Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

Wide Awake Study Guide: Chapter 5

FOCUS – The Seer

•    What stood out to you after reading this chapter?

•    Read Matthew 14:22-33. What was Peter’s focus before he sank? What was his distraction?

“We get distracted by our surroundings and circumstances and everything happening around us, and they pull our attention away from where we are supposed to be going. The nemesis of focus is distraction.”

•    The “waves” and the “wind” are inevitable throughout our lives. What are you focusing on beyond this?

•    What really matters to you? What are you passionate about? Share your thoughts with the group.

•    As a child, Jesus was preparing for who He would be at age 33, when he began his public ministry. What has God created you to do?

“When you have focus, you see beyond the moment into the future. You see beauty when others only see tragedy. You see hope when others only see despair. You see possibilities when others only see problems. You see others when others only see themselves. You see eternity when others only see history. You see God in everything. You are a seer.”

Song Story: "That All May Worship"

The song “That All May Worship” was directly inspired by one of the most uncomfortable Bible passages that I know of – Amos 5:18-27. The harsh language that God used towards the Israelites really made me think about the nature of our worship today. I like to think of this song as a “redeemed” cry of Israel.

Throughout the Old Testament era Israel was a stubborn, rebellious nation. They were called to reveal the one true God to the nations – instead they peddled in the pagan sins of those very nations. Amos chapter 5 expresses Israel’s sin of longing for the coming day of God, yet refusing to lay their lives down and extend their hands in true justice and mercy “today”.

They were neglecting the poor. They refused justice and righteousness in court. They despised the truth – all the while living in luxurious mansions, caring for lush vineyards.

It is GOOD to desire the coming day of God (In the New Testament we are actually commanded to speed its coming), but if we are neglecting the very will of God for today, than something is wrong. I pray that this song would be a “redeemed” cry of Israel for the church today – that we would shout with expectancy, “Come Lord!”, yet at the same time give our lives away for the Kingdom and glory of God on earth today.

I had the verse and chorus crafted for months and couldn’t seem to give it that finishing touch. My good friend, Brad Bichsel, helped me write a bridge that really blows the top off for me. I love the choir of voices that help me sing on the bridge. I suggest you lend your voice as well.

We worship the risen Christ who is calling all nations to Himself!

We are waiting for the kingdom come
We are desperate for Your glory, God
We are longing for the coming day
When every tribe and tongue will see Your face

Yet today we pray
Yes, our lives will say today

Let justice roll through our actions
Let mercy extend through our hands
That Christ may be seen by the nations
That all may worship Him

We worship the Lamb that was slain
We worship the Christ Who was stained
For the nations of earth to kneel and proclaim
You are God

Song Story – "Habakkuk's Prayer"

This song has to have the most interesting title on the whole album. For a long time I have been fascinated by Habakkuk’s prayer at the end of his book. We all know we’re supposed to have joy in our trials, but when the pain is so strong, the last thing we want to do is rejoice. It’s in these situations I want my heart and mind to be informed by Scripture, not my own mind dictating my response.

This song was birthed directly out of a painful physical battle. To this day, I am still not fully healed, but I am awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise for me.

Habakkuk’s prayer in 3:17-19 lists his own struggle with the promise of God’s justice. I almost decided against writing this song because the struggle of Habakkuk seemed irrelevant to today – fig trees, fruit, the produce of olives, flocks, herds – not your everyday prayer request.

But then I was confronted with this truth: if we dismiss parts of the Bible as irrelevant, we are in danger of deciding for ourselves what to apply and what not to apply.

I wrote this song mainly word for word from the ESV translation of the Bible, and added a few of my own struggles through this difficult time. Each line has significant meaning for me personally. I was feeling the ‘the pain of loss’ as a worship leader unable to sing, a musician unable to play an instrument, and a leader unable to lead due to health problems.

This is a song I go back to when the pain is strong and God feels far away. “I will take joy in the God of my salvation!”

Though the fig tree should not blossom
Nor fruit be on the vines
Though the produce of the olive fail
And the fields should yield no food
Though the flock be cut off from the fold
And their be no herd in the stalls
Though justice seems so far away
I know that I am yours
Yes, I am yours

And I will rejoice
I will rejoice in the Lord
I will rejoice
I will take joy in the God of my salvation
I will rejoice

Though weakness be my only state
And the pain of loss so strong
Though I don’t understand your ways
I know I’m held in your arms
And this will be my song

You are my strength, O Sovereign Lord
You make my feet just like the deer
You enable my heart to tread the mountains
You bring hope, You are hope

The Whole Duty of Man

I just finished reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. I’ve heard people say that Ecclesiastes is a rather depressing book of the Bible. “All is vanity, all is vain!” Was Solomon just ranting after a bad week?

What is Solomon, and ultimately the Holy Spirit, wanting to communicate through this remarkable book?

I make it a discipline, whether I’m reading the Bible or a book, to underline the author’s main thoughts as I go along, whether I agree with them or not. Check this thread of bold throughout the entire book:

“I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him” (3:14).

“For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear” (5:7).

“Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool…for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them” (7:17a, 18b).

“Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him” (8:12).

“But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God” (8:13).

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (12:13-14).

What is the whole duty of man? It is to fear God and keep his commandments – a theme preached throughout this entire book. My prayer today is, “Lord, through pleasure and pain, keep my heart fixed upon honoring you, and may my actions keep in step with your perfect Word.”

Catalyst Conference Thoughts

I had a wonderful time at the Catalyst conference these past few days. I was amazed by the diversity of speakers and topics – from business and leadership to preaching and the Gospel, I was blown away. Here are some great quotes that I took away:

Andy Stanley – “Moral authority is the alignment between deed and creed”
Jim Collins – “A to-do list without a stop-doing list is unproductive”
Steven Furtick – “A promise from God always starts small”
Craig Groeschel – “In order to get the ‘something special’ of God back, you must do something drastic”
Tim Sanders – “What you learn on Sunday makes you a rockstar on Monday”
Dave Ramsey – “Don’t talk about problems to someone who can’t fix it”
Matt Chandler – “There is a way to live and a way to teach so that people see what the Gospel is and what it is not”