In this series on worship our aim is to see worship as a flaming arrow shot into the midst of all the distracting issues and problems we face in our families, schools, churches, communities and nation. Worship ignites an internal explosion, a confrontation and restoration of who and what is really important for us as disciples of Jesus. Distractions are whatever or whoever diverts our attention and action from the personal presence of the Lord. He and He alone can give direction as to how…

Remember the old saying, “Home is where the heart is?” We know that Heaven is our true home and getting hold of that is a heart thing. The Lord Jesus came to bring His people home and how we prepare is worship as has been displayed in this series. When God gets the glory we have a taste of home. Paul tells us, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1Cor.10:31).” He says this after covering a series of interpersonal issues in the Corinthian church.…

To sum up what we have said about worship,---worship is believing, trusting and practicing God's worth, 'worthship.' That means every next moment offers us the opportunity to glorify His presence in praise, ministry and mission.

So far we have established that worship happens in three forms, as persons, in small groups and their assembling…

What was Jesus' view of congregational worship? Wasn't personal worship, the small group worship, the synagogue, enough? Was there more to worship? Is there a form that He blesses? The answer is yes and no.

Jesus did start a movement built on a heritage of groups and assemblages for study and worship but He did not start an institution for men to control. The…

Worship 4 Close In---Small Groups

When you get a chance to express yourself in a non-institutional way, let your hair down, be yourself and have that sense of trust that no matter what you say you'll be accepted, that is what a small group is all about. You have a group of people who let you be who you are, where you can open your heart with the issues and problems that beset your life so that give and take, challenge and correction (not criticism) love and caring make up the…

We're still pursuing the question, “What is the form of worship?” We want to dispel the notion that worship is 'going to church' to get a recharge for the life that takes place between Sunday services. In the second delving into worship I hope it was established firmly that worship is an attitude in our heart wherever, with whomever and whatever we're about. Also it was clear that we only touched the surface of personal worship since each one who reads this series has their own attitudinal…

What is the form of worship, the blueprint that gives us a handle on how we can be like Jesus in worship? Obviously the Lord Jesus is the educator. His lifetime actions show that everything He did was worship, that is, everything He did from teaching to His miracles He did was because He loved His Father. His Father was worth it, worthy of it, worth laying down His life for. He was practicing worth-ship, worship.…

Worship; Who, Why, What, When, Where and How?

We are blessed with 2000 years of history since the incarnation of Jesus, an event that has changed history. Just as three kings ventured to follow a distant star to find Him and worship Him so we too need to take a journey within and understand that worship is the elementary experience of bringing us to His feet that we may worship Him. But the currents of our surrounding culture can cause us to drift from what that means. Let's give…

In New York City the subway system runs on electrical power. You have the cars on the usual two rail wheel arrangement with an attached 'shoe' that receives power from an electrified third rail. All of the engine parts, gears and instruments depend on that received power. It's much like the old Lionel electric trains we used to get as gifts and play with as kids. You disconnect the train from the third rail and it stops. Push the transformer lever and it goes.

There is a real analogy…

How much money was blown on New Year's parties? How much time was spent on dancing, drinking and getting to the moment of midnight, the cheers, the cascading confetti, the pointed hats, the blaring orchestras and the annual reminder we are another year older and by gathering to sing Auld Lang Syne we can remove the numbing problems we left behind that evening? Perhaps, like some of us, you stayed in the comfort of home, went to bed early and got up the next day to your normal activities. I'm…