DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 22
CONSTANT EYE CONTACT

We build our opinions and views from what we see. The problem is that we are seeing way too much of this world and not enough of the realm of God’s word. We “watch” others, then filter these opinions within our own built-in legal system and it produces our judgment of the situation. We just need to remind our brain how the Kingdom of God is not constructed with an earthly foundation or a fleshly way of working and thinking. Not only do we need to think less highly of ourselves in this arena but it is important to remember the church is not built on anyone else’s personality either. If we put our faith in the talents, leadership and charisma of others we will always be disappointed. Pastors and leaders are wonderful and can build a vibrant body of believers as well as great outreach ministries and anointed worship but the true “CHURCH” is built on the solid rock of Christ which He is the chief cornerstone. Lord, open the eyes of my heart that I might see your glory!

Take revival for example; it is not found by traveling somewhere to “get it” and it is not just brought in by a human evangelist. It is not a goose bump feeling or a contagious movement of religious emotion. We build our own fires in our prayer closet and we keep it burning with our obedience. It is stepping up to a higher level with God or being restored to a place we have been before. It is an awakening and sensing the personal conviction of the Holy Spirit and yielding our will to Him through a “one on one” spiritual experience of refreshing and rededication. We can go as deep with God as we choose and can have as much of the Holy Spirit manifesting as we can handle, right where we are – all the time. But Billy, what does all this have to do with worship? Our personal revival and worship with God is far beyond singing songs and going to church; true worship is remembering to keep spiritual eye contact with God everywhere we go – in everything we do.

Serving in church ministry is not playing a political game or being a part of a social club but it’s simply about pure spiritual love for God and His people. If that is not our reason – we labor in vain. Sharing an intimate relationship with Jesus that is built completely on trusting His word and His voice is what it’s all about. You see, if our worship is not a personal, constant eye contact with God we will be easily discouraged because we have put too much faith in other people or programs. Spiritual maturity is a place where we realize the difference between what we do and who we are and the twisted idea that our deeds can take the place of our intimacy in the secret place. When God was speaking to the churches in the book of Revelation we notice that everything was not based on their works only – but the attitude of their heart and their thoughts and this exposed their overall spiritual condition. “Open the eyes of my heart Lord – I want to see you – I want to see you.” Songs like this are not only for our curiosity about what God looks like but it’s also a window to see ourselves the way we really are and allows us to truly see others with God’s heart.

We sacrifice our time because we offer ourselves as a servant under the Lordship of our master. And in humility we serve each other because we sense and are learning how much compassion God has for everyone. This gift of holiness and righteousness included as part of our total salvation comes with a built-in “burden” for souls and a sincere concern for the needs and pains of others. How will we know unless we can see?

It has always been about motives, attitudes, and the intentions of our heart. It is not about us and all that we can do – it is being humbly dependent on the Holy Spirit. Whether leading worship, teaching, praying for the sick, leading a ministry or any type of help connected with the Kingdom, it is not our “power” that accomplishes the work. When we only demonstrate a religious performance it is just a shadow and a generic substitute of the genuine. But when God flows through us, we sense His presence and others can see His glory. Would we act any differently if God appeared in church one day? Would we not put our programs away and gladly turn the service over to Him? Why don’t we do that now? Just because we cannot literally see Him we need not forget He is there? If we are not trying to see Him we will miss Him. If we believe our ceremonies are more important than Him, we are filled with pride and deception. I do not want more religion – I want more of Jesus! There is such life-changing wisdom in the simple song that say’s, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 21
THE HANDOFF

The relationship between the senior pastor and the worship pastor plays a vital role in the spiritual anointing of the corporate church service. To have a smooth transfer from music to teaching there must be a bond of trust and a unified connection of thought between the two individuals. As the worship leader begins the journey and leads the people into the presence of God, it is the senior pastor that has the overall vision and Holy Spirit “inspiration” for the entire service. Somehow in the realm of space and time, the service must be transferred from the one that has been leading and then passed to the one who will take it in the “holy crossroad” and move toward a specific destination. It is like God is in the control tower and the pilot and co-pilot is flying the plane. The co-pilot can fly awhile but he hands it over to the pilot who knows how, when and where to land safely. Each minister is trying to listen to every word that is coming from the “flight coordinator” as the service hinges on their willingness to obey.

There is not a lot of discussion about this subject probably because most have not really thought about it and many rarely even notice this occurrence. When I am leading worship I do at times become “lost” in God’s presence but when we are coming to the point of intimacy and “soaking” I can feel myself being aware of the senior pastor and will try to find eye contact with him when I sense the time for transfer is near. I’ve noticed that he also “awakens” from his time of adoration with Father and becomes sensitive to the right time to take over. I love for the transfer to happen while the music is still playing as the Holy Spirit is still moving on the hearts of the congregation. It makes for a seamless “handoff” when God’s presence is intense and gives the pastor the option to continue with gifts and ministry or if he does not feel the persuasion to linger, he can gently bring it to an end and continue moving forward.

