“Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ”Amen, Amen,“ lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord, with their faces to the ground.” (Neh. 8:6)
Reflection:
This week we went into the beginning of Nehemiah chapter 8. This is a key chapter about the renewal of the covenant with God. Scholars have pointed to this being the first “revival” depicted in the Bible. This is a great book for us to be going through as a church. Scott point out in verse 3, that the people had not heard the word of God, and that they have replaced the word of God with traditions. This is a good warning for us to stay true to the truth of God and not get lost in programs. My key verse is verse 6, the people were unified in worship with their hands up and their faces down. When we come to understand the truth of who God is and who we are in light of it, we respond in this type of worship. Next week we will see the joy that accompanies this worship.
In the set list I tried to reflect verse 6, attributing to the greatness of God as a source of strength.
Set List:
Holy is the Lord
Indescribable
God of Wonders
God of this City
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Last week in Chapter 6 of Nehemiah we are encouraged to stand strong in God when we face criticism and challenged to view ourselves as someone that God can use. As I read through chapter seven a few things caught my attention.
We see that Nehemiah has a burden to count and organize the people and lands (7:5).
Are we ready to listen and act as Nehemiah did when we receive a burden from God? What can get in the way of the hearing? What prevents us from acting?
Genealogies...hugh! Believe me I am not a huge fan of genealogies either, I just read through nine chapter of them in Chronicles today for an assignment. Importance can be seen though in honoring members of our church who have ‘gone before us’ and linking this new generation with the heritage of Israel.
Lastly it was great to see the family of God ‘contribute to the work’ (v. 69, 70). They contributed to the work and the treasury. This is a reminder that as the family of God we are called to serve. This echos the first motto of the church, “Not to be ministered to, but to minister.” The challenge is that we don’t go to church to get be served but to look for the opportunities to serve.
We see that Nehemiah has a burden to count and organize the people and lands (7:5).
Are we ready to listen and act as Nehemiah did when we receive a burden from God? What can get in the way of the hearing? What prevents us from acting?
Genealogies...hugh! Believe me I am not a huge fan of genealogies either, I just read through nine chapter of them in Chronicles today for an assignment. Importance can be seen though in honoring members of our church who have ‘gone before us’ and linking this new generation with the heritage of Israel.
Lastly it was great to see the family of God ‘contribute to the work’ (v. 69, 70). They contributed to the work and the treasury. This is a reminder that as the family of God we are called to serve. This echos the first motto of the church, “Not to be ministered to, but to minister.” The challenge is that we don’t go to church to get be served but to look for the opportunities to serve.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Nehemiah 6
This week Scott is going into Nehemiah 6
Here is the run down
This is the last opportunity for our friends Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem to stop the wall from being finished. They decide to trick Nehemiah into meeting with them outside. They asked him four times and on the fifth time they made it public knowledge that they are sending reports to the Persian king that the Israelites are building a wall and planning a revolt. This message could be stopped if Nehemiah will met with them outside the wall. The purpose is to cause fear among the people of Israel. Nehemiah does not go out and encourages the people to not stop working. He also prays, “...But now, O God, strenghten my hands” (Neh 6:9b). Then the enemies bribe his friend to prophecy that they should run and hide in the temple. This would give Nehemiah a bad name and cause him to sin, Nehemiah remains a man of integrity and refuses. Then they finish the wall, which was done in an amazing 52 days.
This week I think we will focus in strength and encouragement as a theme and maybe some songs about integrity.
Songs ideas;
Everlasting God - Brown
“strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord” Ps. 123
Never let go - Redman
“I will fear no evil” Psalm 23
If you have any other ideas let me know...
Here is the run down
This is the last opportunity for our friends Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem to stop the wall from being finished. They decide to trick Nehemiah into meeting with them outside. They asked him four times and on the fifth time they made it public knowledge that they are sending reports to the Persian king that the Israelites are building a wall and planning a revolt. This message could be stopped if Nehemiah will met with them outside the wall. The purpose is to cause fear among the people of Israel. Nehemiah does not go out and encourages the people to not stop working. He also prays, “...But now, O God, strenghten my hands” (Neh 6:9b). Then the enemies bribe his friend to prophecy that they should run and hide in the temple. This would give Nehemiah a bad name and cause him to sin, Nehemiah remains a man of integrity and refuses. Then they finish the wall, which was done in an amazing 52 days.
