Having a heart of worship

What does it mean to have a heart of worship?

John 4:23-24
"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Paul frequently refers to worship as something other than abstract artistic creativity. Paul encourages his readers to praise God through their actions -- by living a godly life and loving others, you are worshiping God.

Romans 12:1
"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

Romans 15:5-7
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

The phrase "living a godly life" often seems to be met with a brief stint of unattainable panic in many Christians. If your heart is in the right place, that is, if your heart is willing to sacrifice all else for the glory of Christ, then God teaches you how to glorify Him in the simplest of manners. The way you great your co-workers, the way you respond with patience to a difficult person, the way you conduct yourselves in your careers or at school -- these are all actions that show Christ to other people. It's really amazing how people receive a genuine act or word of kindness from others; it seems to be magnified tenfold when Christ is behind it. If you're living a Christ-like life, it simply means that you are allowing Christ to live through you. All of the glory automatically goes to Him, because you recognize that you cannot be holy on your own.

God's people must be wary of turning into people who worship rules rather than God, as the author of Colossians warns about:

Colossians 2:20-23
Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: ²¹ “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. ²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.


How can I worship God in every day aspects of life?

I believe your spiritual gifts go a long way in determining your tendencies toward worship. Feel free to read the previous post about spiritual gifts! I often find that those who are gifted to administrate take joy in administration; it is their spiritual act of worship. They are doing exactly what God has called them and blessed them to do.

Music (and all art in general) is another form of worship that is universally recognized. Even if you don't prefer to sing or play an instrument, just listening to music and worshiping with your heart can be suitable. It really depends on who you are. Visual arts are also extremely powerful. I witnessed people who were silently acting out prayers with their bodies, and it was extremely touching and effective. One of my favorite poets is Gerard Manley Hopkins; his words paint a beautiful picture of God.

Nature is one of my favorite forms to worship God. Nature is so undeniably powerful that there is no possible way for a human to claim it as his or her own. I frequently recall this verse: 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." It is impossible for me to claim that I created the power of Niagara Falls or the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. I am so overwhelmingly small compared to Nature, and yet its smallest function is tinier than me. The God who created photosynthesis is the same God who knows every hair on my head. The God who created the galaxy is the same God who gave me a body that is miraculous in itself. Have you ever just stared at a leaf and considered its integral function in the world (much like an individual human)? How did it get there, how does it know when to change colors and circulate water to its veins? Nature at once brings me back to my rightful place and reveals to me the beauty and complications in humanity.

Intelligence is another form of worship. I think science is a very powerful way to glorify God. I don't see how you can study the galaxy and not be humbled. How can you know exactly what minerals were needed to create a substance, exactly what made it possible for life to be sustained on earth, and not think of God? Science is a very powerful tool for a Christian, as is philosophy and other areas of intelligence. I encourage you to check out this very interesting video if you have time called Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=77024018179262526#

Prayer, quiet times, and fellowship are obviously very important forms of worship. Finding a community of believers to grow with is one of the perks of being a Christian! Speaking directly to God is really as good as life can get. How magnificent is it that we have a God who hears, who responds, and who encourages us to keep coming back for more?

Battling Inadequacy with Spiritual Gifts

As a musician in a conservatory, I know what it's like to deal with inadequacy. My colleagues and I struggle with it almost daily. We are in the business of expected perfection with imperfect results. Sound familiar? The church is very similar. I do not mean to suggest that Christians inevitably sin; I am merely saying that Christians are not God. As faithful as we are to God, we do not possess all of His attributes. I think this is obvious. However, God did bless us with spiritual gifts, an evident manifestation of a part of himself. These gifts allow us to help others in a world of imperfection. Satan will always work to make Christians believe that they are not making a difference in the world, and many times he will attempt to make the Christian feel inadequate in the face of evil. This is far from the truth -- Christians have spiritual gifts, and they have a whole team of people who have different spiritual gifts to help them battle for souls.


What is the difference between a spiritual gift and a natural-born talent or skill?

