I think a lot of times we can talk about the things of God but not really be talking about Him?
Let that sink in…

Peace and Love

Quotes I took away…

“how do we pass on the biblical values of worship when we dont even sing in the same room with each other.”

“we have given musical styles more power to divide us than we have given the gospel power to unite us..”

-Bob Kauflin

www.worshipmatters.com

26And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
27And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

Then:

34Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

The Father who knows our hearts knows where our weakness lies but, Christ is sitting at the right hand of The Father pleading for us, our Spirit is pleading for us and praying for us. God in His perfect nature knew how weak we would be and in that our support comes from Him in the form of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. So many times I feel like I fall short or I don’t know what to pray for. I am so focused on my situation that I don’t see God’s hands working it out for me when I am to weak to. This very thought gives me hope and encouragement.

I found it at worshipmatters.com which is a great resource for Christians wanting to grow in there faith it was written by Bob Kauflin… Hope this helps…

Grace and Peace

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After the Together for the Gospel conference, I received a lengthy e-mail from a worship pastor in attendance who shared a current dilemma his pastoral team is facing. They have been “wrestling with how to best be obedient to Scripture in our corporate worship through song.” His church contains people who are “naturally NOT very expressive AT ALL” during that time. So he asks:

“Exactly how, and how much should we encourage our people to follow the numerous commands throughout Scripture of bodily expression (as a natural outpouring of the heart)?

First, I want to thank this pastor and his team for their humility in seeking to wrestle through this issue from a biblical perspective. His background and training have minimized physical expression, but he is realizing that although bodily expression in worship is not the MAIN issue, it can reflect an inward reality.

Responses to this question range from sober reverence – “do what you’d do in the presence of royalty” – to complete freedom – “do whatever God commands in Scripture.” I think the answer is a little more nuanced than either of these extremes suggest. For that reason, I want to take a few posts to answer this question.

Here are my recommendations for how to lead your church into biblical physical expression. (I adapted these four points from Mark Alderton, a pastor in one of the Sovereign Grace Churches in Minnesota.)

1. Teach on the appropriateness of physical expression in worshipping God.

Worship of God was never meant to be mere intellectual engagement with biblical truths. Nor is it limited to an inner emotional response. God created our bodies to glorify him (1 Cor. 6:20). We aren’t pursuing a Gnostic spirituality that downplays or negates the importance of the body in true spirituality (Rom. 12:1; Phil. 1:20). God commands us to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That certainly includes the bodies he’s given us.

Many of the words that we translate as “worship” in both Greek and Hebrew contain the idea of bodily movement. The two most prominent words – histahawah in the Old Testament, and proskynein in the Greek – connote the idea of bending over at the waist or bowing down as an expression of homage. In addition, physical expression is both commanded and spontaneously modeled in Scripture as a way of giving God glory. (Ex. 12:27; Job 1:20; Ps. 47:1; Ps. 95:6). Those expressions include clapping, singing, bowing, kneeling, lifting hands, shouting, playing instruments, dancing, and standing in awe (Ps. 47:1; Eph. 5:19; Ps. 95:6; Ps. 134:2; Ps. 33:1; Rev. 15:2; Ps. 149:3; Ps. 22:23).

Some have pointed out that the New Testament contains few references to physical expression other than kneeling, singing, and lifting hands (although this last one isn’t emphasized too often). However, it’s not readily apparent that the bodily responses commanded in the Old Testament have been superseded or fulfilled in Christ’s high priestly work, or that we now obey them only in a “spiritualized” manner. (“I’m shouting in my heart.”) Rather, we need to seek to apply these Scriptures in a way that truly honors God and edifies the church.

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Last Friday I started to answer this question from a pastor:

“Exactly how, and how much should we encourage our people to follow the numerous commands throughout Scripture of bodily expression (as a natural outpouring of the heart)?”

