First Free Lincoln Worship

Worship Thoughts - Feb. 12, 2012

2012-02-10T11:44:00.000-06:00

Friends,

This week I want to share something that's on my heart; something that hopefully ties in to our "Radical" series a bit. Since I was little, I've been inundated with the idea that I should be able to pursue my dreams and achieve great success in life, if I really believe in myself. As a Christian, I've learned that my dreams are only in line with God's plans for my life if I surrender everything to Him and stay close to the Vine, relying on His life, wisdom and power to accomplish His purposes for me. I've also learned that achieving worldly success leaves me empty, while abiding in Jesus satisfies completely. However, I've noticed that many times in Christian circles, the "success pep talk" I used to hear in the world is still present. The new twist goes something like this: "God wants you to achieve your dreams, so trust in Him to accomplish great things with your life." I'm troubled by this line of thinking when I read passages like Luke 22:25-27:

"So Jesus told them: Foreign kings order their people around, and powerful rulers call themselves everyone's friends. But don't be like them. The most important one of you should be like the least important, and your leader should be like a servant. Who do people think is the greatest, a person who is served or one who serves? Isn't it the one who is served? But I have been with you as a servant." (CEV)

I'm going to be very transparent with you: when I was young, I dreamed of being successful as a musician, singer and songwriter. I drew pictures of billboards where "The Steve Mills Band" was performing. As an adult, I have had a little success recording several albums and having a few songs placed on other artists' projects. Part of me still wishes someone would "discover" one of my songs, pitch it to a big artist, and that I would experience a much higher level of "success" in the Christian music world.

However, as I keep reading God's Word, seeking to be like Jesus, I don't see Him promoting Himself; I see Him lowering Himself to the level of the "invisible" people of the world - the lepers, the prostitutes, the children. I feel convicted that I'm not really supposed to seek recognition for myself; I'm supposed to seek to recognize the infinite value of those God is calling me to love - even the people who are difficult to love. It just occurred to me this morning that if I ever write a book about serving Jesus (which I don't plan to do), I think I'll title it: "Think Small." :-)

Thanks for indulging my thoughts this week. Please join us Sunday morning as we come before our Servant-Savior-King, "who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men." (Philippians 2:6-7)

Worship Thoughts - Feb. 5, 2012

2012-02-02T14:46:00.000-06:00

Friends,

Sorry to miss another week...got a little busier than expected! I'm finding myself wrestling with one main theme as we progress through this "Radical" series. I become more and more convinced that though we are blessed to live in our country, for which I am very grateful, we wage war with one great enemy every day: COMFORT. I feel the pull of comfort every time I seek to obey commands like "Set your minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2), and "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). I'm seeing how following these commands requires a daily, conscious decision; it's not something we determine to do just once, which then comes naturally. Every day I have to choose to deny myself, take up my cross and follow my Savior; however, this is definitely not something I can accomplish in my own strength. He is the vine that gives and sustains my life; apart from Him I will wither and die - I am powerless. When connected to Jesus, I have everything I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Hallelujah!

May we seek to make any radical changes needed in order to follow and obey our Lord. Sitting in a new seat in church is one thing; dying to my selfish desires daily is another.

On Sunday morning, please come ready to give all glory and honor to our King! We'll be singing: "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow," "All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises," "I Lift My Heart," "Jesus Saves" and "My Hope is in You."

By His Grace Alone,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Jan. 22, 2012

2012-01-19T15:54:00.001-06:00

Are you satisfied with your current walk with the Lord? Do you believe you have experienced enough of His love, grace and power? I doubt if you feel that way - I know I don't! However, I often become complacent and satisfied with lesser things than the spiritual blessings God offers when I quiet my heart and draw near to Him, worshiping in the splendor of His holiness. A.W. Tozer said the following:

"I believe that God wants us to long for Him with the longing that will become love-sickness, that will become a wound to our spirits, to keep us always moving toward Him, always finding and always seeking, always having and always desiring. So the earth becomes less and less valuable and heaven gets closer as we move into God and up into Christ." ("Man, The Dwelling Place of God," p. 107)

I encourage you to take time every day to seek after God; to draw near to Him, delighting yourself in the God Who made you, saved you, and is coming back in glory to claim you as His own! (see Psalm 37:4-6) I also encourage you to join us Sunday morning in worship, longing to know and praise the One True God with your brothers and sisters in Christ! This Sunday, we will sing: "Our God is Greater," "The Rock" and "My Hope is in You." If you want to hear this new song before Sunday, here is a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kftUFUccg-A

See you Sunday morning!
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Jan. 15, 2012

2012-01-13T15:26:00.001-06:00

Brother and Sisters in Christ:

I hope you're all having a great week and planning to join us Sunday when we gather to worship our Great God! I'm really excited to have our High School Worship Band join me as leaders this week; they bring an awesome energy and passion to worship. One of the things that encouraged me most about my initial visit to First Free was the way the youth group worshiped; I observed them praising God with joy, passion and an abandon often lacking with us adults! Please allow their joy and energy to encourage you as you offer your thanks and praise to God this Sunday :-)

Here is a passage I'm working on memorizing from Titus (2:11-14) that reminds me Jesus is coming, and that He redeemed me with His blood to belong to Him, pure and zealous for God! -

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to allmen, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to livesensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessedhope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify forHimself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."

See you Sunday morning!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Jan. 8, 2012

2012-01-05T17:27:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! I hope you are encouraged by all that our faithful God has done for us, and looking forward to growing closer to Him this year. Here is another great Tozer quote; one that expresses our need as believers to always SEEK the Lord, drawing near to Him daily so He will draw near to us, comfort us, guide us and strengthen us to do the work of His Kingdom.

“I believe that God wants us to long forHim with the longing that will become lovesickness, that will become a wound toour spirits, to keep us always moving toward Him, always finding and alwaysseeking, always having and always desiring. So the earth becomes less and lessvaluable and heaven gets closer as we move into God and up into Christ.”(Tozer, 'Man: The Dwelling Place of God,' p. 107)

This reminds me of Colossians 3, which reminds us to "set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth; for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and greed, which amounts to idolatry." (Col. 3:2-5)

Come worship with us Sunday as we seek to understand the RADICAL commitment to Christ God's Word calls us to. We will sing: "Happy Day," "The Time Has Come," "I Give You My Heart" and "I Surrender All."

Looking forward to how God will change us for His glory in 2012!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Dec. 24, 2011

2011-12-22T16:12:00.002-06:00

Friends,

I hope you all have a wonderful time with your families and friends over Christmas and New Year's, and I hope and pray you make time to think deeply about the "Wonders of His love" - the incomprehensible Incarnation of God's one and only Son as a mere mortal. I also hope you don't just think about His coming, but that you "draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith" to our Savior, Jesus Christ. I was struck by the following quote from A.W. Tozer, reminded that our God does not merely want us to know about Him, He wants us to know Him, even as we are fully known by Him (1 Corinthians 13:12)!

