I loved this song even before I heard Johnny Cash do it. This is the title track of his latest and last album to be released. It was all recorded in the days and months before he died. This arrangement of the song and hearing Johnny Cash sing it right before he died is pretty awesome.
Now that I have a significantly longer commute to work each morning, I listen to about 1 or 2 sermon podcasts each week. Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church has been going through the book of Luke, and this week the sermon was entitled “Mary’s Song – Luke 1:46-56.” I thought it was worth reposting this section.
“Worshiping is the answer for coveting. And so what I want you to learn from Mary is to replace coveting with worshiping. Now coveting is this: we look at someone else’s life, and the evidences of God’s grace in their life, and God’s provision for them, and God’s caring for them, and we get jealous. It’s actually one of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not covet.” Well, what do you do if you don’t want to continue coveting? Well, you start worshiping. And see the truth is, we live in a world that exists to make you a coveter. We call that marketing and advertising. All it exists for is coveting. See their car, don’t you wish you had that car? See their house, don’t you wish you had that house? Oh, look at them, they’re skinny, don’t you wish you were skinny? Oh look, their clothes are nice, don’t you wish you had their clothes? Oh, they’re healthy, don’t you wish you were healthy? And what Mary does, she celebrates the evidences of God’s grace in her life, and then she looks out at the evidences of God’s grace in other people’s lives, and rather than coveting, she’s worshiping.
See, what can happen is, worship becomes this narcissistic, individualistic, absolutely selfish activity. “As long as God does something good for me, then I’ll sing to him.” Well, we worship God, number one, because of who he is. Number two, because of what he does in our life. Number three, because of what he does in other people’s lives. We worship God for all of it. And so maybe right now is not the season where God is doing something for you, he’s doing that for someone else. So rather than coveting, you start worshiping and you say, “Thank you, God. That I’m sick, but they’re healthy. That I’m struggling, but they’re growing. That I’m unemployed, but they found a job.”
It’s not always easy to rejoice when God is doing something good in someone elses life instead of yours. I would also venture to say that when you think that God isn’t doing any good in your life, he probably is, but you just can’t see it.
Filed under: Christianity, church, Religion | Tags: corporate worship, mark driscoll, religion saves
What is corporate worship? Mark Driscoll in his book Religion Saves has one of the best answers that I’ve ever read. I thought it was worth sharing here.
“Corporate worship is not about hearing a message that tells us what we can do to improve ourselves, singing songs about what we are going to do for God, and judging the quality of the meeting by how it feels to us. Rather, God-centered worship is about hearing a message that reveals from the Bible, who God is and what he has done and is doing for and with us; singing songs about who God is and what he does; and judging the quality of worship based upon whether it accords with the Scriptures.” (p. 248)
A few pages before this, Driscoll has a strong critique of the “contemporary church.” He says,
“In it’s most extreme version, the contemporary church inverted the gospel – that we exist to glorify God – into a false gospel – that God exists to glorify us by helping us achieve our potential, experience our joy, enable our health, and expand our wealth.”
Both of these quotes really got my mind going in a 100 different places. I could comment away on it, but I think I’ll let you take it for what it’s worth. I will say this though, I do NOT think that the “contemporary church” is at all a bad thing. Driscoll is not saying the contemporary church is at all bad. Unfortunately though for some, the “contemporary church” in the MOST EXTREME instances has become a “feel good service” that is more centered on man than God. Also, for the record one more time, I am not a big fan of the term “contemporary service.” Your idea of contemporary and my idea of contemporary are most likely different.
Thanks Mark Driscoll.
I can’t take credit for anything I’ve ever done in the past or will do in the future. I have nothing that is my own. I’ve achieved nothing on my own. There is absolutley nothing in my life that I can take credit for.
Too bad I often try to take credit -
- for bringing in big $$$$ to the bank at work
- for coming up with a neat new arrangement for a song
- for being able to play multiple instruments
- for having a job that pays well
- for having a house to live in
and the list goes on and on. you probably have a list that could go on and on as well.
The problem is that we can’t take credit for anything. Everything in the heavens and earth is God’s. We own nothing. It is only by His grace that we have anything at all.
