ATTRIBUTES of GOD- Part 1

a worship devotional for musicians

inspired by A.W. Tozer: The Attributes of God: Vol. 1, A Journey Into the Father's Heart

"It is vitally important that we think soundly about God. Since He is the foundation of all our religious beliefs, it follows that if we err in our ideas of God, we will go astray on everything else." A.W. Tozer, This World:Playground or Battleground

How well do we really know and understand the Lord? Jer. 9:24

Tonight, we started our worship team devotional series on the Attributes of God. We did an introductory quick discussion and handed out books. The book is called, "The Attributes of God, vol 1" by A.W. Tozer and each week we will touch upon one of God's attributes.

ATTRIBUTES of GOD- Part 2; God's Infinitude

a worship devotional for musicians

inspired by A.W. Tozer: The Attributes of God: Vol. 1, A Journey Into the Father's Heart

 We started last night with the Infinity of God. As I've mentioned before, for our brief pre-practice devotional we will be discussing one attribute of God each week based on the book "The Attributes of God" by Tozer. (If you still need a copy of the book, come see me. I have more) We opened the discussion reading Col. 3:1-3. Tozer mentioned in the first chapter an illustration that CS Lewis used. Lewis described a white piece of paper and then drew a short line on it in the middle of the page saying that this line is time, we are a dot on the line and God is the paper. Picture the paper going on forever, but the line stays where it is. God has no limits or boundaries. He has no beginning or end.

We talked about last night how it is easier to understand time going on forever starting now or starting from when we were born and then moving on forever from there but even that perspective is a linear one restricted by time and it is harder for us to imagine going BACK in time ...forever...and even then, that is still linear and God is not restricted by the line of time and He transcends it...He's the endless white paper.

Daniel Hasty said this last night that i thought was a really neat perspective. And I won't be able to quote him very well since he is the linguist and I am definitely not, fo' sheezy. You know Daniel is studying to get his PHD in linguistics specializing in southern dialects (I think I have that right, Daniel) They study this in his classes: that all of the sentences we say has a time reference, it has a "tense" to it whether it is present tense, past...etc. which is why when we start to think and talk about the infinity of God we start fumbling to find the right words and even our very thoughts about it get confused because we speak in tenses yet God's very being is without them so even our own description about God is so restricted.

We are still on the line describing God from the line. Thankfully, God is not restricted by the line and is fully complete in every aspect of His being. Hallelujah!

Theme: devotional

ATTRIBUTES of GOD- Part 4; God's Goodness

a worship devotional for musicians

inspired by A.W. Tozer: The Attributes of God: Vol. 1, A Journey Into the Father's Heart

We hit the subject of the goodness of God tonight for our worship team devotional (Chapter 3 of "Attributes of God" by Tozer).

We looked at several scriptures:
Psalm 119:68
Isaiah 63:7
Psalm 139:17
Deut. 30:9
Psalm 36:7
Psalm 34:8
Matthew 7:11

According to these scriptures, how does God's goodness differ from our own goodness? God is supremely good in every way; "God is never partway anything" (Tozer, 43). On the other hand, we have limits and fall short every time. Even when we are at our best we are still flawed; "Nobody ever got anything from God on the grounds that he deserved it." (Tozer, 47)

God is ultimately perfectly kind and completely good.

I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD,
the deeds for which he is to be praised,
according to all the LORD has done for us— Isaiah 63:7

Taste and see that the LORD is good; -- Psalm 34:8

Worship Matters; part 1

Transcendence and Immanence of God

We had our first official devotional tonight at 7:45 before creative worship team rehearsal. It was brief but I really appreciated talking together on the difference between the transcendence and immanence of God. He is untouchable because of His holiness and is so superior to us we can't possibly compare ourselves to him yet, at the same time he is so near to us and longs for us to enjoy Him...He actually dwells in us. A very humbling and sobering polarity. Both are true aspects of who God is and how he relates to us which , in turn, should motivate us in how we worship Him.

Tonight's study came from a book by Bob Kauflin called "Worship Matters". Check it out if you wish.

theme: God's Attributes, devotional

Worship Matters; part 3

What do I "practice" vs. What do I "model"?

Tonight's study came from a book by Bob Kauflin called "Worship Matters".

EDDIE: You keep hitting a B Natural. It's a B flat!!! The B flat is written, so play it! I can't worship when the notes are wrong all the time.

MARY: But I don't read music, I just have to feel it, you know, once I am in the moment, it will be there. The Holy Spirit will be there for me. I'll be prayin'...

EDDIE: But you never feel it. I'm tellin' ya', just play the B flat!

MARY: You need to relax. I think you are taking this way too seriously.

EDDIE: I don't think you are taking this seriously enough.

So what is your take on Eddie and Mary? Mary is unprepared making repeated and noticeable mistakes but wants the Holy Spirit to shine through her. Eddie values practice and right pitches but is harsh (with a vengeance) in delivering his point to Mary.

So, we need to do a good job with the tasks that are put before us and at the same time we must model Christ in what we do so that people see Him rather than us. This is easy to say...easy to type...but... if only Judy would stop singing the wrong notes in my ear... :)

Let us "set an example to the congregation in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity..." (I Tim. 4:12) and at the same time, lets perform our ministries with "undistracting excellence" (J. Piper) by fulfilling the ministry God has laid before us via proper preparation and execution.

Good stuff. Big responsibility.

Blessings,

Worship Matters; part 4

Rooted vs. Relevant

Tonight's study came from a book by Bob Kauflin called "Worship Matters".