God places senior pastors as leaders of His assemblies and they are surrounded by fellow laborers in the ministry. The spirit of unity is at the heart of what makes the church function and God’s love provides the power for the anointing. There is a divine order within the body that brings strength and glory to God’s church and it is an honor to witness this blessing. Someone needs to take the “bull by the horns” that has the discernment to know what to do and where to lead. This is NOT as easy as it may seem. People may want to share a word and this must be judged as being from God. If there needs to be correction this is the time and place to bring instruction with love. If the leader (pastor) is afraid to be bold and deal with certain issues, the church will suffer and many times will scatter from the lack of confidence and respect.

DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 20
CHOSEN TO SEARCH THE LAND

We see in Numbers chapter thirteen how the Lord told Moses to send out spies into the land of Canaan. These leaders and rulers were chosen from each of the tribes of Israel because they were respected and considered to be spiritually mature and trusted to know God personally. Is that not what leaders have always been and are today in the church? Most people do not understand the daily balancing act that church leaders go through trying to manage people without causing a religious mutiny. Managers in the secular world can relate somewhat to the headaches and pressures of trying to organize people with diverse personalities but the ministry is even more intense because it is all balanced on a spiritual bridge between the seen and the unseen world.

People want to share their ideas, opinions and expectations with the bold confidence that God has given them a clear understanding of how church should be. What most people fail to realize is that each person of the body also has their own unique revelation about what to change yet with the same intensity and fervent passion as they do. A called leader will take the suggestions and advice to the place of prayer and meditation because they know how important it is to have an open mind and a clear conscience. Much prayer is needed in the life of a facilitator to not categorize people with prejudice and opinions because this hinders their ability to perceive and comprehend a possible confirmation of what God may really want to do. Discernment goes far beyond personality.

Church leaders will always have to deal with everyone suggesting ways that services can be better but if the leader shuts off the openness to learn and locks the gates to his tolerance it will cause a spiritual dysfunction in his own life and ministry. Over a period of time the leader may develop a habit of being friendly and seemingly interested in advice but inwardly can be completely ignoring everyone. This can become a problem if they retreat into a place of false security by shutting everyone out and only listening to their own ideas. (This also applies to managers in the business world). The Lord can use the most unlikely person to speak into our life which is why the leader must have his receiver on the Holy Spirit “frequency” and his antennas up at all times. The minister is like a connector (reminds me of the plastic caps that twist electrical wires together) that takes the hands of others and places them in the hands of God (as he holds on to both) so the current can flow as an extension of Jesus. To be a strong leader one must first become a humble servant and live with a constant awareness that everything is being done in the power of God – not their ability or strength. Leaders for Christ must spend time alone with Him in prayer, personal worship, obedience and a willingness to do whatever it takes – not because they are trying to earn something but simply because they love Him.

Those who surrender to the calling of being a leader in the Kingdom of God realizes how difficult it is to explain and hold others accountable about something that comes from another dimension yet needs to be manifested for all to know and sense. There must be a genuine concern and love for God’s people and a gifted personality that includes being able to counsel, mediate, teach, lead by example and be a person of integrity, fairness and spiritual sensitivity. In the area of music there may be several people in the worship team that can sing solos and lead songs but the worship pastor is the one who can facilitate and “manage” everyone into a coordinated working unit that can flow in not only unity but a harmony of love and respect.

The worship pastor is always trying to encourage and “stretch” the ones who are gifted and becomes excited to step back so others can lead. It must be someone who is interested in promoting others for the sake of seeing people grow and advance into their gifts and callings while also connecting this precious “resource of spiritual nourishment” with the hungry, thirsty and hurting body. The position is not a vehicle or platform to advertise their ministry or push a personal career agenda but a vehicle to promote the team. It is not reserved for the prideful that loves to use authority over others or who gets a “charge out of being in charge”. It is not a position that seeks to control but rather an opportunity to be an actual “servant” that can help others grow and find their place among the challenging yet satisfying world of holy music.

Whether you are a leader or a “leader of leaders” everyone is held accountable to the same standards and considered by the Lord to be equally valuable in the Kingdom. It is ALL about unity; a unified effort that is pressing toward the goal of seeing the super-natural manifestation of God. The armor bearers, weapon makers, medics, uniform makers and cooks are just as crucially important to the victory as the warriors fighting on the front line. It is not about who is the best because the gifts and talents are mixed together to produce one spiritual sound. We practice in private throughout the week because the more skilled an individual becomes the better the entire group becomes. Every team member must see the big picture of this unified “sound” and not become jealous or envious of those who are more advanced or might be experiencing a season of rich anointing. Let us rejoice and be happy for one another when God chooses to bless individuals. It is very important for the entire team to concentrate on God with the eyes of their heart and be reminded their effort is an offering for God. Our purpose is to honor God – our calling is to edify His people and our destination is His throne.

Just like the spies who brought the report from the land of Canaan – people are listening and depending on our attitude and our vision. Our faith has a direct influence on our network especially the young ones. People are watching and listening to every word we say so it must become a personal revelation to consider the power our words carry. We must be aware of the temptation to function in the emotional realm and learn to resist this carnal snare trap. The words we speak reveal who we are.

