E-Worship

Think about it for a few moments. Are you truly worshipping God. Do you have to have someone else do it for you? Are you still worried about what other people think? Do you notice what is going on around you? Or do you just focus on God? What are you thinking about at night before you go to bed? Do you remember to talk to him, tell him that you love him? Or do you forget it all and fall asleep as you anticipate another day? Where is your heart? Do you truly know God, or do you just know about him? It can all change today. All you need to do is talk to him. You don’t need to be fancy, all you have to do is talk to him. Talk to God as if he were sitting in the chair beside you. He is with you, always close by. He loves you and wants to spend time with you. Focus on him without asking for all of his things, just ask for him. He will answer.

On your own, I highly recommend that you read about all of the events surrounding this parade of sorts. They are doing so much more than just celebrating the restoration of the ark to it’s rightful place. No, they are proceeding with fear and diligence. They are seeking to please God. If you will read more about this incident in the Bible you will find out that this was the second attempt to bring the Ark back to Israel. The first time around they had put it on a new cart. Along the way they hit a bump in the road and when a young man reached up to steady the Ark his life was taken from him. David had tried to do things his way. He had good intentions and was trying to insure that the Ark arrived in perfect condition. This was not God’s way of doing things. The second time around you see David dancing in praise and worship. He is focused not on what he thinks is best, but on pleasing God! It is a long tiring procession of blood, sweat and worship. It is a hard journey, not a joyous and frivilous occasion. They are carrying the very presence of God on their shoulders. This is not a lightweight burden. David has been enlightened and knows not to do things according to his own thoughts. Instead he has discovered that God’s way is the only way! Are we doing things our way or are we seeking God’s face about what he desires. Nothing will ever work without his approval! A few scriptures down in this passage you notice that David’s wife disapproves of his actions and is trying to cause trouble. Think about it, you work hard all day for several days, you’re exhausted from the journey, but finally you have accomplished what you had set out to do. You have done it God’s way. The last thing you want is to hear a bunch of nonsense from your spouse. Doing it God’s way isn’t the easy path but we must choose it if we are to touch his heart.

If you look closely at this psalm you will notice that the word “or” is not mentioned. There is a reason for that. So many times we sit back in comfortable seats and let everyone else sing a little song and say a little prayer. This is NOT what God has in mind. These scriptures clearly state ways to praise God. It does not say do this and then do that. It says Praise Him with this, Praise him with that… and so on. We are to Praise Him, continually. It doesn’t say anything about stopping while someone worships another way either. Imagine a worship service where people are free to do these things. We should not hide people in the back if they wish to dance or if they wish to praise him with power and with might. If we are to praise him “according to his excellent greatness” it won’t be timid, it won’t be quiet. If we are quiet, timid, and fearful in our praise we are saying that God has these attributes. We need to praise him with fire, with power, and with everything that is within us. Praise is not timid! Imagine many instruments praising God together, imagine everyone singing together, imagine dancers feeling free to express their love for God, imagine flags waving, tambourines swaying all of them together in the rhythm of God’s holy praise. It is not fearful or concerned about everyone else, but focusing on the Lover of our Souls. That is praise, my friends! We need to praise God for who he is and for how powerful he is. We need to express our love and passion towards him.

Once a week the average Christian goes to Church. They sit quietly and sing a few songs and timidly mumble a few words in prayer. They are prepared to serve God, they woke up early, took care of the family and got everyone for Church and wearing their “Sunday Best”. This is the common ritual for the average Christian household on Sunday morning. Church consists of singing a few songs, sitting in tidy chairs, listening to an outlined sermon, praying a little prayer and going home. I don’t know about you, but I want more out of my walk with the Lord. I don’t want to sit and sing about a God I don’t know!! I don’t want to whisper a little prayer to someone I have never met. Of course, we all claim to “know” God. We went to the alter and said our little prayer, right? I’m here to tell you there is MORE! I am tired of settling for second best, leftover blessings, and picking up little bits of information about the Lover of my Soul. I’m tired of all the hype and no action. It’s just not good enough anymore. The same old song, sermon, and prayer is not what God is looking for either. We have done the same thing for so long, that we have become dry, even when we’re spiritual. Even the pentecostal, charismatic “holy rollers” don’t have it anymore! What has gone wrong? What is Church all about? I tell you what it’s supposed to be about, our services and gatherings are supposed to be about God! It’s not our Church, it’s not our building, it’s not our website. We are the body of Christ, and our gatherings are supposed to be about God! He loves us, he wants to commune with us! But yet, we act like we don’t want anything to do with him! It’s time that we treated him like a Father, like our Bridegroom. He wants to be with you, and loves you so much. He loves us more than we can even understand. Yet, day after day, we turn away from him. Whether we realize it or not. We need to be with God. He wants to talk with us, without us always asking him for something else. It’s time to Love him.

Once a week the average Christian goes to Church. They sit quietly and sing a few songs and timidly mumble a few words in prayer. They are prepared to serve God, they woke up early, took care of the family and got everyone for Church and wearing their “Sunday Best”. This is the common ritual for the average Christian household on Sunday morning. Church consists of singing a few songs, sitting in tidy chairs, listening to an outlined sermon, praying a little prayer and going home. I don’t know about you, but I want more out of my walk with the Lord. I don’t want to sit and sing about a God I don’t know!! I don’t want to whisper a little prayer to someone I have never met. Of course, we all claim to “know” God. We went to the alter and said our little prayer, right? I’m here to tell you there is MORE! I am tired of settling for second best, leftover blessings, and picking up little bits of information about the Lover of my Soul. I’m tired of all the hype and no action. It’s just not good enough anymore. The same old song, sermon, and prayer is not what God is looking for either. We have done the same thing for so long, that we have become dry, even when we’re spiritual. Even the pentecostal, charismatic “holy rollers” don’t have it anymore! What has gone wrong? What is Church all about? I tell you what it’s supposed to be about, our services and gatherings are supposed to be about God! It’s not our Church, it’s not our building, it’s not our website. We are the body of Christ, and our gatherings are supposed to be about God! He loves us, he wants to commune with us! But yet, we act like we don’t want anything to do with him! It’s time that we treated him like a Father, like our Bridegroom. He wants to be with you, and loves you so much. He loves us more than we can even understand. Yet, day after day, we turn away from him. Whether we realize it or not. We need to be with God. He wants to talk with us, without us always asking him for something else. It’s time to Love him.