I began by saying we must teach our people that physical expression is appropriate in biblical worship. We aren’t disembodied spirits. God intends that we use our whole beings to bring him praise (Ps. 16:9). But how and how much? We don’t simply tell people to “sing like they mean it,” or “jump higher for Jesus,” although in my early zeal to see God honored I crossed that line a few times. Commanding a physical response can produce artificial affection and actually end up being dishonoring to God. Nevertheless, it’s clear from Scripture God expects us to use our bodies to glorify Him both in corporate worship and in all of life. He is infinitely glorious, desirable, good, and worthy of our strongest and purest affections.

Here’s the second thing I’d do:

2. Teach that physical expression should flow from a heart that desires to bring God glory, and that outward expressions are no sign one way or the other that someone is offering God acceptable worship.

God strongly rebukes those who think physical expression makes up for an idolatrous heart or disobedient life. Moving our church into greater physical expressivness that’s not rooted in a clear view of God’s glory will hinder, not help, true worship.

One of the actions that supposedly signifies spirituality is lifting hands. Lifting hands can express a wide range of emotions and attitudes – dependence, gratefulness, expectation, reverence, or celebration. However, God condemned both the actions and motives of the Israelites through His prophet Isaiah.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. (Is. 1:15)

The hands we lift to worship God should be holy hands (1 Tim. 2:8), made so through our humble trust in the atoning work of the Savior.

In our culture singing has become almost synonymous with worship. But God turns a deaf ear to singing that isn’t accompanied by righteous living.

“Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:23-24)

I’ve known more than one person who was exuberant in corporate worship who lived in unrepentant sin. I’ve also known people who exhibit little physical expression on Sundays but have a thorough knowledge of Scripture, an exemplary life, and a profound love for the Savior. We never prove our devotion to God by external acts alone. God looks upon the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

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I’ve been talking about how to help a church grow in physical expression that draws attention to the greatness of God’s glory in Christ. After teaching on the appropriateness of that expression in worshipping God and the importance of the heart, I’d move on to:

3. Address the different reasons people might be reserved in their expression and teach on preferring others.

Some Christians are simply unaware of what the Bible teaches about physical responses to God. They don’t know that Scripture is filled with examples of exuberant, passionate worship (Psalm 150; Neh. 8:6; Rev. 5:11-14). Perhaps they’ve grown up in a church environment that elevated certain types of expressions and ignored others. Often simply understanding what the Bible says will bring about a greater freedom in expression.

Others restrict their responses to God because they’re afraid of what others might think. They wonder if their image as a “respectable” Christian will be tarnished. They’re concerned that people might think they’re pursuing emotionalism. The Bible calls this the fear of man (Prov. 29:25). Our responses to God are based on His worthiness, not some image or reputation we may be trying to protect.

Some think it’s hypocrisy to express honor towards God physically when they don’t feel anything in their hearts. On the contrary, it’s only hypocritical when we act a certain way to give others a false impression of our spirituality. A better response is to acknowledge our lack of desire for God as evidence of our innate sinfulness, and to begin to fill our minds with truths about His kindness, mercy, holiness, grace, and goodness, especially expressed to us in the Gospel. We then act in faith, trusting that God will give us a greater passion for Him.

Another reason our physical actions to God are tempered is theological presuppositions. I have good friends I respect deeply who love God passionately, know the Bible much better than I do, and are more reserved in their physical expressiveness. They believe our worship is to be characterized by an attitude of reverence and awe (Heb. 12:28), soberness and solemnity. It’s true that reverence and awe are essential to biblical worship, but can’t bowing down or lifting hands be a sign of that as well? Also, it’s impossible to ignore the multitude of examples and commands in Scripture that emphasize celebration, passion, delight, and exuberance, all reflected through our bodies. The question to ask ourselves is this: Is there any physical expression of worship that God has given us in Scripture that I’ve never displayed? If so, why?

Finally, some think that worship is a matter of the heart, not the body. Actually, both are crucial. If I told my wife that I loved her in my heart, but never demonstrated it through physical actions, I doubt that she would believe me. We wouldn’t have much of a marriage either.

