Keep Your Word!

 

Broken promises
are worse than rain clouds
    that don’t bring rain. ~ Proverbs 25:14 (CEV)

     The saying: " Word is bond" goes back a long way, but it will always be true. God always keeps his word, and as followers of Christ, we are expected to keep ours. Have you ever attended an event, expecting to receive something that was promoted to be a "Power-packed, life-changing experience" and found it to be totally disorganized? Or, have you ever paid for goods or services that were not received as promised? Worse yet, have you even been responsible for any of these things? Well, I'm not here to judge or condemn anyone, but this needs to change.

You must not cheat each other, but you must respect your God. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 25:17 (NCV)

     We always need to count the cost of anything we undertake before we commit to start. Careful planning and having a backup strategy can help avoid misunderstandings. There may be circumstances that are beyond our control, but a little communication goes a long way. With the advent of text messaging  and social media, there is little excuse for keeping people who have invested time and resources into your ministry in the dark about changes or cancellations. Most people will understand if they are informed about changes in venue or availability, but no one likes to be ignored with unreturned phone calls or e-mails; they were important when you received their money, and are still important afterwards!

It is better not to make a promise than to make one and not keep it.
Ecc. 5:5 (GWT)

     If you find that you are unable to follow through with a commitment you have made,contacting people directly to acknowledge the situation and offering an acceptable solution is the best way to keep  a positive relationship with them for future endeavors.  If  funds were exchanged, make sure there is a clearly written policy in place for handling refunds in a timely manner. In addition, people should be given the option of a full or partial refund if there is a cancellation on your end. Don't automatically assume that everyone will give you a second chance! If people stop trusting and supporting you, it won't be long before you are forgotten.  Always strive to be that ministry that is known for excellence behind the scenes, as well as in public. If people express their opinions, listen to what they have to say and consider if the impression they have of you is one that you want to keep, and remember that there are many who will never say anything directly to you, but will tell others of their bad experiences.

   

We are living in a time when everything we do as Christians is under careful scrutiny. A good reputation is worth the time and effort that it takes to build and maintain. Keep your word!

Remember...

The Dance of Praise...worshipers giving thanks and praise to God accompanied by a dance of praise and thanksgiving...sacred movement as a form of spiritual applause offered to God our Father in gratitude for all of the blessings we experience in our lives...often misunderstood in liturgy...sacred movement offers another range of forms...of profound expression of praise and thanks before our God ~ Los Angeles Religious Education Conference 2010
`

     Remember...the first time you ever danced before the Lord, before you even understood what it really meant, before you ever attended a conference or were part of a group... before there were politics and problems...before it mattered who you knew or where you came from...before there were expensive garments, cliques, auditions and competitions...

     Remember...when you enjoyed reading God's Word, attending prayer and going to worship just because you wanted to, and not because it was a chore or an obligation, or part of a contingency plan on someone else's agenda...when it was just about God and learning to follow His ways...

     Remember...when there was a real difference between church and the world, and people really had respect for the House of Worship, each other, and God...when it wasn't always about how much money you gave or didn't give, a position, or a title...

     Remember...and don't forget.

     Thank you to everyone who has been following my blog, for the 37 members which includes 12 new followers this year! I hope that I will continue to inspire and encourage you in 2013. Blessings!

The Posture of Worship Pt. II

 
 I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about you
All about you, Jesus.
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about you,
All about you ,Jesus.
~Matt Redman

Imagine for a moment on Sunday morning....there is no Praise Team, no band, no sound system, special effects, or no flags, streamers, banners or beautiful garments for the dancers. Could we still offer extravagant praise to God without any of these things? How many times after praise and worship have we complained about the way the musicians played, or how the worship leader switched gears in the middle of the song, or even worse, forgot the words to the song  and threw everything "off"? Could it be, that we have taken ownership of the worship time and made it about us, instead giving worship to the One who made heaven and earth? Unfortunately, many of us have been guilty of grieving the Holy Spirit in this way.

The story of  the song: The Heart of Worship tells of how the songwriter's pastor in England got rid of the sound system and band in the church for a short time, to allow people to worship from their hearts. He asked the church members one question: "When you come through the doors on a Sunday, what are you bringing as your offering to God?" The article states that the congregation was uncomfortable at first without their music and sound, but they learned how to really honor and reverence God in a way that they never had before. In other words, the people put their focus back on God, and not on acting out what they thought was praise and worship. Matt Redman wrote the song in his bedroom as his response to what he learned from this experience, and it subsequently became popular around the world.

Worship is all about God, and who He is. Now imagine again...that everyone came to worship Him just because He is God. What kind of atmosphere would be in our gatherings if we all did that? God is calling. Let's go back to the posture of worship!

What may I give to the Lord for all the good things which he has done for me?  I will take the cup of salvation, and give praise to the name of the Lord. (Psalm 116:12-13)







Footnote: Song Story: Matt Redman's The Heart of Worship,  by David Schrader (http://www.crosswalk.com/)

Risk Takers

positive expressions
   unique communications
words out of context, redefined to fit a new dimension
    with the uninhibited totality of prose, given over to inspiration,
the impossible suddenly becomes plausible
and instead of asking "Why?" we begin to ask: "Why not".
(c) 2008 Poetry of Motion!

How often have we condensed our speech to fit into another's way of thinking, putting ourselves into a box and afterwards finding ourselves unable to get out? And if we manage to find our way out, how quickly do we get into a similar situation where we end up in the box again?

To live well, we must learn how to live dangerously, by any means necessary. Keeping ourselves out of the box may mean that we are alone much of the time, but sometimes it is the only way to stay alive.
Look closely around you and you will see, that there are people in your life who carry boxes, ready for you to occupy. It will be your decision to get into the box to keep the people in your life or to refuse to occupy the box they have prepared for you, and risk losing them forever.

I pray that you would become a risk taker.

Transparency

can't you see that my soul is laid bare?
i have nothing left to hide from the world or those who look with blinded eyes wide open
through the windows of my life
inside the glass house i've been living in
putting up this wonderful facade
and smiling through my tears...
(© 2009 Poetry of Motion!)

There are so many wounded, hurting people among us, we walk past them on the streets; they are our neighbors, co-workers, family members, and friends. Some of them attend church services week after week, hiding behind laughter, a lot of activity, or even negative behavior. These same individuals are in audiences where we perform or share our gifts. It is very sobering to remember that there could be someone watching us who has received a bad Doctor’s report, is having suicidal thoughts, or may be living a double-life. In all of these situations, people are sitting in darkness, looking for the Light. As Worship Artists, we must become so transparent that others can see the Light of Christ that is in us, and become free.

We are Carriers of God’s Glory (Matt. 5:14-16); Messengers of Good News (Is.5:27), and we have a specific assignment (Jer. 1:9). However, if we are half-hearted, not fully present or hiding something within ourselves, we can cause our light to be hidden from others. We cannot afford to do this! (Matt. 6:22-23).
The light of Christ causes darkness to leave, and brings hope to others. Before our next assignment, let’s ask ourselves three questions:

     1. Am I doing this from my heart, or just because I have the
        opportunity?

     2. Am I fully engaged in what I am about to do?

     3. Am I hiding anything from myself?

We are the light of the world, so let’s carry it fully!