"Whatever else itembraces, true Christian experience must always include a genuine encounter withGod. Without this, religion is but a shadow, a reflection of reality, a cheapcopy of an original once enjoyed by someone else of whom we have heard. Itcannot but be a major tragedy in the life of any man to live in a church fromchildhood to old age with nothing more real than some synthetic god compoundedof theology and logic, but having no eyes to see, no ears to hear and no heartto love." (Tozer, “The Divine Conquest,” p. 26)

Hallelujah! We have a God Who sees us (see Genesis 16:13), hears our prayers (Proverbs 15:29) and unquestionably loves us with all His heart - see John 3:16 :-)

I hope to see you this Saturday, Christmas Eve as we join with the angels, shepherds and all creation in singing: "Glory to God in the highest"!!!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Dec. 18th

2011-12-14T15:58:00.000-06:00

Wow; I can't believe it's only 10 day until Christmas Eve! Where did the year go? Life is busy - with church, family, school, work, neighborhood and community activities to participate in! My hope is that each of us will SLOW DOWN enough these next couple of weeks to come and adore Christ the Lord. Just the fact that HE CAME to earth to pay us a visit should astound us; let alone inhabiting a frail human body, suffering unimaginable pain and anguish, and dying on the cross for our sins!!! I'm told the wise men watched for his coming for many years and traveled great distances to visit the King of kings. We, on the other hand, have around-the-clock access to His very throne room; yet we often take this truth for granted.

I know Christmas is a very hard time for many, so be encouraged that: "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16, NIV)

Please join us for a very special Children's Christmas Program this Sunday: Gina Boe & Barb Dorn wrote the musical, and our kids have been preparing for weeks - don't miss it! May the Lord grant you a renewed (or brand new) sense of wonder at the coming of Jesus, Emmanuel, for you!

Praising Him,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - 12/11/2011

2011-12-09T11:03:00.001-06:00

Friends,

Well, the holiday busy-ness got the best of me again last week and I failed to post! I hope you are making time to slow down and meditate on the wonder of the Incarnation; the most astounding event in human history - God becoming one of His own creatures!!! We had a conversation at our staff devotion time yesterday about the fact that our first three Advent Sunday services focus on three important points - Spending Less, Giving More & Loving All. However, the fourth encouragement we hope to give this season is probably the most important of all: to Worship Fully. If we stop and think about what God, through our Savior Jesus, has done to redeem us from a hopeless future apart from His love, we will be unable to contain our praises! And if we are mindful of His glorious grace, we will certainly be ready not only to praise Him joyfully and loudly, but also to spend less on ourselves, give more of ourselves to others, and love all with the love which God has freely shown us. Take a minute to remember God's amazing grace, "lavished upon us" -

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us (Eph. 1:3-8a)

This Sunday, Choir will help us offer joyful, passionate praises to our glorious God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Please join us in this celebration, which will include special music, carols, and Pastor Mark's sermon on Loving All.

Amazed by His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Nov. 27th, 2011

2011-11-23T13:49:00.001-06:00

Friends,

What a joy it was to gather with God's people simply to thank and praise Him for His goodness, faithfulness, love and grace last night! I definitely don't devote adequate time to meditating on the Lord's goodness to me and my family, but I want to do better. When I do take time to think about His love and goodness, I am so much more prepared to worship the Lord fully. If you ever have trouble feeling thankful for what God has done for you through Jesus, 1 Peter 1:3-9 is a great remedy:

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

I pray you all have a wonderful, Happy Thanksgiving, and that you take time this week to dwell on God's goodness and grace! I hope you can join us to worship Him on Sunday; we'll be singing: "Joy to the World," "I Will Follow," "Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated" and "Holiness (Take My Life)."

Thankfully,

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Nov. 20th, 2011

2011-11-18T15:56:00.001-06:00

Friends,

I don't know about you, but I haven't enjoyed reading my Bible this much in years...reading through the New Testament for Community Bible Experience has reminded me of God's greatness and goodness, encouraged me about His faithfulness and amazing love, convicted me of His holiness and my need to become more like Jesus, and filled me with the hope of His return! This week, I just want to share a passage about the beauty, power and wonder of God's Word from Psalm 119:

Psalm 119:97-114

How I love Your teaching!
It is my meditation all day long.

Your command makes me wiser than my enemies,

for it is always with me.

I have more insight than all my teachers
because Your decrees are my meditation.

I understand more than the elders
because I obey Your precepts.

I have kept my feet from every evil path
to follow Your word.

I have not turned from Your judgments,
for You Yourself have instructed me.

How sweet Your word is to my taste—
[sweeter] than honey to my mouth.

I gain understanding from Your precepts;
therefore I hate every false way.

Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light on my path.

I have solemnly sworn
to keep Your righteous judgments.

I am severely afflicted;
LORD, give me life through Your word.

LORD, please accept my willing offerings of praise,
and teach me Your judgments.

My life is constantly in danger,
yet I do not forget Your instruction.

The wicked have set a trap for me,
but I have not wandered from Your precepts.

I have Your decrees as a heritage forever;
indeed, they are the joy of my heart.

I am resolved to obey Your statutes
to the very end.

    I hate the double-minded,
    but I love Your instruction. You are my shelter and my shield;
    I put my hope in Your word.

I hope you join us Sunday morning as we thank and praise God for the way His Word lights our paths and gives us hope!!!
By His Amazing Grace,
Steve Mills

Worship Thoughts - Nov 13th, 2011

2011-11-11T14:28:00.000-06:00

Friends,

Worship leaders often remark that we (humans) were created to worship God, and that in addition to praising Him on earth, we will spend eternity doing so in heaven. I absolutely believe this to be true, but we seldom take time to "flesh out" the concept. I rediscovered a wonderful quote by A.W. Tozer today and decided it was worth sharing:

"I believe that He (God) created man out of no external necessity. I believe it was an internal necessity. God, being the God He was and is, and being infinitely perfect and infinitely beautiful and infinitely glorious and infinitely admirable and infinitely loving, out of His own inward necessity had to have some creature that was capable of admiring Him and loving Him and knowing Him. So God made man in His own image; in the image and likeness of God made He him; and He made him as near to being like Himself as it was possible for the creature to be like the Creator. The most godlike thing in the universe is the soul of man.
The reason God made man in His image was that he might appreciate God and admire and adore and worship; so that God might not be a picture, so to speak, hanging in a gallery with nobody looking at Him. He might not be a star that no one could see. God made somebody to smell that flower, the lily of the valley. He wanted someone to see that glorious image. He wanted someone to see the star, so He made us and in making us He made us to worship Him." (Tozer, "Worship: The Missing Jewel of the Evangelical Church")

By faith, we will seek to look upon the glorious face of our Savior Jesus on Sunday, praising, admiring and adoring Him as we sing "We Want to See Jesus Lifted High," "Hallelujah (Your Love is Amazing)," "Our God Saves," "Your Name" and "Jesus Messiah." As we sang last Sunday, He truly is the "Beautiful One!"

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." (Colossians 1:15)

Praising Him,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Nov 6th, 2011

2011-11-01T15:48:00.000-05:00

Sorry I missed posting last week; the 2nd half of the week got much busier than expected! I hope you continue to read the New Testament along with us. I'm constantly blessed and challenged as I spend time in God's "wonderful words of life." The more I read, the more I want to read. Hebrews reminded me that Jesus knows and empathizes will all my weaknesses and intercedes on my behalf before the Father's throne. Because he is my High Priest, having paid for all of my sins, I can boldly go before God and seek His mercy and grace. It occurred to me that when I don't approach God's throne with boldness, I am lacking faith; if I truly believe Jesus' sacrifice was perfect and complete, I no longer need to fear entering into God's presence - wow! I feel nervous even writing those words, but Scripture invites believers to come before Him with boldness, or confidence. Here is the passage I referred to from Hebrews 4:

Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

I encourage you to exhibit this kind of boldness when you gather with God's people to praise and exalt Him; let's not be timid about it! We will sing "Beautiful One," "Enough" and "He Knows My Name" this Sunday, in addition to recognizing National Orphan Sunday and hearing from a special E-Free Children's Choir.