In every church there will be varying degrees of physical expressiveness. While the focus of our bodily expression is God Himself, we are called in love to do what is edifying to others (1 Cor. 14:12; 13:1-8). That means I don’t break into loud shouting and enthusiastic dancing just because I feel like it. I want people to see the glory and greatness of God, not my physical displays. I also don’t assume that those who are physically expressive are seeking attention, hypocritical, or insensitive to others. Perhaps God wants me to learn from their unhindered and sincere expressiveness.

Our focus should be exalting God in a way that magnifies both His infinite holiness and His unfathomable grace which has brought us near to Him through Jesus Christ. Our culture, personality, or background doesn’t ultimately determine what that looks like – God does. May our churches be filled with the kind of truth and expression that most clearly communicates to others the value of the One we worship.

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4. Preach and sing the Word, works, and worth of God, centered on the Gospel, to raise the affections of people for God.

This might have made a better first point. We don’t help people grow in God-glorifying expressiveness simply by explaining it or telling them to lift their hands. Teaching and encouragement may be necessary at times, but directing people’s gaze toward God’s glory in Christ is our ultimate motivation and goal.

Our bodies naturally reflect what affects us. I cringe when a glass of milk is about to be knocked over; I open my arms wide as my daughter runs to greet me; I jump up from the couch with my hands upraised when my team scores the winning goal; I gratefully applaud unselfish acts of service; I cry when a friend’s child dies. Is the church the only place where our bodies can’t express what our minds are comprehending and our hearts are feeling?

So our goal must be to help people hear, see, and understand the right things. What does this look like? As we sing “No power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from his hand,” some might raise their hands to thank God that His plans to save us can not be thwarted. As we sing, “My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part but the whole, has been nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,” some might kneel in grateful adoration that ALL their sins have been paid for. After singing, “Crown Him ye kings with many crowns for He is King of all!” we might hear joyful acclamations of praise to the omnipotent, sovereign, reigning Savior.

Even when my heart isn’t affected by what I’m singing, expressing my devotion to God bodily can stir up affection in my heart. I raise my hands because God IS worthy to be exalted. I kneel because I AM completely dependent on God for mercy, sustenance, and wisdom. My feet move for joy because my greatest problem – my sin against the holy God – has been solved through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Of course, at the end of the day, I’d rather be sitting in the midst of a quiet congregation that is singing rich, doctrinal truths than be jumping around with a lively congregation that is belting out shallow, man-centered songs. But why not pursue both? God doesn’t intend for us to have to choose. We can experience theological depth AND passionate expression.

Our physical expression should help people see the greatness of God’s glory in Christ. It may feel uncomfortable at times. We may find ourselves on our knees, broken over our sin, while others sing on, seemingly unaffected. It will mean we have to make every effort to engage with GOD, and not simply our emotions. It will certainly mean that we’ll never think any physical expression is adequate to fully express our amazement at God’s mercy in drawing us to Himself through the Savior. It will look different at different times, in different churches, and in different cultures. But there’s no question that we have to help those in our congregations understand that God is worthy of our deepest, strongest, and purest affections. And that our bodies should show it.

My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!
Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. (Ps. 108:1-4)

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In response to the series I did on physical expressiveness in corporate worship, I received a follow-up question from the gentleman who originally asked the question. It was pretty extensive, but this was his closing query:

Bottom, Bottom, Lowest of Bottom Lines: Am I exegetically, theologically, homiletically accurate when I say, “God COMMANDS us to CLAP our hands!”? Or should it be softened to “God ENCOURAGES us to express our love and worship to Him using our bodies?” And then let people do what they’re comfortable with.

Great question. And I want to commend him for seeking to pinpoint as clearly as possible what God tells us in His Word and what He doesn’t tell us.

In a set of unpublished notes from a course he has taught, Iain Duguid suggests that three possibilities exist when we are dealing with commands for corporate worship from the Old Testament.

1. It’s a command that points forward to fulfillment in Jesus, so it no longer applies. Animal sacrifices would be the most obvious example.
2. It’s a command that applies enduringly and universally to all of God’s people and should be obeyed. For instance we are never to worship idols nor worship God in a merely external manner.
3. It’s a command that reflects cultural and local practices given to ethnic Israel, which do not govern us directly but merely in “their general equity.”

