Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast & Blog

Two Music Observations

  1. Some people criticize Christian music way too much and are resolved to hear nothing good, true, or beautiful in it.
  2. Some people criticize Secular music way too much and are resolved to hear nothing good, true, or beautiful in it.

Is there a balance?

Constancy

As I look at my generation, I see a lot of dissatisfaction. People longing for the next thing. The next job will be better. The right person will make life better. If my week stinks, at least Friday night will be a good time.

I see this in my own heart as well. Too often I feel like a wanderer, becoming the victim of my present circumstance. Now, there is an ebb and flow to life. True, life can be hard, boring, exhilarating, fun, and stupid. However, as Christians, we need to have constancy.

What is it about you that stays the same no matter what circumstance you find yourself? What daily disciplines do you practice in order maintain constancy? I don’t know how long I could live if I just let circumstances carry me. I long for my relationship with Jesus to be constant. I long for my diet of God’s Word to be constant. I long for a positive outlook and attitude to be constant. I want my love for people and my heart for the lost to be constant.

Why?

Because Jesus alive. He is real. I am His. My joy and meaning is anchored in His reality and His love for me. Constancy is not based on feeling, but on truth.

How about you?

Loving All Scripture

We like to read this:

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52).

What about this?

“through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22b).

The Opposite of God

This weekend I am leading worship for the Spiritual Breakthrough Retreat at APC. Pastor Jeff is talking about the power of God over the powers of darkness. I loved this illustration:

  • The opposite of black is… white
  • The opposite of night is… day
  • The opposite of bad is… good
  • The opposite of God is…?

For the last point we naturally say, “the devil”. Jeff taught us that this is not true. The opposite of the devil is Michael or Gabriel, who are angels. There is no opposite to God because there is only one true God.

That leads me to declare and appreciate this truth even more – “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).

How’s that for perspective?