May God bless and guide you as you seek Him each day!
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Sun, Oct. 23rd, 2011

2011-10-21T10:11:00.000-05:00

Friends,

I'm having a problem: since beginning our New Testament reading, I have a really difficult time deciding what to post about! There is so much treasure in God's Word - it really is more precious than silver or gold (Prov. 16:16) - you can never exhaust its riches! In reading Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus, I am struck by the perfect marriage of grace and works. We are absolutely saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves (Eph. 2:8), but once we are given the free gift of grace, sanctification kicks in, God begins conforming us to the likeness of Jesus, and works naturally follow. I love how Paul expresses this in Titus 2:11-14:

"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

Let's act like God's redeemed people; saved by grace, set apart and purified to eagerly serve Him. If we aren't excited to worship and serve our Savior, I don't think we realize (or we have forgotten) how great a salvation He has freely bestowed upon us. Please come worship with us Sunday morning, ready to praise and honor our "great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!"

Humbled by His grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Oct 16th, 2011

2011-10-13T15:33:00.000-05:00

Friends,

I don't know about you, but I continue to be overwhelmed (in a good way) by reading through the New Testament. There is so much treasure on every page of God's Word, I honestly didn't know what portion to share; however, these verses from Galatians 5 seemed very appropriate, since Pastor Mark will be preaching on how we are to function and treat each other as Christ's Body, the Church:

      You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
     So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
     The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Come join us in worship Sunday morning; we'll be singing: "I Am Free," "Your Grace is Enough," "We Lift You Up," "Oh Crimson Flow" and "Jesus Paid it All." We will also celebrate Jesus' perfect sacrifice for our sins in a time of Communion. See you then!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Oct 9th, 2011

2011-10-07T10:16:00.000-05:00

Friends,

How is your Bible reading going? If you didn't jump in at the start, I encourage you just to start reading and get as far as you can; any reading of God's Word will be transformational in your life! I'm continuing to be encouraged and challenged as I'm reminded of God's holiness, sovereignty, grace, and love for me and ALL His creatures. I am inspired as I read of Paul's sufferings for the sake of the Gospel in Acts. I have always loved his Spirit-inspired words, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21) & "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..." (Phil. 3:8), but it's amazing to see how these principles were lived out as Paul literally gave his life away, traveling the world and pouring himself into others, at the expense of comfort, health and eventually his life. It's also wonderful to be reminded of the simplicity and awesome power of the name of Jesus and His Gospel. Paul recounts in Acts 26 what Jesus said to him the day of his conversion:

"I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in Me."

Praise God for the Gospel and for sending servants like Paul to preach it to both Jews and Gentiles! Come praise our Lord this Sunday morning; we will sing: "Lead Me to the Rock," "The Rock," "Forever Reign," and "Let Your Kingdom Come." Read on!

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Oct 2nd, 2011

2011-09-29T15:13:00.000-05:00

Friends,

This is our first week of Community Bible Experience! I hope you are joining us in reading through the New Testament and discussing its impact on your life with others in a Small Group or CBE Discussion Group. I am already experiencing great blessing and conviction as I reading through the Gospel of Luke. I find it overwhelming trying to process what Jesus said so quickly, but important themes definitely come out when you read Scripture at this pace. I am so challenged by Jesus' compassion for everyone, not just those He enjoyed spending time with, and with His admonition that following Him requires renunciation of everything and everyone else in our lives. I will just share the following passage from Luke 14:26,33b from the HCSB translation:

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple…every one of you who does not say good-bye to all his possessions cannot be My disciple.”

I will be gone on a short family trip this Sunday, but I know Joel Michels and the Worship Team will do an excellent job leading worship! May the Lord bless your week as you draw near to Him, seeking to know and love him with your life.

In Jesus,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Sept 25th, 2011

2011-09-22T16:44:00.000-05:00

Can you think of a time when, as a Christian, you searched God's Word for an answer or some wisdom to help you navigate a difficult time in your life? Maybe you searched for days or weeks until finally, God's Spirit gave you the insight and direction you needed - the "aha" moment arrived! I have experienced those moments when I cried out to God for help, seeking an important answer in His Word, and He illuminated my path with the pure truth of His Word. I treasure those times and never forget their impact on me, inevitably drawing me closer to the Author of my faith!

This Sunday we embark on an exciting journey called "Community Bible Experience," when we will read through the New Testament together in eight weeks. I really hope you will join us, because I know God's Word will change us as we read it; His Word is living and active! Choir is singing two special songs Sunday, and we will worship together with songs like "Ancient Words" - don't miss it! Please take a minute or two to read this wonderful passage from Psalm 119:

Psalm 119:103-112

¹⁰³ How sweet your words taste to me;
they are sweeter than honey.
¹⁰⁴ Your commandments give me understanding;
no wonder I hate every false way of life.

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
      and a light for my path.
¹⁰⁶ I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:
      I will obey your righteous regulations.
¹⁰⁷ I have suffered much, O Lord;
      restore my life again as you promised.
¹⁰⁸ Lord, accept my offering of praise,
      and teach me your regulations.
¹⁰⁹ My life constantly hangs in the balance,
      but I will not stop obeying your instructions.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have set their traps for me,
      but I will not turn from your commandments.
¹¹¹ Your laws are my treasure;
      they are my heart’s delight.
¹¹² I am determined to keep your decrees
      to the very end.

Blessings in Jesus,

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Sept 18th, 2011

2011-09-16T13:49:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited about our baptism services this Sunday morning! I am always encouraged to hear the testimonies of those who have decided to publicly identify with Jesus' death, indicating that "it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20)! I want to share these verses from Colossians 2:12-14 as you anticipate coming to worship this Sunday:

"Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross."

- Hallelujah, what a Savior!!! Let's praise Him with all that is in us this Sunday! We will sing: "All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises," "The Name of Jesus," "The Stand," "Our God Saves" and "Lord, Reign in Me."

By His Grace (literally!),
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Sept 11th, 2011

2011-09-07T16:08:00.000-05:00

Friends,

As we gather to worship this Sunday, September 11th, there will be many thoughts and emotions swirling through our minds and hearts. We will take a good amount of the service to remember the many lives lost, and those forever scarred by the heinous attacks. We will also seek to place our trust in the God that never changes, Who is just and right in all His ways. Please take a minute to read the following Scripture passage from Psalm 36:5-11, which reminds us of God's unfailing love, as well as His righteousness and justice. Evil often seems to reign in this world, but we know that Jesus, Who has overcome the world (Jn. 16:33), is coming again "with power and great glory"! (Luke 21:27)

⁵ Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
      your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
⁶ Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
      your justice like the ocean depths.
   You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
⁷ How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
   All humanity finds shelter
      in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
      letting them drink from your river of delights.
⁹ For you are the fountain of life,
      the light by which we see.
¹⁰ Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you;
      give justice to those with honest hearts.

Come worship with us Sunday - we'll be singing: "Forever Faithful," "Forever," "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," "I Will Be Still" and "He's Gonna Reign Forever."

