Every Breath, Every Moment

I have a new catchphrase to live by. "Every Breath, Every Moment." It's quite simple, really, but the implications are life changing. I've been singing the song for years. I've led it so many times, I couldn't count them all. I've sung it fast and I've sung it slow. I have it recorded by several different artists. It's never really affected me. Until tonight.

I am afraid that "corporate worship" has become about emotions, great chord structure and moving melodies. Don't get me wrong, I think that the worship songs that have been written recently are some of the most profound, intimate, life consecrating music that the church has seen in years. Worship leaders like Joel Houston, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and others are without question writing songs out of a life rooted deeply in an intimate relationship with the Father. Their songs are being sung in churches all over the world. Their songs are bringing people to the throne of the Almighty on a weekly, even daily, basis.

But there is danger. Their music is so good, and their melodies are so moving that, I think, we'd love them no matter what the words said. So we get wrapped up in the emotion of the song that we don't really pay much attention to the words that our lips are singing. We walk out humming the melodies, not living the lyrics. How many people have sung "consume me from the inside out" and not meant it all. How many of you reading this (there may be only one or two people reading this actually) have stood in your church and sung "Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause?" Do you mean it? EVERYTHING you are for HIS cause? I am as guilty as the next guy.

Again, I don't want you to misunderstand this as a rant. I don't think it's complete hypocrisy if you haven't meant 100% of what you sing 100% of the time. I think the point is to take the lyrics and use them to be brought closer to Him and to become more like him. My heart doesn't break for everything that breaks His heart. I want it to, and it's my prayer that it does. I don't give everything I am for HIS cause, but it's my prayer that I can and will. I want you to pay attention to the words of the songs you sing in your church or whatever worship experience that you encounter and pray that you would latch on to not just the melodies and music, but to the words of the song.

So what caused this post? We sang that song tonight at Catalyst that I have sung and led hundreds of times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uqBxizNZJ4


This is my desire to honor You
Lord, with all my heart I worship You
All I have within me I give You praise
All that I adore is in You

Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for you alone
Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord, have Your way in me


I want God to have His way in me Every Breath and Every Moment.

An Amazing Weekend

I had the most amazing weekend (Thu-Sun) of worship that I can remember in a while. It has been a long time since I have worshiped so extensively that I was physically exhausted. My body was wornout, my voice was gone, my fingers were sore, but my Spirit was soaring. It was a weekend that I will never forget. There is so much to talk about and I really don't want to bore you with a ton of details. I mean, after all, if you are taking time to read this I certainly don't want to make you feel like I was trying to describe an experience that you just "had to be there" to appreciate.

Thursday night my wife and I were treated by a family in our worship ministry with tickets to see David Crowder Band. Those of you who know me know that I am a HUGE DCB fan. We decided to take Jackson (our four (almost five) year old) with us. (can you do a parenthases in a parenthases?) I can honestly tell you that there are moments of worship that I remember and will remember for the rest of my life. This was definitely top two (Hillsong United being the other) worship experiences in my life. It was so wonderful to be there with my wife and son, surrounded by friends and believers, and worshiping the Creator. Jackson's current favorite song is DCB's version of "How He Loves". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJyW55AXJAk To look over and see him singing at the top of his lungs with all of us was truly a moment that I will never forget. Not too long after that, he fell asleep. But that was fine, he'd already touched my heart.

Friday the family loaded up in our van and headed to Country Lake Retreat Center for our student ministry fall reatreat. I knew that satan was really uneasy about what was going to happen over the weekend because attack after attack was bombarding us beginning Thursday night and running all the way through Sunday. I brought along some amazing guys who are not only extremely talented, but have a heart for worship. They were so effective in leading the students into the presence of God that on Saturday night the kids asked if they could give up their free time and just worship more. By the end of that night I could barely talk. The kids could barely talk. I could hear them singing "Rise And Sing" (by Fee) all over the camp. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-ps2z63jis&feature=related It was so amazing to see them completely in love with singing to the God who is risen and reinging. I can't tell you how impressed I was with them. I wish their parents could have seen them. I wish their parents would worship like them.

