Preparing for Worship: May 16th, 2010

Another Sunday gathering is almost upon us! Sometimes the week feels long enough between Sunday services that I wish we had another service in the middle of the week, and other weeks it seems like I barely put my guitar away and then I have to take it back out for rehearsal the next week!

This has been one of those whirlwind weeks filled with meetings, video projects, recording, and "Etc." It was especially busy for our Ministry Assistant, Rachel, whose grandmother passed away the previous week; and she was taking care of a number of things for the memorial service this past Thursday, which she said went very well.

It's been a week of trial and triumphs, of pain and of praise, and I love the way that the body of Christ comes together to share in all of the above with each other. I often remember a cutesy saying from a magnet my mom had on our fridge that said: "friendship doubles our happiness and divides our sorrow." What an important biblical concept! The body of Christ is called to rejoice in each other's joys and cry with those who are hurting; may Crossroads be a place of that kind of community!!

We'll lead off with two really great tunes that loudly proclaim our new life in Christ because of his atoning death on the cross: "Alive in Christ" and "Jesus Paid it All." The new life we have in Christ is the whole reason we are able to gather and offer a pleasing sacrifice of worship to God at all. Without Christ's blood we are DEAD in our sins, and to quote Pirates of the Caribbean: "Dead men tell no tales." Nor do they offer due praise to almighty God! So take this chance to live out that new life you've been given and come sing and worship with us!

We'll take a few moments to do our usual housekeeping stuff: welcoming everyone, especially visitors (we LOVE visitors!); committing our time to God for his glory and our edification; and saying a quick greeting to one another.

Then we'll sing a couple of tunes that help prepare us for the topic of the sermon text for the morning. "Let God Arise" is a song that comes from the book of Psalms and focuses on the invincible might of God; that when he arises, his enemies are scattered and he reigns forever! Then we take that thought and apply it to the day and age we live by understanding that God rules over nations, and states, and cities. That Valencia is God's city, and he has a perfect plan for this city that will glorify his great name. "God of This City" sings confidently that greater things are still to be done in our city to lift high the name of our Lord!

Then Pastor Todd will come and teach us from God's Word; from the apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesian church. He's talking about the battle that rages all around us; the nature of that battle and how we can prepare ourselves to stand firm in the strength of the Lord.  CLICK HERE to read the text we'll be studying this week and allowing the Spirit to apply to our lives in ways that honor and please him.

Then we'll land the plane with a song of victory from Psalm 62 entitled appropriately..."Psalm 62" that we can take with us and remind ourselves that God is our everlasting, never-failing fortress in time of spiritual warfare.

So that's what's going on this week; hope to see you there! Happy preparation!