Trusting in Him,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Sept 4th, 2011

2011-08-31T11:51:00.000-05:00

Friends,

I heard a great quote on the radio yesterday, relayed by the late preacher Adrian Rogers. He said a pastor of another church in his town, referring to the church's need for revival, once said: "The fire is out, but the furnace is still blowing." I was struck by what a simple but powerful analogy this is; we can (and often do) busy ourselves with "the Lord's work" all day and night, but if what we do isn't guided and empowered by God's Spirit, it will amount to nothing. Oh, how important it is that we continually acknowledge our dependence upon the Lord and need for His power. As those who are still laden with our flesh until Jesus returns, there is certainly an hourly need to "consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11). This reminds me of Zechariah 4:6, which Pastor Mark just taught on: "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts." How good our God is to give us His own Spirit, supplying everything we need to know and serve Him!

Join us in worship Sunday as we finish the series "Major on the Minors." We will worship our sovereign God, singing: "Open the Eyes of My Heart," "Indescribable," "Forever Reign" and "How Great is Our God."

Grateful for Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Aug 28th, 2011

2011-08-26T10:42:00.000-05:00

Friends,

Julie Florom, our Director of Connecting Ministries, sends out a weekly update, and I wanted to share (OK, plagiarize) part of her update for this week:

Does it surprise anyone that the church calendar is suddenly much more full than it was a few weeks ago? I would guess your family’s calendar is also filling up. Beginning September 25, the church will be embarking on The Community Bible Experience. More information, including a reading schedule, is NOW AVAILABLE Sunday mornings in the church foyer. The information I’ve seen says to plan on reading 5-days a week for up to 45-minutes a day, depending on your reading speed. Dennis (my husband) leads a Life Group. My first thought was whether or not our Life Group would see 10ish pages of Bible reading a day as a time-challenge. Will we lose anyone from our group during this time? Is this too much to ask of our people? After all, we all have other church activities on our calendar. We have to get our kids to school, football practice or ballet. We all have lawns to mow, football games to watch, other reading vying for our attention. When will I play Angry Birds or Bejeweled Blitz??? (Full disclosure: I don’t play Angry Birds. Bejeweled Blitz, however...)

Reality check: The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12); flawless (2 Sam. 22:31); gives light (Ps. 119:130); is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16); and is the main tool that the Spirit of God uses to equip us (2 Tim. 3:17).
Maybe the questions shouldn’t be whether we have time to do this, but rather, how much time should I spend doing anything else?

What a great challenge to make reading the Word of God a very high priority in our lives - it is living and active, and helps us know, love and obey our Awesome Savior, Who has graciously given it to us for our benefit and sanctification! May the regular reading of His Word inspire us to worship Him so much more fully! Join us Sunday as we praise Him, singing: "Blessed Be Your Name," "Lay Your Hands on Me, God," "Forever Reign," "You Amaze Me" and "Glorious". See you then!

For His Glory,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Aug 21st, 2011

2011-08-17T10:16:00.000-05:00

Friends,

How does hope influence the way we worship (and serve) God? I think it has a monumental impact: if we are looking forward to the fulfillment of all God has given us in Christ, living as those who "love His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8), we will certainly worship the Lord with all that we are. As I read a blog post by an atheist today, I was reminded of the eternal difference Christ has made in my life. The blogger stated that all that matters is the quality of this earthly life, because we will all "take the same dirt nap" when it's over. How sad! I pray they will know the hope we have in Christ, for His Word tells us:

"If we have placed our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:19-22 HCSB)

I shared this passage on the blog, and pray the atheist's heart will be open to the hope Christ offers them. May we follow Peter's divinely-inspired instruction to "set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed" this week (1 Peter 1:13b)! Join us Sunday morning as we praise and thank the Lord for His goodness and grace, singing: "Nothing But the Blood," "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow," "Praise the Father, Praise the Son," "I Lift My Heart," "Less of Me" and "I Will Follow."

Maranatha!
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Aug. 14th, 2011

2011-08-13T21:09:00.000-05:00

Friends,

Sorry for the late post this week! I will just a worship-inspiring passage, Revelation 19:4-9 (NLT), as you prepare your heart to worship our Lord tomorrow morning:

⁴ Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”

⁵ And from the throne came a voice that said,
   “Praise our God,
      all his servants,
   all who fear him,
      from the least to the greatest.”
⁶ Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:
   “Praise the Lord!
      For the Lord our God,^[a] the Almighty, reigns.
⁷ Let us be glad and rejoice,
      and let us give honor to him.
   For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb,
      and his bride has prepared herself.
⁸ She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”
      For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.
⁹ And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”

As we await the return of our glorious Savior, let's lift loud praises to Him, singing: "A Thousand Hallelujahs," "Let Everything That Has Breath," "We Lift You Up," "Take Forgiveness" and "The Wonderful Cross." See you in the morning!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Aug 7th, 2011

2011-08-04T13:55:00.000-05:00

Friends,

I have felt a little sluggish this past week for some reason; maybe it's the heat, or maybe it's the result of a busier-than-expected summer - I'm not sure. In addition to experiencing this physical malaise, I've also felt a little spiritually "dry". Picking up on a line from the movie "Soul Surfer" where Bethany, the girl who lost her arm in a shark attack, asks her youth director to help her regain perspective on life, I did a little digging in Scripture for the same purpose. I love how God's word proves itself time and again to be "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." (2 Tim. 3:16). I also love how the Holy Spirit guides us to just the right passage when we need direction, correction or encouragement. Reading 1 Peter 1 reminded me how incredibly blessed I am, and how many reasons I have to be hopeful about the future. Verses 3-6 say:

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while." (NLT)

If that doesn't encourage me and you, I don't know what will - God is good beyond what we can even begin to comprehend! I hope you will join me in praising Him for His goodness on Sunday morning; we will sing: "Happy Day," "Trust and Obey," "We Fall Down," "All Things" and "Take My Life (Holiness)." Have a wonderful week!

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - July 31st, 2011

2011-07-29T15:49:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

My family and I had a great trip to Seattle visiting family last week. It was very enjoyable, giving us opportunities to participate in fun activities and carry on meaningful conversations. I even got to see the youth pastor who shared the Gospel with me when I was 13 - I hadn't seen him for 29 years! He lived in Minnesota for many years, but he moved to the Seattle area after his wife died suddenly of a brain aneurism last year. Partly because of this reunion, and partly because of spending time with some family members who don't know the Lord, I've been thinking a lot about eternity. This life is great, but we really don't know how long it will last. The prophet Daniel says to a king at one point that God "holds your breath in His hands and owns all your ways" (Daniel 5:23). God sustains this life as long as He chooses, but the REAL life we Christians have been given is "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). I'm feeling more motivated than usual to pray for my unsaved family and friends!

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:19-22: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive." I'm reminded of the final verse of "Amazing Grace" - "When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun; we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun." Let's life grateful hearts and voices to the Lord this Sunday, singing: "Praise God from Who All Blessings Flow" (new version), "Alpha and Omega," "You Amaze Me," "I Lift My Heart" and "God of This City." See you Sunday!

