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Another Post About Worship

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“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God; to feed the mind with the truth of God; to purge the imagination by the beauty of God; to open the heart to the love of God; to devote the will to the purpose of God” (William Temple).

My absolute favorite definition of worship is still the one by Louie Giglio. Worship is giving God His breath back. The more I think about that one, the more I love it. There’s so much to unpack with worship being our response back to God with the very breath He put in our lungs.

But this is a good one. I really like this one because it encompasses all that worship is. We do tend to limit worship to Sunday mornings or the occasional worship night. Most of us use worship and praise interchangeably, but worship is more than singing songs.

As I’ve said before, worship is declaring the worth of God in every area of your life. You proclaim the goodness of God in the workplace by doing your job well. You proclaim the goodness of God in your home by loving your wife and family more than yourself and loving God more than your wife and family.

I believe that you can’t just show up on Sunday and expect worship to happen. If it’s not already a part of your everyday life throughout the week, then when you show up on Sunday, you’re just singing songs and going through the motions. Anyone can manipulate a feeling, but true worship goes beyond an emotional experience.

Lord, help us to worship You in spirit and in truth in everything we do. May we declare Your worth every time we open our mouths, whether it’s in song or encouragement or exhortation or simply breathing back Your breath. Help us to remember that it all came from You and it all belongs to You and that we have nothing apart from You, but You love us still. Amen.

Hey June

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Admit it. You didn’t just read those words. You sang them. I know I did (at least in my head). But can anyone pinch me because when did June get here and where did April and May go?

In less than three weeks, we’ll hit the day with the most daylight in it (which also happens to be the official first day of summer). After that, the countdown to Christmas is on. Well, at least for me it is. Most of you have other anniversaries and holidays on your radar, but since I am afflicted with Obsessive Christmas Disorder, then that’s where I’m focusing.

I keep thinking a lot about what my boss at my old job used to say: any day without a toe tag is a good day. I like it, but I think it’s not necessarily all good. For those who belong to Jesus, to live is Christ and to die is gain. It’s a win-win. So while not having a toe tag is a good day, maybe the day you and I get our toe tags might be sad for some, but it will be our best day ever.

Also, I want to apologize to any olden people for making fun of you when I was a kid when you said that time flies. I get it now. It does. The older I get, the faster it goes. At the same time, the older I get, the more I realize the less I need to be content. You know the old saying that you can’t take your toys and possessions with you when you die. There are no hearses pulling U-Hauls that I’ve seen lately.

Hello, June! Try not to be too hot and humid right away. I like to dip my foot in the shallow end of summer before I jump in. Send more breezes because it helps me sweat less and everyone around me in the vicinity of my armpits appreciates that. Oh, and less bugs this year would be great. Thanks!

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

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I recently heard the story of how the hymn I Have Decided to Follow Jesus originated. I don’t think I’ll ever hear those words the same way again. I know so many hymns have amazing backstories, but this one might just be my new favorite.

A man from the Garo tribe in Assam, India (modern day Meghalaya) during the 19th century converted to Christianity. He then led his family to follow Jesus as well. Eventually, he was confronted by the tribal leader along with the rest of the community. They wanted him not only to stop evangelizing but to recant his faith. He refused.

He said in essence, “I have decide to follow Jesus. No turning back.”

Then they proceeded to murder his children in front of him and his wife, followed by killing his wife. He still refused to recant.

He said, “Though none go with me, still I will follow.”

Even after they threatened him with his own death, he would not and could not deny the Christ who had miraculously delivered him and saved him.

He said, “The world behind me, the cross before me. No turning back, no turning back.”

After witnessing how the man was able to endure the loss of his own family and even his own life for the sake of the gospel, the tribal leader eventually placed his faith in Christ, along with many others from the village. That village became a sending place for missionaries.

