eye"    Topic:  Worship

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  (Matthew 19-23-24)

Romans 14:7 says that the kingdom of God is "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."  This righteousness, peace and joy is very difficult to enter when hanging on to a lot of stuff!  Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 19:23-24 to a wealthy young man.  The man had money which brought prestige and dignity to him; his pride and ego were well taken care of!  This man wanted the things of God, but wanted his power and position more.

In light of worship today, how does this apply?  Many of us long for more of God's kingdom and more of Him, but we can't hold on to our pride, our dignity and our position in the eyes of men and enter through the "eye of the needle."  The road to genuine intimacy with Jesus and communion with Him is narrow.  pride must be laid down with our egos much as it was with the woman who anointed Jesus with costly perfume and the woman who wiped and washed Jesus' feet with her tear-wetted hair.  No reservation, nothing held back - just pure, unadulterated worship.  Had the rich young man been so extravagant, he to would have experienced the other side of the needle's eye - the righteousness, peace and joy of the kingdom!

11/28/2003    "How To Be Holy"    Topic:  Love

"And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at he coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints."  (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)

Increasing and abounding in love toward man is encouraged "so that" our hearts can be established blameless in holiness before God.  This reminds me again of Matthew 22:36-40 where Jesus says there are two commandments that trump everything else:  Love God with everything you have and are and love your neighbor as yourself.  Paul then connects the two here in Thessalonians chapter 3.

It is the Lord who causes us to increase in love toward our fellow man.  How?  We become like what we worship, right?  We are changed in God's presence, right?  When we spend time with the Lord He rubs off on us and in our character!  Jesus' character exemplified love!

1 Corinthians 13 tells us that even though we excel in all kinds of great works and sacrifice, if we have not love it is all worthless.  However, even though loving our fellow man prepares our hearts for everything else God wants to do in us, God's best plan is not that I go out and try to love people.  It is that I spend time with Him and let His character be formed in me.  Then love will happen and will flow from me to others.  Then God will establish me blameless in holiness before Him!

11/30/2003    "Praise From A Father"    Topic:  Praise

"...but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not form men but from God."  (Romans 2:29)

The word "praise" here comes from the Greek "epainos" (NT:1868) which means laudation.  Those who are following after the Lord with their heart, placing their trust in Him, receive praise from God.  To all of us who believe on His Name (Jesus), God has given us the right to be called "sons" of God.  God lauds, brags on and "praises" His children as any good father does.  It is better to receive praise from our father than from someone else.  It is better to receive praise from our Heavenly Father than from anyone else!

"Thank You, Father God, that You strengthen, encourage and build me up with Your words and Your actions.  Thank You that I don't need to worry about whether men praise me or not.  let my thoughts, words and deeds focus rather on bringing glory to You than being honored by people."

12/1/2003    "Reason Enough To Praise!"    Topic:  Sonship

"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.'  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."  (Romans 8:15-17)

We received the Spirit of adoption, chosen by God and called His children when we put our faith in Jesus.  God has made us His heirs along with Christ!  We are inheritors of all that God has and is!

As a son of God, I am accepted and have access to the blessing of god.  Every promise in scripture given to the righteous is made available to me through Jesus!  I am a child of the richest father in the universe, the kindest, most understanding and just father anyone could ever imagine!  I may be persecuted by people for exalting my Father and standing for His ways, but He sees all and I will be glorified in heaven with Him someday.  This is reason to celebrate!  This is reason for joy and gladness!  This is more than enough reason to praise the Lord in any and every situation!!

12/3/2003    "The Law of Love"    Topic:  Worship

"Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."  (Romans 13:10)

Books have been written concerning the Biblical way to worship and the Davidic worship system, how we're instructed in the Psalms to worship, etc.  It is easy to slip into legalism even in the area of "freedom" in worship.  I'm reminded today that the most important thing to God is not the dance, the song, the lifted hands or the knees bent in reverence.  It is the heart behind it all, the motivation of living Him that moves His heart.

Is the outward expression valid and important?  Yes, but it cannot and must not become legal or a condition of true holiness in worship!  Loving God is what He requires and asks, nothing more.  Loving our neighbor and loving our God is the only law!  Even this love is a response to God and His amazing gift to me.  I'm not expected to make it happen - He will do it in me.

"Lord, You know we love the truth of Your word and Your freedom given to us in worshiping and praising You.  Give us the grace to impart the freedom of it without making what is supposed to be so freeing become a thing of bondage and performance.  Let loving You be imparted as I worship and the freedom to do simply that."

12/5/2003    "The Truth In Song"    Topic:  Songs

"Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage."  (Psalm 119:54)

God's statutes - His laws - are the theme of the writer's songs.  They can be the theme of my song too!  Think of the positive things about God's laws, the things that are a blessing to those who follow them.

1.  The Law of Sowing and Reaping (Reciprocity) - give and it will be given unto you.  With the measure you use it will be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together and running over will men give into your bosom.

2.  The Law of Faith - without faith it is impossible to please God for those that come to Him must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)  (Faith moves mountains!  Nothing is impossible to Him that believes!)

These are just two examples of great themes for praising, statute-based songs.  Declaring the Word of the Lord helps us to believe it.  Faith comes by hearing!  Singing the Word of the Lord helps us to remember it.  The song helps us commit the Word to memory as well as giving us an outlet to declare it!

12/7/2003    "When I Don't Feel Like It..."    Topic:  Responses

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."  (Colossians 3:12-14)

Put on tender mercies.  Put on kindness and humility.  Put on meeknes and longsuffering.  Put on love!  In this context we're to forgive even when w don't feel like it.  Elsewhere in scripture we read that we're to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  This putting on thing is a choice; either we do it or we don't!  Put on the armor of God...put on a happy face!  (Okay, that last one wasn't in the Bible verbatim, but the principle still applies!)  The point is that many of the things God asks of us fly right in the face of what we may feel like doing or how we feel like responding in any given situation that is less than ideal.

I just bet that if we make the choice to put on the attitude or response or action that God recommends the good feelings we like will not be far behind!

12/9/2003    "Pursue The Fruit Maker"    Topic:  Fruit of the Spirit

"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness."  (1 Timothy 6:11)

Four of the six items in this list are found in the fruits of the Spirit.  We've heard that you can't make fruit happen but it grows as a natural result of a healthy tree.  I would suggest that righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness are worth pursuing! So why then does Paul tell us here to pursue these things?    The question is how to pursue them.  Jesus is our righteousness, we become like what we worship (godliness), and faith, love, patience and gentleness are fruit of the Spirit!  It seems to me that the way to pursue all these things is to pursue Jesus, to pursue the Holy Spirit and to spend time in communion with Him.  In His presence we are changed!  In Christ and Him alone can I find all these things in abundance!  It is his life in me that will produce the fruit!

"Lord, let me strive for nothing so much as simply knowing You more and the power of Your resurrection in me.  In You I can produce fruit in keeping with righteousness.  Do Your work in me, Lord.  Change and transform me as I wait on You."

12/11/2003    "Worship Like Jesus"    Topic:  Worship

"...consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus Christ who was faithful to Him who appointed Him..."  (Hebrews 3:1-2)

"I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."  (Hebrews 2:1-2)

The High Priest and Apostle of our faith and confession is Jesus.  Wouldn't it be a good idea to see how the leader walks out what it means to be a son of God and imitate Him?  My question is, "How did Jesus worship and how does He worship today?"  The result of this question will shed light on what may be appropriate in worship.

I don't recall any mention in scripture where Jesus Himself actually plays a musical instrument, but He does sing as we see in Hebrews 2:12.  He sings praise to His Father while in the corporate church setting.  He declares God's name - His character - to the church.

Hebrews 1:9 says that Jesus has been appointed with the oil of gladness more than we have.  Jesus is joyful and exciting.  Apparently, He likes to have fun!  Could it be that corporate worship together should be fun?  I want to be like my Apostle and High Priest, Jesus, enjoying my Father and declaring His name through song to (and with) my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ!

12/12/2003    "God's Covenant With Praise"    Topic:  Praise/Knowing God

"I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-...:  I will put My laws in their mind and will write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  ...all shall know Me..."  (Hebrews 7:14)

"For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood."  (Hebrews 7:14)

(There is a linking here of Judah and the Melchisedek priesthood since Judah is both the kingdom tribe and the priestly tribe according to this order.)  God has made a covenant with Israel (those who recognize God's prevailing authority) and Judah (those who are surrendered to His authority and praise Him).  There is more to this New Covenant and the Melchisedek priesthood than salvation; salvation is just the beginning.  The plan is for us to know God.  No longer should we have to strive to keep God's laws because they will be written in our minds and on our hearts.

Knowing God begins with this:  recognize His authority as God, surrender to Him and be a person of praise.  When we do this, we become like Him.  (We become like what we worship!)  His character is formed in us and we begin to think and feel according to His ways - His instructions are written in us.  Genuine praising opens the door to genuine knowing!

12/14/2003    "Reflecting God's Character"    Topic:  Praise

"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."  (Hebrews 13:15)

God considers the fruit of our lips to be a sacrifice of praise to Him when our words are thankful.  Paul tells us to continually offer up thanks to God verbally.

"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."  (Hebrews 13:16)

It is also important that our Christian life is not one of praising words only, but that one that follows the verbal praise with actions that are reflective of God's character as well.  We're to give thanks to God's name which reflects His character and attributes.  Then we are to allow His character to be released in us and through us.  Remember, we become like what (or Who) we worship.  When we do good and share (both are attributes of God) we are representing (re-presenting) God to those around us.

Faith comes by hearing and when we praise verbally and thank God verbally our faith and the faith of those around us is stirred and strengthened.  If, however, we follow up with actions that are contradictory our words of praise become a mockery to those who hear them!  Do good, share, submit to authority (Hebrews 13:17) and then your praise will speak very loudly.

"Lord, let both my mouth and my life actions continually lift You up.  May my words of praise and thanks to Your name and character be underscored by Your character revealed and reflected in my daily life."

12/16/2003    "Praise Evangelism"    Topic:  Praise

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"  (1 Peter 2:9)

God has chosen us and called us His own people.  He has called us out of our blinded, darkened, unfulfilling state into His marvelous light!  Think about that!  What God has called us into is marvelous!  We will spend eternity with Him, ruling and reigning in glory, no more sin-nature to torment, no more sickness or death.  We will spend "Forever" in amazing, unimaginable splendor with our Creator!  With that in mind, God did not just save us and then zap us out of here and on into heaven.  We're here in the middle of a world that is filled with many more millions of people who are still stuck in the blinded state we were once in ourselves.  They still need to see and Jesus is the only one who can give them sight.  We don't have to put on a great sales pitch for a "product."  The reason we're still here is to praise God, to boast of Him and declare His goodness to those that need to receive it.  We truly have good news.  God has provided a marvelous light - Jesus - and we are walking in Him now.

"Jesus, may Your marvelous light be very evident in me.  Help me to let my light shine brightly and give me the grace to declare and proclaim Your praises."

12/18/2003    "Impacting The Future"    Topic:  Worship

"Now Jacob's well was there.  Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well.  It was about the sixth hour.  A woman of Samaria came to draw water.  Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink.'"  (John 4:6-7)

Jacob had dug that well hundreds of years before, actually more than a thousand years before!  Jesus now used the well, the work of Jacob, to accomplish His own will!  We may not see the significance of what we do now but God may use it beyond what we could ever imagine.  Jesus used Jacob's well to evangelize a whole city of people that didn't even exist in Jacob's lifetime.  He also used it to speak the words quoted most often to teach on worship - John 4:23-24.  The well wasn't even a "spiritual" work of Jacob!  It was completely practical, used to water the sheep.  The things we do that we think have absolutely nothing to do with the Kingdom of God or worship may just be used mightily by God!  Nothing I do is completely divorced from God's Kingdom - even the things that seem to be completely unrelated.

I also notice that first the woman served Jesus.  She focused on Him.  Then Jesus changed her life.

"Lord, when I come to worship You, may I not just drink from Your water but also give You a drink.  May my worship be refreshing to You.  I've been blessed to sit by wells others have dug and to learn from You, Jesus.  May the wells I dig be used and be a blessing to those who come after me.  May they be used by You to change lives yet again!"

12/19/2003    "Taking Him In"    Topic:  Worship

"I am the bread of life."  (John 6:48)

"Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life..."  (John 6:54a)

Jesus is life and He says that when we eat and drink of Him we have eternal life.  John 6:56 says, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him."  He lives in me when I feast on Him.  I live in Him when I feast on Him.  The question is, what does this mean?  Obviously, Jesus' disciples didn't eat Him!  They never drank His blood and the Christian faith has never been one of cannibalism!

When we spend time with Jesus in worship, prayer, etc. we are "eating" and "drinking" of Him.  His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, feeds us and satiates us as we are with Him!  The next question then is, "How much am I taking in?"  If eating and drinking of Jesus brings more of Him into me and draws me more into Him and He is life, then the more I can take in the more life I have and the more life I am really living!  Jesus was life and is life.  Wherever He goes, things change and life happens.  The more of Jesus I have in me the more things will change when I come around because more of Jesus will be coming too!  It's time to eat!

12/21/2003    "I Believe Therefore I Worship"    Topic:  Worship

"Then he said, 'Lord, I believe!'  And he worshiped Him."  (John 9:38)

We see here that worship is a function of belief, speaking in mathematical terms.  To worship something or someone is to attribute honor, placing oneself in a lesser position than the one being worshiped.  In doing so, trust of some form is placed in the "worship-ee."

If the man is this story did not believe in Jesus, he could not have genuinely worshiped Him.  Even those who refuse to believe in Jesus in this life will eventually bow their knee before Him confessing that He is Lord.  When they see Him in glory and recognize who He is they will worship although it will be too late for them.  They will believe and they will worship.

The man in this story was healed by Jesus.  His faith was stirred and He believed.  Then he worshiped.  Today in my life when I find myself in a situation where I'm not sure I believe Jesus will really come through, worship is not an automatic response.  On the other hand, when I am trusting and believing that God is moving on my behalf, worship comes much easier!

12/22/2003    "Fear of Expression"    Topic:  Praise

"Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."  (John 12:42-43)

"Rulers" expresses the idea of someone who is esteemed in the eyes of the people, someone who has some level of prestige and position.  It was these rulers who believed, yet did not express their belief because of pride and fear of man.  They were more concerned with maintaining their status within the synagogue (the church) than they were with what God thought.

I wonder how many people today are afraid, even within the church, to express how they feel about Jesus because of what other people may think.  I also wonder how many modern Pharisees are making it difficult for people to celebrate Jesus.  How often does an atmosphere of intimidation exist, maintaining the status quo at all costs?

It is time for the church to get beyond the mental wranglings and academic arguments of theology that only argue about Jesus and time for us to join in the celebration of His triumphal entry.  Pick up the palm branches and cry out in the streets and in the aisles of the church, "Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"  Express praise and adoration to the Lord.  What God thinks will be more important than pleasing men and keeping the religious spirits happy!

12/23/2003    "Discipleship 101"    Topic:  Praise

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."  (John 15:7-8)

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."  (John 17:3)

Abiding in Jesus seems to be the real key in seeing answers to prayer.  When His words are in me and I am close to Him, I can know what His will is.  Then when I pray there will be results!  All the fruit that other people may see is just the result of abiding in Jesus, the natural result of know Him and having His life flowing through me.

It's funny how I try so hard at times to bring glory to God and rarely do I produce anything of value through my striving.  When I abide in Jesus though I find myself bearing fruit without even trying.  God uses me to bless others and I'm not even aware of it at times!  This is the key to true discipleship in Jesus - knowing Him and allowing His life and character to flow into me.