By His grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - July 17th, 2011

2011-07-14T15:47:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I will be brief this week; sometimes I think it's better to ponder a profound statement deeply than to skim over a long one. I am always inspired and convicted when I read quotes by A.W. Tozer, so I thought I would share one this week:

"The purpose of God in sending His Son to die and rise and live and be at the right hand of God the Father was that He might restore to us the missing jewel, the jewel of worship; that we might come back and learn to do again that which we were created to do in the first place – worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, to spend our time in awesome wonder and adoration of God, feeling and expressing it, and letting it get into our labors and doing nothing except as an act of worship to Almighty God through His Son, Jesus Christ." (Worship The Missing Jewel 7,8).

We will sing the following songs Sunday, seeking to fulfill the purpose for which we were created: "Day by Day," "Our God is Greater," "The Rock," "Your Name" and "Let Your Kingdom Come." Have a wonderful week!

In Jesus,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - July 10th, 2011

2011-07-07T16:42:00.000-05:00

We will celebrate Communion together this Sunday, which provides us with a needed opportunity to reflect on our Lord's perfect, selfless sacrifice: He who knew no sin was made to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Talk about exchanging rags for riches!

Here is a great quote I came across while re-reading a book called "The Kingdom of God" by John Bright:

“The Cross, therefore, has been and must be the Church’s path of victory. And we know that the Church has been great when she has cast herself straight into the teeth of history at her Master’s bidding. When she has grown fat and sought to avoid the Cross, she could neither be great nor produce greatness. The calling of the Church cannot, then, be an easy calling. The church whose calling is easy is no church and no agent of the gospel of redemption. For the redemption of man entails a cross. It is not a matter of conquest and gains, nor yet of gadgets and creature comforts; it is Almighty God laying down of himself to bring forth a new creation in his image. The Kingdom of God is, therefore, victorious by the Cross, and is entered by the Cross. And it is mediated to the world only by a Church that lays down of itself – and takes up that Cross.”

Please join us this Sunday as we worship our risen Savior and take time to thank Him for the cross, asking Him to help us take up ours. We will sing: "Lead Me to the Rock," "All of Creation," "Our God Saves," "I Will Be Still," "Behold the Lamb" and "You Are My King (Amazing Love)." See you then!

By His Grace,

Steve

Worship Thoughts - 4th of July

2011-06-30T13:47:00.000-05:00

My Friends,

Opinions about the appropriate relationship between national pride and loyalty to our Christian faith abound. Some feel we should vigorously celebrate our nation's birthday, while others feel that to do so betrays our proper allegiance to God and His Kingdom. Let me ask you some questions:

Does our current government reflect Christian principles? In many ways, my answer would have to be "no"; however, can I be thankful that our nation was founded on principles taken directly from Scripture? Yes, I believe I can.

Does celebrating our Christian roots and heritage mean we believe we are superior to other nations, or that Americans are favored by God above citizens of other countries? It had better not mean that! However, I absolutely believe that because our nation began with a respect for, and determination to adhere to God's Word, we have experienced great blessing in our 235 years. For this, we should be humbly grateful, not arrogant.

Should I give my highest allegiance to America or the Kingdom of God? This is a no-brainer; it must be given to God, from Whom all blessings flow! America is not an eternal kingdom; however, even from my vantage point as a child of God's Kingdom, I am thankful for the blessing of freedoms I experience in the United States (including those of worship and speech), though I must strive never to take them for granted. I want to leave you with a very interesting quote by Patrick Henry, ratifier of the U.S. Constitution:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here." _{--The Trumpet Voice of Freedom: Patrick Henry of Virginia, p. iii.}

Come worship the "God of Our Fathers" with us this Sunday (& yes, we will sing the hymn) :-)

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - June 26th, 2011

2011-06-23T22:14:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

If I could post Pastor Mark's message from Marita Bradley's memorial service, which was held in our Worship Center this morning, I would. He did a wonderful job honoring Marita's life and loving service to her family and our Lord, and he also put our eternal hope in Christ in perspective. Mark explained that when a Christian dies they immediately "trade up" in all respects - exchanging our frail, sick, temporary, tainted earthly experiences for pure joy and freedom in the presence of our Savior - Hallelujah! The following is a somewhat long passage of Scripture, but it's well worth reading to be reminded that because we have been crucified with Christ, we will now live with Him for all eternity:

⁵¹ Listen! I am telling you a mystery:
    We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,
    ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
    For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
    and we will be changed.
    ⁵³ Because this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility,
    and this mortal must be clothed with immortality.
    ⁵⁴ Now when this corruptible is clothed with incorruptibility,
    and this mortal is clothed with immortality,
    then the saying that is written will take place:
    Death has been swallowed up in victory.
    ⁵⁵ O Death, where is your victory?
    O Death, where is your sting?
    ⁵⁶ Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
    ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
    through our Lord Jesus Christ!
    ⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord's work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:51-58 HCSB)

Let's come together Sunday and sing loudly and joyfully of God's amazing power, love and grace - fixing our hope completely on the grace to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13)! We will sing: "Forever," "Awesome God," "You Amaze Me," "How Great Thou Art," "Only You" and "I Give You My Heart." See you Sunday morning!

Fixing my Hope on Him,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - June 19th, 2011

2011-06-16T16:26:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I want to pass along some thoughts spurred by a great staff devotional Julie Florom shared this morning. Julie focused on the passage in John 12:1-8 where Mary anoints Jesus' feet with perfume, most likely as an act of extravagant worship and in gratitude for the resurrection of her brother, Lazarus. Julie asked the question (my paraphrase): "if we were to worship Jesus with such abandon and give of ourselves sacrificially, what would that look like?" In other words, what would pouring a year's-wages-worth of perfume on Jesus' feet equate to in our world?

I've been mulling this over all day and can't say I have a specific answer; however, I am convicted that all too often, I don't give ALL of myself in devotion to my Lord, nor do I often risk worshipping Him in ways that could make me look foolish or maybe even out of control! I encourage you to read John 12:1-8 this week and ask yourself what act of grateful, reckless devotion might demonstrate your love to Jesus? Maybe we each need to take some steps in this direction, such as giving an anonymous gift to someone in need as the Spirit prompts, lifting our hands in worship, etc. I know the Lord is looking for people whose hearts belong fully to Him, since 2 Chronicles 16:9 says; "The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."

Join us in worship Sunday as we sing: "We Want to See Jesus Lifted High," "Rise Up O Men of God," "We Lift You Up," and "Lay Your Hands on Me, God." See you Sunday morning!

In Jesus,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - June 12th, 2011

2011-06-09T16:17:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

How is your week going? It seems that many in our body are experiencing challenges in various areas: health, employment, discouragement, etc. I want to remind you (& me) to keep the "eyes of your heart" fixed on Jesus, the One Who sent His Spirit to live in you and me to help with every need we have. I am so encouraged by these two passages of Scripture:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)

"What is unseen is eternal..." this is so hard to comprehend and live out, since "what is seen" is all around us! But, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 5:7, we walk by faith, not by sight. May the Lord help us stay focused on His grace, His goodness and His power this week, and gather us to joyfully magnify His name on Sunday! We are going to sing the following songs as we continue in our current series "Major on the Minors" - "He's Gonna Reign Forever," "You Amaze Me" and "Holiness (Take My Life)." See you Sunday!