These days, it’s becoming more and more dangerous to follow Jesus, especially in certain parts of Africa and the Middle East. In places, professing Christ can be tantamount to a death sentence. Even in America, we’re frowned upon for holding to our biblical convictions and for preaching Jesus as the only way to salvation. Perhaps one day soon we’ll see Christians forced to deny Christ or lose their lives even in this country.

So I think we have to decide if following Christ is worth it. My prayer is that everyone reading these words will be able to sing the old hymn with complete conviction and sincerity: “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back.”

Celebrating 54

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It seems lately that the time between birthdays gets shorter and shorter. I feel like I just had a birthday and now I’m having another one? Back in the day, it took forever for my next birthday and now I seem to have one every three months or so.

But honestly, I’m grateful for each one. I know many people, including two uncles and a cousin, who won’t get to celebrate growing old. Aging isn’t a burden that everyone must bear but a privilege that not every one gets to share. I do think that every morning I wake up is a gift from God, so I’m taking my life for granted less and less these days.

This year, I’m officially 54. At one point in my life, that would have seemed really old? Now? Not so much. Now I see people in their 20s and think how they’re super young. I imagine that as a 10 year old even people in their 30s were old to me. It really is about perspective.

Also, birthdays are less about presents and more about presence. It’s not so much the gifts as much as the people sitting around the table. At this point, if all they did was show up and wish me a happy birthday, I think that would be enough. That and a good birthday dessert. But mostly the people.

I love that I get to look forward to my older nephew’s birthday in March, then my younger nephew in April. My sister’s is in June, followed by my niece’s in October. We round off all the birthday shenanigans with my brother-in-law’s in November and my Dad’s in December, not forgetting my Mom’s in January. So basically, I get to look forward to birthdays all throughout the year.

Birthdays are good because birthdays mean that the people you love are still here. And that in and of itself is worth celebrating. Above all, it means we’re celebrating and declaring all over again the goodness of God for giving us people in our lives who love us and are there for us.

I’m certain that I enjoyed my birthday so much that I want to do it all again in 2027, God allowing. Also, thanks to everyone on social media who wished me a happy birthday. I took a short break from my social media fast to read every one of them. I am grateful, and I am blessed.

Happy Birth-Month to Me!

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I figured when you get to a certain age, you need to celebrate being alive. Somehow, I don’t think that one day is enough to appreciate the miracle of life, so I decided to take the whole month of February. I know, it’s a short month, even on leap years. But life is hard enough without allowing yourself some room for frivolity and fun.

My actual birthday is on February 28, as I was ever so close to being a leap year baby. If I’d been born only 11 hours later, I’d be celebrating on February 29 and only be 1/4 of my current age. I wish.

But age is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when you know far too many people who didn’t get to grow old. I see my life more and more as a gift, even when I’m starting to get those senior discounts without having to show any actual ID. That hurts a bit, I confess.

But God has been good to me for 53 years. I have way more blessings than I can count (and way more than I deserve if I’m being honest). I know that I’m a sinner saved by grace, and everything else that I get from God is the proverbial icing on the cake.

By the way, I wear size 8 1/2 Lucchese boots and I like my cabins size medium. JK. I figured out a long time ago that people matter more than stuff and memories last way longer than any possessions. Besides, I won’t be taking any of my stuff with me when I shuffle off this mortal coil. I mean have you ever seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul? Think about it.

Anyway, I’d like to make it to 100, but I’m thankful for whatever I get. If Jesus comes back before then, I’m definitely not going to complain. That will be the best day ever.

A Prayer for Sunday

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“Lord, look with great grace, we pray, upon the slaves of sin that are present here this morning; break their chains. Save this people. We know there are some in this congregation who are currently “poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness” (Acts 8:23). Move, divine Spirit, over this audience, and fetch out from among us those who do not know God, that they may know themselves and their God this day. Make this to be a profitable, soul-winning Sunday, one of the high days on which heaven’s bells shall ring out more sweetly than ever, because many and many a prodigal child has come back to the Father’s house to make the Father glad.
Amen” (Charles Spurgeon).