12/25/2003    "Worshiping What You Know"    Topic:  Worship

"...but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."  (1 John 3:2b)

We become like what we worship, as we see once again here.  The thing I see today is that I will be made like Jesus when I see Him as He really is.  Every day, every month, every year that I walk with Jesus I continue to know more of Him.  When I thought Jesus was a legalist, I became like what I thought He was.  When I thought He was a "greasy-grace God" I became lax in my walk with Him.  When I believed Him to be solely mission oriented, I found myself unable to have fun with people unless we were focused on "The Mission."  In every way that I have seen or perceived God, I have become more like what I believed Him to be.  The question of the day is, "What characteristics does the God you worship have?"  If I am worshiping a God of grace I will find myself walking and acting in grace toward others too!

"Lord, continue to reveal Yourself to me.  Let me see You more as You really are.  Thank You for revealing Your heart to me over the years and that You will continue to show me more of Your character and create Your character within me.  Make me like You, Jesus.  Show me where I have misunderstood Your heart and ways, and solidify the things about You that I do see accurately."

12/26/2003    "My Foolishness, God's Wisdom"    Topic:  Praise

"Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!"  (Psalm 117:1)

"You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;:  (Psalm 119:98a)

The commandments the Lord gives us are wisdom.  By living according to God's commands we are wiser than our enemies.  One such command is that we praise and laud Him (halal and shabach, respectively).  God's wisdom tells us to boast (halal = clamorously foolish boasting) of Him loudly (shabach).  When we begin to brag on God, speaking strongly and loudly, we hear it ourselves.  Faith comes by hearing!  Also, by speaking loudly or shouting we stir ourselves up.  We begin to really believe what we're saying.  I find in myself that it's hard to pray or praise loudly at times, but when I can get beyond my own insecurities or doubt (or whatever the hang-up may be at the time) and let the praises begin to flow, I get breakthroughs much more quickly.  There is something about radical praise that touches God's heart when it's done out of a heart that love Him.  God responds when we praise Him.  Praising God builds faith in us and pleases Him.  God likes praise!  He goes to war when we praise Him (Psalm 149).  It is a wise choice to boast and laud about Jesus!

"Lord, thanks for letting something that seems so foolish, that can be so fun, and that You say is so powerful be available to me.  Continue to make me wiser that the enemy as I become foolish in praising You."

12/27/2003    "God's Two-Edged Tongue"    Topic:  Praise

"He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword..."  (Revelation 1:16)

"Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth."  (Revelation 2:16)

The word of God is a two-edged sword which proceeds from His mouth.  God fights with this sword.  When He speaks His will is accomplished.  Psalm 149 says the high praise of God is to be in our mouths like a sword in our hands.  God has chosen to partner with us on the earth.  He has given us the honor and the responsibility of releasing His word and thus, His will on the earth.  When we praise God and declare His word here on the planet we are allowing His word to be released through us.

The picture I see here is as if the sword in God's mouth is His tongue.  God says He will fight with His tongue which forms the words He says.  We too are to fight with the sword of our mouths - our tongues.  Let His words be released on our tongues, His sword wielded in our mouths.

12/28/2003    "Heaven's Elders:   Part 1"    Topic:  Worship/Leadership

"...the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song..."  Revelation 5:8-9)

Every time we see these elders they are falling down before Jesus offering worship, prayer, praise and song to Him.  What strikes me is the unity portrayed here.  These elders aren't debating, arguing or choosing sides.  They are worshiping.  Those who get a revelation of this in leadership in our churches will see great fruit.  We already see the fruit in praying, worshiping churches today!  When our focus is on Jesus and how good He is, how much He's done for us and how worthy He is then our issues are put into perspective.  Does this mean we won't have disagreements and issues that must be resolved?  No.  It simply takes the focus off me having to be right or having to win.  If my heart position is on my knees before the Lord, I am better equipped to be a king, priest or elder before my God and to reign on the earth.  It seems wise that an elder in the church today be like this:  totally amazed by God and responding in worship to Him.

12/29/2003    "Heaven's Elders:  Part 2"    Topic:  Worship

"And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying:  'We give You thanks...'"  (Revelation 11:16-17)

The worship of heaven's elders here is accompanied with thankfulness.  These elders saw the troubles coming on the world but they also had (and have) a heavenly perspective.  They are able to thank God while there is turmoil and upheaval going on.  These elders are a great example for us today.  No matter how good things look or how crazy they may seem our God is still on the throne and still in charge.  Christians today, especially those who are leading others, should be a thankful, worshiping people, reminded that there is a heavenly perspective to even the wildest storm even if we can't see it yet!

"Thank You, Lord, that You are on the throne, You are in control, and that You reign in great power!  keep my heart and mind focused on You and Your greatness, goodness, justice and love.  Be magnified in my eyes, Lord, that my heart will respond ever-increasingly in worship and thanksgiving to You."

12/30/2003    "Symphony of Many Waters"    Topic:  Worship

"The waters which you saw...are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues."  (Revelation 17:15)

"Waters" here speaks of people of all different cultures and people groups.  They don't all look the same, act the same, speak the same language or sing the same style of music.  When we read elsewhere (Revelation 19:6) of the "sound of many waters" we could look at it this way too.  The sound of many people groups and cultures is heard in heaven.  We pray for God's kingdom to come on the earth as it is in heaven, so we should expect to see and hear a release of those cultures in the music of the church here! 

It is great to release the sound of different cultures in our churches but I'm envisioning is the sound of our culture being released in worship and praise to God.  We should embrace the sounds of our people and use them to glorify God.  When churches all around the world in many different nations, languages and styles release their song to the Lord, what God will hear coming from the earth will be the unified, harmonious "sound of many waters" ringing loudly in heaven.  One way to see heaven's kingdom on earth is through our own cultural song!

"Lord, help us release the song of Missoula and the cultures represented here.  Help me play my part well in the Symphony of Many Waters."

12/31/2003    "As It Is In Heaven:  Part 1"    Topic:  Praise

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."  (Revelation 19:7)

Heaven's worship will include gladness and rejoicing - in other words, celebration!  It will be fun and exciting!  It will be LOUD!  The sound of many waters (think Niagara Falls) and mighty thunderings will most likely exceed all recommended sound pressure levels.  And this is all the response of heaven's worshipers to the words, "Praise our God...!" (Rev. 19:5)

Again, I write the same thing I've written before:  we pray, "Let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  I've just described, or rather the Apostle John has, what praise is like in heaven.  It would seem fairly safe to say that the exhuberant celebration in heaven's throne room that John saw was according to the Kingdom purpose and the will of God.  It seems to me that we should hope for and expect to see and take part in celebratory, exciting times of abandoning ourselves in corporate praise unto the Lord.  If we're going to pray the "as it is in heaven" prayers, we'd better prepare for the result of those prayers!

Tonight is New Year's Eve and we'll hear the sound of many waters in Times Square and elsewhere as people enjoy the turning of the year.  Jesus is much more worthy of that sound and celebration and I long to be a part of it - regularly!

"Lord, let Your people get a revelation of You and Your plan for them to enjoy You.  Let praise and worship be released on earth as it is in heaven."

1/1/2004    "Life or Legalism?"    Topic:  Knowing God

"Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its own kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth;' and it was so."  (Genesis 1:11)

God says right from the beginning that the tree will produce seeds.  The seeds are within itself and the seeds will reproduce trees like the original.  God gave the Tree of Life and also in the garden was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2).  These trees would have functioned like any other tree; eat of the fruit and it's seeds will be in you.  Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and became legalists.  The tree was reproduced in them.

I have a choice to make every day - of which of the two trees will I eat?  Life or Legalism?  Jesus is The Life.  He is the tree, so to speak.  When I eat of Him, he and His nature and character are produced in me.  To really be more like Christ, I don't need so much to know more, but know Him more!  All through scripture those who knew God and knew Jesus saw amazing, even impossible, things happen to them, around them and through them.  Look out!  Eating of the Tree of Life could miraculously alter your life!

1/2/2004    "The Real Musical Father"    Topic:  Musicians

"His brother's name was Jubal.  He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute."  (Genesis 4:21)

This is the first mention of music and musicians in the Bible.  We do not read about them coming from the Godly lineage of Seth but from the ungodly line of Cain.  Their heritage was one of banishment, punishment, and thus perceived rejection.  The patriarch of the family had to have a mark from God on him just so people wouldn't kill him!

Often, musicians today deal with the same issue of rejection.  Jubal seems to be the human root of the "musician race" but thank God we see in scripture that He (God) sings (Zephaniah 3:17) and wages war to the sound of music (Psalm 149).  Our spiritual lineage goes beyond Jubal, beyond Lucifer (thought by many to be the first created musical leader) and originates with our Heavenly Father!  He is the author of our salvation, has redeemed us and set us in the Godly lineage with Abraham, and has accepted and chosen us.  Redeemed musicians don't have to take on Jubal's family line and all that goes with it.  We are born again and adopted into a new family.

1/6/2004    "The Measure You Use"    Topic:  Worship

"Give and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."  (Luke 6:38)

What measure are you using in your worship?  It is to the extent that I am giving myself to the Lord in worship that I will get something out of it!  To the extent I hold back in worship I will wonder why God felt so distant.  As I draw near to Him purposefully through worship He will draw near to me multiplied times over!  As I hold back, waiting for something to happen to me before I praise, God too stands waiting.

This is not to say that God never moves outside of this pattern, but it is a general principle.  If I give, it will be given to me in much greater amounts.  God has spoken it and He has already made (and continues to make) the first move, drawing me and calling me to come closer to Him.  The choice is mine now:  to respond or not to respond.  The results are up to me.

"Lord, I choose to respond.  Make it clear to me when I begin to hold back and don't allow myself to release.  I want more of You, to experience even more of You, Jesus.  Help me to be a giver, to be more like You that I may in turn receive more of You."

1/15/2004    "It Is Good To Celebrate!"    Topic:  Celebration

"Now his older son was in the field.  And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing."  (Luke 15:25)

"It was right that we should make merry and be glad..."  (Luke 15:32)

It is right that we make merry and be glad!  When the lost return to Jesus there is reason to dance and to celebrate.  When the older son in Luke 15 returned from the field, he heard the singing and heard the dancing from outside.  This means one thing - it was loud (and probably fun too)!

The lost getting saved, the prodigals coming home, the harvest of souls coming - those are great reasons to celebrate, but I have an even better one.  Jesus!  He has redeemed me and allowed me to come home!  He loves me!  He cares for my every need!  What better reason is there to celebrate Jesus?  The great God of the universe is good, just and full of mercy.  He is worth celebrating!

1/17/2004    "As It Is In Heaven:  Part 2"    Topic:  Joy

"But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy because You defend them;
Let all those who love Your name
Be joyful in You."  (Psalm 5:11)

"For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  (Luke 17:21b)

God is the defender of all who put their trust in Him.  For this reason we can "rejoice," "shout for joy" and be generally "joyful."  This joyfulness is a part of the kingdom of God that is within us.  (The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.)  Since we know this to be true, when we ask for His kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven we should expect to see a release of joy in our hearts.  The outward release of that joy is verbal and/or physical, as in singing, shouting, speaking, laughing, dancing, etc.  When we release the joy that we have in the Lord, we are releasing the Kingdom on the earth.  We are representing a characteristic of the heavenly atmosphere and ambience right here and we are declaring the Kingdom of God!

"Lord Jesus, let the joy of the Holy Spirit so permeate and saturate me that I am filled to overflowing, becoming a releaser of Your Kingdom everywhere I go.  Make me a contagious carrier of Your joy!  More, Holy Spirit!"

1/20/2004    "Silencing The Enemy"    Topic:  Praise

"Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;"  (Genesis 49:8)

"Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger."  (Psalm 8:2)

Jacob was blessing his sons, telling them "what shall befall you in the last days."  There is an application of his blessing to each of his sons in the church today, I believe.  Judah's blessing says that the people surrendered to the Lord in praise will rise to leadership.  The people of praise have their spiritual "hand" on the neck of the enemy.  Joe Garlington speaks of the "yad" or "hand" of the tongue.  In that context we see that strength is released out of the mouth of children of God (both little children and adults).  He uses our praise to Him, our faith-filled words of trust to overpower the words and messages of the enemy.  Our words of praise effectively place the enemy in a place of weakness and surrender.

1/25/2004    "Release The Power"    Topic:  Praise

"Be exalted, O LORD, in Your own strength!
We will sing and praise Your power."  (Psalm 21:13)

God's own strength exalst Him above every other power.  His powerful acts are recorded all through scripture and throughout human history as well.  In Psalm 21:13 we are given insight into Israel's king, David.  One of the topics and themes of David's praise was the power of His God.  he praised the power of the Lord through song.  The word for praise here is "zamar" which included using musical instruments.  We are to sing the power and play the power.

How often do we play an atmosphere of celebration or of intimacy?  We also can play an atmosphere of power!  When we play celebratory music, the joy of the Lord is released and we rejoice!  When we play intimate music, we facilitate a release of intimacy between God and His people.  The music is used by God to accomplish something.  Could it be that as we play songs of power, singing of the power of the Lord, that we really can sing and play the power of God?  Can we see a release of His power as we sing of it?  I believe so!  There truly is power in the tongue.  Psalm 149 tells us that there is power in our music too.  Sing and play a release and a manifestation of the power of God right here in the earth!

1/26/2004    "Fearful In Praises"    Topic:  Praise

"Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?"  (Exodus 15:11)

I'm listening to a worship leader play and sing spontaneously to the Lord as I write this today.  He is employing "tehillah" praise which is not choreographed but comes from the heart.  "Fearful in praises" in Exodus 15:11 uses the word "tehillah."  God's awesomeness is displayed when we begin to praise and worship Him from our hearts.  There is a real, tangible relationship modeled as we worship this way and it is this kind of praise that God inhabits and upon which He is enthroned.  He comes close to the person or the people who praise from their hearts.

The response in me as I listen to this man worship the Lord like this is a deep stirring in my soul towards the Lord.  I'm drawn to Him in awe and wonder.  The passage "Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD comes to mind.

1/29/2004    "Cast Your Cares In Zion"    Topic:  Zion

"And he [Moses] said to the elders, 'Wait here for us until we come back to you.  Indeed, Aaron and Hur are with you.  If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.'"  (Exodus 24:14)

Moses had been called by God to come into the glory cloud.  Because of this he would be completely unavailable should any problems arise, great or small.  There was delegated authority that Moses trusted in his absence, but the principle is greater than just having people who can act on behalf of the leader.  Aaron represented prayer and worship.  Hur, from the tribe of Judah, represented praise and prophetic declaration.  This is a really big hint to the church!

What do we do when problems arise and our leaders are unavailable for comment?  Let us go to worship and prayer!  Let's position ourselves through praise and declaration!  Psalm 14:7 begins, "Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!"  Well, Zion is the place of all these things and we can still see the salvation of our God when we go to "Zion."

1/30/2004    "Gateway To His Presence"    Topic:  Worship

"You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen.  It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim...  Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil.  The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy."  (Exodus 26:31,33)

The veil had cherubim woven into it.  To pass from the holy to the Most Holy one must walk through the veil with its symbolic representation of the cherubim.  Cherubim covered the ark of the covenant.  Lucifer was at one time "the anointed cherub who covers"  (Ezekiel 28:14).  Later, cherubim would be carved into the cedar panels in Solomon's temple.  These cherubim covered the Lord. The ones on the ark covered it.  The ones on the veil covered it and made the distinction between holy and Most Holy.

The cherubim represent worship; they are worshiping angels.  Worship is the gateway to the Most Holy, the way into the very presence of God.  A visible manifestation of God, the blue flame, was in that place.  God has rent the legalistic veil of formality through Jesus' work on the cross and has made Himself available to all mankind.  As we worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, we can walk through a spiritual gateway into greater fellowship with Him!

2/1/2004    "The Spirit of Wisdom - Artistic Understanding"    Topic:  The Arts

"And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship... and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you."  (Exodus 31:3-5,6)

"So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as a priest."  (Exodus 28:3)

God gave the artisans an impartation of God and filled them with His Spirit; specifically the Spirit of Wisdom is mentioned.  They had the ability to create what was seen and heard prophetically!  This was absolutely critical to building the tabernacle because for God's divine order to be established it was going to take these artisans!  Artists and craftsmen today are still needed in the church to portray spiritual truths in tangible ways and to beautify and adorn the bride, the church - God's dwelling place today.

