“Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:14 & 17, NASB)

“We’ve come to rejoice with Him!”

The statement startled me. It seemed out of place. As believers we gathered that week to worship, to rejoice in the work that God had done, to listen for direction for the year ahead. We’d come to encourage one another, to share, perhaps even to weep or laugh together. But “to rejoice WITH God” sounded strange.  Surely the speaker meant to say that we were gathered to rejoice in what God had done, right?

The image in my mind of God’s people simply praising and worshipping Him, changed. We were not “performing” for a God who simply watched, nor were we awaiting orders for the next step on a task list. We were coming that evening to truly join with God who was actively rejoicing … over us!

I thought of a mother beaming with pride as her daughter completed a challenging piece of music, a parent cheering as a child scored in a ball game. I thought of a father who couldn’t stop smiling as his son graduated. Parents celebrate the accomplishments of their children, proud of their perseverance, their skill, their hard work and a goal accomplished. Teachers rejoice too when students apply their studies to life situations. Coaches brag about the teamwork that was required to win a championship.

Imagine the Father, leaning forward in His seat, smiling with admiration as He too reviews the year just past. It might have been a year of trials and challenges, yet it was a year in which He sees growth in His daughter. Perhaps it was a year in which a son has formed solid new relationships after significant hurts the year before, a year in which old ways were laid aside and new patterns began to emerge. Imagine Him as He sees a growing trust, an increasing longing to be near Him. Imagine Him rejoicing … over you!

“Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:14, 17)

“Well done, good and faithful servant….Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:23)

Father God, You have been faithful in the past, and remain faithful today. Your work has been good, and I rejoice in what You’ve done. I’m reminded that You too rejoice! Help me to rest in Your love and Your work in the past and the future. Thank You for the invitation to share Your joy! Help me as I yield myself once again to You in the year ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions: Do think of God leaning forward in His seat proud of you and what you’ve done? How will this year be different if you keep this picture of God in your heart?

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23)

Suppose you could give a gift to Christ, what would it be? How could you possibly select a gift for the One who not only has everything, but who made everything?

The Wise Men did. They can be an example to us. In addition to the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they gave the Savior some gifts we can give him today: their hope, their time, and their worship.

The wandering wise men gave Jesus their hope. When everyone else saw a night sky, this small band of men saw the light. The sight of the star sparked a desire in their hearts that send them packing. They went, seeking Jesus.

When night comes to your world, what do you see? The darkness or the stars? Hopelessness or hopefulness? Sometimes, just as he did so long ago, God uses the darkness to reveal his stars—“The light shines in the darkness” (John 1:5). Give God your hope for Christmas.

While you’re giving, give God your time. The wise men did. Before they gave God their presents, they gave their presence. It’s likely that these men traveled as long as two years before locating the prince of heaven.

Before that one incredible moment when they knelt before Jesus, the wise men spent many moments, months, perhaps years searching, in anticipation of that meeting. Just as the wise men devoted themselves to seeking the Savior, so can you: “You will seek him and find him when you seek him with all your heart” (Duet. 4:29).

And when they did find him, the wise men gave Jesus another gift: their worship. Men of wealth, influence, and intellect: what did they do when they saw Jesus? “…they fell down and worshiped him” (Matt. 2:11)

Worship. It’s a gift that extends to the giver as well. Through worship, we come to see God more clearly. God invites us, through worship, to see his face so he can change ours. In worship, we simply stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and let God do his work. And he does. He wipes away the tears. He mops away the perspiration. He softens our furrowed brows. He touches our cheeks. He changes our faces as we worship. The wise men sought the child of God, just as God seeks his children. “The Father is actively seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).

The gifts of hope, time, and worship. Three gifts the wise still give.

From One Incredible Moment: Celebrating the Majesty of the Manger
© (J Countryman, 2006) Max Lucado
Used by permission.

Question: How do you worship God? Although we may sing in church and read the Bible (both of which are good things) what ways beyond these can we worship God?

What does worship mean to you? Here is an online Bible study to guide you.

The second aspect of Paul’s definition of who we are in Christ is: we are the ones who worship by the Spirit of God.  To worship means to show reverence, honor and intense love, as well as to perform acts of service, toward an object or being.  Although others may worship celebrities, sports heroes or less tangible idols like money, success or power, as believers we worship the living God.

Not only is who we worship critical, but also how we worship. We worship by the Spirit of God.  Therefore our worship flows not from our humanity, but from God who dwells within us.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “[A] time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23, 24, NIV).

No longer are we trapped in the mold of the Old Testament days where the High Priest approached God on our behalf with the blood of animals. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, His Spirit lives within us, allowing us to enter into the very presence of God.  Our acts of worship are not external rituals that draw attention to us, but rather they are acts of surrender and service with our whole heart, body, mind and spirit, made possibly through the Holy Spirit.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1).