It would be a stretch to say that lifting hands, shouting, or dancing, for instance, has been fulfilled in Jesus. But does that mean they are commands that are always to be obeyed when we gather to exalt God? That would be a hard case to make as well. I know I used to think that if I wasn’t jumping up and down at some point my worship of God was insincere or somehow inadequate. But, if that’s true, does that mean senior saints, those who are paralyzed, and uncoordinated people are in sin? No.

So that leaves us with the third category – culturally related commands that need to be applied in our specific context. However, I think we can do better than simply tell people, “Interpret these Scriptural commands for physical expressiveness in way you feel comfortable with.” That doesn’t address those who don’t show physical expression in worship due to laziness, selfishness, fear of man, or other idolatries. It also doesn’t acknowledge that many different “cultures” may exist in our culture, and that the church in many ways is called to be counter-cultural.

This is an example of the danger of looking for specific rules and commands to follow in gathered worship to make sure we’re doing everything “right.” We too easily justify ourselves before God by what we do or don’t do, and end up missing the weightier issue of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Rather than arguing whether a specific command applies to us at this specific moment, it’s better to ask, “Do our minds, hearts, and bodies reflect the overall biblical case for how we are to respond to God?”

Clearly, in both Old and New Testaments, God expects our bodies to reflect our heart’s desire to exalt his name and glory when we meet together. He gives us various ways that please him, one of the most prominent being singing. However shouting, dancing, lifting hands, bowing, kneeling are also physical expressions that can honor God when done from the heart in faith.

So, to someone who insisted that God doesn’t “command” us to clap our hands so therefore we don’t have to do it, I would ask the following questions:

1. Assuming that God want us to exalt Him with our bodies, what physical expressions of praise in Scripture do you think ARE appropriate in corporate worship? How do you distinguish between what’s appropriate and what’s not?
2. Do you think that all forms of physical expressiveness are natural, or that they can be learned?
3. Is there a possibility that your resistance to physical expression is more rooted in laziness, lack of understanding, or a craving for people’s respect? How do you know?
4. Is singing appropriate for worshipping God? If so, why not shouting? (Ps. 71:23; 81:1)
5. Are there any physical expressions of worship modeled or commanded in the Bible that you’ve never engaged in? If so, why not?

I’m sure there are other questions that could be asked. Maybe you can suggest some. But I think these questions would be enough to get a meaningful conversation going, resulting in the individual examining his or heart more thoroughly to see where they might seek to exalt our Savior more sincerely, wholeheartedly, and passionately – which should be the main focus from start to finish.

I say I love God but how do I treat Him?

Also how do I treat the people that God loves? Because if God loves them and I love God than ultimately I should love them as well right?

Faithfully Daniel showed God’s love by being bold by pursing God even when it was forbidden , even when it could have cost him his life. Because of his love for God ,God rescued him from death on serveal occasions.

See God not only says He loves us He shows it in His divine actions. From the breath you breathe at this moment to the death of His son on the cross..

Change doesn’t come from our words it comes from our hearts and if that is where Christ is living in your life then your words and actions should be an overflow of His love back to Him and to His creation…

God is inviting you to join in this love, He is and has only ever asked for your trust..

I leave you with this verse one that eveyone knows but yet is probably overlooked most of the time… Peace and Love…

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

This scares me. I see so much good being done in the world with social justice but, is being done outside of the churches influence. What would look like if the church was the church viewing everyone with a soul and with importance. I have failed in this area.. have you? If we don’t stand up for people in regards to their well being and their eternity who will? It’s time for people to start seeing Christ love in us and for us to live out the way He lived… Let’s Give love to the ones who can’t love at all &
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all…

Amos 5:20-24

21“I hate all your show and pretense—

the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.

22I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.

I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.

23Away with your noisy hymns of praise!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,

an endless river of righteous living.

Isaiah 1:11-17

11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the LORD.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
I have no pleasure
in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

12 When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts?

13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
I cannot bear your evil assemblies.

