Journey of Worship

Archive for the ‘QOTW’ Category

From John Piper via Twitter:

“Heartfelt confidence that, because of Christ, our all-controlling God is 100% for us, is the key to indomitable joy.”

From Martin Luther:

This life, therefore, is not godliness but the process of becoming godly, not health but getting well, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not now what we shall be, but we are on the way. The process is not yet finished, but it is actively going on. This is not the goal but it is the right road. At present, everything does not gleam and sparkle, but everything is being cleansed.

Found via Tyler at Man of Depravity. Thanks!

From Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God Day-by-Day January 15:

“One mark of revival, during which God comes to His people in power, is that God’s people are compelled to offer their lives for His service.

“When God comes among His people in power, there is never a shortage of volunteers or resources for His work!

“There is no need to pray that God would come in power. That is the only way He ever comes. We need hearts that are so responsive to Him that He will choose to demonstrate His power through us.”

A couple of quotes about worship that I really enjoy from various places.

You can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell. -C.S.Lewis

Worship is what you do to show God that you know who He is and what He has done. -Unknown

Don’t sing on Sunday what you’re not willing to live on Monday. -Scot Longyear via Resonate

Worship: Our always response to God’s amazing grace and mercy shown through Jesus. -Unknown

From Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God Day-by-Day from January 25:

“We can spend many hours debating and discussing issues related to the Christian life, but this means little if we never actually step out and follow Christ!

“Christianity is not a set of teachings to understand. It is a Person to follow”

“We are simple people. You can’t remember ten things at once. Invariably, if you could remember just ONE true thing in the moment of trial, you’d be different. Bible ‘verses’ aren’t magic. But God’s words are revelations of God from God for our redemption. When you actually remember God, you do not sin. The only way we ever sin is by suppressing God, by forgetting, by tuning out his voice, switching channels, and listening to other voices. When you actually remember, you actually change. In fact, remembering is the first change.”

- David Powlison

This week’s quote was found over at Of First Importance.

“Have you heard God’s blessing in your inmost being? Are the words “You are my beloved child, in whom I delight” an endless source of joy and strength?

Have you sensed, through the Holy Spirit, God speaking them to you? That blessing – the blessing through the Spirit that is ours through Christ – is what Jacob received, and it is the only remedy against idolatry. Only that blessing makes idols unnecessary.

As with Jacob, we usually discover this only after a life of ‘looking for blessing in all the wrong places.’ It often takes an experience of crippling weakness for us to finally discover it. That is why so many of the most God-blessed people limp as they dance for joy.”

- Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods (New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2009), 164.

This week’s quote of the week comes from Ravi Zacharias:

“Years ago, I read a definition of worship that to this day rings with clear and magnificent terms. The definition comes from the famed archbishop William Temple: “Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to his purpose – all this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.”

“The more I have thought of that definition, the more I am convinced that if worship is practiced with integrity in the community of God’s people, potentially, worship may be the most powerful evangel for this postmodern culture of ours. It is imperative in planning the worship services that church leaders give careful attention to every element and make sure that the worship retains both integrity and purpose. People come to church generally “beaten down” by teh world of deceit, distraction, and demand. There is an extraction of emotional and spiritual energy that brings them on “empty” into the community. The church’s task is to so prepare during the week that it is collectively the instrument of replenishment and fresh energy of soul. Even being in the presence of fellow believers in worship is a restorer of spiritual hope. We so underestimate the power of a people in one mind and with one commitment. Even a prayer can so touch a hungry heart that it can rescue a sliding foot in a treacherous time.”

(Added emphasis mine.)

I’m starting a new (and hopefully regularly occurring) series of post that I’m calling “Quote of the Week” or “QOTW”. (Yes, I know it’s extremely original.) As I read different things, I often come across quotes that I think are worth sharing, but not necessarily something I want to write about or expand upon. So, I’m going to just post them and where I read/heard them. I hope that they are encouraging at times and challenging at times. Feel free to comment on whether you agree or disagree or if you have any thoughts. Enjoy!

This week’s quote comes from a sub-article that appeared in the July/August 2009 issue of Worship Leader Magazine entitled “Pray” by Kenn Gullicksen. In his article, he quotes something said by Alan Redpath 56 years ago:

“There seems to be a tendency for many Christians to imagine that a church can be conducted and led in the same way as a business concern…but the Church of Jesus Christ can only be led in blessing and power by men who have been humbled and broken at the cross, and who, through many experiences of their own failure and nothingness, have learned an utter dependence upon God and have been taught by the Holy Spirit to lay hold of Him at the Throne of Grace.”