Worship From The Heart – letting go of what hinders your worship

"All the earth will worship You and sing praise to You. They will sing praise to Your name."

 ~ Psalm 66:1 (HCSB)

 

The familiar melody plays, as the choir sings praise to God on high. As the congregation stands in worship, the voices combined with the flow of the instruments, softens your heart. You begin to sing the words as if you wrote them. All of a sudden you raise your hands offering every verse up to the Lord. Worship from the heart!

Is this reality or what you wish would happen? Do you find it hard to let go and truly worship God in church – the way your heart wants to?

I remember, when I was a little girl, my mom would have me sit up straight in the pew. Even though they didn't touch the floor, my feet had to be down. Unknowingly my shinny, black, patent leather, shoes would reach up and rest on the hymnal rack in front of the pew. It wouldn't be long and my mom would quietly brush them down with her hand. There was a proper posture to maintain in church – a reverence.

Maybe, it's the thought of how you should look, sound, and act that distracts you from truly worshiping God. Or it's the opposite, and your focus is on how everyone else is sounding and worshiping. You don't have to raise your hands, dance, stand, or sing to worship God, though it's perfectly acceptable too. Scripture explains worship as a humble service of loyalty and reverence to our Holy Creator. Psalm 95:6 encourages us to, "Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (HCSB)." Psalm 96:9 says, "Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth (HCSB)." It's not the physical posture but, the posture of the heart that gives God the praise and glory He rightfully deserves.

Next time you go to church and worship God, stop and examine your heart first.

♥   What is hindering your worship to the Lord?

♥   Are you distracted and not ready for worship?

♥   Is there any sin that you need to confess keeping you from worshiping God?

♥   What changes do you need to make in your heart for worship? 

 Pray before you enter the church. Ask God to help you let go of whatever may distract you from worshiping Him with your whole heart. 

 

 "I will praise You in the great congregation; I will exalt You among many people."

~ Psalm 35:18 (HCSB)

"Father in heaven, you are worthy of praise from all the earth. I want to worship you with my whole heart. I let go of the things that hinder me from humbly worshiping you in church."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014

This is Life! – letting go of trying to figure out life

"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.' This is the Lord ’s declaration." ~ Isaiah 55:8 (HCSB)
 

Just as the morning sun-rays reflect on the deep, dark pond, nature begins to sense it's arrival. Out of the tall brush that flourishes the waters edge, a family of ducks glide onto the marshy liquid surface toward the warmth of the sun's rays. The awkward, waddling geese follow suit. As the sun shines brighter the marsh creeps, ever so slowly, out of its view. I sit in awe of the beauty before me. My thoughts jump to praise the one who created such wonder – my God; Yahweh.
 

That was a beginning of a new day. As the day brought one difficulty after another, my thoughts were challenged – "Whatever happened to that peaceful moment sitting by the pond and praising my God?" This is life! One minute it all makes sense and the next is brokenness. The truth is, no matter what happens, God is still sovereign over it – all of it. The sun will shine again tomorrow and the ducks will seek it's warmth again. I, well, I will do the same. I will seek the warmth of my Lord and He will shine on me. Some days I may glide through the mess of life and some days I may walk awkwardly through it. But, the more I seek Him the more His truth will push away the marsh that clouds my mind. I may not understand His thoughts or His ways, but I know that He is in control. With His shining glory upon me, I sit in the warmth of His hand – at rest again.
 

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” ~ Psalm 46:10 (NLT)
 

When the challenges of life come your way... and they will, let go of trying to figure them out. Seek the warm rays of Yahweh – your God. Go to the park and be still; sit in His beautiful creation. Bring along your Bible and your willingness to let go of life. He is sovereign over every part of it.
 

