On with the study...

So I am loving our Wednesday night study on Worship. In our first week, we talked about what worship is. I love this quote: "In worship the church gathers to celebrate God's saving deeds. Through this celebration, God continually brings to the worshiper the benefit of His saving deeds - the forgiveness of sin and the healin gof life, which flows from the saving and healing death and ressurection of Jesus Christ.



Last week we talked about our covenant relationship with God. The covenant he made with Isreal and such. But we also discussed the covenant with God and the church. Unlike many of the covenants with God in the OT the stipulation was that "I will be your God and you will be My people"... the only difference today is that we now have Jesus Christ.



Isreal was never able to keep their commitment... what Jesus does for us we can not do for ourselves. He keeps his agreement. He fulfills the covenant. And in HIS absolute obedience He establishes for us an eternal relationship with God.



This week was about an Offering of Praise... the concept of sacrifice in worship. In the OT, people delt with sin through the sacrifice of animals. Today, our sacrifice was Jesus; the once and for all sacrifice of sin.



So let's think for a moment, if Jesus sacrifice was ALL of Himself, how much should our sacrifice be in worship to Him? When we worship and offer praise... are we coming with our hands empty or are they full of sacrifice. How much did it "cost" us to go to church and to enter before the throne of God? We come to worship Jesus for that once and for all sacrifice... but what are we offering Him back? Aren't we to bring in the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving?... yes we are.

So... what does it cost YOU to worship the ONE who gave everything? Are we coming empty handed to always be "filled"? Or are we coming to lay our "everything"? Just a thought.

Humbled by His grace...

The past few weeks have been so difficult. We have a few family things going on, but foremost, my husbands company closed in December and we are without a job!

I tell my husband that some days are great, I have peace and faith in God to move mountains. Some days I feel like the breath has been knocked out of me. Some days my two brains argue! lol

However, God has already proven Himself true. We are seeing little blessings and provision everywhere that we never expected. We have continued to give, and rest on His Word. I have spent much time in prayer... you know when trouble comes, sometimes your prayer life get's a huge jump start! (not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing) But twice this week alone, we have been blessed by another brother or sister in the Lord.

Thank you God, for loving us so much! Thank you that people put "feet" to your love as well! May I never forget these small deeds, and may I never go without seeing opportunities for me to give back!

Worthy of Worship

This is one of my favorite hymns. It's a newer hymn, but it is a wonderful song and truly "worshipful". He is worthy of so many things! Worship is remembering, remembering what He has done and where we have came from... Lord, You are worthy.

Worthy of Worship


Verse 1
Worthy of worship, worthy of praise,
Worthy of honor and glory
Worthy of all the glad songs we can sing,
Worthy of all of the off’rings we bring.


(Chorus)
You are worth, Father, Creator.
You are worthy, Savior, Sustainer.
You are worthy, worthy and wonderful;
Worthy of worship and praise.


Verse 2
Worthy of rev’rence, worthy of fear,
Worthy of love and devotion;
Worthy of bowing and bending of knees,
Worthy of all this and added to these…


Verse 3
Almighty Father, Master and Lord,
King of all kings and Redeemer,
Wonderful Counselor, Comforter, Friend,
Savior and Source of our life without end;

Worship is Amazing...

We started last Wednesday a wonderful study in our adult class on Worship.

I love that in the very first lesson we were reminded that worship is a remembrance and celebration of what God has done. That worship is something we come prepared to do. It isn't something that only happens when the sermon is perfect, the music is perfect, the heating and cooling are perfect.... It isn't something that depends on anything other than YOU and ME.

Worship is amazing. And it can be done anywhere at any time. All you need is a heart thankful and remembering what God has done, what His Son did... and worship should flow!

Blessings. More thoughts on worshp to come.

Good evening!

I hope everyone had a wonderful day of worship. God is amazing isn't He?

We opened with: Lord I Lift Your Name On High

First Set: Overcome (This was led by our youth pastor, he is a wonderful musician.)

Second Set: How Great Is Our God into How Great Thou Art

Worship was a little short today, because we had other things out of the ordinary at the end of service. But God was good and it we had a sweet presence.

Come on over to Fred McKinnon's site and check out the other lists:
http://www.fredmckinnon.com/myblog/2009/01/11/sunday-setlists

Sunday Worship

I am attempting again to join in at the Sunday Set list at Fred McKinnon's Blog. Many worship leaders post what their Sunday was like in music and worship right here: http://www.fredmckinnon.com/myblog/2008/12/28/sunday-setlists-23/

So here we go:

Opener: We Are Exalted

Set 1: Worthy of Worship

Set 2: We Will Worship The Lamb of Glory
To The Only God
I Worship You, Almighty God

We had a wonderful time of worship, a bit different than the usual, but the sweet presence of the Father was with us. Thank you Lord, for being so good to us!!!

Constantly amazed...

by God's infinate Grace!

I have been primarily responsible for our Advent part of the services this year. And as I have studied and planned, I have been so blessed by realizing so much about Christ's first coming, and anticipating His second.

My pastor has shared some wonderful messages this season, and they have tied into where we are in our world right now, what God is calling us to, and that it's not going to be easy.... but we have a HOPE! We have a FUTURE! We have Christ Jesus who came, and will come again.

We are so blessed.

Busy Busy....

YES! This is a busy time of year. Today I have spent working on our First Sunday of Advent service, as well as our Hanging of the Greens that evening! Whew... so much to do.

Next week we will spend most of the week at our family farm Heritage Acres with the masses of our family, from great aunts and uncles to the newest born just a few months ago. I have so much to be thankful for this year. We too often let the hustle and bustle of our lives, and the little things we lack cloud our eyes from our blessings. I know I do...

More later.

Wow...

it has been a while since I've blogged. Well God has definately been good during this break! :) But then He always is isn't He?

I am so very thankful that every day I have the chance to worship Him. He has done such great things in my life and my family. There is no greater joy than spending time in His presence!

I'm excited that our pastor has decided to do a Wed. night study on worship. I think it will be a great thing for our church..... and I will be sure to share my thoughts here as well.

Until later. Get a cup of coffee and spend some time with God!

God is good...

just a quick note as time is fleeting these days since homeschooling is back in full swing! But, I just have to give God praise for the wonderful few days my husband and I had at Winshape Retreat in GA last week at a marriage conference.

We have always been blessed to have a good marriage and have made it through a lot of hard times, especially the past 2 years, but God has been faithful to us as we have been faithful to keep Him center of our lives.

I strongly encourage you to find some time away with your "sweety", and rediscover each other on a regular basis.

We were also blessed to be able to see a second screening of the movie "FIREPROOF". GO, GO, GO to the theaters to see it!

Until later... Blessings.