Many times people are confused by spiritual gifts. They think that the things they are naturally good at are spiritual gifts, like playing the violin or teaching chemistry. While those types of things are certainly skills and talents that God has blessed us with, it does not necessarily mean that they are spiritual gifts. Just because a Christian is a virtuoso violin player does not make him or her an automatic worshiper. A spiritual gift is bestowed by the Holy Spirit after conversion to Christ; it's often something you did not realize you had the knack for, or it is an extreme enhancement of a born talent. Oftentimes it aids you in times of crisis, or in unexpected events. It always blesses people, and it is never used for self-interest. Some people who open up their home to friends in need or strangers do not even recognize they have the gift of hospitality; they assume all people do this because it is common courtesy. Others experience a blatant increase of wisdom by the Holy Spirit in times of crisis. It is typically very clear to those witnessing the gift in action that the person is spiritually endowed. This is one of many ways for God to show his glory on earth. He works through the weak to reveal His strength.


What are the different types of spiritual gifts?

I am not going to explain each individual spiritual gift. There are several excellent resources out there for further research. I read a fascinating book on spiritual gifts. It was one of those old and forgotten books in my parents' library, called Rediscovering our Spiritual Gifts: building up the Body of Christ through the Gifts of the Spirit by Charles V. Bryant. It reminded me of the Myers-Briggs personality test, as it was a deep analysis of spiritual gifts.


Here are some Bible verses concerning gifts your reference:

Romans 12:4-8 "4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

Ephesians 4:7-8, 11-13
"But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:
“ When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."


Battling inadequacy on the personal level:

I firmly believe that Satan tries to use our spiritual gifts against us. I have the gift of wisdom, but I am lacking discernment. Sometimes I mourn this, as discernment would be very useful at times! I go to my brothers or sisters who have discernment and get their help, as I cannot do everything on my own. God created us to be in a community of believers, and He uses the analogy of a body to explain it to us in 1 Corinthians 12. I am only one part of the body of Christ, but my part is essential to my community. I stop mourning that I do not have certain gifts whenever God reminds me that I am not alone in my ministry, and I cannot expect myself to single-handedly save the world. That's ridiculous. But that is what Satan tries to get Christians to believe. He whispers lies of "you're not good enough, your gift is useless here, you failed this person because you weren't what they needed".


A friend once told me that her faith was saved by a mutual friend's unrelenting persistence. Our friend had been with her through thick and thin, and it seemed as though everyone else had abandoned her. I felt truly horrible that I could have done something more than I did, and I felt that I must have neglected my duties somehow. But God reminded me that I had my own situation do deal with -- I was pursuing somebody else with unrelenting persistence and saving their faith. God orchestrated it so that every person was taken care of during this time. We each have our own battles to fight, and God makes them clear to us through time and prayer. We cannot be everything to everybody; the only person who can fulfill that is Jesus.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 "27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way."


Every gift looks different. Every combination of gifts is different and can be used in unique ways. We must remember that all gifts are relevant and important, no matter how small they seem. We are all an integral part of the body of Christ, and each gift was given for a reason. Prophesy might seem more flashy than Administration, but the prophet would never have been able to organize an event without the administrator, thus making his prophesy useless!

1 Corinthians 12:20-22 "But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary."


Battling perceived inadequacy in the church:

There will always be those upset with the church. You know the type. They feel like Christians aren't out-going enough, or they should be trying harder to save Africa because homeless kids in America aren't enough. Some Christians get tricked into believing their own church isn't working hard enough simply because they are not tackling every single major issue in the world.


The sad reality is that churches have limited resources. Churches must maintain the emotional, spiritual, physical health of all of their members, as well as reaching out to the lost, as well as spearheading some major issue God laid on their hearts. Churches would do well to remember that they cannot save the world single-handedly. It is okay for a church to focus on one major issue and do it well, as opposed to depleting resources by being spread too thin. There are other churches and organizations that are dedicated to solving world issues. If God makes it clear that He wants the church to have a team dedicated to solving starvation in African children as well as finding homes for homeless children in America, then God bless! There is nothing stopping you, as God will find you the resources you need. People with the gift of generosity will find their gift out soon enough if they haven't already!


Recognizing strengths

I encourage you to think about the gifts God has given you. How have you used them lately? Do you have a Christian friend or mentor who know you well enough to tell you which gifts they think you have? It is very encouraging to hear what your strengths are from someone you love and respect. Dwell on what God has accomplished or will accomplish through you. Spiritual gifts are extremely powerful tools, and they are given and driven by God himself. We can use them to fight evil, to fight the lies of Satan and spread Truth to those lost in the world. Praise be to God that He would trust us with such a precious gift!