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - May 29, June 5

2011-05-26T17:43:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I will be out of town this weekend and next week, so I have asked Joel Michels, who is leading worship this Sunday, to write a guest blog - thanks, Joel! I will not be able to post again until the week after next. Here is Joel's excellent post:

"This week Ricky is talking about the problem of entitlement that seems to plague our generation. In our fast-paced culture, we often seem to want everything right now and feel as though we were even entitled to them yesterday. I mean, if we were to be honest with ourselves, how many times have we said, "Well, I deserve (something). I've paid my dues," or on the other hand "He doesn't deserve (something)," all the while stating our opinion what he does deserve. We feel entitled to pay raises, good service at restaurants, a nice car, a big house, a great wife and 2.5 kids (you know, the American dream). I've had some recent conversations with people on that idea of what we deserve.

I was reminded while reading a devotional by Warren Wiersbe about how God views what we deserve. Wiersbe said "mercy is God not giving us what we deserve" while "grace is God giving us what we don't deserve." What we deserve is death and hell and separation from God. But God didn't give that to us. If we have trusted in Jesus Christ as our Savior we can take full confidence in (how the hymn that we will sing this week says), "Because a sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free. For God the just is satisfied, to look on Him and pardon me." God, in His infinite mercy, looked upon His own Son for the judgment that was due us. And what He gave us in return was a pardon that we didn't deserve.

As Christians, I think that's the perspective that we must always keep in mind. While we know that there is order to the world and our society specifically, and it's ok to expect certain things to be done the right way, perhaps we need to show a better attitude of grace and mercy to those around us when circumstances don't meet our expectations. How many times could we diffuse a situation if we handled it with a little better attitude of grace? In addition, when we feel entitled to something because it's our turn or what we feel owed, aren't we essentially questioning God for not giving us that particular thing? When we think about all that God has withheld from us in His mercy or all He has given us that we don't deserve in His grace (not to mention the many other blessings He has given us in our lives), are we really in any position to complain about what we think we should have? My prayer would be that God's grace and mercy would ever be at the forefront of our minds so that we can exude that grace and mercy to others and we can continually be thankful to God for all that He has (and hasn't) given us."

Worship Thoughts - May 22nd, 2011

2011-05-17T16:55:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

Sorry for not posting last week; the blog was online, but wouldn't allow any new posts for several days (due to maintenance, I believe). If you have children like I do, you are most likely caught up in the end-of-the-school year busyness! I came across a great article by worship leader and composer Brian Doerksen, and felt these excerpts were worth sharing:

"If it's what we were created to do, why is it sometimes so hard to worship God? One would think that fulfilling what we were designed to do would come easily - the way a bird effortlessly soars on the wind because it is gifted with wings. It turns out that the worship part does come naturally; the challenge is making God the object of that worship. So what stands in the way of us worshiping the Living God - fully and biblically? The answer is 'me, myself, and I.' Our culture's focus on individualism is the biggest roadblock to worship. Sometimes it seems like we make room for everything except the worship of God in our lives and schedules. The idols of our day and culture don't tend to be little statues that we place on the mantle in our living room. They are more like objects of affection that we place in our thoughts and hearts and love with a love that should be reserved for God. Anything good that we try to make a foundation for our lives becomes an idol. And, aside from God, everything we make foundational eventually begins to crack - nothing or no one is designed to handle the pressure of being God. We don't need to turn good things into ultimate things, because God Himself is everything that we need. Biblical worship starts here: each of us belongs to Him because of grace."

Let's make sure this is not us: "But I have this against you, that you have left your first love." (Rev. 2:4)

This week we will sing: "Your Grace is Enough," "Day by Day," "We Lift You Up," "Above All" and "Lord, Reign in Me." May we keep Him in first place in our hearts and lives!

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - May 8th, 2011

2011-05-05T16:02:00.000-05:00

Friends,

It occurred to me today that studying God's standards for men, women and children (in marriage, the home, the church, etc.) could be discouraging, causing many of us to feel inadequate. Most of us are are aware that we don't measure up in our roles as parents, spouses, children or even friends. However, would it be better not to study how the Bible says we should live, so we don't feel so bad about ourselves? No way! Paul says in Romans 3:20 that "through the Law comes the knowledge of sin." This is a very good thing, for when we confess our inadequacy before God, He is able to supply us with His all-sufficient grace (2 Cor. 9:8).

One of my favorite authors, John Hunter, says in his book Limiting God: "Before Paul could go on to do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13), he had to see his own utter failure and ruin and degradation. He had to see it, to admit it, to acknowledge it and then to turn from it. Freely admitting that he had not one shred of goodness, he turned from all his failure to all the sufficiency of Christ."

I encourage you to recognize this week that you (& I) absolutely don't have what it takes to serve God, but Jesus, Who lives in us through His Spirit, is able to supply everything we need for life and godliness! Come worship Him with us Sunday as we sing: "I Am Free," "Our God Saves," "We Lift You Up," "Praise the Name of Jesus" and "Great is Thy Faithfulness." We will also honor moms, as Sunday is Mother's Day!

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - May 1st, 2011

2011-04-28T12:47:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I was so encouraged by our Resurrection Celebration last Sunday; what a blessing to join with all of you in praising our Risen Savior, Who has given us eternal life through His finished work on the cross! As I have continued to meditate on the implications of His Resurrection for our daily lives, I came across this wonderful passage in Hebrews 7:23-26 (New Living Translation) -

"There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, His priesthood lasts forever. Therefore He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because He is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven."

How amazing that right now Jesus is interceding with God on our behalf! As the passage says, He has the highest place of honor in heaven; may our worship and praise reflect this truth! please join us Sunday as we sing: "A Thousand Hallelujahs," "Lay Your Hands on Me, God," "Lord, Take My Life as an Offering" and "Rise Up O Men of God" and Pastor Mark begins a new preaching series, "Family by Design."

By His Grace, and only by His Grace,
Steve

Easter Thoughts - Apr. 24th, 2011

2011-04-21T15:27:00.000-05:00

Sometimes Jesus is perceived as a gentle, kind man who because He was misunderstood, ended up being crucified for His lofty ideals. However, Jesus' own words make it clear that the path He walked, which led Him to the barbaric cross, was the path He Himself chose (as directed by the Father). Everything Jesus did had purpose; whether to please the Father, fulfill prophecy or suffer and die for our sins. I encourage you to take time this week to ponder the deliberate, loving road Jesus followed to the cross to purchase our pardon:

"I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do." (John 10:8-9; 14-15; 18)

Please join us tomorrow night (Good Friday) at 7:00 p.m. as we celebrate Communion together and praise God for the cross, and again Sunday morning as we rejoice in the news that: "He is risen - He is risen indeed!"

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Apr. 17th, 2011

2011-04-15T13:09:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends,

I don't know about you, but besides my Bible reading, I often find greater wisdom in the writings of saints from years (or centuries) past. Maybe people were less distracted by technological things and just thought more deeply about God's Word. I'm currently reading through Ezekiel, and decided to look up some commentary on chapter 15, which speaks of Israel,"the vine" becoming burned up and useless to God due to their sins. Matthew Henry says the following in his Commentary from the early 1700's:

"If a vine be fruitful, it is valuable. But if not fruitful, it is worthless and useless, it is cast into the fire. Thus man is capable of yielding a precious fruit, in living to God; this is the sole end of his existence; and if he fails in this, he is of no use but to be destroyed. What blindness then attaches to those who live in the total neglect of God and of true religion! This similitude is applied to Jerusalem. Let us beware of an unfruitful profession. Let us come to Christ, and seek to abide in him, and to have his words abide in us."

I was especially struck by the sentence: "Let us beware of an unfruitful profession" - what a loaded statement! I was convicted to examine my life again and see if I live out the faith I profess in Jesus, loving and serving people the way He did...important food for thought!

