The Heart of Worship

I'm sure everybody and they mama got a blog called The Heart of Worship.

Well here's mine. Lol.

People always say things to me about my worship. I even talked about in my blog There's A Story Behind My Praise how there were mock videos made of my extreme worship style. I'm pretty crazy for Jesus. I love Him. That's that. And for more about that please read the blog I wrote before.

There's some more things I want to say about worship.

First of all, worship is a lifestyle not an event.

I mean, people are always gung ho for a worship night, or worship before the sermon once a week on Sundays, but we forget about it the rest of the week. I don't mean just singing some songs and jumping up and down. I don't mean shouting all over the church and lifting your hands, maybe, if the song hits you just right. What I'm talking about is a lifestyle.

We have to learn to offer every part of our lives to God as worship. Before we go to work in the morning saying, "God I offer my work to you today as worship. I worship you with the way I do my job and the way I treat the people I serve and serve with." The same goes for school and running errands, and parenting and the McDonald's drive thru. Lord knows if we had more worshippers in the Panera drive thru on my side of the window and on the other side service would go well.

Because when we do things as worship we do them God's way. When we do things as worship we do them for God, not for us and not for other people.

So who do you worship? Who do you seek to please in your everyday life? Because I seek to please God, my bosses are pleased with me because God is not going to lead me to be lazy, irresponsible or rude.

Secondly, we have got to get away from our "worship preferences."

The way I grew up worshipping was way different that the church I first attended in college which was still very different than the church I was discipled in while I was in college. I've been in all types of worship services. From Negro Spirituals to Catholic hymns, to soulful gospel music to contemporary mainstream Christian worship to Baptist hymnals. I've seen a lot.

When I came to Christ no one had to teach me about worship. I mean, I owe Jesus my life and it somehow clicked in me to worship and sing praises to Him as gratitude. I wasn't shy about it either. I realized that I'm a more intimate worshipper. I like to be in my own zone when I worship. I love corporate worship, but I love my own space. I like the music loud. I like to feel the bass in my chest. I love to sing right to God.

In any worship service you may notice these three types of people. Take a look and see which one you might be. There's two sides to each.

A. The Spectator

This person is too busy seeing what everyone else is doing to focus on God. They are concerned with who is lifting their hands, who is crying, who is shouting and who is sitting down.

On the other hand, a person may be spectating because they are unsure what they are supposed to do. Maybe you're observing because you want to know how you can get to a place of intimate worship as well. I want to tell you this: JUST DO IT. Let the Lord lead you. Practice His presence when you aren't so overwhelmed by a crowd. Worship the Lord in your bedroom or while you wash dishes. There isn't much to this thing. His presence is available everywhere you are because He lives inside of you!

B. The Critic

Ok. Here it is. This person can't get in the presence of God because of their critical attitude. You so worried about if someone is worshipping in Spirit and in truth that you aren't worshipping at all! You got something to say about everybody's worship. If when worship is over you can give a rundown of how sister so and so was faking, then you are the one who's missing it, honey. Stop criticizing and start praising!

This person will not worship if they don't like the songs being sung. They always got something to say about the worship leader or the choir director. I've been this person. For example, there is this church and I know the worship leader did not show fruit of a Christian life. Because of some things that happened, I was completely adversed to worshipping while he was leading. I sat on my seat when I was there. Didn't move a muscle. I said "God how can I worship when I know He ain't right! This is not OK, God. He needs to get right with You. He needs to fear You and understand that just because You show up when he sings doesn't mean he has a place with you in eternity. C'mon, Jesus! Just let me show him Matthew 7:21 ONE TIME!!!"

And did I get rebuked by the Holy Spirit? HECK YEAH! The Spirit spoke to me and told me first of all that worship is not about who is leading, but about who I'm worshipping. Was God still good to me? Didn't He bring me into the marvelous light? In fact, isn't He the one who even gave me discernment in the first place? Then why wasn't I taking what I knew and laying this man at the throne of Jesus instead of judging him and boycotting his position in the church! This wasn't even my church! The Lord brought me down to size and reminded me that I ain't but that far from being where this man was. I was him. I would get up and praise dance and people would worship the Lord and I would walk away unchanged because I was LOST. But He still used me.

