Friday, August 14, 2009

Preparing For Worship: August 16th, 2009

This Sunday is another opportunity for the body of Christ to meet and pursue God together by offering our praises and worship to him; by studying his revealed Word in order to know him better, and to conform our lives to the image of Jesus; by offering confession, thanksgiving, and supplication to him in prayer; and by encouraging, exhorting, and fellowshiping with one another in love and unity.

Man, that's a tall drink of water sometimes isn't it? To come to church and feel like there's all these items on a checklist that we have to go through to meet our weekly quota with God. We come to church ready to participate, learn, sing, and serve, and sometimes we forget that we are coming before the almighty creator of the universe! In light of who he is, what do we truly have to offer HIM? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Everything we offer to him is only made acceptable and pleasing because it is passing through the substitutionary blood of Jesus.

So come with joy and eagerness, but don't forget to come with humility and brokenness before God, and trust that he will fill you with all of his goodness, which was shown to us so perfectly in the face of his son.

This week we start with "Ancient of Days" that gives us perspective on the God we're coming to worship, and how great and glorious he is, that he holds all things in his hand, and that one day every tongue will confess and acknowledge him. "That's Why We Praise Him" balances us out in remembering that he is not an impersonal and far removed God, but that he came to dwell among us and reconcile us to God through the forgiveness of sin.

We'll have a time of prayer and welcome, and hear a short announcement about the next Financial Peace University course starting up in September. Then we'll get a minute or two to meet and greet friends and visitors.

Then we'll sing our new song "Completely Done" together. I love this song, and how it firmly reminds us that Christ's work is indeed FINISHED; that I need not, nor cannot add anything to it, nor is it deficient in any way. See the previous posts for lyrics, samples, and even a free download. JUST CLICK HERE and HERE! We'll go right into "How Great is Our God" which seems like the appropriate response to the marvelous truth we will have just sung. I love to move back and forth in perspective between the all-powerful creator God of the universe, and the personal, loving, redeeming God in the person of Jesus Christ!

Pastor Todd is back in the saddle as we continue the conquest of the Holy Land in Joshua. This week he'll be fast forwarding to chapter 14 and the extraordinary life of old Caleb. CLICK HERE to read the chapter so you know what's going on, and can be ready to dig in on Sunday.

We'll respond with the hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness" as we glean perspective on how to live completely sold out to God's grand purposes. We'll see that as we step out in faith, and always look forward, that God meets us with abundant grace and faithfulness!

That's what's going on this week; happy prepping!

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