"Yahweh, my God, I praise you for the wonders of your creation. I let go of trying to figure out life. I want to sit in the warmth of your hand today and always."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014



Gone Fishing – letting go of inhibitions

I did something for the fist time in all my eighteen and a half years of marriage – fishing with my husband. Not only had I never gone fishing with my husband before but, I had never gone fishing period. He had to teach me everything. Well, almost everything... I didn't bait the hook. According to a fellow fisherman on the pier with us, this wasn't fishing; what I was doing is called, catching fish. I liked catching fish. I didn't want to put a blood worm or a squid head on a hook! Despite my inhibitions, I still say I went fishing.

When I was catching fish, which I caught two☺, I couldn't stop thinking about Jesus telling His disciples to be "fishers of men."

"Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed Him." Matthew 4:18-20 (NASB)

Peter and Andrew were called fishermen and yet, they didn't use bait; just a net. Jesus used terminology that the fisherman would understand to follow Him. He said He would make them "fishers of men" – disciples of Jesus Christ. They would be taught how to live life in the Spirit first, while watching how Jesus lived, then sent out to do the fishing. This was a process that unfolds as one reads the gospels.

Just like real fishing, being a disciple is a learning process. My husband taught me to cast the rod, wait for a fish to nibble, hook the fish, and real it in. In fact, other fisherman on our same pier, shared bait with one another and gave helpful hits on where the fish were biting. The Christian life is not all about you. It's about learning to live for Christ along side other believers. As believers in Christ, we are called to be disciples. Jesus says to the disciples to go and make more disciples, in Matthew 28:19. Therefore, it's important to walk along side someone who is a mature disciple of Christ, in order to learn and do the same.

Peter and Andrew didn't hesitate to follow Christ. The scripture says they immediately let go and followed Him. Sometimes it's not that easy. We are reluctant to let go and follow Christ because we may have to do something that's uncomfortable. Just like those fisherman on the pier helped me, getting involved in a church that lives life together will encourage you and help you though your inhibitions and uncomfortable moments.

This isn't my last time fishing. Now that I've learned what to do, I want to go again. Plus, fishing with my husband brings us closer and builds our relationship. I am learning to let go of my inhibitions and want to be teachable. Who knows, maybe next time I'll bait the hook and be a real fisherman.

"Dear Jesus, thank you for being my teacher. I want to be teachable. Please help me let go of my inhibitions and fully follow you. Help me find a mentor and make me your disciple."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014 

What Ever Makes You Happy – letting go of masking reality

When my kids were little we would give them candy, activity books, what ever would make them happy on a long road trip. When all the toys would loose their excitement and the car seat seamed like a straight jacket, they would cry out; as expected, "I want to get out!" This is a picture of you and I when all the things that we fill our lives with to make us happy, stop distracting us from the reality that we feel trapped and just want to get out.

We think the problem is our reality of life, when the problem is the stuff we use to mask it. When we don't go to God first, we might distract our attentions to the latest sale, the person of the opposite sex who gave some attention, or planning the next big adventure. We go from one thing to the next because it's not working. The more we mask things, the farther from God we will get and the more unhappy we are. God's word says in Matthew 6:19-21, “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (HCSB)."

When was the last time you faced reality with God? Psalm 69:32-33 says, "The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged. For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people (NLT)."

Let go of masking reality and seek God. The next time you are tempted to turn to something that is only temporal happiness, pray first. Be humble and honest with God about your feelings. Then open the bible and read a Psalm. God will encourage you – He hears your cries! You may not get out of your situation, but your God will give you the strength. My kids had no clue when they were strapped in the car seat that it was for their safety. God is protecting you even when you may say, "I want to get out!" The journey may be long, but in the end there is a heavenly eternal vacation.

"Trouble and distress have overtaken me, but Your commands are my delight. Your decrees are righteous forever. Give me understanding, and I will live."

~ Psalm 119:143-144 (HCSB)

"Lord, thank you for hearing my cries. Thank you for protecting me. I let go of masking my problems with temporary happiness instead of going to you for eternal happiness."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014