Aaron was the high priest and the artisans made his garments.  Jesus is our Great High Priest today and when the woman with the "issue of blood" touched His garment she was healed!  There is something about the creative wisdom and Holy Spirit anointing on artisans today that God wants to use.  he will use the garments they make to touch people and to release His healing, restorative power through their art.  We, as priests before the Lord, need this creative wisdom to aid in ministering.  God can use our "garments" to facilitate reconciliation, restoration and redemption in the world!

2/2/2004    "Fullness of Joy"    Topic:  God's Presence

"In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  (Psalm 16:11)

There is joy in God's presence!  Even when Moses was encountering the glory of the Lord and falling on His face in reverence and fear (Exodus 34:8) he then asked again for the Presence of the Lord to go with them.  Moses loved the Presence!  David loved the Presence!  The knew that the highest fulfillment is in the Presence of the Lord - the real manifest Presence where they encountered the tangible God of the universe.

In that place is real satisfaction, real joy - and not just any joy - there is fullness of joy, joy overflowing - completely filled.  In God's presence is where joy is made complete.  In other words, until I've experienced the presence of the Lord, I haven't really experienced all that joy is meant to be.  Once I've experienced that, like Moses I will say, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here"  (Exodus 33:15).  The Promised Land with all its blessings cannot compare to the presence of God!  Yes, repentance, conviction and a sense of smallness come in the Presence but so does the restoration, intimate relationship, revelation and many other wonderful things!

2/3/2004    "Bezalel The Art Teacher"    Topic:  Arts in Worship

"See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel...to design artistic works...  And He has put in his heart the ability to teach..."  (Exodus 35:30,32,34)

Bezalel was chosen by God to be the foreman and chief of the artisans and crafsmen.  While the saying has been heard "Those who can, do.  Those who can't, teach," this is not a biblical pattern.  What we see in Bezalel and his number two man, Aholiab, is a God-given ability to teach others to do what they do.  The ability to reproduce yourself in others and to pass on what God has given you is a high honor and is held in high importance in God's eyes.  There were other gifted artisans in the camp, but God chose cross-trained artisans with the ability to reproduce to lead them.

We need this in the church today:  atists and craftsmen like Bezalel, of the tribe of Judah, who are yielded to the Lord and can take joy in training others to do what they do!  These will have the satisfaction of not only finding a release for their own passion and gifting but of seeing a fruitful vineyard much larger than they ever could have produced on their own!

2/17/2004    "Judah's Battle Partners"    Topic:  Praise

"On the east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah shall camp according to their armies;...  Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar...  Then comes the tribe of Zebulun..."  (Numbers 2:3,5,7)

Issachar means "reward" or "wages."  Elsewhere we read that the sons of Issachar understood the times.  Zubulun means "habitation" according to Strong's (OT:2074) also translated "honor" in the NIV.  I see two principles here that apply to effective praise in warfare:

    1.  Praise, when paired with a habitation of the Lord, is God's plan

    2.  When praising it is good to understand your culture and the times in which you are living.      This makes for greater effectiveness.  For example, songs of praise are easier to use when the music and lyric style is culturally relevant.

2/20/2004    "Hearing From God 101"    Topic:  Intimacy

"Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him."  (Numbers 7:89)

God spoke to Moses:

    1.  In the tabernacle of meeting in the secret place.

    2.  From above the mercy seat, representing Jesus, the appropriator of mercy for us.

    3.  On the ark of the testimony, representing the very manifest presence of God.  (This also contained the written law of God.)

    4.  Between the two cherubim who covered the ark with their wings, representing prayer and worship.

Keys to hearing from God:  Go to the secret place and come to Jesus, who gives access to the Father.  In the secret place, where the presence of God resides, read the written word with the Author of it.  Spend time just talking to the Lord and worshiping Him.  Moses heard God in this place and so can we!  Basically, we see one more example of how making room to spend time with God alone, worshiping, praying and reading the Bible sets us up to hear from the Lord.

2/26/2004    "Expressing Dependency"    Topic:  Prayer/Lifting Hands

"Hear the voice of my supplications
When I cry to You,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary."  (Psalm 28:2)

The crying out of a heart in need is voiced with the mouth but is expressed as well through lifting hands.  Lifting hands is shown here as an expression of dependency and a recognition and acknowledgment that "I can't do this by myself.  I need You."  I love how David so freely expressed himself to the Lord in all kinds of situations.  Whether in dancing celebration or gut-wrenching despair he shared it all with the Lord.

Lifting hands was something David did a lot.  We see it in scripture as worshiping adoration, reverence, victory, surrender, and here as dependence.  It's and easy start to expressing joy, pain or need to the Lord with the physical body He gave us!

"Thank You, Jesus, for teaching me to worship You with my body, soul and spirit.  Help me today to wrestle my body and soul to the ground that it may bring joy to You along with my spirit.  Thank You for these hands and arms.  May I use them effectively to honor You and give greater expression to my prayer."

3/6/2004    "If You Seek Him..."    Topic:  Knowing God

"And you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."  (Deuteronomy 4:29)

There is a prescription for finding God!  The words say to seek God:  1. with all your heart and 2. with all your soul.  The word "heart" here really means the mind, will and emotions as would normally refer to the soul (Strong's OT:3824).  The word "soul" here is speaking of the breath (OT:5315) as we would refer to the spirit.

The basic truth here is that when we include our mind (intellect), our will and our emotions with the very core of who we are in seeking the Lord, we will find Him!  If we desire to find and know the Lord yet we hold back our emotions, our will, our intellect or our eternal spirit from Him we have no guarantee of success.

Can we still be saved in the sense that we can go to heaven instead of hell when we die?  Yes, if we truly trust in the name of Jesus and make Him the Lord of our lives.  Can we really experience fellowship and relationship with Him in this life in an intimate way without pursuing Him passionately and wholeheartedly?  To the level we hold back, that is as far as we can expect to go in our walk with the Lord.

3/13/2004    "It's Who You Know"    Topic:  Knowing God

"But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods."  (Galatians 4:8)

Our tendency, just like the Galatians, is to serve and worship something.  When we do not know God we slip into idolatry - worshiping our job, our stuff, our time, our goals, or maybe even religious ritual.  Even good deeds and living according to God's laws can become idolatry!

The point is that the solution to this idolatry is found in knowing God.  To the extent that we know Him we are less likely to fall into idolatry.  Idolatry is not something to be actively avoided; it is automatically avoided when we are in relationship with Jesus and are actively knowing Him!

3/16/2004    "My God Sings"    Topic:  Hearing God

"Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel."  (Deuteronomy 31:22)

Moses wrote a song one day.  The difference between his song and many others is that Moses didn't really write it - God did!  Verse 19 tells us that God told him what to write.  God sang the song to Moses!  What a privilege to hear the Lord sing - not just the "song of the Lord" that someone else sings, but to hear the singing of God Himself.

We, the songwriters in the church today, need to hear from the Lord and then write down what we hear.  I need to hear what the Lord is singing and what he wants His church to be singing!

"Lord, I'm asking You today to open up my ears to hear Your singing.  I, like many other musicians, desire creativity but I would also love to hear You.  I want to hear!  Just like the blind man who said, "That I might see," when You asked what he wanted, I ask today, "That I might hear."  Teach me to hear and to listen like Moses and David and John and so many others!

3/17/2004    "The Voice of Judah"    Topic:  Praise

"Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah,
And bring him to his people;
Let his hands be sufficient for him,
And may You be a help against his enemies."  (Deuteronomy 33:7)

Judah has a voice.  Praise has a voice, an expression.  When God hears the voice of genuine praise lifted in surrender to Hmi, he hears.  When we first lift our voices to the Lord in praise He causes our hands and the work we do with them to be sufficient.  God steps in and helps us in our struggles and problems.  Then those who would stand against us find themselves standing against God!

God truly is a help to those who praise Him.  This is diametrically opposed to the popular statement today, "God helps those who help themselves."  Instead, it is those who lift their hearts and voices to the Lord who will find Him helping them!  God will be faithful to bring us to where we belong if we will only obey His voice and praise Him with ours.

3/18/2004    "Waiting Meekly On God"    Topic:  Servanthood

"For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall inherit the earth."  (Psalm 37:9)

"But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."  (Psalm 37:11)

Two groups of people are mentioned here that God says will inherit the earth:  those who wait on the Lord and the meek.

I'm writing this today in an airplane en route to Minneapolis and there is a flight attendant "waiting" on me.  She has given me pretzels and soda and has come back to ask for any garbage I need to get rid of.  She has given her attention to me.  Waiting on the Lord is like this.  We ask Him what He "needs" and then we wait for Him to answer.  Then, when He responds we react.  The flight attendant didn't ask what I wanted and then just walk away - that would be ridiculous!  Neither should we do that to the Lord.

Secondly, the "meek" will inherit the earth.  So what does this mean?  Wimpy doormat?  Pushover weakling?  Timid?  No!  It very simply means "surrendered."  It means giving God control of everything!  Let God control you and lead you and it will pay big dividends.  First, wait on God, then allow Him to speak His plan and His will for you.  Then do it!  Don't forget to come back and wait though; let the cycle continue and fulfillment will result!

3/25/2004    "Sing With Understanding"    Topic:  Praise

"For God is the king of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding."  (Psalm 47:7)

When I'm singing and praising the Lord I'm instructed to not just sing mindlessly or because this is the traditional thing to do; conversely, I'm to praise with understanding - understanding that I am praising the King of all the earth.  I have the privilege of being a singer for the highest nobility in the universe, not to mention the planet!  This is the God who truly is enthroned over the nations and He wants me to lift my voice in praise to Him!

God has already provided me with a great salvation.  He is the one who laid His life down for me so that I could be with Him for eternity.  He is the perfect Lover of my soul.  That is reason enough to sing praise to Him.  But this amazing God is not just a starry-eyed lover who dreams and desires to "give me the moon."  He is also the King of nations and as such also has the ability and resource to actually take complete care of me!  Understand this and "sing praises with [that] understanding!"

4/4/2004    "Dealing With Sexual Perversion"    Topic:  Praise

"Which of us shall go up first to battle against the children of Benjamin?"  The LORD said, "Judah first!"  (Judges 20:18)

The people of Benjamin had descended into sexual perversion.  While only a small minority of them actually took part in the abuse and rape of the woman which led to her death, the whole tribe of Benjamin refused to deal with those men!  This reminds me so much of the blight of homosexuality in our culture. 

There is only a small percentage of homosexuals in our society, but much of our culture has no interest in dealing with it.  The culture of violence and sexual perversion is rampant.  Even within the church there are denominations who refuse to call this perversion what it is - sin!  Sin that is unrepented of and defended leads inevitably to God's judgment.  The rest of the people of Israel (representing the church) were God's instrument to deal with this sin.  When we remember that the battle is spiritual adn not just physical we see the principle God is laying down for us today.

Judah is to go up first when dealing with issues of perversion within the church and within our culture.  Judah's dual meaning of "praise" and "surrender" were God's key to victory.

I've wondered why Israel went out for two days and was soundly defeated both times after God's instruction to send out Judah first.  They asked who should go up to fight first, but God answered simply, "Judah first."  Could God have been saying, "Praise me first, surrender to me first before you go out to fight"?  The harlot, who was also the concubine who was killed, was from Bethlehem in Judah.  If she was sleeping with other men then chances are that men of Judah had slept with her.  At any rate, she was a prostitute in Israel!

The very people who came out to destroy the sexually perverse were themselves sexually perverse!  There was sin in the camp on both sides of this war.  If the people had obeyed the Lord's commands that He'd already given them through Moses none of this would have happened.  There was much repentance needed here, much genuine surrender to God's will.

Israel asked God what to do first.  Good plan.  Then they sent out the tribe of Judah first and were defeated!  Then they came back and wept over the calamity.  God sent them out again the second day and they were defeated again.  I suspect that many of the men who came out to judge and battle against the perversion of Benjamin had themselves sinned sexually.  I believe many of those men died in battle on the first and second days.  Then there was a genuine turning to the Lord and then there was victory.  The heart of Israel was laid bare though as more Israelite men were killed than Benjamite men during this war!  The church today must learn from this story.  It is not enough to decry and judge the sexual perversion in our society and in other people, other churches.  We must repent of our own sin.  The surrender and genuine praise must precede and accompany this cultural war!

"Lord, convict the church!  Let repentance flow!"

4/7/2004    "Make It Glorious"    Topic:  Praise

"Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious."  (Psalm 66:1-2)

Make His praise glorious!  Does this mean that our praise to the Lord must be well-rehearsed and technically amazing?  Of course not!  The instructions immediately preceding say to "make a joyful shout" and to "sing out."  I believe what really makes His praise glorious, in other words, what really causes God to receive glory from our praises is when we are freed from selfish inhibition and pride.  To make a joyful shout is to risk looking silly and emotional.  To sing out implies singing loudly which is also risky for many people.  However, it is exactly this selfless abandonment to the Lord that brings Him glory.  When God gets glory from men because of my praise it is glorious praise.  In short, when God is honored and blessed, the praise is glorious.

"Lord, may the way I praise You cause others to glorify You and to be drawn to You.  Help me to offer selfless praise that gives glory to You rather than selfish praise that includes maintaining my own image and glory before men.  May I be able to say, as David did, 'I'll become even more undignified than this!'"

4/8/2004    "Just To Know You"    Topic:  Knowing God

"Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli...  (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)"  (1 Samuel 3:1,7)

There is a difference between ministering to the Lord and knowing Him.  Samuel had been doing the work of ministry but He did not know the voice of the Lord.  I wonder how many Christians today are serving God and don't really know Him.  How many leaders today are doing the work of ministry and even spending time praying to the Lord but don't know the sound of His voice?

Many believers today would be shocked to hear that while they are going to heaven they may not really know the Lord like they could.  Even as I write this today the question is in my mind:  "Do I really know You, Lord?"  I minister to the Lord and on behalf of the Lord almost every day of my life yet I long for more of Him.

"Lord, I do long for You and I want to know You.  I want to know Your voice as a familiar friend.  I want to know You like Samuel did.  May I be a mouthpiece for You to my nation speaking what I hear from Your voice."

4/14/2004    "Anointing + Skill = Success"    Topic:  Anointing/Skill

"Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him...; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward."  "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse...who is skillful in playing..."  "David would take a harp and play it with his hand.  Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him."  (1 Samuel 16:13,18,23)

David was both anointed by God and skillful at what he did.  This is a wonderful combination!  Skill alone could not have caused a change in the spiritual atmosphere.  Anointing alone with little skill woudl have been wonderful in the field but wouldn't have put David in the position to play before the king.  The two together were a recipe for effective ministry.  This story is an excellent example of the power of anointed music but it is also more than that.  In everything we do we are to do it as unto the Lord.  That really does mean that the old adage is true:  anything worth doing is worth doing well.  Then others will be blessed - initially by our skill but then the anointing of God will cruise down the "conduit of skill" and minister to deeper levels in the lives of needy people!  Does He still use simple things to confound the wise?  Yes, like using a musician playing a harp to change the spiritual climate.  David was also a "mighty man of valor, a man of war" (verse 18) but it was his harp playing that caused evil spirits to flee!

"Lord, I know it's not by might or power but by Your Spirit that battles are won and lives are changed.  Your word also says skill will bring success and that a skillful man will stand before kings.  May I be found diligent both in practical matters and in spiritual ones.  May what skill I have then be overshadowed by Your Spirit."

4/27/2004    "Teaching To Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;"  (Psalm 142:7)

The soul is made up of three specific areas:  mind, will and emotions.  Bringing the mind out of prison is important.  How do we do that?  Well, what we think determines who we are and every stronghold in our lives begins in the mind.  What needs to happen is for our minds to be washed with the water of the Word.  We need to teach and be taught what the Bible says about anything and everything!  The Word of God will renew our minds and we will be transformed!