Needless to say, I got my butt of that seat and gave God the praise. I repented.

I understand your concern for people and order. It is important to do things decently and in order so that no one is lead astray. But God has a special blessing for you. God wants to take your ability to notice these things and use them for His glory! Get in God's presence and ask Him what His purpose is for this point of view. Use your discernment to edify the body of Christ instead of to tear it down.

C. The Sincere Worshipper

Ok, guys. This person really does love the Lord. If you're the sincere worshipper you really enjoy worshipping the Lord, it is your heart's delight to give Him glory. But sometimes you are inconsiderate of other people. The Bible says that Jesus is looking for true worshippers that worship Him in Spirit AND in TRUTH. (John 4) You are sincere, and God honors that, but it's okay to chill out sometimes.

I know I had an issue with this. I'm just so intense during worship. I'm jumping and I'm screaming and I'm yelling. Then God spoke to me one day and said He ain't deaf! He can hear even the faintest whisper that I speak. It is great to give God your all, but be aware of the people in the room that are spectators and want to see the truth aspect and not just the spirit. You don't have to cry every time you worship. You don't have to shout every time they play your favorite song. Be free to worship by all means, but don't cause someone to stumble because of your high on life.

Granted, sometimes it's just one of those days, man. It's like DO YOU KNOW WHAT GOD DID FOR ME THIS WEEK??!!!!!! Which is fine. But be Biblical. We live a supernatural life, but it is still NATURAL. Sometimes it don't take all that.

And sometimes it does.

Now for you truthers. You are definitely a sincere worshipper, and God hears your heart. But it doesn't hurt to let go of CONTROL sometimes and worship God with your whole HEART and not just your head! Let Him take you there. Do what you've been afraid of doing. LIFT your hands. PRAY in tongues. SING a little louder. Get into it. Hasn't God been good to you? He won't make you weird, He'll make you whole. That breakthrough you're looking for might take some brokenness before you get through. I encourage you to give it your all, whether at church or at home.

Thirdly, just listen to the words.

I've been walking with the Lord for almost 5 years, and it amazes me how many worship songs there are. What a BRAND NEW life and perspective I have! Man, I've been singing Christmas carols since I could talk; but WHO KNEW THEY WERE ABOUT JESUS?!!! I had no clue until I knew who Jesus was! If you're struggling with they style of a song, maybe it's a little slower than you prefer, just listen to the wooorrrdddssss. Man.

For example, some of my family is Baptist. I'm not. I prefer faster songs or more intimate songs. But every time we go to one of there churches they sing this sloooooooooooooowwwwwwwww hymn. Every time. It would stress me out. But instead of being critical I asked God to show me the beauty and worship in it. God began to illuminate to me how the song is about Him as a provider and to meditate on that when we sing it. 

Have you ever actually thought about the songs that you sing during worship? Just think of a common Christmas carol. Let's take God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Here's an excerpt. Go here for the full lyrics.

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

WHAT?!!! Christ was born to save us from Satan's power?!!! Because of that we sing tidings of comfort and joy! This song is about rejoicing because our savior has been born to save us from the power of sin and death?!! How can we not sing this with conviction and joy?!! I'm a little overwhelmed now! The people who wrote these songs were believers who had been waiting and believing for a savior for hundreds of years and He finally came! That's something to sing about! That's a reason to WORSHIP!

Here's one of my FAVORITE hymns!

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, Thus saith the Lord.

• Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,
  How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er,
  Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!
    O for grace to trust Him more.

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/568#ixzz2rzVG5JcD

So old school BUT SO SO SO GOOOOOODDD!!! I challenge you to look through a hymnal or online hymnal archive and find one that speaks to you so close like this one does to me. Don't think about the tune or the beat, focus on the anointing in the words. Forget the way you prefer things to be sung and listen to the heart of song and Jesus will meet you there.

I love you all!
Grace and peace and an eternity of worshipping our Lord!

Who Gave You the Right?

There's many things I'm passionate about, but there is one thing that just runs me hot and hurts my heart all at once.

Abortion.

I can't handle it. I can't stomach. I can't sit still when I think about it. Not only abortion itself. Not just the fact that someone would even think of the idea. 