I usually try to pray every Sunday for my church. I typically pray that God would make our hearts good soil for God’s word to go deep and produce a harvest. I also pray that if there’s anyone sitting in the rows during the service that doesn’t have a saving faith in Jesus that they would come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

I’m not typing all that to humble brag. I’m simply being obedient. Who knows? Maybe God would have saved someone anyway, but I know the Bible says that we have not because we ask not (to put it in super King James English).

Are you praying for your church? Are you praying for God to move in your services? With all the talent in most churches, it can be so easy to preplan and program every service down to the second and leave no room for the Holy Spirit to move. We can run an entire Sunday off of our own agendas and abilities and charisma and not even be aware that God was not present because we never invited Him in.

It’s always a good idea to pray for lost people to come to Christ in your church services. It’s never wrong to pray for reconciliation of families and marriages, for the calling of people to the ministry and missions, for God to bring revival to your church, your city, and the world.

Lord, move in every place where we assemble to worship. Don’t let us get by on our strength alone but bring us to the place where we’re dependent on You for anything good that happens this Sunday. Speak, Lord, for Your servants are listening.

Memories About Ghosts

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Do you ever see a photograph and wish you could go back in time and be a fly on the wall for the moment that the picture was taken? You’d see the people alive again, their faces animated and their voices long silenced speaking again.

I know it would probably mess up the space-time continuum thingy big time, but I’d love to go back and capture some of those moments with a really high-end camera (or at least my cell phone). I love seeing the old Polaroids, but sometimes it gets harder to make out the faces or really see the expressions on people’s faces. Sometimes, I forget what the people I loved look like and it would be really nice to remember again.

But then I remember that a Great Reunion is coming. That’s what Revelation talks about when it says that Jesus will come back and take us to a place with no more crying or pain, where He personally will wipe away every tear from our eyes. I imagine at that point it will be tears of joy over seeing loved ones alive and whole.

I don’t know what people will look like in heaven. I’ve heard that we will all be in the prime of life. Perhaps we will all be what we looked like when we were 33 because that’s the age when Jesus made His ultimate sacrifice for us. Maybe we will look young but with eyes that reflect a lifetime of wisdom. All I know is that Jesus will be there, and because of what He did, we will know each other and we will above all know Him whom we have only seen up to that point through eyes of faith.

Until then, I have grainy Polaroids and a Bible and a fait that believes without seeing. But then one day, my faith will be made sight.

On the Second Day of Christmas

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For some of us, we’re already counting down the days until Christmas 2026. it’s 364 days, FYI.

But for a select few, we’re prepping for those two turtle doves because it’s the second day of Christmas, culminating on the epic finale on January 6, also known as Day of the Epiphany. Also, it’s socially acceptable these days to leave your Christmas decorations up through the month of January.

But for me, my plan is to continue to listen to Christmas records and watch Christmas movies for as long as the spirit allows. I will probably run out of records before the movie stash runs out, so then I may switch over to ye olden CD player for a bit.

I love the idea of stretching Christmas out over 12 days. Back then, people opened one present a day and made the feasting last for almost two weeks. I’m not sure my waistline could handle all that, but I’m willing to try if anyone else is.

Above all, celebrating the arrival of Emmanuel should be delegated to one 24-hour period. It should be a year round event (so I’m really not going to be upset if you leave your outside Christmas lights up all year). That one single event changed the course of human history forever.

Now we have a hope. Now we have a future. Now whoever believes in Jesus doesn’t have to be lost forever but can have everlasting eternal life. And it all began when God so loved the world that He gave.

One day, I’d love to have a house where I have a room dedicated solely to Christmas 24/7/365. I’d push the Christmas tree into my Christmas room with all the other decorations. Whenever I needed a little Christmas fix, I could just go into that room. Or I’d even be happy with a Christmas closet.