Specifically, David writes that he wants freed from prison that he might "praise Your name."  There is something about being informed of what the Bible says and what God says about praise that sets us free to praise.  Breaking off religious ideas and incorrect mindsets or expectations of what truly "spiritual" praise shoudl or should not look like by holding them up to the light of God's Word brings freedom!  In short, when we see the truth of scripture in regards to praise we can them embrace it wholeheartedly.  "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!"

"Lord, continue to break off the incorrect mindsets that keep me and the rest of Your church in prison.  I pray that we would be catalysts like Paul and Silas.  May our praise to You in spirit and in truth cause prison doors to fly open.  Loose us to praise!  Teach us to praise according to Your Word."

4/28/2004    "Faith-filled Worship"    Topic:  Worship

"Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, help me!'"  (Matthew 15:25)

The Canaanite woman was persistent, but Jesus did not reply to her until she came and worshiped Him.  (In the Greek, she bowed down or "proskuneo"-ed before Him, humbling herself and calling Him Lord.)  Even though her worship was for selfish motives, the fact that she approached the Lord expecting to receive her miracle moved his heart.

At first, I read this and wrote "Me-centered worship" in the margin of my Bible.  I should change it to say "Faith-centered worship."  When I am needy, the very place I need to be is on my knees in worship before the One who can meet the need!

The Canaanite woman received this response from Jesus:  "O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be to you as you desire."  The only other person to receive the "great faith" complement from Jesus was the Roman centurion.  Neither were Jewish or proper for Jesus to address but their faith moved Him.

"Lord, teach me to come with faith-filled worship before You when I am in need.  Though I may not know all the right protocol, I know that a submitted heart can be bold in Your presence expecting to receive!"  "The righteous are bold as a lion."  (Proverbs 28:1b)

4/30/2004    "Playing Before The Lord"    Topic:  Enjoying God

"Therefore I will play music before the LORD.  And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight."  (2 Samuel 6:21-22)

In my Bible "music" is in italics showing that it is not in the original text.  Without that word the English reads "I will play before the LORD."  While the intent I'm sure is to speak of music, the following "I will be even more undignified than this" let's me know that it's okay to enjoy the Lord and to play before Him!  David knew how to have fun and didn't associate spirituality with somber seriousness alone.  While it is obviously a part, having fun can be just as spiritual.  We need to rediscover this in the church today and learn how to play before our Father!

"Lord, keep teaching me to play and to have enormous amounts of fun with You and with my brothers and sisters.  Restore the shouting, the leaping and whirling in shear enjoyment of You and Your goodness!  I want to know You and experience You like David did."

5/2/2004    "Believe. Praise. Win!"    Topic:  Praise

"Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise."  (Psalm 106:12)

When genuine belief is present faith is stirred and present as well.  Then it is easy to praise the Lord!  It is easier to sing of the healing power of God when You've experienced His healing.  It was easier for Israel to sing of their Deliverer when they experienced it!

"Save us...  And gather us...  To give thanks...  To triumph in Your praise."  (Psalm 106:47

We triumph in praise!  We win in praise!  Victory is gained in praise!  How many ways can this be said?  Praise is important and God uses it.  As we thank God and praise Him for what He's already done (verse 12) faith is released for what He is going to do.  The victory is won in faith-filled praising, whether it happens through song, prayer, etc!

5/3/2004    "I Can See From Here"    Topic:  Zion

"Yet I have set My King
On my holy hill of Zion."  (Psalm 2:6)

Zion is a hill.  A hill sits above the surrounding landscape and allows one to see a broader picture than is possible from the ground.  Zion (praise, prayer, worship, prophetic declaration) is a place where we can see.  When our eyes are trained on the Lord our attention is no longer self-centered.  When we're looking through Jesus at our situations we can see them in His light.

In addition to this we read that the King (capital "K") sits on this hill.  In other words, when we enter into the place of worship, praise, prayer and declaring His truth we come into the presence of Jesus.  Instead of crying out for His Presence and waiting for something to happen we can genuinely come nearer to Him by coming into Zion.  As we draw near He will draw nearer still!

(Not only could David see Jerusalem and the surrounding area from Zion, but he saw prophetically through the eyes of the Lord.  He spoke over nations both in his day and into the future.  God revealed His heart and His plans in Zion.)

"I'm coming up the mountain, Lord.  I will look out over Jerusalem and the inheritance of Your people in Zion.  I will be near to You and I will see with prophetic eyes through You.  I am Your student, Lord.  Teach me in Your Presence."

5/6/2004    "Are You Willing?"    Topic:  Knowing God

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"  (Matthew 23:37-39)

God's heart for the church is to gather her to Himself.  However, very often she isn't willing still today!  The fruit of that is obvious - desolation and emptiness.  No fruit.  Jesus laid out a great big clue for us though.  When we are ready to welcome Him in (including welcoming those He sends) then we will see Him.  I wonder how many opportunities are missed because of simple unwillingness or business.  While the "what if" game is futile I can make the choice to allow myself to be "gathered" through responsiveness to the message of those He sends my way.  I can respond to the Holy Spirit's drawing and bless what He is doing.  I choose to be willing!  I say today, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"

5/10/2004    "Praise His Word"    Topic:  Praise

"In God (I will praise His word),
In the LORD (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"  (Psalm 56:10-11)

"I will praise His word" is written three times in this psalm.  All three times the word is "halal."  Boasting in the word of God and in His promises is exactly what we need to do when we find ourselves in trouble like David did when he wrote these words.  He was captured by the Philistines and he bean to remind himself of the words God had said.  His song that began as a lament ends as a proclamation of the word!

I find myself right now in a place where three of my friends with whom I minister have lifestyle-impairing heart damage.  I need to boast and be clamorously foolish about the word of God and His many promises.

5/15/2004    "David's Skilled Musicians"    Topic:  Tabernacle of David

"Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals.  And the number of the skilled men performing their service was:...  So the number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the LORD, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight."  (1 Chronicles 25:1,7)

Strongs OT:5012 - naba - "to speak (or sing) by inspiration"

David and his military commanders set apart a group of men to prophesy musically.  Verse 7 clarifies that these men were "instructed in the songs of the LORD" and that they were all skillful at it.  They were skillful both at playing and singing.  They were skillful both at playing the repertoire of Israel's praises as well as singing and playing under inspiration.

When prophesying, we're declaring the heart of God and/or the character of God.  Musically, this requires skill.  How do you play the goodness or the awesomeness of God?  How do you play the judgment of God on His enemies?  What does the abundant glory and excellence of the Lord sound like?  What does the joy of the Lord or the Father Heart of God's character sound like?  To "play" these attributes of God requires skill which comes by practice.  It requires being teachable and trainable.  1 Chronicles 25:8 tells us that the "teacher with the student" served in the house of the Lord.  (1 Chronicles 23:27 tells us that the youngest serving would have been 20, so they would already have years of training under their belts!)

In short, we need musicians today who:

    1.  Know the songs of the church (songs that glorify God)

    2.  Are skillful and are "students' who are trainable

    3.  Are servants - serving the vision of the "David" in the house

    4.  Are able to flow under inspiration both vocally and instrumentally

    5.  Are under direction - submitted to Godly authority (vs. 1-2)

    6.  Can thank (yadah) and praise (halal) the Lord! (vs. 3)

"Lord, equip me and the musicians in the church today to serve like the men in David's tabernacle.  Teach me, train me and surround me with others who can instruct me as well.  May I truly be a prophetic musician who is able to sing and play under inspiration from Your Spirit.  May I show forth and release Your word and Your character into the world!"

5/28/2004    "Zion's Stumbling Stone"    Topic:  Zion

"As it is written:
'Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,
And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."  (Romans 9:33)

Zion is a wonderful place!  The place of worship and prayer is the place where life flows, dreams are born and destiny is revealed.  Yet, it is not an "anything goes" kind of place.  The stumbling stone and rock of offense laid in Zion is Jesus!  he is the cornerstone on which everything is built and He says, "No man comes to the Father but by me!"

I see here that God lays this stumbling stone in Zion.  When people come into the atmosphere of worship and prayer they are encountering the stumbling stone.  There is no entry without encountering the Rock.  Jesus will be revealed in this place and the choice will be made:  believe or don't believe.  Faith and belief are the keys to accessing victory in God's kingdom.  When we enter Zion, we will encounter Jesus.  He will call us to walk in faith, not by sight.  He will cause us to see and dream the impossible and then challenge us to believe on Him and to step out into that impossible dream.  Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame!

6/1/2004    "But It's Cold Outside!"    Topic:  Praise

"The lazy man will not plow because of winter;
He will beg during harvest and have nothing."  (Proverbs 20:4)

Judah plows the ground.  Praise prepares the ground.  In the winter seasons of life when "things" aren't balmy, warm and comfortable, praising and plowing still need to be done.  "Winter" represents the harshness of life.  It seems like it takes more effort to do just about anything outside in the winter.  In the "winter" times in life it is a conscious decision to praise God - a choice that we make.  Those who praise the Lord and plow the ground in these times will be better prepared for the seed of God's Word.  They will be enjoying the harvest later while those who were basing their relationship with the Lord on what things feel like will have little or nothing.  They will be unsatisfied and unfed because of the lack of investment earlier.

For a farmer who plans on a good crop, plowing is the first step toward harvest.  For the Christian who desires a fruitful, abundant life in Christ, praising is the first step toward closer relationship with Him.  It puts the focus where it needs to be and prepares our hearts for more!

"Lord, I choose to praise even when my spiritual climate feels frigid and the ground seems hard and difficult.  You are worthy of praise no matter what I feel like!  You are still amazing, still wonderful and still God!"

6/4/2004    "Working The Land"    Topic:  Spiritual Land

"He who tills his land will have plenty of bread
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough."  (Proverbs 28:19)

The Hebrew word for "till" means to "work" the land.  How do you work the land?  You plow it, harrow it, irrigate it, weed it, etc.  The one who works the land and causes it to work for him will have plenty of bread later.

This applies spiritually as well as naturally.  How do we plow?  We praise.  How do we harrow?  We pray.  How do we plant?  We listen to God's word and hide it, or plant it, in our hearts.  We give (sow).  How do we irrigate?  We position ourselves under the rain, we dig ditches to get the rain where it needs to be, we bring in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, etc.  How do we weed it?  We repent of actions and ways of thinking that are contrary to the Word of God.

"Lord, I love fresh bread and I love lots of bread from You.  Teach me to be an effective farmer of my spiritual inheritance in You that I may reap a great harvest."

6/6/2004    "Beauty Is In The Eye of The King"    Topic:  Worship

"Listen, O daughter,
Consider and incline your ear;
Forget your own people also, and your father's house;
So the king will greatly desire your beauty;
Because He is your Lord, worship Him.
...Instead of your fathers shall be your sons,
Whom you shall make princes in all the earth."  (Psalm 45:10-11,16

(The NKJV capitalizes the "you's" in verse16 but it could be referring to the bride here.)

The instruction to the bride is to forget her father's house and her old way of life.  We are to forget the way we used to live according to the world system and to delight ourselves in the Lord.  The King, the Bridegroom, is desirous of this and considers us beautiful as we turn away from the old to look at Him.  This is worship - making Him the priority and the most important thing.

When we do this the promise is that what we gave up (our "fathers") will be replaced with new fruitfulness (sons).  The product of inimacy with the Lord in genuine worship is spiritual sons.

6/7/2004    "Crammed Full of God's Love"    Topic:  Love

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."  (Ephesians 3:17-19)

There are two major keys here:  faith and love.  It is through faith that we can know His matchless love!  It is in being rooted and grounded in love that we can comprehend even more of the love of Jesus.  This is more than knowing about God's love - it passes beyond mere knowledge to experiencing His love.  - "that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

"Filled" = Strong's NT:4137    "All" = NT:3956
"Fullness" = NT:4138 from NT:4137; repletion or completion, ie. (subjectively) what fills (as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or (objectively) what is filled (as container, performance, period)

God's heart expressed here through Paul is that we would be completely crammed full with the whole character and love of Himself!

"Comprehend" = NT:2638; from NT:2596 and NT:2983; to take eagerly, ie. to seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively)

When we're rooted and grounded in the love of God, knowing Him, then we can expect to be crammed with the rest of His character - ie. Healer, Deliverer, Savior - and these will manifest around us!

6/10/2004    "Draw Me Away!"    Topic:  Intimacy

"Draw me away!
    THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM
We will run after you."  (Song of Solomon 1:4)

When I allow the Lord to draw me away with Him others will see how good He is and the fruit in my life.  When they see the beautiful relationship they will desire to know Him like I do.  They will run after me because they are really running after Jesus.  The challenge in this will be to not allow the hungry, needy church to so distract me from Him that I lose the intimacy and relationship that drew them in the first place.

I must get away with the Lord where genuine intimacy can occur.  True intimacy is not a group exercise; rather it is developed and cultivated privately.  My own heart's cry echoes that of the Shulamite woman:  "Draw me away!"

Now the product of this drawing away, this intimacy, is spiritual fruit and a part of that is those who run after me.  These are spiritual children and children need raised, loved and trained.  I cannot simply abandon these children for the sake of intimacy.  Time must be found to maintain intimacy just as it must in any marriage.  Time must also be taken and spent raising the spiritual children to spiritual adults that have their own relationship with the heavenly Bridegroom.

6/11/2004    "Open For Me, My Love!"    Topic:  Intimacy

"I sleep, but my heart is awake;
It is the voice of my beloved!
He knocks, saying
'Open for me, my sister, my love
My dove, my perfect one;
For my head is covered with dew,
My locks with the drops of the night'
...I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone."  (Song of Solomon 5:1-2,6)

The imagery here in the Hebrew is extremely impassioned.  The beloved was longing for his bride and was desiring to plant in her the seeds of intimacy.  She was hesitant to respond because she was too comfortable and reluctant to put forth the effort.  Her "spirit was willing" but her flesh was weak.  When she finally responded she had missed that opportunity or intimacy and would have to wait for another time.

This happens so often with Christians today.  Jesus comes knocking, wanting greater intimacy and deep relationship with us and though it's the very thing we long for, the timing often means we have to sacrifice and be "inconvenienced."  When He comes it is not the time to slumber but to enjoy Him!

Delaying will result in the same outcome as the sleepy bride.  She arose finally only to find her beloved gone.  She "opened" for her beloved.  This word (OT:6605) means to open wide; specifically, to loosen, begin, plow, carve.  I'm reminded that Judah plows the ground and wonder how often we hold back in worship when the Lord is calling us to intimacy only to finally respond by praising Him, finally surrendering, finally opening ourselves wide before Him - and He has withdrawn.  Then we wonder where He went and why our praise seems a little empty!

There are times when Jesus comes calling for his bride, longing for her and desiring to plant more of himself, His character and His life-giving seed in her.  This scripture seems to indicate that we need to respond more quickly to His call.  The result will be intimate fellowship with the Lord, with His Holy Spirit, and knowing Him.

Paul writes of natural marriage saying that it is reflective of a deeper spiritual truth.  God's plan is for extreme intimacy with His church and with each and every Christian believer!  Our ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction is intended to be found in knowing Him.  The fruit of this will be tremendous!

6/21/2004    "When We Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated."  (2 Chronicles 20:22)

It was not when the people were instructed to sing and to praise that God ambushed their enemies.  It was not the fact that they knew that if they praised God, He would fight for them.  It was when they actually lifted their voices in song to the lord and began to praise Him that He set the ambushes.

The same is true today.  We can know all the theology of praise and worship, all the promises regarding it and still be losing ground!  It is when Judah (the surrendered people of praise) actually surrenders to the Lord and begins to sing and praise Him that our enemies will crumble before Him.  It is time for the church to be doers of the word of the Lord regarding praise and worship, not just hearers only!

(Both Ammon and Moab were sexually perverse people.  We see the sexually perverse today rising up boldly against the people of God.  I believe that as we lift our voices and begin to praise the LORD, we will see this attack on our culture crumble as it did thousands of years ago.)