Please join us Sunday as we conclude the series on Jesus' statements from the cross. We will sing: "Happy Day," "Our God Saves," "Forever Faithful," "How Firm a Foundation," "Glorious Day" and "You Never Let Go." See you then!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Apr. 10th, 2011

2011-04-08T14:54:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends,

I hope you are having a good week. I've been battling a post-root canal infection this week, which isn't very fun. Sometimes pain or illness provide valuable perspective, reminding us that life is replete with the effects of sin, and that this world is not our home! In a short book entitled "Rethinking Retirement," John Piper says: "When you don't believe in heaven to come and you are not content in the glory of Christ now, you will seek the kind of retirement that the world seeks. But what a strange reward for a Christian to set his sights on! Twenty years of leisure (!) while living in the midst of the Last Days of infinite consequence for millions of people who need Christ. What a tragic way to finish the last mile before entering the presence of the King who finished his last mile so differently!"

I thought this was sobering, and a great reminder of the importance of perspective. When we gather to worship our Awesome God on Sunday mornings, we have a fantastic opportunity to allow Him to put our lives in their proper perspective: God is on the throne, Christ has redeemed us from sin and eternal punishment, and now is the time to take up our cross and make Him known to the world!

Please join us Sunday morning as we sing: "Alpha & Omega," "The Rock," "Our God Saves" and "All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises." May He give us His perspective on life and eternity this week!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Apr. 3rd, 2011

2011-03-30T12:18:00.000-05:00

I was on vacation with my family last week (Spring Break for my kids), but was glad to make it back for 2nd service Sunday. I was blessed by the musical offerings, and definitely appreciated Pastor Mark's reminder that because Jesus was forsaken by God (as He bore our sins on the cross), we are now forgiven by God! I love the way 1 Peter 2:24 tells us that Jesus Himself "bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed." In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul echoes this amazing truth: "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." This world is marred by pain, sadness and suffering, but praise God for our eternal healing from sin in Christ Jesus!!!

Ricky Kennedy will preach on Jesus' statement "I Thirst" as He hung on the cross for us. We will sing the following songs: "Lead Me to the Rock, "In the Secret," "From the Inside Out" and "In Christ Alone." Remember to "Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:13) this week!

Pastor Steve

Worship Thoughts - Mar. 20th, 2011

2011-03-19T09:58:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

This week, I simply want to say "thank you" to all who shared testimonies in last Sunday's service. What an encouragement it was to read statements of the Lord's help, healing and transformation in the lives of so many! God is absolutely and wonderfully at work in the lives of those who love Him and trust Him! I was reminded of these words from 2 Corinthians 4:7-11, 16-18:

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh...So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Come rejoice in God's faithful love Sunday as we sing: "I Am Free," "Everlasting God," "Your Name," "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)" and "You Never Let God." See you then!

Worship Thoughts - Mar. 13th, 2011

2011-03-09T15:45:00.000-06:00

Hope is an interesting thing. We use the word often in various casual ways: "I hope you like the present I gave you," "I hope dinner is good," "I hope we can visit so-and-so on vacation," etc. However, spiritually speaking, hope is vital. If we "lose hope" we lose sight of the fact that this life is fleeting; a vapor (James 4:14) and that only what we do for the Lord will last for eternity. It's easy to become discouraged with long-term battles or trials, but remember that Jesus told us to store up treasures in heaven, where nothing can touch them (Matt. 6:20). Paul says in Colossians 3 to "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory." Wow! When Jesus comes on the clouds in His glory, we will be transformed to be like Him - hallelujah!

Come and worship our reigning Savior this Sunday, as we celebrate how He has set us free from sin and death! We will sing: "He's Gonna Reign Forever," "Trading My Sorrows," "Healing Begins," "The Wonderful Cross" and "The Stand." May He bless and guide you this week!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - March 6th, 2011

2011-03-03T16:56:00.000-06:00

Hi Friends,

I continue to be challenged by Greg Stier's message from last Sunday; it convicted me that I have become complacent about sharing the Gospel. How ready and willing we are to serve God seems to be closely tied to how well we stay "in touch" with Him through prayer and Scripture reading, because these things help us keep life in its proper perspective. We are often not aware that God is on His throne, but He always is; we are often not aware that His Spirit is with us, but He always is; we are often not aware that we depend upon Him for every breath, but we do! I think we pass up opportunities to share the Gospel because we forget that every person we encounter is lost for all eternity without Jesus. I'm reminded of this passage from Ephesians 5:15-17 -

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

I don't know about you, but I want to make the most of my time in these evil days, understanding and obeying God's will! Join us Sunday as Pastor Mark begins a new series on the seven statements of Jesus on the cross - "Heart Cries." We will celebrate Communion and sing: "Nothing But the Blood," "Jesus Saves," "All of Creation," "Oh Crimson Flow" and "You Are My King." See you Sunday!

Worship Thoughts - Feb. 27th, 2011

2011-02-24T13:12:00.000-06:00

How do you view Sunday morning church? Is it a time to plop yourself down in a pew, exhale and soak in some encouraging preaching? Sunday is a day of rest, so to some extent I think we all hope Sunday morning will be restful (at least after the car ride to church). Is it a time to recharge after a difficult week? Maybe sometimes it is and should be.

Do I see it primarily as a time for me or for God? Is it a time to celebrate the faithfulness, goodness and work of God in my life throughout the previous week? A time to join with God's people, declaring His greatness and goodness, giving Him the glory and praise He alone deserves? Consider these words from Psalm 113:

Praise the LORD!

Praise, O servants of the LORD,

Praise the name of the LORD.

Blessed be the name of the LORD

From this time forth and forever.

From the rising of the sun to its setting

The name of the LORD is to be praised.

The LORD is high above all nations;

His glory is above the heavens.

Who is like the LORD our God,

Who is enthroned on high,

Who humbles Himself to behold

The things that are in heaven and in the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust

And lifts the needy from the ash heap,

To make them sit with princes,

With the princes of His people.

Let's come to church ready to give God glory and praise for all He's done, offering ourselves fully to Him as we worship! We'll be singing: "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord," "Lay Your Hands on Me, God," "Your Grace is Enough," "Mighty to Save," "From the Inside Out" and "The Rock." Praise the Lord! - Steve

Worship Thoughts - Feb. 20th, 2011

2011-02-16T15:38:00.000-06:00

Greetings in Jesus!

I hope you are trying Pastor Mark's experiment, drawing near to God in prayer throughout the day as you seek to glorify Him and serve others! Abiding in Jesus is something we all need to practice, because our flesh is constantly striving to pull us away from Him. I came across a favorite quote by Oswald Chambers that seems so appropriate to our current study on prayer:

"Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless in the first waking moment of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God."

I look forward to worshipping our Lord with you this Sunday - we will sing: "Lord, Reign in Me," "Lay Your Hands on Me God," "Enough," "Above All" and "I Must Tell Jesus."

Blessings in Jesus,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Feb. 13th, 2011

2011-02-12T21:13:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends,

Forgive me for the brief post this week, but I wanted to let you know I'm excited about Pastor Mark's two week message series on prayer. I don't know about you, but I seldom devote adequate time to prayer, and when I do, I'm so thankful I did! Spending time in prayer with our holy, loving and all-sufficient God is SO important, because it's the one thing we do that reminds us that we ARE nothing, HAVE nothing and can DO nothing without Jesus! Thankfully, as 2 Corinthians 9:8 reminds us, "God is able to make all grace about to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed." God is GOOD!!!