Adults will make fools of themselves at sporting events. Have you ever seen grown men in Washington D.C. dressed in pig noses and dresses? How about in dog masks gnawing on a bone in Cleveland? Ever seen a Raiders game? Or a bunch of shirtless men in below freezing weather with wedges of cheese on their heads in Green Bay? Ever been to a NASCAR race? Why is it that we feel totally comfortable making fools of ourselves in worshiping people, but must remain "dignified" when it comes to church and worshiping the only One truly worthy of our praise?

My prayer is that we would be more like children when we worship. To see my four-year-old sing at the top of his lungs made me so proud. How much more proud is his Father in heaven? To see teenagers stand, jump, sing, dance, and scream for an hour must have made God smile. They worshiped Him openly and from a heart that had no other outlet but praise. They were so full of the Spirit that it had to come out. It seems like we adults remain in the flesh during opportunities of worship. We complain about things like our feet hurting and it being too loud and we don't know/like the songs. Then worship ends and we haven't experienced God at all. We only remained in our own selfish flesh. It's heart breaking to me as a worship leader, but how much more heart breaking must it be to the object of our worship? How must He feel when He's there waiting for us to experience Him and we ingore Him and the tugs of His Spirit?

Here's my challenge....The next time you are in worship, make a conscious decision that you are going to worship God regardless of the environment around you. Pay no attention to the people around you, the song selection, the volume, the lights, how long you've been standing, the temperature, or anything. Concentrate on one thing...HIM. Make a decision that you are going to worship Him with your whole spirit. Give Him the attention that He deserves. I promise you that you'll not regret it. The funny thing is, when we come to Him empty of ourselves, He has room to fill us with Himself. You'll leave feeling like you were the one blessed. It's amazing how that happens.

New Worship Music

I think the great worship leaders/songwriters across the world conspire to put out new music at the same time. It drives me NUTS! The reason I bring this up is that I have recently gotten new projects by four of my favorite worship leaders -- Desperation Band, Fee, David Crowder Band, and Hillsong United. I don't know what to listen to. I guess it's a good problem to have.

Today I have chosen Hillsong United's new project: Across The Earth: Tear Down The Walls. There are a ton of great songs on this record. The one that is resonating with me right now is Freedom Is Here. You can right click and then click on "open in new tab" to listen as you read the words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmignZozEoA

"Freedom is Here"

The future comes alive
You speak Your word and I
I’m running into Your hope
Because I’ve seen Your light
You bring my world to life
I’m coming after Your love

I’m not shaken, I’m not letting go

And everything comes alive
In my life as we lift You higher
Let Your freedom arise
In our lives as we lift You up
Sing it out, sing it out
Your freedom is here

So take the limits off
No matter what the cost
I’m running after Your call
And I will run this race
See You face to face
So let Your power overflow

I’m not shaken, I’m not letting go

And everything comes alive
In my life as we lift You higher
Let Your freedom arise
In our lives as we lift You up
Sing it out, sing it out
Your freedom is here

I will not fear
I will not hide Your love
Your love
All of my life
I cannot deny Your love
Your love

And everything comes alive

In my life as we lift You higher
Let Your freedom arise
In our lives as we lift You up
Sing it out, sing it out
Your freedom is here

Here's my thoughts on these lyrics..........

If we really believe what we say we believe, I mean REALLY believe it, then our lives should be so different from those who have no relationship with Christ--no hope for a future. You see, in my opinion, the reason Christians aren't having a HUGE impact on the country is that we say one thing, but we live another. We live in fear and anxiety. We don't look any different than anyone else. But with Christ our futures COME ALIVE! We have freedom, we have hope, we have LIFE! I think about what kind of impact we could have for Christ if we lived the kind of lives he wants us to; if we stopped worrying about our futures on earth and started focusing on our eternity. If we'd stop thinking about things that have NO eternal value whatsoever and started trying to use whatever God has blessed us with to make an impact on people's lives.

I know that we are in a time of economic unrest. I know that if you focus on the next 40 years (things like college for our kids, retirement, financial security) things can be really scary. But what if I were to tell you Christ is coming tomorrow? Would all of those things matter any more? What would be your focus over the final 24 hours of this life? Would you be full of fear? Would you hide His love? Here's the thing.....He MIGHT come tomorrow. We have no idea when He will come. Don't live life like you have 30, 40, 50 more years and start living like you have 30, 40, 50 more hours. Make a difference.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.....But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 6:19-21, 33-34