Laying down our will in order to know God intimately is the reason we live. This attitude and state of consciousness is nothing new because the daily Christian life always involves sacrifice, sensitivity and surrender; it is the nature of Jesus. Being a leader is not creating our own visions and concepts of God’s power and glory but simply listening to His voice and confidently following the perfect destiny of HIS purpose. It is not about supervising and managing the house of God according to our style and desires. It is all about preparing our heart – then inviting God to come into our midst and allowing Him to be Himself. (It is a challenge to be sensitive as God may want to do something out of the ordinary). As each individual person in the body is a work in progress, we should want to see God’s laborers growing in passion and maturity. With the same love and help that has been shown to us, may we invest our time into others so those who are developing may find their place in the church and flourish in their ministry.

WONDERS OF WORSHIP
PART 19
WE BOW – HE BLESSES

The occasions when I have felt the most prepared, practiced, excited and organized have been the times of my greatest disappointments. And other occasions where I have felt the emotional frustration, panic, weakness and been literally overwhelmed with stress to the point of starting the service in tears, I was left numb and in awe of his glorious presence. How many times do we need to be reminded He is our friend – not a religious idea we can manipulate. We do not create His presence with our abilities or turn on His power like a faucet – we sincerely bow before Him and He blesses us with His presence. We make the conscious decision to reach out to Him and approach Him wherever and whenever and are granted the gift of knowing the spiritual reality of His person.

I am convinced when we approach God with humility,
brokenness and an attitude that realizes we are desperately needy for him; we will find him – (or maybe it is more like in His compassion He draws near.) The question is; do we really desire to be close to Him? God is not searching for ability alone – he is seeking availability. He is not just seeking talent – He desires to move through a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). He already knows who has the gifts and talents (He is the one who gave the gifts). Our free-will responsibility is to offer these gifts back to him as a sacrificial offering of thanksgiving and adoration. This is why worship should not be a burden but rather a joy and privilege to express the way we appreciate him and what he has given to us. This is not to say there is not a price to pay in living for Him but the sacrifice cannot be compared to the reward of knowing Him more deeply. When serving Him becomes a burden, something has clouded the vision of our heart. Maybe we are involved with a worship team just because we like music. Or maybe we have allowed the distractions of this world to pull us away from the tenderness of His touch. Wrong motives, pride, carnality and religious apathy can build walls that gradually become a prison cell that holds us captive to our own distorted imaginations. The simplicity to His unspeakable joy is to bow before Him and lay our life at His feet – then our deeds can grow into agape love and our singing and playing will blossom into true worship.

I found these nuggets and wanted to share them with you from the book “Worship and entertainment” by A.W. Tozer.

“Believe it or not, I would like to be decent and nice. If I could, I would join Norman Vincent Peale in thinking about roses and symphony orchestras. But I can’t join the good brother. So I must tell you that if you do not worship God seven days a week, you do not worship Him on one day a week. There is no such thing known in heaven as Sunday worship unless it is accompanied by Monday worship and Tuesday worship and so on. You can worship God at your desk; you can worship God on a train or driving in traffic; you can worship God washing the dishes or ironing; you can worship God in school or on the basketball court. You can worship God in whatever activities are legitimate and right and good; you need not be in church all the time. Everything inside us should worship God all the time”

“Let us suppose we are back in the old days of the high priest, who took incense into the sanctum and went behind the veil and offered it there. And let us suppose that chips of rubber (the worst-smelling thing I can think of when it burns) had been mixed with the incense, so that instead of the pure smoke of spices filling the temple with sweet perfume, there was the rancid smell of rubber mixed with it. How could a priest worship God by mixing a foul ingredient with the sweet-smelling ingredients that would be a stench in the nostrils of God and the people? And how can we worship God acceptably when there is within our nature something that, when it catches on fire, gives off not a fragrance but an offending smell? How can we worship Him when there is something in our nature which is undisciplined, unpurged, uncorrected and unholy? Even granted that a man with evil ingredients in his nature might with some part of his conscience worship God half acceptably, what kind of a lukewarm way is that to live?”

“Remember, there is no magic in faith or in names. You can name the name of Jesus a thousand times; but if you will not follow the nature of Jesus the name Jesus will not mean anything to you. We cannot worship God and live after our own nature. It is when God’s nature and our nature begin to merge that the power of the name of God begins to operate within us. We cannot pray toward the east and walk toward the west.”

DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 18
OUT OF THIS WORLD

If we could “perform” worship like we succeed in the other areas of our life, why would we need God’s anointing? We love to organize and work long hours to create and “perfect” the things we love but leading worship is not that kind of situation. When we come to worship God it is actually opposite of everything in this world’s way of thinking because we are not producing it on our own (which is probably why at times it is so frustrating.) Yes it is true we can practice and prepare our music but this in itself is not what is making it more spiritual. I believe in working hard and trying to perfect the instruments and vocals but it is only sharpening the tools so that God can use them to do His work. It is true that higher quality music is more pleasant to listen to but professionalism does not guarantee a higher level of anointing because the heart must be in tune as well as our instruments. It is difficult to find the line of balance between raising the bar of the music while not becoming an obsessed tyrant and ignoring the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit. Sure, people enjoy the worship but many just listen and leave without realizing what goes on behind the scenes. Did I mention the worship team needs lots of prayer? True worship leaders have a pastor’s heart. They care about each person and take a personal interest in their life and spiritual development. I pray for each member of the team each week as we need all the prayer covering we can get. This is not boot camp; we who lead the army into battle are on the front line.