My book review of Masters & Slayers by author Bryan Davis

Masters & Slayers is the first book in the adult fantasy series called Tales of Starlight, which comes out September 14, 2010. There is a corresponding young adult series called Dragons of Starlight, the first book of which is Starlighter. Starlighter is also a fabulous read, and it is published already by Zondervan. It's really amazing to read both series simultaneously, as it is told by different perspectives with different adventures centering around one major event. There is certain information you gain in one series that you do not necessarily gain in the other. I think this is a great and creative touch by Bryan Davis, as he knows that many times a parent is fully engaged in reading the young adult story and does not want to read duplicate, limited facts about a particular world or species. These worlds are extremely well developed. I still feel as if I have yet to scratch the surface.

I found the characters to be some of the most exciting parts of the novel, as they had some compelling development. The main characters' personalities are distinct and some defy the average archetype of gender roles and gender expectations. The evil character was not your typical obvious villain either; he was particularly calculating and scary in his "logical" thought process. Readers will really enjoy when information about a character's past is revealed, it weaves an intricate web of the character's life and allows the reader to predict what actions they will take next. Whether they are correct in their predictions is another story altogether!

This book was correctly labeled for adults, as it deals with many gray areas of morality and difficult choices that stimulate a lot of higher level thinking. But this is precisely what made the book a fascinating read for me. I often found myself wondering what I would do in these sorts of situations, and what would have happened if the character had made a different choice. Sometimes I honestly could not answer myself, as the content matter would sometimes include difficult adult-only appropriate situations, like gruesome deaths and rape. These are, of course, shed in the proper light and shown as evil. I would not recommend that a child read this book for these reasons; that is another great reason why Starlighter exists for young adults.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to the long-time Bryan Davis fans and any new fans that are bound to crop up. Anyone expecting this Christian author to present predictable black and white situations with a cliché moral message is in for a shock! Expect to be drawn in to a new world, weeping for the lost and abused and cheering on the heroes who would do anything to save them.

The difficulties of a "hybrid" relationship

Hello, all! I'm sorry it has been so long since I've updated. Needless to say, I've got plenty of things to talk about from the past few months! I realize today is Valentine's Day, but forgive me as I take this opportunity to warn you instead of quoting Song of Songs. I'm going to discuss the potential dangers of a Christian dating a non-Christian. I do not mean to offend those who are currently doing so, or those who have parents and loved ones who married a non-Christian. I'm certainly not judging these relationships, but from what I've seen and what I know, I am wary of the "hybrid" romantic relationship. (I call it "hybrid" because Christians are technically aliens, so I promise I'm not dissing the non-Christians, I just watch a lot of sci-fi.) Personally, I do not declare it to be overtly sinful (unless done sinfully), but I think it can be a very bad idea -- especially if entered into flippantly -- and I will henceforth (I love that word) caution you against it.

Reasons why it is not a grand idea:

1) Marriage is a spiritual representation of Christ and the church. Read Ephesians 5:22-33. (No seriously, go read it.) The man is considered the spiritual leader and head of the relationship. He is to present her to Christ holy and blameless, having led her down the path of righteousness. This is a HUGE burden for the man to carry, especially if his wife is not a Christian to begin with! (Disclaimer: it is not the husband who cleanses the wife, but Christ -- the husband is to encourage her in it and protect her purity, as he is her primary caretaker and partner in life.) He will doubtless feel lonely and possibly disrespected if his wife does not take his role seriously. If he is not a Christian, then his wife will find it difficult to trust what he has to say, and value what advice he has to give. It is possible he will advise her in a manner she finds sinful, putting her at odds against him.

2) The laws of relationship physics: A relationship that is not based on the same foundation is sure to either break apart or cause one of the members of the relationship to change in a significant manner. I can tell you this, because I've been the non-Christian in the relationship with a Christian. Originally Caleb and I were both non-Christians, and then he turned to the Lord and I didn't follow suit. I didn't have the same mindset as him, and I would rather have things go my way than the right way. It was easy for me to want to see him falter, because then he would be brought down to my level. Thankfully, he stayed strong in the Lord and I got saved. Yes, I know, I did the exact thing I am now preaching against -- but that is why! I know why it's dangerous to date a non-Christian because I used to be one. If both of us were unwilling to change in the relationship, I would have resented the fact that he was a Christian and would eventually ask him to choose between me and God in one way or another. (Guess who would have won? God!! Then I'd be out a fiance and some other lucky girl might be marrying him.) I am overjoyed that he and I are fellow heirs in the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7), as it is the strong foundation of our relationship.