Hallelujah to My King is a new song that we sang this week at Midtown. I have been wanting to use this song for a LONG time because it is such an amazing song lyrically (the music is also just as good). Here are the words to the chorus:
Hallelujah, what a Savior. I owe everything to Him.
Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah to my King.
If you’d like to listen to the song, here is a youtube video to check out. If I were you, I’d click play, and then do something else on your computer because the video is not exactly the best you’ve ever seen.
I hate when people talk bad about me. I am by nature a people pleaser, and if I can make everybody happy, then that’s what I intend to do. In almost 27 years of life, by the grace of God, I have gotten progressively better in this area. But still, when other people are happy, I’m happy. And when people talk bad about me, it still hurts sometimes.
I was in Ecclesiastes a couple of days ago, and this verse has stuck in my head.
7:21
Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22 Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
DANG!!! I know I’ve talked some crap about people more than I would like to remember, yet I still get upset when people have negative things to say about me behind my back. I get defensive, prideful, and angry. So thanks for the good words of wisdom Solomon.
Filed under: Christianity, church | Tags: anxiety, humble christians, humility, mark driscoll, stress
Ashley and I recently drove to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and on the way there we listened to the sermon “Trial: Humble Christians” by Mark Driscoll. He is preaching from 1 Peter 5, and mainly focuses on humility. However, around 40 minutes into the message, he addresses the subject of anxiety. I had never realized the connection between worry/anxiety and humility (or a lack of!)
Speaking of anxiety, Mark Driscoll says that “these things are not conditions to be managed, but sins to be repented of.” (He does make allowances that some people do honestly have medical conditions, but that for most people, anxiety is a sin and not a condition).
Below are some notes that I made from listening to this section:
- Anxieties are the result of sin.
- You are trying to be omniscient (all-knowing) and sovereign (in control). These are characteristics of God, and only God. We will never know everything, and we will never have control over anything.
- Those who want to be in control will always experience anxiety because they are not in control and they are not god. This will result in depression, panic attacks, and who knows what else.
- Humble people know that God is omniscient (and I am not) and God is sovereign (and I am not)
- God is soverign, He has a future planned for me, He does care, and He will take care of you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Listen to the whole sermon. It’s awesome. Here is a link for some of the sermon notes if you are interested.
Filed under: books, Christianity, marriage | Tags: anxiety, crazy love, francis chan, stress
**Confession**
I worry too often, I complain of stress, and I am at times consumed by anxiety. By the grace of God, I have seen these gradually disappear from my life, but they definitely still exist.
For 26 years (almost 27) of my life, God has always provided, but for some reason, I still worry about the future. I get irritable when we have unexpected car repairs because I hadn’t planned for it. However, God planned for it. He knew it was coming. He wasn’t surprised. I worry about things that are 5 years away. I get frustrated when I don’t have enough time to take care of things. Yet God has repeatedly shown me that He is taking care of every detail imaginable.
Ashley is always 100% reassuring in these kinds of times. Without her encouragement, I would be much worse off. She helps me realize that in reality, we have the money saved to pay for car repairs, I will have time to get things done, and God is still in control. I’m thankful for a wife who helps me see things in a clear, Christ-like perspective.
On a recent lunch break, I started reading Francis Chan’s Crazy Love. It was on a day where I felt overwhelmed with everything that was in front of me. When I made it to pages 39 and 40, the words just jumped off the page and hit me right in the face. Here are some words straight from those pages.
Crazy Love – pages 39-40
- Worry implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives.
- Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or out tight grip of control.
- Both worry and stress reak of arrogance. They declare our tendency to forget that we’ve been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won’t be be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God’s strength, our problems are small, indeed.
- When I am consumed by my problems, stressed out about MY life, MY family, MY job, I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God’s command to always rejoice.
Phil 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always.”
Phil 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything.”
I’ve got a TON to learn and a very long way to go.
I read the words, “Keep a short account” in something I was reading a few days ago. The thought has stayed with me since then. What does it mean to “keep a short account.” The image of a bill or invoice comes to my mind. Instead of having 30 items on the bill to pay for, there are only 2 or 3 items. Considering all items are equal, paying for 2 or 3 items is much easier than paying for 30 items. Forgiveness works the same way. When you are slow to forgive, the bill just gets longer and longer.