Thank you, Holy God, for making a way for me to worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen.

Questions: What does worshipping in spirit and in truth look like in your life? How have you been challenged to make sure your worship is not merely an external ritual?

“How precious are your thoughts concerning me …” Psalm 139:17

It had been anything but a “quiet” time. Although I had closed the door and opened my Bible, my attention skittered between meetings just attended, people needs for which I felt responsible, and future events crowding the calendar. A glance at the clock too soon revealed that it was time to leave my private chamber and tend to the day’s responsibilities. “So much for spiritual preparation” was my somewhat whiny comment to God.

Then came His voice speaking into my heart—as clearly as if He had been physically standing before me: “That okay, my daughter. I just wanted to sit here with you. I’ve enjoyed our time together.”

We delude ourselves into thinking that our quiet times are primarily for our own benefit. We are intellectually aware that God is always with us, that His eye is not only on the sparrow but on each of us. We claim a personal relationship with Him yet are slow to understand much of what that means.

How different would be our attitudes if we began to learn that we come into His presence to give Him joy.

God, I am so grateful for Your personal love for me. To think that You simply desire me to be inYour presence is overwhelming. I love You.

Reflection: Sit quietly and imagine the look on God’s face as you come into His presence. What words of welcome might He be saying to you?

Pleasing God: How to authentically worship God

“Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages.” (Revelation 15:3b)

A number of years ago I heard that the book of Revelation contained more worship than any other book in the Bible. The concept intrigued me. Instead of studying Revelation in view of the end times, I determined to read the book with the idea of worship forefront in my mind. Writing helps me to absorb things, so the daily copying of verses containing praise or adoration to God became my routine. As page after page of my journal was filled, my heart was drawn to the discipline of daily recounting who God is and all that He has done. This is worship.

When we worship, our attention is turned away from ourselves, or our problems, and is focused on God. I need to spend less time worrying, analyzing or planning. More time should be spent thinking on good things. What better way to do that, than to fix my thoughts on the attributes of our holy, awesome God?

Whenever I read over the words of praise written in Revelation, something happens in my heart. Meditating on God’s power and might strengthens me. Thinking on His holiness and His worthiness creates thankfulness and humility in my heart. Hearing that He is Faithful and True, renews my spirit, helping me not to be afraid.

Let me encourage you to read the book of Revelation in a new light. And as you do, make worship a part of your daily routine.

God, we join with those who sing this song, “Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear You, O Lord, and bring glory to Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3, 4)

Questions: How does worshiping God change your outlook? How do you incorporate worship into your daily routine?

Learn to develop a heart of worship with our free, interactive life lesson.

“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.” (Psalm 34:1)

A young man said to me, “the Bible is forever telling us to praise God. What kind of a God is He that He needs a pat on the back all the time?”

No, God doesn’t need our praises. He doesn’t need us at all. You see, long before there were humans, there was God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They praised each other all the time for the sheer joy of it. Persons in love do that. They worked together. They created everything together. They lived in perfect love and harmony.

Then why create humans who cause Him so much trouble? God is love and love reaches out. One day God said, “Let us make humankind after our image and invite them to join the circle of love.” So God created Adam and Eve and placed them into a beautiful garden. For a long time they enjoyed perfect fellowship with God and with each other. They experienced absolute delight in each other. There was no problem with praising God then.

One day Satan came along and said, “You don’t need God. You can be your own god.” Adam and Eve broke away from the circle of love. Ever since then, they’ve reaped a stream of broken relationships, vertically and horizontally. Being focused on themselves, they found it hard to praise God. Like them, we’ve become self-focused and need to be reminded that God deserves our praise.

When we praise God, we do ourselves a favor: we become ourselves. In Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddel makes the famous quote: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”

When we praise God our focus is on Him and we receive strength to face the challenges of each day with confidence and peace. We reach our highest potential.

Father, I praise you for Who you are: always faithful, always loving, always wanting my best. Amen.

Question: What are some ways you show praise and thankfulness to God?

If you would like to know more about this theme, go to my web site www.helenlescheid.com and read about my newest book, Prayer: When Answers Aren’t Enough. 

“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate” Proverbs 8:13

People are oftentimes confused by talk that has to do with fearing God. On the one hand, the Scriptures admonish us to fear the Lord, but at the same time, we are told that God has not given us a spirit of fear. So how are we to understand this phrase?

Fearing God does not mean always looking over your shoulder in anxiety to see what He will do next. The fear of the Lord is something positive and healthy that is clearly defined in several different scriptures. A particularly helpful one is Proverbs 8:13, where we are told that “the fear of the Lord is to hate evil.”

Many people are bothered by the thought of hating anything. Yet God says we are to hate evil because He Himself hates it in all of its forms. He abhors it because He clearly sees its corrupting and destructive influence. We often fail to see any corruption at all. In fact, we sometimes look at evil and think that it’s not really too bad.