Anytime you put fifteen people together to accomplish a goal you will automatically have fifteen different ideas about how to do it. But when all fifteen blend together with pure hearts and a unified vision – you have just witnessed a true miracle! When this happens you can close your eyes and it seems you are standing just outside the pearly gates. This is when music relays the voice of God and words become holy medicine.

I want the music to be as good as it can be. I listen to many different bands each week and I focus on certain worship songs over and over and enjoy the way they encourage my spirit. I can sense God’s presence in songs and I try to hear God speaking His “message of the hour” just like I would absorb a sermon into my spirit. As someone that is responsible to select the songs we will sing, I am like a pharmacist that fills the prescription from the “doctor” each week. I will sense that God wants to remind His people of certain holy truths that He knows will touch and bring healing; the same as He gives pastors their messages. Worship and preaching are not all “warm and fuzzies” because God’s sword has two edges. There is a sobering reality of war and soldiers need to be stimulated and provoked to engage the enemy. There are times we need to be stirred and made aware to shake the gates. We cannot afford to be lulled to sleep with soft, powerless sermons and sleepy pillow songs. We must find the balance between knowing when to fight in faith as the storms of life are raging and resting our head in His bosom. Religion has lulled the church to sleep!

Our Christian life is a learning process that includes knowing how to decrease while allowing God to increase in our life. This humility is what can allow God to rise up big in our heart and minister His words in the right places at the right times. Leading worship also falls in the category of reducing ourselves so that God’s tangible presence can be manifested and encountered among His people. Many have never felt His presence and believe this is just a part of the religious jargon of catch words and phrases but it is true that God’s presence is a literal tangible sensation as we notice the definition; 1.capable of being touched; discernable by the touch; material or substantial. 2. Real or actual, rather than imaginary or visionary. 3. Definite; not vague or elusive; without doubt.

We are not trying to display our own glory, build our reputation, leave a legacy, and become more noticeable, popular or famous. In fact we are trying to humble ourselves and “descend” so that Jesus can be lifted up. We crank up the volume not so that our talents can be admired but so the gospel and glory of God can be noticed as a lighthouse of hope in the darkness and fear of a lost world. We shout unto the Lord with our praise and thanksgiving for what He has done for us as a testimony of His power. We boldly proclaim His works and His love to those who desperately need Him. His offer of total salvation is the message of deliverance and hope for the lost and He is worthy to be praised for the generosity of His mercy and grace. We join the heavenly choruses that cry holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come.

DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 17
A LITTLE LEAVEN

When we hear the words “contemporary” and “modern” within the realm of church we may think of discarding or re-structuring the older traditions and streamlining with a new, fresh approach to serving God. We can incorporate new architecture, new styles, new music and more technology but all this does not necessarily make the gospel more anointed. Tragically the enemy has whispered his influences of a “new and improved” version of ministry while secretly incorporating his strategy of also hindering or “throwing out” the Holy Spirit. Some ideas can be God inspired and are fine as long as one aspect of our purpose is left intact; the reverential fear of God. As we develop in our understanding of who He is and who we are, we will realize this is the most important revelation in our personal relationship with Him. And of course this is in turn has a direct influence on the spiritual effectiveness of the church. We all learn from what we see, hear and experience and training the next generation is our responsibility.

Many in the church just go through the motions and do not recognize the difference between what is anointed and what is not. For the true disciples that really “know” Him, the closer they are to God the more they understand about the spiritual realm. When God’s children truly see a glimpse of Him they begin to comprehend just how holy and how glorious He is. The saints that experience His holy presence join the ranks with everyone else in the universe that has had an encounter with the Almighty and in their prayer closets fall on their faces in awestruck wonder. “And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne ON THEIR FACES, and worshipped God.” (Rev.7:11)

This reverential fear is not a terror or a dread that we would feel threatened or danger but rather a respect of His authority. God does not present Himself or His Kingdom as weak or compromising and does not suggest that He can be approached with anything less than an attitude of purity, humility and seriousness. This is not a political man-made religion but rather an awareness of a divine presence. It has never been an option to abide under His wings without first examining our heart for anything that would offend His perfect holiness. It is crucial to develop this mindset when we come to Him in prayer, worship, meditation or in the corporate assembly. We pray and plead for Him to come into our midst and we say we desire to come into His Holy of Holies but do we realize what we are asking? Do we really want His fire to purge our mind and reveal our secret sins? Are we prepared to present our heart and life to Him?