3) The Bible seems to warn Christians against marrying non-Christians. A Christian is someone redeemed by Christ, who is made holy by God. An unbeliever is still a sinner, one who disobeys the authority of God, and cannot encourage their partner to follow the path of light, because they themselves do not know what righteousness is. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? ¹⁵ And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God." (For a very in-depth look at this passage, please consider reading this blog by Al Maxey. He explains it better than I could! http://www.gracecentered.com/unequally_yoked.htm)

Important note: If a Christian is already married to a non-Christian, they must remain married! It might be more difficult for them, but they have already made their vows and they should act as a witness toward their spouse. 1 Corinthians 7:12-16 addresses this: "But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. ¹⁴For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. ¹⁶For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?" Clearly "hybrid" marriages happened even back in the disciples' time. 1 Peter 3:1-2 "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, ²when they see the purity and reverence of your lives." But one could argue that these women were married to unbelievers before they knew Christ.


Okay, but what about _______?

• How can you help falling in love with a non-Christian? Love is a choice, not a feeling. You decide when you commit your heart and life to somebody. This is why we are to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23 NIV "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.") until we know for certain this is God's intended plan. Even when Christians are dating Christians they should still guard their hearts! If you are currently romantically attached to a non-Christian, then I suggest you go to a trusted spiritual leader. They can give you a good perspective and check to make sure your relationship with God is not suffering. I do not discount the possibility that God might desire a Christian to be involved with a non-Christian.
  

• I'm only dating, it's not like I plan on marrying this guy/gal. The word "dating" has as many variations as Crayola has colors. For the purposes of this discussion, I will define dating as a situation with romantic intentions. You can get to know somebody platonically to decide if they are right for you or not. If you are prematurely sharing your heart with someone you have absolutely no intention of marrying, then you are just giving away pieces of your heart that your future husband/wife cannot reclaim. If you are involved with this person in a physically intimate way (sex or no sex), you are giving yourself away to someone who has no long-term vested interest in you. And that's that. It's emotionally damaging to you, your partner, and your future spouse. Many learn this the hard way. Casual dating often lends itself to issues of impatience, envy, or insecurity. Once you get into the mindset of "I deserve, I want, I must", you are no longer thinking along the lines of Jesus.

• But I feel like God is telling me it's okay! I am witnessing to him/her after all. I get wary of this statement and the idea of missionary dating. I cannot confirm or deny what God is telling you. All I can tell you is what the Bible says (refer back to point # 3). Are there success stories of Christians dating non-Christians and the non-Christians converting in the end? Of course, praise God for that! Just remember that many relationship break apart, and those 'success stories' were likely filled with a lot of heartache. I do have one encouraging story for you. A non-Christian man was dating a Christian woman, and she broke off their romantic relationship on the basis that he was not a Christian and she felt like it was not right. After many years he became a Christian on his own, they reconnected and started dating again. They got married and now they are missionaries and their daughter is a wonderful friend of mine.

• I'm not desperate, we just clicked! I believe you. I really do. As a dear friend of mine did rather diligently, she prayed for the young man she was interested in. She prayed that he would find Jesus, and that the door to their potential relationship would open or close on God's terms. She kept her heart pure and kept it in check to make sure it would not attach itself to a man not yet hers, and God rewarded her. Not in the way you think. He rewarded her by keeping her from heartache and by protecting her for her future husband. The door is closed for now, but she is still praying for the young man. Perhaps in the future he will also come back to her and say "I'm a Christian now, how about that date?" Or maybe not, but for now, she is content to just wait. She is the best example of Philippians 4:6-7 I've seen: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Please do not think I consider you or your parents sinful or horrid for being in a "hybrid" relationship. I caution you against it (assuming you are not already married) because I have seen the emotional and spiritual damage that has been done in the lives of many I hold dear. I have also seen the struggle of many Christian friends who were interested in non-Christians, and they pursued God through it all. It was not easy for them, but God is faithful. I cannot tell you the plan of God. I cannot tell you what the will of God is for your life. If you are convinced that you are to marry or be in the life of a non-Christian, then do so blamelessly. Far be it from me to condemn you. Your life will be difficult, your trials many, and your prayers desperate. (This is true for Christian relationships as well.) But God is faithful to the last, and He will never abandon you. Pray over everything, and seek first after the Lord in everything you do. I pray that God will bless you with one who can delight in the Lord with you.