Satan’s job is to camouflage wickedness until it appears quite innocent or even attractive. The Enemy is so successful in his deception that we often fall into his snares without any compunction. That is why we must learn to view things as the Lord sees them. We need to develop such a holy hatred for iniquity [sin] that we shun and refuse it at every turn. When we get God’s view of transgression, the Devil will be stymied in his efforts to seduce us. Although it may not be a popular stance, we can choose to love the Lord and to hate evil.

Question: What does “fear of the Lord” mean to you? How do you live out this definition in your life?

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

Peter describes in vivid terminology that we are:

·    A chosen people; desired by God and uniquely valued

·    A royal priesthood; followers of the King of kings, ordained to serve

·    A holy nation; believers who have been set apart, sacred and holy to God

·    A people belonging to God; members of God’s family who have a home regardless of who has disowned us for our beliefs

God chose us, ordained us and called us His own for a specific purpose. We were chosen so that we would praise God. We were rescued from a world of darkness – pride, envy, lust, greed, anger, laziness, abuse and fear – and brought us into the wonderful light of His truth and love. Because He rescued us, we have a story to tell. That story is how we are to praise God.

Here’s a bit of my story: I always thought I was right and knew what was best for everyone. God showed me that attitude stemmed from my insecurity, my perfectionism and my desire to be in control. My strong personality wasn’t always very nice. Then the great and compassionate God of the Universe revealed the truth to me.

He exposed the sin in my life and showed me that I too needed a Savior. I couldn’t save myself no matter how hard I tried. He forgave me and poured out His love on me. Each day He is teaching me how to see people as He sees them: with compassion and patience and humility. Only God could change a stubborn heart like mine.

Thank you Heavenly Father for choosing me to praise You. Help me to praise You every day by telling how You called me out of darkness. Amen.

Questions: What is your story? How does telling our story praise God?

God doesn’t desire more of our time sometimes; he desires more of our attention all the time.

Ever feel frustrated because you hear messages about getting closer to God and you definitely desire this for yourself, but you are inundated with so much to do already that this only makes you feel guilty because you are too busy for God? I think we all feel this at one time or another.

Some of you may need to carve some time out of your busy schedule for more specific time to be with God, but that isn’t necessarily the only answer to this question. Look at the following Scriptures:

“I have set the Lord always before me.” Psalm 16:8
“My eyes are ever on the Lord.” Psalm 25:15
“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.” Psalm 34:1

Reading these words makes you wonder if these are the words of a monk who had nothing else to do but devote himself to God. Actually, they are the words of David, king of Israel, a great ruler and warrior. How did he manage to run a nation and keep his eyes on the Lord at all times? The only conclusion is that he did this while he did everything else. It’s a continual awareness of God that we are talking about here, not necessarily more time devoted to spiritual pursuits.

I once saw a sign that read: “Your god is what you pay attention to.” You see, I believe you can pay attention to God while you are doing everything else. It’s all about doing everything for God and seeing God in everything we do. It’s about bringing God into the boardroom, the exercise room, the living room, and the bedroom. Now of course he’s already in all these places but we’re talking about being aware of his being there at all times. That’s what it means to set the Lord always before us.

Worship is a frame of mind that always has God in the picture. We don’t need church, or Bible study, or devotions to remind us about the Lord if we’re already aware of him all the time.

These opportunities then become more precious to us because we can devote all our attention to that which we have been aware of all along.

Question: What distractions prevent you from paying attention to God?

 “From him the whole body … grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  Ephesians 4:16

A church needs more than just a pastor or a worship leader. Whether it’s a new church or one that’s been around for years, it takes all kinds of people to grow a church.

Are you good at math, organization, or working with children? How about sign painting? All of these abilities are needed. So what can you contribute to your church?

When Kay and I started Saddleback Church, we had one service with 15 people that grew to a core of 60 people by the end of the first year. These people weren’t preachers or teachers; they were just normal people doing different kinds of normal things. Thirty-one years later those people are still at the heart of our church. And if you ask any of them if the time and abilities they have contributed were worth it, they would tell you “yes”.

Serving the church is probably the most important and significant thing you will do in your life, because the church will outlast everything. Your job and hobbies will not go into eternity. Even nations and governments will not go into eternity. The church, the family of God, is the only thing that’s going to last forever.

The Bible says, “When you meet together, one person has a song, and another has a teaching. Another has a new truth from God. Another speaks in a different language …. The purpose of all these things should be to help the church grow ….” (1 Corinthians 14:26, NCV). Everybody should bring what they are good at to the table, because no one person is good at everything.

You have God-given gifts and abilities that the church needs. Whether it’s your home church that you’ve attended for years or a new church plant that’s just getting started, what will your contribution be?

Question: How would you like to serve in your local church or other Christian community?