This week I think we will focus in strength and encouragement as a theme and maybe some songs about integrity.
Songs ideas;
Everlasting God - Brown
“strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord” Ps. 123
Never let go - Redman
“I will fear no evil” Psalm 23
If you have any other ideas let me know...
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Thoughts on Worship
Songs
All Hail the Power of Jesus Name (1779, Edward Parronet, Tomlin)
Only the power of Jesus is Redemptive
History Maker // Martin Smith
How big is our view of God?
Come Thou Fount (1758, Robert Robinson)
We are only strong through Him, this song is about a longing to be dependent on God.
Hungry // Kathryn Scott
When we are broken and empty we need to learn to turn to God alone for restoration.
Sunday Morning Prayers...
God I pray that you would challenge our view of You this morning. That we would put our trust in Your strength and not our own.
Worship thoughts...
Nehemiah knew where His strength came from, “The God of heaven will give us success.” (Neh. 2:20a). When we trust our own strength is how we are ‘prone to wander’ as it says in Come Thou Fount. There is a definite progression here.
Verse Integration...
Acts 17:28, “For in him we live and move and have our being...”
All Hail the Power of Jesus Name (1779, Edward Parronet, Tomlin)
Only the power of Jesus is Redemptive
History Maker // Martin Smith
How big is our view of God?
Come Thou Fount (1758, Robert Robinson)
We are only strong through Him, this song is about a longing to be dependent on God.
Hungry // Kathryn Scott
When we are broken and empty we need to learn to turn to God alone for restoration.
Sunday Morning Prayers...
God I pray that you would challenge our view of You this morning. That we would put our trust in Your strength and not our own.
Worship thoughts...
Nehemiah knew where His strength came from, “The God of heaven will give us success.” (Neh. 2:20a). When we trust our own strength is how we are ‘prone to wander’ as it says in Come Thou Fount. There is a definite progression here.
Verse Integration...
Acts 17:28, “For in him we live and move and have our being...”
Monday, June 16, 2008
Service Reflection
Song Set:
Blessed Be Your Name // Redman
Indescribable // Laura Story
King of Glory // Chris Tomlin
Shout to the North // Martin Smith
It always encourages me to see God use the songs in a mighty way. This reminds me more and more that Christ is the worship leader, and that our role as a band is to simply be a vessel for His use.
Message integration...
Nehemiah 1:5, “Lord the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,”
These songs represented this verse very well. Indescribable speaks of our awesome God and how we are to respond in humble worship to Him. In verse 5, Nehemiah prays scripture and gives God praise for who He is. He trusts that God will keep His promises. In verse 10 we read, “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.” This connects so well to King of Glory, when we sing that the redeemed are called to “declare the love” of God. This song also speaks about the King of Glory and about His strength and might. It comes directly out of Psalms 24:8-10.
Nehemiah’s prayer is also acknowledging the Sovereignty of God. Through His prayer we can see that he does not tell God how to do it and is unsure of how God will do it. He simply prays that God will open the door and God does. Understanding the Sovereignty of God has to do with trusting God, but it also starts with the understanding that as Christians we are called to something greater than ourselves. Nehemiah’s heart was turned towards God and God gave him the desire to see the walls built. In response we need to be open to God’s work in our lives as we are continually being transformed in to the likeness of His son.
Special Music...
I also loved the special testimonial song by Rebekah Yoon. In talking with and sharing her testimony it is easy to see her openness to God. To give up the big career in music to devote her life to the glory of God shows Christ work in her. I loved the fact that we could hear this come out in the music; that the way she expressed her love to God was evident in the music. This was a moving example of a non-verbal communication to God.
Blessed Be Your Name // Redman
Indescribable // Laura Story
King of Glory // Chris Tomlin
Shout to the North // Martin Smith
It always encourages me to see God use the songs in a mighty way. This reminds me more and more that Christ is the worship leader, and that our role as a band is to simply be a vessel for His use.
Message integration...
Nehemiah 1:5, “Lord the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,”
These songs represented this verse very well. Indescribable speaks of our awesome God and how we are to respond in humble worship to Him. In verse 5, Nehemiah prays scripture and gives God praise for who He is. He trusts that God will keep His promises. In verse 10 we read, “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.” This connects so well to King of Glory, when we sing that the redeemed are called to “declare the love” of God. This song also speaks about the King of Glory and about His strength and might. It comes directly out of Psalms 24:8-10.