But in the meantime, I can rejoice and celebrate that because of Jesus, we can be forgiven and set free. We can know the One who made us and loves us and died for us. We can have the full and abundant life not just in the heavenly hereafter but here and now. Jesus is here.

A Man Like Jesus

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“A twitter hashtag about masculinity got me to thinking: If I’m to be a man like Jesus, what will I be like?

I will be a healer.

I will defend the powerless.

I’ll absolutely frighten and enrage the self-righteous.

I won’t be impressed by those with celebrity, credentials, or power.

I’ll be tremendously patient with people, well beyond what they ‘deserve’.

I will not take advantage of women.

And I’ll take them seriously.

I’ll subjugate my ego for the benefit of others.

The government will consider me, and my kind, a threat.

The religious power structure will consider me, and my kind, a threat.

I’ll attract people with bad reputations, and the seemingly worthless.

I’ll welcome children.

I will exhibit meekness – power, under control. And whatever power I do have will not be used to crush people, but to set people free” (Brant Hansen).

I think all of these perfectly describe Jesus during His earthly ministry. And I think they should also describe every man who aspires to be godly and seeks to be like Jesus.

It’s really not about climbing Mount Everest or jumping out of a plane at 10,000 feet. It’s not bench pressing 500 pounds or running an Ironman triathlon. It’s about how you treat those different than you and especially those who can’t possibly pay you back.

It’s not about doing good works to be seen by others, but doing them in secret so that only God and you know. Sometimes, living a simple life of faith will result in good deeds that even you aren’t aware of because they naturally flow out of a heart full of grace and generosity.

Being a man means doing what’s right even if the majority says it’s wrong. It means holding to biblical convictions when that gets you ostracized. It means standing in the gap for the least of these when it can’t possibly benefit your career or your brand or your image.

Being a man means loving your spouse and your family well. Even if you’re not married, you can still choose to love your family and those around you well. That means you love others more than you love yourself and put them first instead of you. It’s about sacrifice and generosity.

Being a man most of all means being like Jesus. It’s living out Philippians 2:5-11 every single day and having this mind in you that was in Christ Jesus.

Unglamorous

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“There is nothing thrilling about a labouring man’s work, but it is the labouring man who makes the conceptions of the genius possible; and it is the labouring saint who makes the conceptions of his Master possible. You labour at prayer and results happen all the time from God’s standpoint. What an astonishment it will be to find, when the veil is lifted, the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you had been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).

That’s the part about life that no one really tells you but you learn eventually. 99% of life is unexciting and unadventurous, despite what you may have seen in just about every single movie and television show ever made.

Most of living is showing up and being faithful in your job, at your church, and in your home. Very rarely will anything you do be worthy of a news story or a newspaper headline (or a news website headline to make it 21st century). Hardly anyone outside of your immediate circle will know about most of what you do.

But that’s where God does His best work. When you are committed to be faithful in the small and menial tasks God has placed in front of you, then God can multiply those offerings like the fish and the loaves. He can open up new avenues of service that would not have been available if you weren’t already doing God’s work.

Each person who belongs to Jesus can reach those no one else can reach. Not your pastor. Not your worship leader. Not anyone but you. And your witness is showing up every day and not giving up. That will open up opportunities for you to be able to give a reason for the hope you have in Jesus and lead to gospel conversations.

I truly believe that those who have done the most for the Kingdom of God are those you and I will never know about 99% of the time. They will be the behind the scenes folks who went to work every day, came home and loved their families, and showed up every Sunday to worship and serve.

If you’re not satisfied with where you are or what you’re doing, maybe reframe it as a way of serving Jesus Himself rather than working for an employer. See what you’re doing for your family as serving Jesus. Remember that as you minister to the least of these through your church you are ministering to Jesus Himself.

God honors the longsuffering effort of patient faithfulness. If you can serve not out of your own strength but out of the overflow of the joy of the Lord that comes from time with the Lord, God sees and rewards you and those you serve. You may not get rich or famous, but you will have God’s favor which is by far the best reward of all.