It is very interesting to turn in your Strongs concordance and look at the references to the word “holy”. If God takes everything that is connected with His church as holy then it might be wise for us all to become more sensitive to His way of thinking. Our lack of respect for authority in the world has unfortunately bled over into our lack of reverential respect for God. This rebellious state of mind and resentment is a danger as an example to the youth and can bring a corruptible influence along with calloused emotions into the church.

Many believe they can watch what they want, say what they want and expose their heart to all kinds of evil without being affected but – it is a deception. The lukewarmness of an individual has a drastic impact on the rest of the body and if several in the congregation open the door to the world and drinks of its filth – the church can suffer and develop a suspicious, cold, religious personality. We have heard about lifeless services and actually felt for ourselves an atmosphere of depression and apathy and wondered where in the world this could come from. It comes from the spirits that walk in with the “bodies.” The building is just brick and drywall! The church can be like the temple in Isaiah chapter 6 or it can feel like a morgue. It all depends on the spiritual condition of the people’s hearts.

We can realize the meaning of the leaven in Mathew chapter thirteen as how powerful an influence can be. The text say’s in verse 33 that a woman hid some small pieces of leaven in three measures of meal and the whole seven and a half gallons became leavened. I have always thought about how negativity and criticism can infect a church and hinder the worship and overall spiritual health of the body. But what if we turn it around and see how powerful optimism and positive minded people can influence the body? How important it is to pray and worship during the week before we come together. How important it is to be careful what we say and how we live. How many people are we affecting with our words and deeds?

DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 16
STRETCHING EXCERCISES

No, this is not about running around the block before service, doing jumping jacks or going through voice warm-ups. This is about a much more difficult type of training – it’s the pain (and the gain) that comes from being flexible in our thinking. Our lives are filled with character development opportunities. In ministry or leadership positions; we must learn to bend – not compromise. We ascertain much by trial and error and when we adapt and incorporate God’s wisdom we can know that He will lift us up in His time. Allowing God to stretch us is good for us because it expands our potential. Being flexible makes us versatile and effective because everything we do is closely associated with people. If we could just come in, minister and go home it would be easy but God wants to teach us love and unity in the beauty of genuine relationships – and that (as many of you know) is the hard part. I want us to look at two areas that will test our attitude as we function in our gifts within the corporate service.

First let’s notice the view from the singer/musician/sound person (or any position associated with worship). Each individual has their own ideas about what role they are to play in the music. They may see themselves as a potential leader, a qualified soloist, lead instrumentalist or always ready to suggest new music for the team. There is nothing wrong with these visions in themselves (these are blessings) as long as it is understood that “timing” is the key for them to be fulfilled. A tree brings forth its fruit in its season. Patience is a “perfect tool” that helps us develop character.

For example; let’s say someone brings sheet music to practice and really loves the song and wants the band to learn it. The leader is then faced with an awkward situation and must have the wisdom and strength to handle the decision as an anointed facilitator. If the worship leader has prayed all week about song selection, practiced and believes they have what God wants to minister, he or she needs to lovingly respond that, “we will listen to the song and learn it in the near future.” On the other hand if the worship leader has prayed for a new song that will minister to the body in a special way then it can be accepted as a divine appointment and receive it joyfully as God’s song of the hour. (Ok, this is the tricky part) how the person reacts who brought the song makes all the difference in their attitude and the general response of the entire band. If the person accepts the decision to learn it later with sincerity and a good attitude – the band remains healthy and strong. If the person feels rejected and becomes offended – the band becomes vulnerable to an “infection” of disrespect and heaviness. Thus, the “beauty” of flexibility has its chance to shine! (Or fall prey to rebellion).

Another illustration would be those who desire to sing specials or wish to be added to the roster to sing or play. Some may need more practice to develop a higher skill level, others may not yet be in the “position” to be used but are still developing but have great potential for the future. Or it may be a situation where the person has not yet found their true calling and really needs to seek God’s face for their unique path that He has ordained for them to follow. It may sound strange but many people are not aware of their inability to sing or play music. This will eventually lead to confrontations that will allow truth to bring revelation and reality to those who really want to know God’s perfect plan for their lives. Remember – true leadership radiates encouragement. I have seen people with great amounts of determination and discipline, they have prepared, prayed, cried, begged, practiced, pushed and done everything that could be done to make themselves available for music ministry but were just laboring in the wrong area. Just because a person enjoys music and wants to participate does not necessarily mean they have been chosen and anointed by God to labor in that particular field.

The other area of flexibility is essential in a worship leader. Though it is true that being prepared is very necessary we must be ultimately led by the Holy Spirit. If we set our agenda in stone and lock our programs in without even considering the “moment by moment” whisper of The Lord, we will reap the disappointment of a religious presentation. It is true that God gives directions ahead of time but who can say He will not test our sensitivity and obedience to be led by His spirit spontaneously? This is also true of pastors and teachers as they must walk in the Spirit and be ready to “change gears” when the Lord wants to do something special in the service. Many churches that are lifeless have disregarded the anticipation and excitement of God’s ideas and have fallen into the comfort and security of their own ceremonies. Being instant in season and out of season is just another way the Lord wants all of us to walk and function in wisdom and truth. (II Timothy 4:2).