Nehemiah’s prayer is also acknowledging the Sovereignty of God. Through His prayer we can see that he does not tell God how to do it and is unsure of how God will do it. He simply prays that God will open the door and God does. Understanding the Sovereignty of God has to do with trusting God, but it also starts with the understanding that as Christians we are called to something greater than ourselves. Nehemiah’s heart was turned towards God and God gave him the desire to see the walls built. In response we need to be open to God’s work in our lives as we are continually being transformed in to the likeness of His son.
Special Music...
I also loved the special testimonial song by Rebekah Yoon. In talking with and sharing her testimony it is easy to see her openness to God. To give up the big career in music to devote her life to the glory of God shows Christ work in her. I loved the fact that we could hear this come out in the music; that the way she expressed her love to God was evident in the music. This was a moving example of a non-verbal communication to God.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
June 8 Worship Service Reflection
Set List:
The theme of strength seemed to ring through the songs as I sang through them this Sunday. There is trust and strength found in waiting on the Lord in Everlasting God. This songs comes out of last part of Isaiah 40 to encourage the people of Israel. Then this theme was in the line, “For the joy of the Lord is our strength”. I love how God orchestrates themes that I did not think of during my preparation time.
Shout to the North was the focus song for the week. It is a song of restoration of a returning to who God has called us to be. This is a returning to our true identity in Christ. In this identity we can join God in His redemptive work. This connected well with the theme that our days are ordained by God our creator in You are the One.
After the songs, during our prayer Chris mention new insight on the line “all Your thoughts towards me are holy” from You Are the One. She mentioned that sometimes our thoughts are not holy towards others, but we can trust that all of the thoughts from God are holy towards us.
Sermon Notes:
The introduction into Nehemiah was great. The theme of the book teaches the art of leading reform. Reform means to go back to the ancient truths of God. The question then is are we concerned about what God is concerned about? This is a questions that has come up often when we talk about church vision. I am excited to see how God will shape our community to be more concerned about these things. On an individual basis, the question is; how does this translate to our 8-15 Oikos family God has provided?
Truth is a great theme to sing about. Shout to the North is a song that encourages us to be ministers of that truth. In the first verse, men are encouraged to be strenghtened and see that in their brokenness they are made complete in Christ. The second verse exhorts “women of the truth” to “sing to broken hearts”. Finally in the third verse together as the body of Christ we are called to sing again the songs of grace.
Possible future songs:
History Maker - Martin Smith
Blessing - John Waller
- Everlasting God - Brenton Brown
- Holy is the Lord - Tomlin, arr. by Bethany Dillon
- Shout to the North - Martin Smith from Delirious
- You are the One - Lincoln Brewster
The theme of strength seemed to ring through the songs as I sang through them this Sunday. There is trust and strength found in waiting on the Lord in Everlasting God. This songs comes out of last part of Isaiah 40 to encourage the people of Israel. Then this theme was in the line, “For the joy of the Lord is our strength”. I love how God orchestrates themes that I did not think of during my preparation time.
Shout to the North was the focus song for the week. It is a song of restoration of a returning to who God has called us to be. This is a returning to our true identity in Christ. In this identity we can join God in His redemptive work. This connected well with the theme that our days are ordained by God our creator in You are the One.
After the songs, during our prayer Chris mention new insight on the line “all Your thoughts towards me are holy” from You Are the One. She mentioned that sometimes our thoughts are not holy towards others, but we can trust that all of the thoughts from God are holy towards us.
Sermon Notes:
The introduction into Nehemiah was great. The theme of the book teaches the art of leading reform. Reform means to go back to the ancient truths of God. The question then is are we concerned about what God is concerned about? This is a questions that has come up often when we talk about church vision. I am excited to see how God will shape our community to be more concerned about these things. On an individual basis, the question is; how does this translate to our 8-15 Oikos family God has provided?
Truth is a great theme to sing about. Shout to the North is a song that encourages us to be ministers of that truth. In the first verse, men are encouraged to be strenghtened and see that in their brokenness they are made complete in Christ. The second verse exhorts “women of the truth” to “sing to broken hearts”. Finally in the third verse together as the body of Christ we are called to sing again the songs of grace.
Possible future songs:
History Maker - Martin Smith
Blessing - John Waller
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