I believe 100% in the power of forgiveness. Forgiving is something that is hard to do when you’re in the moment, but a lack of forgivenss creates a bitter spirit before long. I would rather spend my life forgiving people instead of seeking revenge and harboring resentment. I’m far from perfect, but I want to be remembered as a person who was quick to offer forgiveness.
Even from a non-Christian perspective, forgiveness is powerful. According to the Mayo Clinic, “When you don’t practice forgiveness, you may be the one who pays most dearly.” They also go on to add that the benefits of forgiving someone are lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, fewer stress and anxiety symptoms, reduction in chronic pain, and improved psychological well-being.
I think God has helped me to practice offering true forgiveness in my life with those around me by giving me a forgetful mind and also by requiring me to constantly beg for forgiveness. I have the capability to forget things (sometimes things of importance) on a regular basis. I also have a tendency to fall short regularly. When I used to use a debit card daily, I had days when I forgot my PIN number. I constantly walk out of the house and forget to take my lunch. I too often forget to be romantic. Thankfully, I rarely remember disagreements or arguments that Ashley and I have (yes, spouses don’t always see eye to eye). Although I hate forgetting important things, some days I’m thankful that I’m forgetful, because it helps me be forgiving. Also, I often sin hourly, and it requires me to seek forgiveness more than I would like. And I’m thankful that we serve a just, but forgiving God.
Here are some great scriptures on forgiveness.
- Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32
- “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” – Leviticus 19:18
- Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. - 1 Peter 3:8-9
Forgiveness is powerful. It’s confusing. It’s not a natural response. I have had to ask for forgiveness more times that I care to remember. Because I need forgiveness often, that alone is enough to encourage me to forgive others. It’s obviously a selfish reason, and not the main reason we should be quick to forgive though. God has called us to forgive those who we love, and even our enemies who we don’t love.
So keep a short account. Don’t let grievances you share with someone build up.
Clear your list.
Forgive and forget.
Bury it.
Move on.
You’re not perfect. Don’t expect perfection.
Ask for forgiveness and offer it freely.
Life is dirty. Churches fail because forgiveness is not present. Marriages are destroyed because couples would rather keep an account of wrongs instead of consistently offering forgiveness. Don’t ever underestimate the power of forgiveness.
Who do you need to forgive? Who do you need to ask for forgiveness?
The passage below is taken from this blog post, and I thought it was worth sharing.
It is well-known that in his writings in table conversation Luther would often refer to visits from the Devil, how the Devil would come to him and whisper in his ear, accusing him of all manner of filthy sin: “Martin, you are a liar, greedy, lecherous, a blasphemer, a hypocrite. You cannot stand before God.” To which Luther would respond: “Well, yes, I am. And, indeed, Satan, you do not know the half of it. I have done much worse than that and if you care to give me your full list, I can no doubt add to it and help make it more complete. But you know what? My Saviour has died for all my sins – those you mention, those I could add and, indeed, those I have committed but am so wicked that I am unaware of having done so. It does not change the fact that Christ has died for all of them; his blood is sufficient; and on the Day of Judgment I shall be exonerated because he has taken all my sins on himself and clothed me in his own perfect righteousness.’
Filed under: Christianity, church, hymns, music, Religion | Tags: Bob Kauflin, hymns, worship, Worship Matters
One more quote to share with you from the book “Worship Matters.” The quote is actually from Os Guinness in the book “Prophetic Untimeliness: A Challenge to the Idol of Relevance,” but was referenced in Worship Matters.
“By our breathless chase after relevance without a matching commitment to faithfulness, we have become not only unfaithful but irrelevant; by our determined efforts to redefine ourselves in ways that are more compelling to the modern world than are faithful to Christ, we have lost not only our identity but our authority and relevance. Our crying need is to be faithful as well as relevant.” (pg 15)
I worry that too many times I have pursued relevance over faithfulness, and I fear that many other churches, pastors, and worship leaders have pursued the same thing. It’s not all about the best lights, the best production, the most cutting edge music, the best musicians, the most dynamic pastor, the best HD video screens, the most seamless transitions, the best videos, the funniest sermon illustrations, or how many people you can stuff into your church services. It’s about being faithful to what God has called us to do. I’m not knocking all the things that I listed above. Being relevant to your congregation is extremely important. However, our focus should be on Jesus, and we should be driven by faithfulness, not relevance.