6/29/2004    "Clearing The Track"    Topic:  Praise

"Do horses run on rocks?
Does one plow there with oxen?"  (Amos 6:12)

Obviously, the answer to this is, "No."  Horses do not run on rocks and no one would try to plow among rocks.  Yet, how often do we try to praise the Lord without dealing with the rocks in our lives?!  No amount of plowing will cause the rocks in the field to go away and no amount of praising will cause the areas of sin in our lives to go away either.

Let's face it.  No one feels much like abandoning themselves in praise to the Lord when there are big, obvious, rocky areas of sin in their lives!  In fact, praising while refusing to deal with them doesn't just seem or feel hypocritical - it is hypocritical.  However, when we confess and repent, removing those big nasty rocks from our lives, suddenly our ground is plowable and there is a light-heartedness that leaps within us and praise erupts in thanksgiving to the Lord!

Does one plow in a field?  Yes!  Do horses run in fields?  Yes!  Remove the rocks and you'll be ready to praise and ready to run the race.

7/3/2004    "No Pride In The Offering"    Topic:  Worship

"But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense."  (2 Chronicles 26:16)

Uzziah became prideful and stepped beyond his sphere of authority.  He, like Nadab and Abihu before him, offered unauthorized fire before the Lord.  While Nadab and Abihu were killed immediately by God, Uzziah was struck with incurable leprosy.  He dared to offer incense (which represents prayer and worship) with pride!  How often today do people go through impressive religious motions with hearts filled with pride and arrogance.  What really strikes me is that God did not strike him at first.  It was after he was rebuked by the priests and refused to back down that his body became leprous.  We would do well to learn from Uzziah.  God is to be approached with humility, not pride.  While we can come boldly before Him it is because of who Jesus is, not because of how great we are!

7/5/2004    "God's Husband Heart"    Topic:  Intimacy

"And it shall be in that day,"
Says the LORD,
"That you will call Me 'My Husband,'
And no longer call Me 'My Master,'"  (Hosea 2:16)

This is the heart of my God!  My Bridegroom King desires true relationship with me.  His heart is not simply to dominate and control me, but to know me and to love me.  He desires not simply submission as to a master but a love relationship.  The respect is still there.  The heart to serve is still there.  The motivation however is entirely different.  I serve and respond because I love the Lord, not because I am afraid or because I'm just doing a job!

"Lord, burn me deeper in my heart with revelation of You and Your amazing love for me.  Let me know Your character and Your heart.  Keep revealing Yourself to me and filling my heart with a love and a longing for You."

7/7/2004    "Roar of the Lion:  Call of the Father"    Topic:  Praise/Prophetic

"There remains therefore a rest for the people of God...
Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest..."  (Hebrews 4:9,11)

"They shall walk after the LORD.
He will roar like a lion.
When He roars,
Then His sons shall come trembling from the west;"  (Hosea 11:10)

God speaks today through His people, His church.  When we learn how to enter His rest and cease our striving we position ourselves to hear His voice.  We need to be diligent, or disciplined, to enter that place of rest in Him because there is a world out there full of runaways and prodigals waiting to hear the holy roar of their Father.  As we release the cry of the Father heart of God prophetically calling in the sons and daughters they shall come "trembling" with a new-found, healthy fear, awe and respect for the Lord.  It is time for the Lion of Judah to roar in His church again.  What is He saying?  What is He calling to His stray ones?  Can you hear His heart?  Get in that place of rest and allow your heart to be stilled so that you can hear His.  Then speak what you hear!  Let the Lion call His sons home through you!

7/9/2004    "The Sword and the Plow"    Topic:  Praise

"They shall beat their swords into plowshares..."  (Micah 4:3)

"Beat your plowshares into swords..."  (Joel 3:10)

Micah speaks of the time when nations are at peace under the perfect rule of the Lord.  Joel speaks of times of war.  When I read of plowing I'm reminded every time that Judah plows the ground.  When I read of swords I'm reminded that God's word is a sword, actually sharper than any two-edged sword!  It's significant that it was the sword that is beaten into a plowshare and also the plowshare that is beaten into the sword.  The two are linked!

We praise God according to His Word, using the promises of scripture and it's declarations to wage war as well as to simply remind ourselves of who He is and to honor Him.  There is a time for war and a time for plowing the ground secured in the warfare.  Both are essential.

When it is time to do battle you can form your praise into a sword.  When it is time to plow ground you can use the word of God and His promises as a launching point for your praise.

"Lord, keep training me in spiritual blacksmithing that I can quickly use either the sword or the plow and switch between the two as needed.  Keep teaching me to use Your word in my praise and to use my praise as a mighty weapon."

7/20/2004    "God Likes Creative Music"    Topic:  Music

"And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king's seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.  The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets."  (2 Chronicles 29:25-26)

It was God's idea to have music in the church and as a large role in worshiping Him.  It had been His commandment, not just the idea of a man.  God seems to endorse creativity in music as well as seen by the mention of the instruments of David.  David made new instruments in his day that hadn't been used before and God is now saying that He like them.  This bodes well for those in the church today who are creative and who are musicians.  God doesn't just tolerate us.  He made us this way and he likes it!  (When we are being creative we are reflecting the character of the Creator!)  As long as our music doesn't become and idol and is bringing glory to the Lord we are fulfilling the desire of His heart.

"Thank You, Jesus, for this mandate of creativity and musical praise to You.  May we operate today in that same creative passion for You like David did that invites Your Spirit and releases Your creative power in the church."

7/21/2004    "Music With The Sacrifice"    Topic:  Music

"And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel.  So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished."  (2 Chronicles 29:27-28)

I've heard it taught that Jesus was offered on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for sin at the time of sacrifice in the temple.  If this is true and assuming that the same practices were followed in Jesus' day as they were earlier, then music would have been playing in accompaniment to His death.  The night before, part of Jesus' communion with His disciples included singing a hymn.  For me, this means that not only is the bread and cup taken in remembrance of Jesus but also the music is a remembrance.  As a musician this is one more way to say thank you.

This would be a confirmation of scripture when God said that every stroke of His arm on His enemies would be to the sound of music (Isaiah 30:32).  The cross was the greatest blow to the enemy of all time!  Every time we play music that honors Jesus we are also reminding the devil of his defeat!

7/30/2004    "Bridegroom King"    Topic:  Knowing God

"And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So shall your God rejoice over you."  (Isaiah 62:5b)

I remember the day that I married my wife and how wonderful it was that she was mine!  This woman loved me and felt the same toward me as I did to her - amazing!  We were thrilled - I was delighted in her.  God had given her to me and I was blessed.  A new level of intimacy was now available.  A covenant had been established between the two of us pledging our lives and our very selves to each other and the two were becoming one.

Can you picture this?  Now picture Jesus rejoicing and delighting in you like this.  He delights in intimacy and joyful relationship with you, His bride.  This is our God!  Our Bridegroom King takes pleasure in His bride who is surrendered to Him.  Wow!

"Lord, I am completely blown away by Your love and Your emotion.  I am learning to know You as a passionate, vibrant God who is alive in every sense of the word and I am thrilled to know You more!"

7/31/2004    "God Acts For Waiters"    Topic:  Waiting on God

"For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways."  (Isaiah 64:4-5)

"Zion is a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation."  (Isaiah 64:10)

Isaiah 64:10 is a picture of the church that did not wait for the Lord.  64:4-5 describes the benefit of the church that does.  God acts for the one who waits for Him.  He is present in the church that walks in His ways.  On the other hand, when a people decides to serve its own desires it will not be long before its religious system becomes a wilderness and a desolate place:  empty, lifeless and fruitless.  It is abandoned by God.

What passes for praise, worship and prayer in the empty church is not real.  It becomes just a religious exercise that makes people feel pious or holy but doesn't really effect any change in their hearts, lives or relationships with God.  Though God will not bless a loveless church, a church that is following passionately and wholeheartedly after Him can expect His manifest presence ("You meet him" - vs. 5) and for God to act on its behalf!

Rejoicing is mentioned here as well, so God seems to like happy, celebrative people; righteousness should be exciting, not just prudish and stiff.  I think that often the prudish and stiff church is equated with the wilderness and desolation anyway! 

8/1/2003    "Heart Wide Open"    Topic:  Knowing God/Prayer

"Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us."  (Psalm 62:8)

"I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,"  (Isaiah 65:2a)

God is still stretching out His hands today calling for sinners to come to Him.  This doesn't say He's calling for the holiest, most righteous and telling the rest of us to go away.  Arms held open with invitation, He is asking us to come to Him.

Many people today, even Christians, aren't sure of either how to come to Him or what to do when they get there.  What exactly do you say to the Great God of the Universe!?  Well, there's good news for all of us - Psalm 62:8 says that we are to pour our hearts out before Him.  What does that mean?  Be real.  Be honest.  What's on your heart?  What's on your mind?  Do you desperately need something?  Tell God.  Jesus made a way for us to come to this Great and Awesome God and call Him "Abba," or Dad.  Dad is waiting with open arms and open ears and an open heart full of love and understanding."

8/2/2004    "Not Just For Jerusalem"    Topic:  Worship

"Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.'"  (John 4:21)

The Samaritans had been worshiping God in their own style and location, apart from Jerusalem, for years.  The Jews had been worshiping according to their own style in Jerusalem for years.  According to Jesus, both were going to change.  Worshiping God was going to take on a whole new look.

I'm impacted by the "nor in Jerusalem" part of Jesus' words because Jerusalem is symbolic of the church.  This is almost jarring to my ears as a local church leader.  What do You mean, Jesus?  We all know that the local church is supposed to be a central part of the Christian faith in practice!  And yet, Jesus said this knowing full well that Jerusalem represents the church in scripture.  He was making a big point, one all to often missed in the church today.

Worship - real - worship - is not confined to the "religious service" of a Sunday morning, Wednesday night or any other corporate gathering of believers.  Worship should be happening all week long, every day, anywhere.  Relationship with Jesus is not, must not and cannot be relegated to a "holy place," a "holy time" (ie. 11 am on Sunday), etc.  Those times and places are wonderful, particularly and only because of people who gather there who genuinely love the Lord and who have been cultivating relationship with Him all week long!

8/8/2004    "Don't Worship The Blessing"    Topic:  Worship

"I will utter My judgments
Against them concerning all their wickedness,
Because they have forsaken Me,
Burned incense to other gods,
And worshiped the works of their own hands."  (Jeremiah 1:16)

This was a judgment spoken against Jerusalem and the cities of Judah.  The church (Jerusalem) and the people of praise (Judah) had forsaken the Lord.  Their wickedness began with a turning away from God.  Everything else - the idolatry and its accompanying wickedness - all began when they abandoned their active worship and commitment to Him.

This "turning away" resulted in the people who were named "Praise" now worshiping the works of their own hands.  God had blessed them and as a result they were able to build cities.  Now they began to worship the fruits of that blessing.  Here is a warning for the church today.

We have built our cities of praise and been blessed by God with the material goods to do so.  We as church leaders must be on guard and refuse to begin worshiping our buildings, our music or our "stuff" in place of Jesus Himself.  Judgment would surely accompany these actions.

8/14/2004    "Chasing Yahweh"    Topic:  Pursuing God

"'Because your fathers have forsaken Me,' says the LORD; 'they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them and forsaken Me and not kept My law.'"  (Jeremiah 16:11)

Judah has walked after other gods and practiced idolatry.  The first step into all the various sinful practices was a simple one:  they had forsaken God and His instructions.  There was no longer an active pursuit of the Lord.  Once they stopped actively pursuing and worshiping they were "easy pickings" for the seductive lies of the devil.

The same remains true for believers today.  With few exceptions, the sins to which we find ourselves susceptible start with temptations we entertain and choose to embrace.  Why do we make the choice?  It is more easily made because we've already given up the pursuit of God!  This relationship with Him was never meant to be a passive one!  When pursuit turns into passivity, perversion isn't such a stretch anymore.  While this is sad it is all too true in our churches and in many Christian lives today.  It is time to repent and to take up the pursuit again.

"Jesus, give us a fresh glimpse of You so that we, Your bride, are stirred to pursue You with all that we are, turning from all other loves for the sake of the One True God."

8/20/2004    "Praise Yields Increase"    Topic:  Praise

"Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
Then the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us."  (Psalm 67:5-6)

When all the peoples praise God and honor Him the way we were created to do, then the whole earth will yield the increase, blessing and abundance that it was intended to yield.  What we see here is God's abundant provision and blessing poured out on people who praise Him.  He especially pours out blessing on unified praise.

The result of this - a unified praising planet - is almost incomprehensible, so let's start with something we can wrap our brains around.  Blessing follows genuine, surrendered praise.  What happens when you praise?  You get blessed.  What happens when a family praises in unity?  Even more blessing.  What happens when a church praises in unity?  Lots of blessing.  How about a group of churches?  A city?  A nation?  What about a business?  To the level that a group of people praises in unity and in surrender to the Lord blessing will follow!

There will be opposition from the devil which is why this is the most effective when entire people groups unify under the name of Jesus.

8/21/2004    "The Creative Climate"    Topic:  Arts in the Church

"The LORD showed me, and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of the LORD, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive ... the princes of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.  '... so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans.  For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land;'"  (Jeremiah 24:1,5-6)

In Jeremiah's lifetime the craftsmen and artists were taken out of Jerusalem "for their own good."  It makes me wonder about the climate of the church (Jerusalem) today.  Is our atmosphere one where the skill of creativity and artistic design can flourish?  Is it one where the leaders of praise (princes of Judah) can lead effectively and do what God has called them to do?  This may be an indicator of why so much of the secular world (Babylon) seems to have the edge on the market when it comes to music, movies, drama, etc.  They, in all of their shortcomings, are allowing the creative juices to flow.

Part of revival today should include a restoration of the arts in the church.  God's word regarding the craftsmen, the smiths and the praise leaders was also, "I will bring them back to this land."  When the church is ready they will come.  Could it be that God is actually preserving these creative people in the world until the church is ready to use them effectively without watering them down?

8/29/2004    "Not Just a Cosmic Killjoy"    Topic:  Knowing God

"... I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations."  (Ezekiel 6:9)

This scripture shows once again the emotional side of God as He speaks of His bride.  The adulterous heart of His people and their wandering eyes crush His heart!  This sheds a different light on this God than the cold glare of "religion."  Instead of offending the Cosmic Killjoy, we see the greatest Lover being crushed by the unfaithfulness of His wife.  These are two very different pictures!

Is God a holy and just judge?  Yes, but our relationship with Him as believers should go much deeper than that.  He is our Heavenly Bridegroom.  When we get to know this God, suddenly our sinfulness is more than a breaking of a law; it is the crushing of a heart.  Our sinfulness will be loathsome in our own eyes and we will flee from anything that would further wound our Savior.

8/30/2004    "Praise Breeds More Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying;"  (Revelation 4:9-10)

The living creatures in heaven praise and boast of God, and as they do the elders respond in praise and worship.  Let's put it another way:  the praise of the "creatures" results in the praise and worship of the elders.  There is a clear and definite cause and effect here.

We've established time and again how drawing near to God through praise results in Him drawing near which in turn results in our response of worship.  In other words, praise leads to worship.  This scripture in Revelation 4 takes it a step further; my praise can change the atmosphere in a room and draw others into worship as well.  The elders were sitting in their own thrones around the throne of God until the "creatures" began to praise the Lord.  Once the praises begin, their own hearts are stirred, they fall down, worship and cast their crowns as they declare the worthiness of the Lord.

At the risk of sounding redundant, I'll say it again; the response of the elders stemmed from the praise of someone else!  This speaks volumes in the church today.  We should never underestimate the power and effect of our praise to affect change in our environment.  I think especially of our corporate worship gatherings.  How often I've seen this happen as well a its opposite.