People are always suggesting new ideas because every person has their own creativity. The leader must realize the fine line of releasing these talents which bring life to the body and the sense of accomplishment and spiritual growth to the one ministering. The other side involves the danger of harnessing the collection of gifts that God has allowed them to oversee with selfishness, pride and issues of “control.” Leaders are placed in the church by the Lord Himself to help encourage people according to the character of Christ. Leaders are to be humble servants and are not to act like they own the “business.” Here’s a good one; let’s say the senior pastor wants to do something out of the ordinary like dropping a song or replacing a song. If the worship leader is to function in the peace of God they must not allow their emotions to get them upset (if they disagree). The enemy may whisper that outside forces are trying to ruin the worship set and that others are intervening into what they have planned. They may feel they already have the direction and others are not being as spiritual as they are. This is a crossroad that can go to a place of blessing or a place of resentment. To be able to react quickly with spiritual maturity and choose to “flow” with the spiritual current can make or break this transition and affect the service. Again, it is reaction and the decision to yield that is crucial.

It is no secret – we all like to do things a certain way and we all have our own ideas about how and what to do about everything (especially church). Those who are involved with ministry leadership discover the role of facilitator comes pre-loaded with many types of challenges. The moment we enter into the arena of authority and responsibility, we automatically become a magnet for complaints, politics, strife and criticism just like a manager at a place of employment. As many of you have learned, enjoying success while being led by God’s wisdom is only accomplished through constant prayer. There is a special anointing needed whether trying to find balance, mediating or needing to make difficult decisions. Discernment of God’s will is not an option when trying to prevent offence with something as seemingly simple as singing a song. God’s love is the foundation that builds relationships that will give us the grace to be stretched when we do not really want to be. Will we allow Him to develop spiritual flexibility in our heart? Selah…

DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 15
THE LEVITES: PIONEERS OF PRAISE

The ancient world of praise and worship is fascinating and worthy of research for those who desire to learn more about how mankind has expressed his adoration to God throughout the centuries. Since creation man has offered sacrifices as a way to show his affection, devotion and love. Musical worship has been from the beginning and even included Lucifer as a leader of angelic choirs and heavenly musicians that produced the most beautiful sounds to the glorious majesty of the Almighty. Through the centuries man has developed his abilities and has made instruments to play along with his shouts of joy, praise and thanksgiving. This reverential fear and desire to proclaim God’s awesome power has produced libraries of written songs and organized musical presentations. Our spiritual relationship with God is enhanced with music and these gifts help us tell Him the way we feel in intimate worship.

If we look at I Chronicles chapters 15 and 16 we notice several things that are difficult to understand completely but are still very interesting. There are ancient words that have lost some translation such as “second section”, “porters”, “alamoth”, “shemineth” etc., but it is clear that certain individuals were chosen to lead in specific areas of wind and string instruments. These words could possibly pertain to musical scales, harmony, octave, modulation, pitch, rhythm, beats, notes, chords, keys and other related musical structure. Vocals were separated into sections and the entire musical presentation was developed by many leaders including trumpet and cornet teachers, cymbal instructors, psaltry and harp teachers, choir and vocal directors, arrangers and of course the psalmist and prophetic song writers.

We have actually been given a record of some of the ones who participated in this historic account of David as he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. He chose the children of Aaron (the Levites) to literally carry the ark and be in charge of watching over it and for them to be sanctified and minister in worship for the occasion. We see He’-man and A’-saph were appointed to sound the cymbals and A’-zi-el on the psaltry. Az-a-zi’-ah on harp, Je-du’-thun and Be-nai’-ah on the trumpet and Chen-a-ni’-ah (verse 22) who (is referred to in Chapter 15 verse 27 as “the master of the song”) was evidently talented with instrument and vocal arrangements. We also notice in chapter 25 and 26 that musicians and singers were appointed to minister songs in the “house of the Lord” (the new temple.) In modern day comparison we see the traditional worship pastor, choir leader, organist, pianist, the soloist and the chair order of an orchestra and the role of a conductor as parallels of these ancient patterns. Music was very serious, strict and precise.

What does all this have to do with today’s worship? It is awesome to realize that what we are doing each week comes from a blueprint that represents the organization and coordination of a worship band – 1000 years before Jesus! We have the writers, arrangers, teachers, musicians, singers and leaders that have been appointed by God to minister unto the Lord in the house of the Lord just like they did. We see how powerful and anointed this ceremony was and the sound must have been impressive but it is interesting to note they were dancing around a box that represented God’s presence. We are so much more blessed to be (the box) filled with Jesus and the Holy Spirit within our own heart and to experience the “personal relationship” of His presence, power and glory.