We had a great rehearsal last night. Between vocal and instrumental practice we had another devotional where we discussed the importance for being both rooted in our Christian heritage and relevant to our present culture as we gather together in our corporate worship. How difficult, to be both rooted and relevant, seemingly in tension. But yet how important it is that we capture the benefits of the healthy and edifying traditions of our Christian forefathers as well as keep fresh and alive relating to our culture so we do not spiritually stagnate in our practices.

2 quotes from the book, "Worship Matters", (by Bob Kauflin) I used to give impetus to our discussion:

1)    “When we decide what form our Sunday meeting will take, we aren’t starting in a historical vacuum…The hymns that we sing today have been tested for centuries, causing the best to rise to the top.” (189-190)
2)    “In every age the church must fight the tendency to grow mechanical in its worship as the Spirit-inspired practices of previous generations become the dead, unexamined practices of the next.” (191)

Looking forward to Sunday worship with you all,

Corb

PS. Turning to the function of music in church services, we looked at Colossians 3:16-17 and how we are instructed to teach one another with “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”. I shared a very influential article in my own life, written by John MacArthur called “With Hearts and Minds and Voices”. I’ll link it for you here in case you are interested in reading it. <http://www.bible-researcher.com/macarthur1.html>

Worship Matters; part 5

corporate worship and private worship

Tonight's study came from a book by Bob Kauflin called "Worship Matters".

the worship team discussed the aspect of corporate worship and private worship...the big event vs. the every day discipline of worshiping the Lord. What are the implications of each?...We asked the question, "Does our worship ever stop?" Or maybe better, "SHOULD our worship of God ever stop?" :) Both have their place and perpetuate one another forming, what should be, a never ending cycle of practice in our lives.

Romans 12:1 "...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship." NIV NKJ says "...which is your reasonable service".

Many of you may remember this video that was shown in creative before I was around but I just came across it and thought it was a great reminder of what our lifestyle of worship should be.  <http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/10283/A-Life-Of-Worship>

Blessings and see you Sunday for the corporate part,

Corb

ATTRIBUTES of GOD- Part 5 - God's Justice

a worship devotional for musicians

inspired by A.W. Tozer: The Attributes of God: Vol. 1, A Journey Into the Father's Heart

 We had devotion tonight before WT practice covering chapter 4 in the Tozer book, Attributes of God.

The question Tozer asked was quoting Anselm's question, "How can God be just and still spare the wicked?"  We discussed this question a bit.

Tozer answered it with a combination of three points:

1. God's unity within Himself – God's mercy and His justice are not at war with one another.  They are not opposites pulling on Him trying to get Him to go one way or the other.  They are synonymous within his nature.  He is one hundred percent just and, at the same time, he is one hundred percent merciful.  They function together as one.  As humans we have to reconcile these two dynamics within ourselves but God does not have to reconcile them.  He is. (Deut. 6:4)
2. The Sufferings of Christ – aka. the substitutionary atonement – Christ suffered and died on the cross in our place.  Because he was perfect he was the perfect sacrifice.  He was without sin and he took on our sin and paid our penalty that we should have paid (Rom. 3:19-26, 2 Cor. 5:21).
3. God's Immutability – God never changes.  He is the same now, yesterday and forevermore (Heb. 13:7, James 1:17).

"But if [a sinner] beats his brest and says, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (luke 18:13), and takes the benefits of the infinite agony of God on a cross, God looks on that moral situation and says, 'life!' And all of hell can't drag that man down.  Oh, the wonder and the mystery and the glory and the being of God!" (Tozer, 74)

ATTRIBUTES of GOD- Part 6 - God's Mercy

a worship devotional for musicians

inspired by A.W. Tozer: The Attributes of God: Vol. 1, A Journey Into the Father's Heart

We had devotion tonight on the Mercy of God.  Tozer says we need to "compassion-ate".  Its a verb…the act of showing compassion and mercy to others.  By "compassionating" others around us, we are mimicking, in a small way, our Father in heaven. He is the limitless, timeless embodiment of mercy of which He extends  that mercy on us by "[stooping] in kindness to an inferior, to have pity upon and to be actively compassionate" toward us (Tozer 79).

2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort

ATTRIBUTES of GOD- Part 9 - God's Immanence

a worship devotional for musicians

inspired by A.W. Tozer: The Attributes of God: Vol. 1, A Journey Into the Father's Heart

Last night at worship practice we talked about Chapter 8: the Immanence of God: His "nearness" to us.  God penetrates everything.  "God dwells in His universe and yet the universe dwells in God. (p138)"

How close are we really to God?  A quick check list of who Christ is 24-7- He is holy all the time…he is unselfish all the time, He is and was fully loving…kind 100% of the time…always forgiving…always zealous for the work of God at all times…and consistently humble throughout His entire ministry on earth.  Now compare that list to ours:  Are we truly holy? Do we behave unselfishly 100% of the time? Are we always motivated by love,… all the time? Kind 100% to others?  Forgiving to those that we love, let alone, to those that insult us? Are we zealous for the work of the Lord …all the time? Humble in all situations?  No, even if I could say "yes" to one of them, I couldn't say it to all of them.  

Our old nature is so dissimilar with our Lord they don't even compare.  His nature is divine vs. our nature is clearly not divine.  But because God's presence is immanent, He can penetrate our soul and impute (infuse) into and onto us His righteousness.  And He does that through the sacrifice Christ made on the cross.  Christ is our advocate and we are washed, our natures revamped and made clean in the eyes of our heavenly Father rendering our differences in nature to Him as a non-issue regarding salvation.