When people begin to genuinely praise the Lord others around are stirred as well.  When people are inhibited others around are often affected and become more restrained than they would like to be.  The effects of one person's praise stir the hearts of the worshipers around them and the result is a multiplied praise being released!

I need to remember this.  My extravagant praise will arouse every worshiping heart around me - and probably stir up the religious ones as well!  Much worship will result from my own.  My praise may bring the breakthrough and release not just for myself, but for many others also!

"Jesus, may my praise and worship of You this week be contagious and may many hearts be awakened and released in exalting Your name!"

9/1/2004    "Misused Garments"    Topic:  Praise & Idolatry

"You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them.  Such things should not happen, nor be."  (Ezekiel 16:16)

Remember the garments of praise that we are given to eradicate the spirit of heaviness?  I'm reminded of this as I read Ezekiel 16:16.  What happens when we take the tools of praise and turn them for our own purposes?  There is a warning here to all who are people of praise.  Do not use praise to build a high place for yourself for personal gratification.  This is a simple but good reminder for me today and for worship leaders everywhere to work for God's glory, not our own.

"Lord, may my service as a musician in Your kingdom never turn into a profiteering venture or a self-worshiping spotlight opportunity!  I know You will help me to serve You wholeheartedly and with pure motives.  Wash me, Lord, and wash my praise that it may be a spotless garment."

9/8/2004    "Greatly To Be Praised"    Topic:  Praise

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain."  (Psalm 48:1)

God is to be greatly praised in the church.  "Praised" here is the word "halal" in the Hebrew so God is to be boasted of and exalted in His church.  The word "greatly" here is "me'od" (OT:3966) whose basic meaning is "vehemently; by implication wholly, speedily."  It is used as a superlative or intensive with other words.  What we read in the first line of Psalm 48 then is that God is to be boasted of and bragged upon to the extreme in His church.  "Halal" is already an extreme word and here it is made even more extreme!  Boast of Him and His promises!  Brag of His exploits and His unmatched power and goodness!  And do it greatly!

9/10/2004    "Worship Affects Change"    Topic:  Praise & Worship

"They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:
    'Great and marvelous are Your works,
    Lord God Almighty!
    Just and true are Your ways,
    O King of the saints!
    Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
    For You alone are holy.
    For all nations shall come and worship before You,
    For Your judgments have been manifested.'"  (Revelation 15:3-4)

What immediately follows this song of praise is God's justice being poured out on the earth.  The saints in heaven sing of His justice, truth, works and judgments.  Then we see more of His just, true judgments revealed in the earth.  I'm reminded again of the "on earth as it is in heaven" line from what we call the Lord's Prayer.  If God responds to the worship in heaven like this then pure worship offered on the earth should also result in God's character being revealed here.

In heaven the worship resulted in the temple being opened (vs. 5), angels being released to minister (vs. 6-7) and the temple being filled with the "smoke from the glory of God and from His power" (vs. 8).  True worship will have effect here too!  Think of Paul and Silas, of the dedication of Solomon's Temple, and the exaltation of Israel during the function of David's Tabernacle!  It will happen today as well.

9/15/2004    "Bless Every Day"    Topic:  Praise

"Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever."  (Psalm 145:2)

Just the other day I listened to a recording of Dr. Michael Brown teaching about John "Praying" Hyde.  Hyde said that the Lord told him that the times when he wasn't seeing his goal of at least four people saved a day (on average) that it was because he wasn't praising enough!  This man prayed hours and hours, which is how he got his nickname, but even the great commitment to prayer needed to be accompanied by praise for full impact.

Psalm 145:2 was written by David, who saw Israel prosper and grow during his reign.  What did David write and sing?  "Every day I will bless You."  Every day I will "barak" or bow myself before You in honor.  Every day I will praise You.  The question of the day is this:  have you blessed the Lord today?

9/24/2004    "Prepare The Way"    Topic:  Revival

"Will You not revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?"  (Psalm 85:6)

"Righteousness goes before him
And prepares the way for his steps."  (Psalm 85:13, NIV)

The cry for revival ascends today as it did thousands of years ago, and the price is the same now as it was then.  The path to rejoicing is a narrow yet well-lit one and it bears a simple sign:  Righteousness.  If we walk steadily and consistently down this road we can be sure that the welcome footsteps of the Lord will soon be heard coming ever nearer, even overtaking us!

When our hearts cry out the passion of the psalmist, (My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the LORD;/ My heart and flesh cry out for the living God." (Ps. 84:2)) more than we cry for our own comfortable lifestyles we will soon find ourselves realizing that passion as He fulfills it.  When His presence invades our lives and schedules we will experience revival in us and then around us.  Then we, the people of God, will rejoice in Him as we desire.  I choose to prepare the way for the Lord.  The road will not always be easy but I know that rejoicing will follow and will more than make up for the sacrifice!

9/24/2004    "The Fruit of Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"For the LORD of hosts will visit His flock,
The house of Judah,
And will make them as His royal horse in the battle.
From him comes the cornerstone,
From him the tentpeg,
From him the battle bow,
From him every ruler together."  (Zechariah 10:3-4)

God will make the people of praise His battle vehicle.  He rides our praise.  he uses our praise as a tool against His enemies.  What happens when we praise?

1.  The cornerstone, Jesus, is established.  Foundations are laid upon which everything else will rest.

2.  The stakes that hold up the rest of the structure come from praise (ie. prayer).

3.  Effective air warfare stems from praise.

4.  Rulers are established and are themselves people of praise.

5.  We tread down our enemies.  (see Zechariah 10:5)

10/2/2004    "Looking At God"    Topic:  Praise

"Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,"  (Psalm 147:7)

The first "sing" here is "anah" which means "to eye or to heed, ie. pay attention; by implication to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce (SC, OT:6030).  Singing to the Lord with thanksgiving focuses us on the Lord and helps us "to eye" or to look at Him.

"Look at the Lord by thanking Him.  Respond to the drawing of the Lord by thanking Him."  This is actually a tool and a clue for those who want to draw near to God, for those who sing the words, "I want to see You" or "Show me Your face" or "Reveal Yourself to me."  How can we begin to look at Him and focus our attention on Him?  We do it by thanking Him for who He is and for what He's done.

The word "thanksgiving" here is "towdah" which includes the idea of extending the hands in pledge or adoration.  It forges a bond between two individuals.  Many contracts have been made and sealed with a promise and a handshake.  Appreciation is often shown through a warm handshake.

The second line here, "Sing praises," uses the two Hebrew words "zamar" and "tehillah."  Play and sing from your heart to the Lord.  Tehillah carries the idea of spontanaity which takes attention and mental and emotional involvement, so the whole idea is basically to use music and song to give thanks to the Lord from one's heart, not just by wrote, and that this is a good way to focus on the Lord and to get a better look at Him!

10/11/2004    "Walls, Gates And Strategies"    Topic:  Prayer & Praise

"Now it happened when ... our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it..."  (Nehemiah 6:1)

Once the walls of prayer are up the enemy will try to lure you outside of them and if he can't do that he'll begin to slander you and try to get you to sin so that your leadership will be discredited (See Neh. 6:2,6-9,13).  Keep in mind that the walls, which do symbolize prayer, are up at this time.  God is showing us a pattern of the enemy's strategy through this story.  The gates had not been hung yet when these things happened and these are symbolic too; God calls His gates "Praise" (Isaiah 60:18).  Praise was not yet established and set in place when these tactics of the enemy were used.  Once the project was completed Nehemiah's enemies were "disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by their God" (Nehemiah 6:16).  It is important to build the corporate wall of prayer, and we also must establish and set the gates of corporate praise as well!  We also must realize that for praise to be most effective it must be firmly connected to prayer!

10/12/2004    "Waiting For the Promise"    Topic:  Prayer & Praise

"Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."  (Luke 24:49)

"And were continually in the temple praising and blessing God."  (Luke 24:53)

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,"  (Acts 1:14)

Jesus' disciples waited in Jerusalem for the Promise as he had instructed, but how did they wait?  They continued in unified prayer, asking for what Jesus had promised (supplication) and they were continually praising and blessing (coming into agreement with and affirming) God.  This is how to wait for God's promises including the promise of power from on high, the anointing and baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Stay continually in an attitude and an atmosphere of prayer and worship and praise and unity.  Stay in agreement (one accord) with His word and promise as well as in unity and agreement with each other.  This pleases God and sets the stage for life changing and world changing power from God Himself to be released in and through you where you live.

10/13/2004    "Agree With Your Mouth"    Topic:  Praise

"And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God."  (Nehemiah 9:3)

For six hours they read aloud and heard the word of God.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word, so their faith was tremendously stirred for hours.  Then it says they "confessed" and worshiped for another six hours!  The word "confessed" here is the Hebrew "yadah" (SC, OT: 3034) which involves raising or extending the open hands.  It is often translated "praise" and also involves the mouth.

Specifically, it involves the "hand of the tongue" or the "yad" of the tongue, as Joseph Garlington would say it.  What the Jews did here was respond in verbal agreement and surrender to the words they had read for the past six hours.  As they lifted their voices and their hands they in turn lifted their hearts in surrender to the Lord.  There is truly a power in the tongue for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  When we engage our mouths in praise we are reaching out in the spirit with "hand" of our tongue and taking hold of Jesus' garment as the woman with the issue of blood did two thousand years ago.  She came with her weakness and left with the strength of healing.  So can we.

10/14/2004    "The Church Can Party"    Topic:  Enjoying God

"And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy.  The women and children also rejoiced.  The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away."  (Nehemiah 12:43)

God was doing a great work among the Jews and they were excited about it!  So what did they do?  They celebrated - not just a select few but men, women and children - and it was loud.  From far away the sound of the party was still noticed.  I see a few things here:

1.  When God is moving it's okay to get excited about it, enjoy it and have some fun.  Remember, all this noise was happening in conjunction with sacrifice!

2.  Celebrating God is meant for the whole family.  Kids don't have to grow up first.  Husbands and wives can worship God together and can worship as parents too, teaching their kids by example.  We can teach our kids to enjoy God!  This applies to spiritual fathers and mothers as well.  Our spiritual "children" are watching us to learn what is appropriate and what isn't in how we interact with God.

3.  It's okay to be loud and let the sound of joy, proclamation and thanksgiving be expressed without religious inhibition.  When was the last time our church could be heard from far away without amplified sound systems?  This means that we can worship outdoors too, not just inside the walls of our buildings.

Now, this sounds interesting and bit out of the box, doesn't it?  While it didn't happen every day it did happen!

"Lord, keep stretching me beyond my comfort zone and into the realm of freedom.  I don't want to worship in a little box."

10/16/2004    "The Fruit of Righteousness"    Topic:  Repentance/Worship

"Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the LORD,
As in the days of old,
As in former years.
And I will come near you for judgment;
I will be a swift witness
Against sorcerers,
Against adulterers,
Against perjurers,
Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,
And against those who turn away an alien-
Because they do not fear Me,"
Says the LORD of hosts.    (Malachi 3:4-5)

God comes nearer when we offer pleasant sacrifices to Him.  What makes them pleasant?  It's the fact that they come from repentant, submitted hearts.  What happens as a result?  God purges the land of sorcery, sexual immorality, perjury, exploitation of the poor, the widow and the orphan and abuse of minorities.  This is all the result of the repentant, worshiping church being who she's called to be!  What a clarification of what 2 Chronicles 7:14 means.  "Heal their land" has HUGE ramifications!

"Lord, even now let the wave of revival start to roll.  Bring massive repentance to the church, I pray, in Jesus' name!  Stir us to worship like never before."

10/22/2004    "Shake the Foundations"    Topic:  Prayer & Praise

"Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed."  (Acts 16:26)

Paul and Silas were praying and praising the Lord, offering what was pleasing to Him even in their weakness and captivity.  The end result was that their captivity was ended, people were saved and the good news of Jesus advanced in Philippi.  The scripture doesn't just say that the prison doors came open though; it says the very foundations of the prison were shaken!  The results of their glorifying the Lord was that the foundations of the stronghold in Philippi were shaken.  The power of the enemy was broken and the fruit of that was doors opening and chains falling off, not just in the natural realm but in the spiritual as well!

We must remember this and remember it well:  giving God glory and honoring Him results in breakthrough.  The fruits that result will be astonishing.  When all else looks and smells like defeat the savory aroma of worship brings victory!

10/28/2004    "Totally Soaked"    Topic:  Holy Spirit

"I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."  (Mark 1:8)

How did John baptize people?  He did it in a river which means that the people were dripping, sopping and soaking wet when they got out.  Then John says that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit.  The example he set means that we should be dripping and soaked in the Holy Spirit!  Personally, I often feel that I have been neatly sprinkled with the Spirit but not really soaked.

When John's "baptizees" touched someone after getting out of the water whoever they hugged would get wet.  I want that same soaked anointing of God on me that people get "wet" around me.  This means that I need to get dunked myself!

"Holy Spirit, dunk me!  Fill me to overflowing and let the rivers of living water flow from my life.  Anoint me with the oil of gladness and permeate me!"

10/29/2004    "Praise Pierces Wickedness"    Topic:  Praise

"He will flee from the iron weapon;
A bronze bow will pierce him through.
...This is the portion from God for a wicked man,
The heritage appointed to him by God."  (Job 20:24,29)

The wicked man will be pierced by a bronze bow.  Again, remember that God bends our praise (Judah) like a bow and that our praise is a weapon in His hands (see Psalm 149).  In application we can say that God uses our praise to pierce His enemies.  As we praise and surrender to the Lord we will see changes in our natural circumstances as a direct result of the change in the spiritual atmosphere.  The kingdom of darkness which opposes the kingdom of God will crumble as we praise Him.  Wickedness will flee!

11/1/2004    "A Few Good Men"    Topic:  Praise

"But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'"  (Luke 9:62)

If a farmer were to look backward while plowing his field, the work would be ineffective at best.  It would be very difficult to plow a straight line forward while looking in an entirely different direction!  God has revealed to us that Judah plows the ground spiritually just as the farmer does it in the natural realm - our praise turns things over that were covered before.

When we come to praise the Lord that is not the time to look back at the troubles and trials or other distractions in our lives but the time to look ahead with our eyes and heart focused on Him.  Kingdom work requires a people who will choose to do this, who will look ahead and not waiver.  It requires a people who focus on the Lord and magnify Him rather than magnifying their past or their problems by dwelling there.  God is looking for "a few good men" - and women - who will praise Him and work with their eyes on Him.

11/3/2004    "Wake Up And Pray"    Topic:  Prayer

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."  (Mark 14:38)

The flesh is weak, even when our spirits are willing and we desire to stand for God.  This is why we are to watch and pray because it is in the place of prayer and communion with our Father that our spirit-man is strengthened and can triumph over our flesh.  In that place and as a result of being in His presence our selfish desires are subdued.  From that place we can respond like Jesus did.  Remember, He went willingly to torture and to the cross after bringing His own flesh into subjection in prayer and time with His Abba.

Staying alert, purposeful and in communication with God is the way to victory.  Falling spiritually asleep is an invitation for temptation.  People do interesting things when they're surprised from sleep.  Generally, they aren't thinking very clearly which is why armies like to plan surprise attacks at night.  It's time for us to wake up and pray!

12/2/2004    "Living Sacrifice"    Topic:  Worship

"Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."  (Romans 12:1,NIV)

The NKJV says "reasonable service" instead of "spiritual act of worship."  The word for "worship" here is not proskuneo but latreia (NT: 2999) which means ministration or service to God.  "Spiritual" or "reasonable" is logikos (NT: 3050) which means rational or logical.

The basic meaning here is that our service to God is not just a head game or an emotional feeling or spiritual experience.  It is also quite physical and should translate into bodily service to God.  Our worship to Him is not just a personal, private thing but also should be visible as not just our spirits, but also our bodies serve.  This pulls worship out of the ethereal and into the natural realm.  When we are walking in the Spirit, we should see the Spirit walking in us and the fruits of the Spirit manifested in our physical, tangible lives.  Our lights will shine!