Those who dedicate themselves to a worship team realize that sacrifice and humility is more important than talent because attitude is the thermometer of our effectiveness. Whether you are a leader or the leader everyone is held accountable to the same standards. On a worship team each person is contributing and representing a vital part of a unified vision and serves in the specific local assembly as a holy divine appointment. We are all responsible to develop and share our gift, and our musical mission is ALL about serving the Lord and serving His people. Just like the ancient music world, everyone that is musically talented does not necessarily have the mantle to lead worship, or write songs but each “musically inclined person” has been given their own specific gifts and abilities and is just as equally anointed. Like the parts of a smooth running engine, the spark plug is just as important as the fan belt. The armor bearers, weapon makers, medics, uniform makers and cooks are just as crucially important to a military battle as the ones who launch the missiles. No matter what part you play – you are needed. It is a team effort and in the rank and file of divine order with the gifts and callings of God, we have peace and admiration for each others ministry in the spirit of love.

WONDERS OF WORSHIP
PART 14
CRYING IN THE DESERT

It is true we can learn and grow about how to be more knowledgeable and prepared for leading worship. We might think that going to Bible College or being musically trained will make us more equipped and charismatic to lead others. And we might believe if we dedicate more hours for practice each week and remember to pray everyday for God’s anointing that we can know how God works. We can examine our heart and focus on issues such as attitude, sin, apathy, fatigue or discover that we are not praying enough, or maybe we have become stagnant or burnout and are just going through the motions. When the song service seems dull and boring we can blame our powerless presentation on song selection, musical style and the people being “un-spiritual” but what about the times when you can rule out these possibilities and do everything you know to do and it still falls flat? This is what faith is all about. We continue going forward and trust in what we cannot see or understand because we know we have heard from God. “Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses).” Hebrews 11:1 (Amp)

Disappointment is the gap between expectation and reality. It is a crossroad – a place of decision. We can choose to turn in the easy comfortable direction and throw in the towel and quit or we can stay the course, become filled with His determination and continue standing in the heat of battle. This is a painful place where patience must be allowed to have its perfect work. The flesh will cry and the agony can push us and test us to our limits but God is an ever present help in time of trouble. He is there to help us through these difficult situations with His peace and compassion. I do not want to be discouraging but there will be times when it seems you are walking in sand under a blazing heat and there is no water as far as you can see. It is not a negative confession it is just a part of the fallen world and the classroom of life. We have all these ideas and visions and approach our calling in faith and we can be as prepared as we know how to be and after it is over we can end up staring into the sky, watching the clouds roll past, wondering what happened. But remember, many times the peep hole we are looking through does not reveal the entire view. An important part of trusting God means that we understand there are many things going on in our circumstances that God is doing “behind” the scenes. Sometimes it is not what we see – but what we did not see. What does all this have to do with worship? For those called to lead others into the presence of God and minister to their spirits, it is a word of wisdom and encouragement. Many Christians may ask, “What is so good about being weak and going through times of being dry and helpless?” Because it is the beauty of truth! Spiritual reality allows us to realize that in our weakness He is strong. I can write about this because I have been in the desert places many times and all I knew to do was fall at His feet. In my times of weariness and confusion I have witnessed the power and strength of God that accomplished more than I could have ever dreamed of – I just needed to get out of His way.

God is the only one that has all the answers as there are so many reasons and possibilities that are influenced by our attitudes and His sovereignty. Why does it seem like some days everything goes wrong? Sometimes it’s our fault and other times our circumstances and situations cannot be explained. On the days when sermons are boring and the music seems to drag, is it our lack of interest? And other times when we are riveted to our seats and moved to tears, is it a strong anointing holding our attention? Is it the speaker or musicians fault for not being better prepared – or a lack of enthusiasm on the listener’s part? We as humans can only guess. It reminds me of the farmer’s almanac that suggests better times to plant or go fishing according to the alignment of the moon. Why do we have terrible days at work when it seems nothing goes right and we drag ourselves home and retreat into the isolation of a pity party? And then other days we just seem to be in rhythm with everything and everyone. It is the “valley and mountain” part of life that is ingrained in this imperfect world. But in our disappointments it does not matter where we are – but who we are. We are called by God and have been given a mission and destiny to accomplish. Dreams are free – it is the journey that is costly. We can sit around all day and fantasize about what we would like to be but a “doer” is someone who is willing to sacrifice and walk through their difficulties, (and that high price causes many to stay on the couch.) Those who choose to “endure” till the end and finish the race will receive the prize and be the overcomer that God has called them to be.

DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 13
FROM FIRECRACKERS TO DYNAMITE

I have heard and read about the anointing of the Holy Spirit most of my life but can anyone truly understand all the mysteries related to His work? The Holy Spirit is a person just like Jesus and the Father and though most people do not think about the anointing that much, we know he is the comforter and helper that Jesus sent to enable us to accomplish our mission and represent His Kingdom. Ok, I’ve read Isaiah 61, but how does this relate to me and what does all this have to do with worship? He converts the natural into the super-natural!