14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts
my soul hates.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.

15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even if you offer many prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood;

16 wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong,

17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed. [a]
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.

Jon Foreman ” Instead of A Show”

I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stomp on my ears when you’re singing ‘em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show

Your eyes are closed when you’re praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There’s blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don’t fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There’s blood on your hands

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let’s argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let’s argue this out
You’ll be one of the clouds
Let’s argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can’t love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can’t stand at all, all
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Which means that God’s plan was never for us to be separate from the weeds but for both of us to grow together in this world. Which in my mind is Jesus’ way of saying lets not uproot everyone and start over like we did at the flood but let the believers be with the unbelievers in their culture and influencing their lives not trying to change culture but to just be in it.

God didn’t want it to be us verse them..

but us and them..

For us to understand that it isn’t our job to sow or reap the harvest it is our job to be the harvest to be the wheat in a field of weeds and let God sort through the rest.

Here are the scriptures tell me what you think on twitter @tyellisonmusic oh and listen to ” The Swell Season.” :
“The Parable of the Weeds”

24Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28” ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29” ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.

30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’
“The Parable of the Weeds Explained”

36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.

42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

The people

The ones who have been waiting for us to fail are always watching and they are watching a building that has started to crack and shift and poke holes in the very foundation it was built upon. We have tried to adapt so much to culture, to our own American ideals that we have even started to market and sell our churches, our religion, our faith. Were looking at who has the best advertisements, we have conferences on how to be a creative church, we try to flash eye candy to get the non Christians to come check us out. We show videos on Sunday morning trying to get people involved and never really seeing why being involved in this church or that church or this ministry or this mission trip really makes a difference

Or how it will change my life

Or their lives

Or anyone’s outlook on how to live

Or anyone’s out look on eternity

All the while never asking the question, why does it matter? I read a fortune cookie the other day that said,” a bee with honey in its mouth has a stinger on its tail.” The Bible has a similar analogy “ wolves in sheep’s clothing.” It seems the only thing we want to ask is if it’s cool. We want to throw all these flashy terms out but are we really backing them up with our actions? It is like we are trying to sell something that we cannot even ourselves deliver on. Are we trying to get people to come into a building? Is it all about numbers and checking out our latest facilities or are we trying to connect with them because we think we have the best news in the world the best way to live, a truth that surpasses all understanding. Sometimes I think as the American church reinvents itself we lose a little bit of what Christ was all about with it. It is almost like Christ won’t show up if we don’t do things a certain way or have the right lights or show the right video or have the coolest hair cuts I feel like we have gone off course and I feel as if I have been apart of it at times…

Last time I looked it seemed to me that God was done with buildings. His temple is now in us.

Our bodies

The Holy Temple is you

His Holy Spirit dwells in us and His temple is grounded on the foundations of His son Jesus and that foundation was built upon by His apostles, Martin Luther, Billy Graham, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, You, Me. Do you realize we are the messengers’ carrying the hope of the world. Now is the time for us to build upon the foundations and be united as the temple of God, to have no holes, no cracks and no separation.

There is restoration for our cracked foundation for it to be united once again, it will work together again and the restoration is Jesus. Sometimes I think the church needs Jesus worse than non-believers. This is why. They don’t know what their missing, we know what were missing and we just don’t care. Which is worse?

Let’s say a foreman is building a large building, a skyscraper maybe. What is the first thing he does? Lays the foundation.

Jesus is the foreman

Jesus is the Cornerstone

Jesus is the foundation

We are His Building

We are His symphony

We are His creation

Created to build on the foundation that was laid before the earth was made.

A new dawn is breaking and I am excited to see the unity that is peeking beyond the horizon.

P.S.

I have recently gotten into listening to classical music while I am writing. Mostly because I have ADD and I cannot listen to anything with words in it because it is to distracting. Here are a few of my favorites give them an honest listen for they laid the foundation for the music that you and I enjoy today:

Chopin-Nocturne in C# minor and Prelude in E minor

Beethoven- Moon Light Sonata