"Lord, shine through me.  May I be a worshiper who offers more than just a mental or theoretical sacrifice, but a natural, practical one as well.  I choose to live my faith which I know I can never do in my own strength.  I need You, my God, to live it through me!"

12/5/2004    "Sweet-Smelling Sacrifice"    Topic:  Worship

"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."  (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Why was Christ's offering and sacrifice sweet-smelling to the Lord?  Because His sacrifice was the fruit of obedience and the product of love.  Obedience is better than any sacrifice offered in its place.  When we walk in love we walk in Jesus' steps and God sees Himself in us.  Sweeter than any song we could ever hope to sing, more beautifully aromatic to the Lord is the sacrifice from a heart overflowing with love for Him.  When we imitate our Father it brings Him pleasure.  When He sees Himself in us, it causes the same satisfaction that any parent has in watching his child mature, develop and grow.  To watch us serve in love must make our Father smile.

"Continue to form Yourself and Your character in me, Father.  May I see You clearly that I may imitate Your ways.  I want to be like You, Abba."

12/6/2004    "Sweet-Smelling Sacrifice, Part 2"    Topic:  Worship/Giving

"Indeed, I have all and abound.  I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God."  (Philippians 4:18)

Like Mary's costly perfume, the fragrant oil, and the incense offered by the priests in the temple, so the giving of the Philippians is sweet-smelling and pleasing to God.  In Ephesians 5:2 Paul described Christ's sacrifice as a "sweet-smelling aroma."  Now he uses the same words to speak of tangible giving.

Our giving to the Lord is and act of worship when it comes from a worshiping heart.  The sacrifice of our treasure to the Lord becomes worship because where our treasure is there our hearts are found as well.  When our giving is a sacrifice from our hearts it rises to the Lord as the sweet aroma of surrendered, trusting worship.

"Lord, while I don't want to substitute money for relationship I also don't want my relationship with You to include everything but my wallet.  May my giving rise to You as sweet-smelling incense."

12/7/2004    "Vigilant and Thankful"    Topic:  Prayer/Thanksgiving

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;"  (Colossians 4:2)

Prayer is something to do continuously and earnestly (with purpose).  Paul says we must be vigilant in prayer.  This implies that without vigilance prayer may slip by the wayside, to which I can attest!  Discipline is necessary, determination critical, for prayer to happen in a "continue earnestly" fashion.  Lastly in this scripture prayer is to be filled with thanksgiving.  Why?  Because thanksgiving puts our focus on the good things we know of our Father God and the amazing things that may be troublesome in our circumstances.  This too must be done with vigilance or our prayers may turn to nothing but complaining, desperate whimpers in the dark, faithless and impotent.  Or they may turn to mindless warfaring declarations that produce no real fruit or maybe even just wish-lists for our Heavenly "Santa Claus."  Pray with thanksgiving to avoid all of this - actually, thanksgiving will naturally avoid this anyway!

12/23/2004    "Simply Loving Jesus"    Topic:  Knowing God

"Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'"  (John 14:23)

Keeping the word of Jesus is a product of love.  The end result of living and acting as Jesus instructed will happen because of a genuine loving relationship with Him.  Keeping His word apart from relationship is impossible and endlessly exhausting; Jesus Himself said is no uncertain terms, "Apart from Me you can do nothing."  Nothing!  We can't consistently keep His word without Him anyway!  The whole key here is learning to love Him.  As we do, Jesus' words to us will take on new meaning and we will begin to live them out of love and not just from religious "responsibility."  We can then expect to enjoy ever greater relationship and fellowship with God, which will in turn inspire deeper love in us.  The cycle of revelation - adoration - greater revelation/obedience continues through time and will continue beyond time itself!  What an amazing, liberating God we serve!

"Give me greater revelation of abiding in Your love, Jesus.  I know it will produce much better fruit in me than I could ever hope to produce through my own legalism or religious works."

12/26/2004    "God-Colored Glasses"    Topic:  Praise

"Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments."  (Psalm 119:164)

"Praise" here is again the Hebrew "halal", which means to boast, even to the point of being foolish and loud.  The psalmist boasts seven times a day of the Lord and His righteous judgments!  Seven times!  Just imagine what would happen to a person who is consistently boasting and bragging on God.  That person is perpetually reminded of how good and how great, how loving and how just God is.  His outlook on everything else in life will be greatly affected!  He'll be looking at the world through God-colored glasses instead of trying to process why bad things happen and being soured toward God because of them.

The major benefit again is that when we draw near to God through praise, He draws near to us with His presence.  Then all the benefits of His presence come with Him.  To boast of our God is to invite blessing and to appropriate his promises.

One more thing - this boasting is not just speaking about God but speaking to Him.  The psalmist writes here, "I praise You."  Try declaring back to the Lord who He already said He is in scripture and see if your vision throughout the day isn't just a little God-tinted!

12/29/2004    "Heavenly Praises: Part 1"    Topic:  Praise & Worship

"We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth."  (Revelation 11:17-18)

The declarations of the church in heaven are cited here.  Specifically, these are the words of the elders as they worship God on their faces.

1.  They give thanks
2.  They sing of God's power and might.
3.  They declare His eternal and endless nature.
4.  They declare His reign and justice upon wickedness.
5.  They sing of rewards for those who serve the Lord.

What a great reminder to us today.  We who would lead the church today can see here a model of what our words should be:  full of faith and declaring the good news of the eternal kingdom!  The songs of the kingdom-minded church on planet earth today should reflect the praise and expectation of the church in heaven!

"Lord, You fill my heart with thanksgiving and faith.  Thank You for letting me see a glimpse of heaven's worship."

12/30/2004    "Heavenly Praises: Part 2"    Topic:  Praise

"Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested."  (Revelation 15:3b-4)

Here is yet another song of heaven giving more example for the church on how to praise the Lord:

1.  They sing of His great and marvelous works.
2.  They again sing of His complete power.
3.  They declare His justice and truth.
4.  They proclaim Him as King.
5.  They declare that everyone will respect, awe and glorify His name (character).
6.  They sing of His holiness
7.  They proclaim that everyone will come and worship Him.
8.  They sing of His revealed judgment.

Those who sing this song are the ones who triumph over the beast.  Since we can see this triumph now as we read about it, we too can prophetically sing of these same things knowing them to be true!  What a great reminder of what to sing when we are going through trials.  We can look beyond the trial to the victory and join with the praises of heaven to declare God's greatness.  God will still be enthroned on our faith-filled praise today, just as He was in Israel and just as He is and always will be in heaven!

12/31/2004    "Heavenly Praises:  Part 3"    Topic:  Praise

"Alleluia!  Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!  For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot...  Amen!  Alleluia!"  Then a voice came from the throne, saying, 'Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!'  "Alleluia!  For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!  Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."  (Revelation 19:1-2,3,4-5,6-7)

This is the last written account of corporate worship in heaven.  We again see high praises and proclamations of God's salvation, glory, honor and power.  They declare His truth and righteousness in judgment.  The elders respond with "Amen!" meaning "Let it be, thank You!" and more praise.  Everyone then praises God again acknowledging and celebrating His All-powerfulness.  They are glad and rejoice and give Him glory.

We can look forward to this in heaven and because we see the ultimate outcome of victory and celebration we can choose to focus on God and our eternal salvation even in the midst of the worst struggles here on earth.  We can join with the elders in heaven saying, "Let it be" and choose to praise instead of complaining (which is really just wallowing in our circumstances!).  The worst of events here is only temporal but the victory to come is forever.  This is cause for celebration and is sure to confound the enemy, not to mention destroying doubt, fear and oppression, the works of the enemy!

1/1/2005    "Jump, Jive and Rejoice!"    Topic:  Rejoicing

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."  (Luke 1:46-47)

This scripture, the intro of "Mary's Song," has been turned into Christmas cantata material and other rather formal interpretations.  While I'm sure someone has done it I've never heard anyone interpret this in the lively and excited context it seems to suggest.

It is preceded by Elizabeth greeting Mary with a loud voice (which is a nice way to say she was really excited) and declaring her to be extraordinarily blessed.  John had just leaped in Elizabeth's womb and she was filled with the Spirit which was probably no formal, somber event!  Mary's response to Elizabeth's explosive enthusiasm is to say that her own soul (emotions, etc.) is magnifying - making big - the Lord, and her spirit is jumping for joy.  John had "skirtao"-ed (NT: 4640 - jumped, leaped) and Mary responded saying her insides were "agalliao"-ing (NT: 21 - jumping for joy, rejoicing).  She goes on to exclaim how good God is, verbalizing this heart-jumping-into-her-chest feeling in words of praise.

Mary and Elizabeth were real people with real emotions who got excited about God and who expressed that excitement.  Of the little we really know about Mary's personality, this stands out to me as noteworthy.  The first human to human account of the news of Jesus' birth and God's redemption plan being fleshed out caused excitement.  We stand on the other side of the cross and the resurrection and can see even more of the big picture than either Mary or Elizabeth did at the time.  These women of God weren't stoic or starchy.  I shouldn't be either!

1/2/2005    "Big Cheer"    Topic:  Joy

"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.'"  (Luke 2:10)

The angel of God brought this message:  Do not be afraid.  I bring good news of BIG CHEER  (Strongs, NT: 3173, NT: 5479).  He had just scared the shepherds he spoke to  and had to reassure them before he could bring on the real message.  What was the message?  The Savior is born and this will not only bring joy, but great joy, superlative joy, BIG CHEER.  Believers in Jesus should be the happiest, most excited people on the planet because we have the best news of the best love and the best hope on the planet!

There is much fear today on planet earth and much for those who do not know Jesus to fear.  The message of the angel should ring clear to all who believe though:  "Do not be afraid."  We are free from fear because Jesus has paid our debt and set us free.  We are no longer slaves to that fear that holds so much of the world in darkness.  God's perfect love casts out all fear so that we can truly have great joy.  God's plan for us (and for me) is to be extraordinarily, remarkably happy!

"Jesus, I pray that great joy would shine through me and on my face, in my words, and in my actions this year.  May this year be a year of BIG CHEER in my life!"

1/3/2005    "Soothing Aroma"    Topic:  Worship

"And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma.  Then the LORD said in His heart, 'I will never again curse the ground for man's sake...'"  (Genesis 8:21)

The fragrance of Noah's burnt offerings was a pleasant and delightful aroma to the Lord.  When God inhaled the scent through His nose he smelled obedience, loyalty and love.  (This "soothing aroma" surely reminded Him of Abel's earlier sacrifice as well as the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus thousands of years later, two other sacrifices of love.)  The smoke carried the savor of the meat on the wind where it ministered to the Lord.

The result of this acceptable sacrifice was that God lifted His curse that He had spoken over the land and had enacted at the fall of man (Gen. 3:17-19).  Noah's sacrifice to the Lord moved the heart of God to lift this curse making greater blessing available not only for himself but for the generations that would follow him.

Ephesians 5:2 says Jesus was an offering to God for us, a sweet-smelling aroma.  God now blesses us in Jesus, and in Him we are free from the curse that came through sin.  We can now offer the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving and the sweet-smelling incense of our worshipful prayers to the Lord.  These sacrifices of obedience, loyalty and love are still a soothing aroma to our Father.  What blessing will be released in our lives, in our cities and nations today?

1/7/2005    "Dirty Worship"    Topic:  Worship

"And behold, a woman ... brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil."  (Luke 7:37-38)

This story is accurately used to speak of worship and the fragrant aroma of a life poured out in loving sacrifice to the Lord.  Yet I think we often use it to refer to times of private prayer and devotion to the Lord when it includes much more than that.  What this woman did was to assume the lowest, most menial task of a household which she wasn't even a part.  Yes, she brought her fragrant oil (symbolizing worship) but it is the context in which she worshiped that is outstanding to me today:  she served Jesus by doing a dirty, degrading, unglamorous thing.  She washed His dusty, dirty feet.

When was the last time you washed a friend's shoes or hugged someone who smelled of week-old body odor or spent your wealth on "unprofitable" ministry?  Worship - real worship - involves serving Jesus as a waiter would do for those at his table.  Whatever the task of the moment, it is to be done well and done promptly.  Worship is more than a song or a body posture; it may be feeding the hungry or healing the sick.  Worship is ministering to Jesus in whatever way He desires.  Maybe even before he asks.

1/17/2005    "'Arrogant' Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;"  (Psalm 5:5a)

Boastful here is the Hebrew word halal (Strongs, OT: 1984).  This is the same word translated "praise" in many other places.  Obviously, God will not condemn people for boasting in Him, but when they begin to arrogantly boast in wickedness judgment is to be expected.  What stands out to me today is that the same word for praising and boasting of God also conveys arrogance.  This kind of praise truly relates a Biblical faith that considers satan to be under our feet as we are seated in heavenly places.  This kind of praise is closely related to the faith that boldly moves mountains and expects the "impossible" to be done in Jesus' name. 

I'm reminded of the aristocratic orders of royalty; there is no question in their minds that their orders will be carried out.  I believe we need to praise God with boastful "halals" in our churches today, declaring His word with that same expectancy.  We need to write music that declares His truth and our identities and authority in Him.  All God's promises are "yes" and "amen" in Jesus so we have every right to fill our mouths with faith-filled words of expectation!

1/19/2005    "Well-grounded Praise"    Topic:  Praise

"Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow."  (Genesis 48:22)

Jacob took territory from the hand of his enemies with his sword and his bow.  This scripture represents naturally what we are to do spiritually.  The sword represents the Word of God while the bow represents our praise in surrender to God.  These two weapons - the Word and praise - are two powerful tools in our hands to secure what God has promised to us.

Praise encompasses prayer, thanksgiving, boasting of God's greatness and His character and prophetic declaration of His plans and purposes.  The word is the revealed truth of God upon which we base our lives.  His promises are there.  His character is shown there.  His plan for living an effective, fruitful life is there.

Today we do not fight with natural weapons but spiritual ones.  We can still take ground with these weapons which are mighty for tearing down strongholds.  Our children can then lay claim to what we have obtained.

"Lord, give me victory through claiming Your word in praise.  May my children be able to walk in the land You give to me.  Let the next generation stand on my shoulders."

1/29/2005    "How To Worship A Little Closer"    Topic:  Worship

"Now He said to Moses, 'Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.' ...and they saw the God of Israel.  And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. ...Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and the commandments which I have written, that you may teach them."  (Exodus 24:1,10,12)

It is possible to experience external, supernatural, memorable moments in worship and still be worshiping from afar.  The elders of Israel saw God Himself appear to them yet they were worshiping from afar.  Moses alone was invited by God to come near.

What happened when Moses came near to the Lord?  God gave him His plans and His written instructions on how to live life.  God's law was given to Moses.  Like David, God's law was lovely to Moses and Moses frequently came near to the presence of the Lord.  I believe that this is a key to coming near to God and to intimacy with Him.  We cannot come near to the Father apart from Jesus, who is the Word.  If we who are saved are still living in rebellion to the words of Jesus, there is much intimacy and revelation that we will never know!  If we seek His face and live according to His word, we will experience much more than we could ever have hoped!

1/30/2005    "Most Holy Place"    Topic:  Worship

"You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen.  It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim. ... The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy."  (Exodus 26:31,33)

This veil symbolized both worship and prayer, most specifically, adoration of God.  All the study and theological knowledge of the priests could not get them into the Most Holy Place.  Only passage through this veil could bring them there.  The same is true for us today.  All of our books, tapes, movies and messages can at best tell us only how to come into God's presence.  It is only when we worship the Lord ourselves that we can enter into the very throne room of heaven and then beyond into the secret place.

My own writing does not truly bring me in.  It is when my eyes look to Jesus and my heart turns to Him in thanksgiving, adoration and worship that I enter in.  Even prayer, when it is only petition and not full of blessing and worshipful love, will not bring me into the Most Holy Place.  The very presence of God is tangibly available to those who come in submitted worship to Him!