What burns me to my core about abortion is the insane lengths people will go through to promote it, sustain it, fund it, represent it and cover it up. If only people would see it for what it really is.

They say politically no one is technically for abortion. But, hey. There's only two ways you can be. For or against. That's what my Bible reads. (P.S. Turning a blind eye to injustice puts you in the for category)

Let's start off with some abortion facts. What is abortion?

Let's copy and paste straight from Merriam-Webster.

abor·tion

 noun \ə-ˈbȯr-shən\

: a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy and cause the death of the fetus

Full Definition of ABORTION

1

:  the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus: as

a :  spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation — compare miscarriage

b :  induced expulsion of a human fetus

c :  expulsion of a fetus by a domestic animal often due to infection at any time before completion of pregnancy — compare contagious abortion

So there it is. In black and white.

Here's a link to the Planned Parenthood website that shows exactly what happens during an abortion and how much it costs.

Here is a diagram of the Dilation and Evacuation procedure that is described on the site:

I know, right. I don't know about you, but this was graphic for me. Even reading about the procedure...just...whoa.

I suppose the big debate is about when a fetus is considered an actual life with human rights. What do you think?

If we don't stand up for unborn children, who will? The state has no issue becoming involved when a mother wants to terminate her 4 year old child, why not a fetus with arms and legs and a heartbeat? And FINGERNAILS! (Shameless Juno plug)

I have never heard a good report about an abortion. Every woman I've talked to about it regrets it. It is almost always traumatic for the patient to have a fetus stripped from them. Most numb it with substance abuse or push it down just far enough so that it doesn't hurt anymore. They wish they could forget. But they can't.

Maybe it's my bad for hearing stories from women who have been redeemed by Jesus; but I highly doubt anyone else's story is much different. If you know of one, please, I want to hear it.

I'll tell you right now I didn't vote in the last election. I didn't know much about the replubican candidate, but I do know that the stance that the democrats have on abortion does not sit well with me. And it never will.

You can say the words "pro-choice" all day but it remains the same that no woman should have the "right" to murder.

It's not murder? Then why is it that we declare someone dead when their HEART stops beating, but we don't count an unborn baby as a LIFE when their HEARTS begin to beat. I've read that a baby's heart begins to beat as early as 22-23 DAYS after conception. Some mothers don't even know they are pregnant by then! If it's not murder then why is a drunk driver charged with TWO counts of man-slaughter when he crashes into a car and kills a pregnant woman?

Since when is our government so concerned with privacy that they overlook something as terrible as abortion? Sounds fishy to me.


There have been approximately 45,951,133 abortions since 1973. Don't tell me women are choosing abortion because of rape, incest and health problems. Ain't that many health problems in the world. Here's a breakdown of reasons why women get abortions.
So PLEASE, STOP covering up the fact that what you really want to abort is the consequences of your behavior by calling it women's rights. Don't cover it up any longer.

You know what women's rights are?? Try not being able to VOTE. Try being treated as PROPERTY. Try being BOUGHT, and SOLD, and TRADED. Try being BANNED from your family and friends every month by being commanded to leave town while you menstruate. Try living in the 1800s where selling your body was the main profitable thing you could do as a woman. Try living in some countries in THIS DAY AND AGE where your husband can BEAT YOU DOWN IN THE STREET and be patted on the back. Try being banned from things that are easily handed to us like education. 


So, my fellow American women, those of you making six figures and those making $8.50/hr, the next time you want to come to me talking about some women's rights try to be thankful for the rights you already have. This is for the woman considering abortion. I beg of you. Consider something else. Consider your child. Consider yourself. This is for the woman who has had a pregnancy scare or two. Stop. If you aren't ready for the consequences, realize your worth and wait for a man that won't drive you to this dreadful option. It isn't worth it. The high emotional and physical cost of abortion is not worth keeping a man around who doesn't care about you. You're worth more than that. And whether you know it or not, this IS a PLANNED pregnancy. You didn't plan it; but God did. He is forming something great in your womb, precious woman. Don't abort the process.

Here's a poem I wrote a couple of years ago: I Was Almost a Mother.