You want me to do WHAT??

Two weeks ago, when I led worship on Sunday night, I was divinely inspired. I was to incite and infuse some emotion back into our worship. It was a simple thing then - just get the church's attention. I hadn't planned on shouting, but God set up the circumstances to make it unavoidable. Little did I realize at the time that what I was doing then was only a hint of things to come. In the days to follow, I was about to be divinely inspired ten-fold. It wasn't until several hours after these inspirations came to fruition that I finally took a look at what I was doing, and nerves finally hit. That time would have been about 9:30 last night.

Serving God and truly letting Him work through us is funny that way. It seems as though the typical emotional reaction to what He's called us to do is never quite "in sync" with what we're doing. That's called being empowered. It's great when we're able to let the Holy Spirit work through us, because nerves don't come into play. We might be an emotional wreck before or afterward, but when the actual work gets done, there is no fear. God can take away fear in a heartbeat. I've seen Him do it in my own life on more than one occasion...but that's another story. Here's what happened last night.

Service didn't start with the usual prelude. In fact, if it weren't for a few mumbled conversations here and there in the pews, I probably could have heard a pin drop. I came down out of the pulpit and led everything from the floor. The response to "Good evening" was better than last time, in that I heard one person shout back at me. I began with a little reminder of why we were there in the first place. For once, everyone opened their hymnals not to sing, but to just have a look.

We have come into His house and gathered in His name to worship Him
Let's forget about ourselves and magnify His name and worship Him

We come together for a single purpose, and it is the sole purpose for which God created us - to glorify Him. Worship is not about us. It's not about what the person in front of us thinks our voice sounds like. God isn't watching to see if you're singing everything technically correct. He's looking at your heart. Next came sword drill time.

Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Feelings are not mentioned in this verse. Technical accuracy is not mentioned in this verse. This is a command in God's Word. We are to take joy in His presence and celebrate the fact that He is God. Why? Simple, because He deserves it. He created you and me. He created everything we need to survive. Even when we turned away from Him, He still loved us and bought us back, though we don't deserve it. That's real love - it's a choice, not a feeling. Therefore, we should choose to give Him our best because we love Him. God is the only one who could possibly deserve such love.

I asked everyone to repeat "Shout to the Lord" over and over again, until they got loud enough. "Did you feel that?" I asked, "Did you feel your chest contract, and the air forced out of your throat? That's worship from the heart." That's all He truly desires from us - our love. Sure, it's the equivalent of a three-year-old bringing a page of scribbles to his dad, asking if he did a good job coloring, but what does his dad do with that picture? It goes right on the front of the refrigerator for all to see, to show everyone in the house that child's act of love. Everyone knows the picture has no real value, but in the eyes of his father, it's a priceless gift. Are you starting to get the picture yet?

We started with "Be Exhaulted, O God". We sang it through once, and it just didn't have "best effort" quality to it, so exercise number two came into play. I turned it into a simple contest, one side of the auditorium against the other.

"Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!"

"Praise ye the Lord!"

I think some people were starting to get the message. Others kept looking at me like I'd lost my mind. We worshipped on our feet the entire time. I even stopped in the middle of one song to ask a man for testimony of salvation. When it was over, one brother raised his hand in tears, and said that the fifty (or so) people present that night sounded better than certain times when the auditorium was filled with over two hundred people. I was so charged up and out of breath by then that I could think of no response, except to thank him for his comment. I wish I had thought of something more inspiring to say.

As I stated before, it wasn't until much later, after we had gotten the kids to bed, that my wife commented on how "preachy" I was, and that she was proud of me. Preachy? ME? I'm no preacher. I'm just doing what God told me to do, right? Was that preaching? And did I just hear her right? Did she say "proud" while talking about ME? That's when it all finally hit me. What am I doing, being so presumptuous as to actually preach? I'm not qualified! Am I INSANE??

Only in that I'm a fool for Christ. How do you spell love? I spell it O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E. Just give God your best effort, and watch Him work. You could be amazed at the results.

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. - Psalm 95:1-2

One Fool For Christ

Anybody who's ever gotten up to speak in front of a decent-sized group of people has almost certainly encountered the fear of getting absolutely no response from the audience. A response every now and then typically helps us relax as we speak, because it helps us feel slightly more connected with the people and less like we're just talking AT them. No response is usually taken by the speaker as a rejection by the audience, and most everyone I can think of hates rejection. I'm sure Jesus didn't enjoy rejection either, though He endured it willingly on my behalf, praise God.

This past Sunday evening, I was in charge of leading worship again. I stepped up to the microphone, said "Good evening", and if it weren't for the dull murmur that followed, I probably would have been able to hear a cricket chirping somewhere south of the border. I didn't even pause, because the Holy Spirit took over. I stepped out from behind the pulpit, raised my arms, and literally shouted at all those sitting before me.

Come on, church!
Christ is risen!
Your sins are forgiven!

There were a few other words that followed, but I don't remember them very well. It's a bit of a blur now. I do remember that it drew some attention, though. I remember praying like I never had before to open the service as well. I don't remember what I said, but I do remember that it was way outside of the norm for me. After that, I thought my unusual behavior was past. I settled into the normal service routine. I figured the rest of the evening would be typical - we'd sing some, have a short Bible quiz, listen to the message, and go home. Well, that's more or less what we did, but it wasn't typical.

"Victory in Jesus". That was the last song before the message. As I led everyone through the first verse, I looked around. Many had their heads buried in their hymnals, trying to go unnoticed. The piano was easily louder than the voices I heard. I thought to myself,"Is this what victory sounds like?" It sounded more like "Lullaby in Jesus" to me. Once again, I had to shout.

STOP!
This is a song of VICTORY!

Victory, not shame. As believers in Christ, we have nothing to be ashamed of, and if you don't believe me, just ask Paul.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. - 2 Timothy 2:15

When the final chorus began, I think I may have scared a few people out there as I shouted "Sing it out!" Still, it's a moment I doubt I'll ever regret.

My prayer for last week or so has been fairly simple. "Lord, make me a fool for you. Give me a faith that can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched." I saw the first answer to that prayer on Sunday night. Does that mean I'm done praying for that kind of faith? Absolutely not! God has only just begun to scratch away at the surface of the mask of shame I've worn for far too long. Keep at it, Lord! Please don't stop!

I am a fool for Christ. The only question that remains is... Whose fool are you?

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:18

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. - Philippians 1:20