1/31/2005    "God With Us"    Topic:  Knowing God

"And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them.  I am the LORD their God."  (Exodus 29:46)

Just as God wanted to dwell among his people thousands of years ago He wants to dwell among us today.  He never intended to live separate from us and provided Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice so we could be with Him.  God still brings us out of "Egypt" and our sinful, idolatrous life of slavery, not just so we can become mindless robotic slaves but so that we can have relationship with Him.  When we have genuine fellowship with Jesus we will then voluntarily make ourselves lifelong bondservants to Him anyway, not because we have to but because we want to!

I truly believe that the reason many Christians struggle so much is that they have not been spending time with God.  They try to make themselves bondservants of a set of rules instead of to a person - Jesus.  The law was an unbearable yoke to the Jewish people and is still the same today.  Jesus is the fulfillment of that law.  When we spend time in His presence we'll find that we walk very much in His footsteps.

2/1/2005    "Power and Love: Part 1"    Topic:  Holy Spirit

"And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.  For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.  And there was great joy in the city."  (Acts 8:6-8)

The anointing, authority and power of the Holy Spirit was upon Philip.  Because of this signs and miracles accompanied him.  Demons left with loud cries and people who couldn't move or walk were healed.  This got the attention of the whole city!  They heeded Philip's words because of the power that accompanied him.  He took time to deliver the oppressed and to heal the sick, not just preach.  To me, this is notable since an apostle would later write, "they will know us by our love."  Philip cared enough to meet the needs of hurting, lacking people.  God honored that and supernaturally healed them and set them free!

When we combine love and the power of God people are ready to listen to our words.  Then repentance will follow along with salvation.

2/2/2005    "Power and Love: Part 2"    Topic:  God's Presence

"Then he said to Him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.  For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?'"  (Exodus 33:15-16)

It is the Presence of God that distinguishes us from the rest of the world and makes it known that we have found grace in His sight.  They will know us by our love for one another, but they will know we have God's favor by His Presence with us.  That means His Presence is somehow perceivable to the human senses, not just an ethereal idea.

We must cultivate an atmosphere where the Presence of God is welcomed, expected and honored.  In all of our programs, ministries and missions it is possible to get so caught up with schedules, events, needs and time-tables that God's Presence is little more than an afterthought or a passing prayer.  Maybe this is why so many ministries have very little fruit!  We cannot bear fruit apart from Him.

"Lord, I ask for and welcome Your Presence tangibly into my life today.  May Your grace be apparent in me and through me."

2/5/2005    "The Presence"    Topic:  Abiding

"And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung up the veil of the covering, and partitioned off the ark of the Testimony, as the LORD had commanded Moses."  (Exodus 40:21)  See also Psalm 115.

Once the tent structure was set up, the very first thing to be placed in the tabernacle of Moses was the ark of the covenant, representing the Presence of God Himself.  Without this the rest of the structure was futile and meaningless.  All the sacrifice in the world would never have atoned for sin!  It was the sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat of the ark (Lev. 16:14-15) that sealed the deal.

In Psalm 115 David poses the question, "LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?"  He then goes on to list the righteous requirements to do so.  It is an admirable list, yet an impossible one!  No man in his own strength could consistently fulfill it.  With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!  It is the very Presence of God living in us through Jesus Christ that enables us to live above and beyond our own strength.  Without His Presence, all our righteousness and good works would amount to nothing, but because of His Presence we can now come boldly into the throne room of God and beyond into His inner chambers.  From that place it is possible to walk in true holiness and to shine brightly in the world.

2/6/2005    "Ministering to the Lord: Part 2"    Topic:  Worship & Fasting

"As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said,"... (Acts 13:2a)

The New Covenant sacrifices we offer to the Lord are praise and thanksgiving.  When we worship Him and pray to Him it should include these things.  We can conclude then that the prophets and teachers in Antioch were spending time worshiping, praying and fasting.  In that atmosphere the Holy Spirit spoke and gave instruction.

It is still important today for those who prophesy and/or teach to spend time in prayer, worship, praise and fasting.  Yes, we need to be spending time studying the scriptures and meditating on the word, but we must also spend time meditating on and ministering to The Word, to Jesus.  We must spend time in fellowship with the Holy Spirit and resting in the arms of our Father in heaven.  In this place we can expect to receive instruction for our lives, families and ministries.  Paul was sent out as a result of this and we may be influential in releasing modern day "Pauls" too.  We owe it to the Bride of Christ to spend time with our God.

"Holy Spirit, thank You that You listen and speak in the place of worship and fasting.  Speak to me."

2/14/2005    "Beautiful Branches"    Topic:  Rejoicing

"And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days."  (Leviticus 23:40)

How would you rejoice with branches in your hands?  My best guess would be to wave them around.  God specifically instructed His people to rejoice (OT: 8055) for seven days and to use branches - specifically, beautiful ones - to do so.  Apparently, God is involving Himself in the visual aspect of praise and celebration among His people.

Since the scriptures are meant to teach us today, we may conclude that God likes it when we involve beautiful visual display in our celebration of Him today.  So, when was the last time you rejoiced before the Lord with waving beauty in your hands?  Just a thought... there may be an appropriate time for using banners in our praise.

2/15/2005    "Lift It Up"    Topic:  The Soul

"To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;"  (Psalm 25:1-3)

The soul encompasses the mind, will and emotions.  David brings it all to the Lord.  First, he declares his trust in the Lord which involves his will.  One must choose to trust.  Secondly, David lifts his emotions to the Lord.  "Let me not be ashamed" is his cry.  By the middle of the Psalm (vs. 12-15) David is declaring who God is, renewing his mind and reminding himself of who God is.  His mind and intellect are now lifted up.

This is what we are to do as well.  We are to lift up our whole soul - mind, will and emotions - to the Lord, not holding back any part of ourselves.

2/17/2005    "Who Can Fight?"    Topic:  Worship Warfare

"Take a census of all the congregation of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above - all who are able to go to war in Israel."  (Numbers 1:2-3)

When Moses and Aaron numbered Israel they numbered all who could go to war.  Today this would require numbering every believer from the youngest to the oldest, male and female.  Since our battle now is not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities in the spiritual realm the tactics are totally different and the skills required can be developed by everyone.

Our weapons today are prayer, praise, worship and prophetic declaration, standing firmly on the word of God and led by His Spirit.  "Out of the mouths of babes and infants You have ordained (established) strength."  Psalm 149 says that the honor of waging battle through praise is the honor of "all" the saints.  That means all of us are numbered in God's army today.

"Lord, help me to teach my children to go to war in the Spirit.  Establish Your kingdom through their mouths."

2/19/2005    "Conceivability"    Topic:  Fruit

"But if the woman has not defiled herself, and is clean, then she shall be free and may conceive children."  (Numbers 5:28)

The consequence of infidelity in marriage during the time of the Mosaic Covenant was an inability to bear children, or in other words, the inability to bear fruit - barrenness.  The "bride" was struck with infertility.  This is the "fruit" of sin.

God declares that idolatry (serving another master beside God) is spiritual adultery; both are sin.  Sin separates us from God and apart from God we can do nothing.  This leaves us spiritually barren.  His will though is that we bear much fruit!

Those who are faithful to the Lord are "free and may conceive."  This does not mean that they will though.  Intimacy still must occur for "fruit" to result.  Fruit doesn't just happen; it is conceived!  I wonder how many Christians have been faithful to the Lord but haven't been intimate with Him.  How many are completely able to bear spiritual fruit but live as if they were barren?  Too many.

2/20/2005    "On the Shoulders of Men"    Topic:  God's Presence

"But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because theirs was the service of the holy things, which they carried on their shoulders."  (Numbers 7:9)

The holy things had to be carried on the shoulders of men; no cart would do.  No oxen could do what was meant for men.  Numbers 4:4-15 lists the items that the sons of Kohath would carry:  the ark and the veil, the table of shewbread along with its dishes, pans, bowls, pitchers and the shewbread itself, the lampstand with its lamps, wicktrimmers, trays and oil vessels, the golden altar and its accessories.

No man-made system or invention can replace man himself.  Nothing but the actual prayers, worship and continual fostering of the presence of God will do.  Not only must His presence be carried by men but the means of approaching His presence must also be carried on their shoulders.  While God may use a song to help others worship Him, it is through a human vessel that the song must be delivered.  While God loves prayer, it is because it rises from the hearts of men.  No system itself can do the job for you.  You must approach God yourself.

2/22/2005    "Joyful Shouts"    Topic:  Joy

"And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD."  (Psalm 27:6)

The margin in my Bible says "shouts of joy" or "joyous shouts" are to be offered.  David's tabernacle was most definitely a lively place!  Why?  There was an understanding that the enemies of God lose.  David said, "my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me."  Immediately preceding, he says, "He shall set me high upon a rock."  Our rock is Jesus.  When we are planted firmly on Jesus we are above everything that surrounds us.  This is the premise for the "therefore" that follows with sacrifices of joy (joyful shouts).

Obviously, while David didn't know who Jesus was, he did know the Word and John 1 tells us that Jesus is the Word.  We can stand on God's Word too which is a firm foundation.  Ultimately, the combination of relationship with Jesus and knowing His Word through the revelation of the Holy Spirit should lead to amazing joy!

2/24/2005    "Pride, Power And Promotion"    Topic:  Unauthorized Fire

"Do this:  Take censors, Korah and all your company; put fire in them and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the LORD chooses is the holy one.  You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!"  (Numbers 16:6)

"And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense."  (Numbers 16:35)

The sons of Korah took too much upon themselves.  They tried to take position for themselves, struggled for promotion and all this so they could be the ones to offer incense as priests.  They wanted the power and the prestige.  They wanted the glory.  They died in their sin that very day.

They wanted to be the ones to be recognized for their ministry.  They were jealous of those whom God was blessing and craved it for themselves - not for the presence of God, but out of greed, envy and pride!  Well, when greed, envy and pride are exposed to the fire of God, they are destroyed.  We must take heed that we desire to minister to the Lord, not just to minister before the people.  If we get this backwards we'll find ourselves craving position and power.  We may get some temporarily, but not with God's blessing.

3/25/2005    "Praising Faith"    Topic:  Praise

"Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
For the LORD Most High is awesome;
He is a great King over all the earth.
He will subdue the people under us,
And the nations under our feet.
He will choose our inheritance for us,
The excellence of Jacob whom He loves.  Selah

God has gone up with a shout,
The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding."  (Psalm 47:1-7)

Clap and shout with triumph because our God is truly awesome, he is the subduing King, and he has an inheritance for us!  Sing praises for our King is the King over all the earth!  We need to sing with this understanding.  It will change the way we sing, the way we praise and the way we think.  Even on a bad day when our circumstances are less than wonderful we can choose to put our eyes on Jesus and lift a victory shout of praising faith!

3/28/2005    "Song of the Shepherd"    Topic:  Song

"Why did you sit among the sheepfolds,
To hear the pipings for the flocks?"  (Judges 5:16)

Apparently, the playing of flutes was used by the Israelites in relation to their flocks of sheep.  The scripture here says it was for the sheep, so it was more than something to pass the time.  The music of the pipes would have had a soothing effect on the sheep, I imagine.  Perhaps the sheep even recognized the particular song or playing style of their shepherd.  At any rate the music had some effect on the sheep.

Music has an effect on the "sheep" in the fold of the church today as well.  We are referred to as sheep multiple times through scripture and we are told repeatedly to sing in both the Old Covenant and the New.  The song that the shepherds sing and play over the sheep will affect them.  We would do well to play the same song as the Good Shepherd, Jesus.  Our pipings should be grace-filled songs that enfold the sheep in relationship with a loving Heavenly Father.  What are you piping over the sheep?

5/2/2005    "Praising in Faith"    Topic:  Faith and Praise

"Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.
They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,"  (Psalm 106:12-13)

Israel had a problem that many even in the church have today:  they knew how to sing praise to God in thanksgiving after seeing Him move, but they had little faith that He would move again.  They had not learned to consistently praise God as an act of faith.  Occasionally they did and the results were wonderful.

The issue in verse 12 was that they believed His words only after seeing the entire Egyptian army destroyed by the Red Sea.  They gave thanks and praised God with singing and dancing.  By the next time they faced a challenge they all but forgot how God had supernaturally provided for them during the last challenge.

We would do well to trust in the Lord and believe His promises to us before we see the results!  This is what faith is - the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  Those who believe God's word and His promises before they see them come to pass are blessed!  That's what Jesus told Thomas when he was weak in his faith.

6/30/2005    "Commanding My Soul"    Topic:  Praise

"Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Praise the LORD!"  (Psalm 104:35)

The psalmist speaks to himself at the end of this psalm and commands his own soul to bless ("barak") and to praise ("halal") Yahweh.  In Hebrew, he actually calls out "Hallelujah!" to himself, which means "you praise the Lord."  Bringing his soul into allignment wasn't something that the psalmist was waiting to happen to him but something that would happen through him.  He commands himself to praise!  He commands himself to boast of God!  He commands himself to bow his own emotions, will and mind before God!

This reminds me of the New Testament instruction to "build yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Spirit."  We can also build ourselves up by speaking the Word to ourselves and encouraging ourselves to do what it says.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul!  Praise Him and boast of Him today!  Forget not all His benefits!  Remember His promises to you!"

9/3/2005    "From Praise To Understanding"    Topic:  Praise

"The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do [His commandments]."  (Psalm 111:10)

Those who fear the Lord have understanding (OT: 7922 - intelligence; by implication success).  I'm thinking of all the instructions God has given on how He likes to be worshiped and praised.  I wonder how much of our teaching on worship, on healing, on God's character and many other topics would change if we actually chose to fear (awe, respect and obey) Him in this area.
    1.  We know that when we draw near to Him, God draws near to us.
    2.  We know He is enthroned on the praises of His people.
    3.  When He comes near we are changed in His presence.

I suspect that if we were to  respond in faith to His word regarding worship we would see great breakthrough in our churches.  God uses what to us seem to be simple things to confound the "wise" - simple things like dancing, lifting of hands, singing and playing music, kneeling - physical actions that release powerful spiritual results!  Those results might affect our theology and interpretation of God's Word as we see it through the eyes of understanding.

9/9/2005    "Captive Judah"    Topic:  Praise

"Judah has gone into captivity,
Under affliction and hard servitude;"  (Lamentations 1:3)

"The joy of our heart has ceased;
Our dance has turned into mourning.
The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us for we have sinned!"  (Lamentations 5:15-16)

Judah, the people and nation of praise, ceased to be a people who served and praised the Lord.  The result was that God removed His hand of blessing from them and allowed their enemies to triumph over them.  The people who were meant to be the head were now the tail.  The result of their idolatry was mourning instead of dancing, affliction and servitude instead of a crown, woe instead of joy.

We are meant to be a people of praise, a people who are God's mouthpiece  to the nations.  Let us be the people of Judah and be a people of praise and surrender to the Lord, not just a mocking shadow of the glorious bride we are intended to be!

1/3/2006    "Soothing Aroma:  Part 2"    Topic:  Praise

"Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma.  Then the LORD said in his heart, 'I will never again curse the ground for man's sake ... nor will I destroy every living thing as I have done' ... So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them:  'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.'"  (Genesis 8:20-21; 9:1)

The soothing aroma of thanksgiving-filled sacrifice moves the heart of God.  Following Noah's sacrifice, God did two things:
    1.  He made a vow.  "Never again will I curse the ground ... nor destroy every living thing..."
    2.  He spoke a blessing.  God spoke unbreakable, unchangeable blessing into the course of human history.  In the New Testament we are exhorted to offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.  What do you think the result of these will be today?  We will walk into the blessing and unchangeable nature of God!

"Thank You, Jesus, for saving me, filling me with Your Holy Spirit, bringing me to my Father and changing my life!  I praise You today!  Thank You for reminding me again through Noah of Your nature - You are a releaser of blessing!"

Clark Fork City Church, 2811 Latimer, Missoula MT 59808 Phone (406) 721-7804 Fax (406) 721-7809 Email: clarkfork@cfccmt.org
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