What is the anointing? You can do an extensive research of the definition and you can follow each scripture reference in your Strong’s concordance but that still might not explain how He works. You will find many references to the Greek word “chrisma” as literal oil that is applied in a spiritual dedication as a “type and shadow” of divine commission. This anointing can turn an uneducated fisherman into a skilled orator who can pierce the hearts of a multitude and leave their mouths gaping in astonishment. The root word “chiro” is the word that refers to Christ which means Messiah – the Anointed One. You will also find references to sacred anointing oil made of olive oil, myrrh, cinnamon, cane, cassia and various spices. It was used to anoint everything holy in the Old Testament tabernacle. It was used as a very serious ceremony of consecration for the priest as they were being set apart for holy service, (Lev. 8:10-30 – Lev. 21:10-12 – Num.4:16). The anointing also refers to the consecration of kings, (I Sam.10:1). We see the Spirit of God blessing Saul with authority after he was anointed as king and then empowering David when he was anointed as king. (I Samuel 16:13) Here we see the oil as not just a symbol of God’s Holy Spirit but rather as an “instrument” or point of contact, as God was manifested where the oil was applied. It is difficult to understand the connection with the oil, but we also see it in the New Testament when Jesus sent out the twelve disciples and gave them authority over evil spirits and they anointed the sick and they were healed (Mark 6:13). “The anointing is heavenly power that is manifested through earthly people – to do God’s miracles. Without it we can do nothing but make a lot of worthless noise.”

Today it is very common to anoint those who are called to the ministry with oil as they are commissioned and ordained with prayer and the laying on of hands. We anoint babies as we dedicate them to the Lord and use oil for those who need physical healing, rededication to God’s service, to drive away and protect against evil spirits and to pronounce blessings. We can see that God’s word is filled with this enablement with saints such as Daniel, Elijah, Elisha, Joshua, Moses, Aaron, Isaiah, Samson, Abraham, Isaac, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Peter, Stephen, Paul, John all the way through! Think of all the average people who became divinely empowered to accomplish God’s mission, Martin Luther, John Calvin, all the martyrs who was given the anointing to die in faith, Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, John Bradford, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, the list goes on and on. God has never changed and is still looking for people like you to anoint and do His mighty work in the earth!

As you already know, trying to work for God’s Kingdom has times of triumph and joy along with many disappointments and frustrations. In our ministry journey we learn through trial and error the obvious difference between the glorious “unction” of the Holy Spirit and the noble (yet dry) efforts of the flesh. We can tell when the anointing is on us and we can also sense when He is moving through others. The question is: Since we are filled with the Spirit; why is He not surging through us and allowing us to glow with His power all the time? We can basically boil it down to only two explanations: maybe we are not always in position to be endued with power from on high. Maybe God watches our “moment by moment” spiritual condition and releases this extra voltage when He knows we are “usable”. Or maybe it is just completely based on God’s sovereign decision to pour it on us – in His way and His time. If it depends on us getting into the position to be empowered then we can blame it on ourselves when we are not operating in this super-natural manifestation. If it is God moving on us as He desires then it is purely unmerited favor and a blessing of His marvelous grace. What do you think?

We are given heavenly gifts from God’s throne of love and mercy such as Jesus blood providing our salvation and the eternal security of His promises. Along with these foundations of our faith we must include the anointing of the Holy Spirit because it is the “fuel” that runs the engine of our spiritual life on this earth – without Him we will only be another “vehicle” broke down on the side of the road. He is like the key ingredient of a fabulous recipe; with Him our witness will cause the world to have an appetite for Jesus but without him even the dogs will turn their nose up. The anointing is what convicted us – and is the only power that can draw others to repentance.

So how can we get more? Every child of God has the anointing of God in them because they have Jesus in their heart and have the potential to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is very important for those who are seeking the anointing or a stronger anointing to spend more time with God and understand how important it is to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. This will have a direct impact on your thoughts which in turn will influence your spiritual life as your vision becomes enhanced with stronger abilities to discern and comprehend what is going on around you. You will also be more sensitive to the voice of God to make decisions, more courage to stand, boldness to proclaim His truth, more compassion and burdens for souls, a greater enlightenment and understanding of God’s word and being more willing to yield to His conviction and become transformed into the image of Christ. And as an added bonus your ministry will go from being more “emotional driven” to more “spirit empowered.”

When we operate in the flesh while trying to accomplish a spiritual task it is like climbing a cliff. Some have described the anointing as a time and place where our gift functions easily and with ease. Some say that when they are experiencing the anointing it seems “natural” and no “working it up” is needed.
You will find in your ministry that it is either there, or it is not. We can have it one night and not the next. And if we have to work it up, we have probably gone outside our anointing into our own abilities. Without God’s presence the result is so discouraging that many even question their calling. Depending on His anointing makes the difference between us being at peace in our ministry or us falling under the weight of weariness, disillusion and burnout. Let us also remember that we do not engage in today’s spiritual activity with yesterdays anointing! We must seek God’s face everyday and cry out for fresh revelation and expectation. He lives in a higher dimension and is waiting for us to function in His realm. “The Lord is my strength and my shield: my heart trusted in Him, and I am HELPED: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with MY SONG will I praise Him. The Lord is their STRENGTH, and He is the saving strength of His ANOINTED.” (Psalm 28:7-8)