I can hardly wait to draw near to God tomorrow as we sing: "We Want to See Jesus Lifted High," "God of This City," "I Will Never Be the Same Again," "We Fall Down" and "I Want to Be Where You Are." See you tomorrow morning!

Blessings in Jesus,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Feb. 6th, 2011

2011-02-03T15:11:00.000-06:00

As I was praying for those who wrote down prayer requests last Sunday, I was reminded that our world is full of suffering. It's sometimes overwhelming to either endure suffering or pray for those we know and love who are experiencing trials. Suffering can discourage us or remind us that as comfortable as we often are, this world is not our home. Hebrews 11:9-10 says this of Abraham: "By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Praise God for Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith, who endured the horrors of the cross to give us eternal life in His glorious presence! This week, remember to "set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:13)

Come worship our merciful Savior Sunday morning, as we sing: "There is Power in the Blood," "Jesus Saves," "Glory to God Forever," "Lord, Take My Life as an Offering" and "The Stand". May your week be hope-filled!

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Jan. 30th, 2011

2011-01-26T15:33:00.000-06:00

Hi Friends,

I'm sorry for skipping last week's post; things got a little busy! I hope you are all doing well and continuing to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Wonderful Savior! (2 Peter 3:18)

I read an article by A.W. Tozer that challenged me this week. Tozer writes of an independently wealthy British man who, having no need for "gainful" employment, spent 70 years trying to breed the perfect spotted mouse (for his own enjoyment). Tozer laments this use of time and comments: "If the spiritual view of the world is the correct one, as Christianity boldly asserts that it is, then for every one of us heaven is more important than earth and eternity more important than time...no man has any right to dedicate his life to anything that can burn or rust or rot or die. No man has any right to give himself completely to anyone but Christ nor to anything but prayer."

Our times of worship can (and should) help us put life in its proper perspective, with God as the chief object of our affection and service. This Sunday, we will sing: "Lead Me to the Rock," "Beautiful One," "Glorious," "Better is One Day" and "I Will Follow." See you then!

By His Grace & Mercy,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Jan. 16th, 2010

2011-01-14T10:17:00.000-06:00

Hi Friends,

It's still sinking in (and I almost write "2010" on every check), but we're off and running in 2011! I haven't made specific resolutions, but I've determined to do a few things, with the Lord's help: 1) Grow closer to Jesus, mainly by spending daily time with Him in prayer and the Word; 2) Trust Him to use me to impact the lives of others; 3) Love and care for my wife better; and, 3) Spend time praying about, reading up on, and just being a more engaged parent.

What does any of this have to do with worship? Well, the better I know Jesus, the more I love Him; and the more I love Him, the more I am ready to love and serve others! True worship is offering ourselves to God every moment of the day. Romans 6:13 says: "Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness." Amen!!!

Come offer yourself to God in worship this Sunday as we sing: "Happy Day," "Everlasting God," "From the Inside Out," "The Time is Now," "I Am Thine, O Lord" and "Let Your Kingdom Come."

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Jan. 9, 2011

2011-01-06T15:32:00.000-06:00

Fellow Worshippers,

Here we are at the start of a new year already - wow! 2010 was a year of much change for me and my family, but I wouldn't trade it for anything because the great challenges and uncertainty we experienced caused us to draw near to Jesus in profound ways. We clung to the Lord, trusting He would take care of us and guide us, then saw Him provide in some absolutely amazing, only-God-could-do-that, ways! Now that we have such a wonderful church home here at First Free, we want to draw near to Him even more, continuing to depend fully on His Spirit to work in and through us for His glory! Hebrews 13:20 says: "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen"

Remember that God will supply EVERYTHING you need to serve Him in EVERY situation - His grace is always sufficient! I'm very excited to join you in worship this Sunday as we begin a new series on the church, "Unstoppable" - we'll be singing "Awesome God," "Our God is Greater," "Your Name," "Forever Faithful" and "The Rock." See you Sunday morning!

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Christmas Week

2010-12-22T13:44:00.000-06:00

Friends,

I wasn't sure if I would post this week or not, but wanted to pass along something profound that I read today. Author Bob Barnes, writing about modeling a life of faith for your children in his book "Ready for Responsibility," says this:

"...consider what steps you may need to take in bringing your philosophy of life to the surface of everyday living. Just focus on your behavior and attitudes." (p. 198)

In light of our participation in Advent Conspiracy, I thought the idea of "bringing our philosophy of life to the surface of everyday living" was very appropriate! We know the Source of truth, life, hope, joy, peace and love that every single person in the world needs to know - Jesus Christ! If we talk about how great it is that Jesus came to earth, but live as if everything the world values matters most to us, too, no one will ever encounter Jesus through us...living as He lived, by the power of His Spirit, is the only thing that will allow others to see that "it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me"!

Merry Christmas,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Dec. 19th, 2010

2010-12-15T12:11:00.000-06:00

This Sunday is the fifth Sunday of Advent Conspiracy...wait; aren't there only four?!? Actually, our fantastic Children's Ministry Department is putting on "Christmas Conspiracy" this Sunday, a musical production which will be a wonderful wrap-up to Advent Conspiracy - I can't wait to experience it!

I am loving the celebration of our Savior's birth this Advent season; however, I realized today it will soon be the new year, when I often experience an emotional let-down. Stepping away from the wonder of the manger scene and back into "normal life" can be discouraging; however, reading some verses in 1 John reminded me that the perfect antidote is this: His return is immanent! Time spent meditating on our Savior's coming is certainly not in vain, because we may see Him face to face any day! Be encouraged by these words from 1 John 3:2-3 -
"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure."

Merry Christmas and Maranatha!
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Dec. 12th, 2010

2010-12-08T12:14:00.000-06:00

Friends,

I confess to struggling with what to write this week, though now I think I know why. This final Sunday of "Advent Conspiracy," we focus on "Love All", which seems very obvious. Maybe so obvious that I hesitate to share a straightforward Scripture passage or comment, thinking I should have something deeper or more clever to say...I'm pretty sure that's just pride :-) I hope we don't miss the simplicity, yet life-changing power, of this week's message: we are called, at all times and in all circumstances, to LOVE all people in the same way that Jesus loves us.

1 John 4:19 simply and beautifully says: "We love because He first loved us." I can't improve on that! When I am mindful of His amazing love for me, I am always ready to love those around me.

Come ready to worship our Savior, who is Love. We will praise Him singing: "Here I Am to Worship," "I Will Follow" and "We Want to See Jesus Lifted High." By the way, please take time to read the Advent Conspiracy Blog this week; my wife wrote down some wonderful thoughts.

Blessings in Him,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Dec. 5th, 2010

2010-12-02T15:34:00.000-06:00

Hi Friends,

I hope this Advent Conspiracy stuff is starting to sink in; I know it is for me! It seems to boil down to this: Jesus' coming changed everything in our world - those who were dead now have Life, those in darkness are brought into the Light, those condemned by sin are set free, etc. This isn't something to fondly think about for a few Sundays before Christmas; this should change everything for us, every day! Jesus' coming to Earth, and into my life, should change everything in and about me - EVERYTHING!

The follow-up question is: am I willing to be changed? :-) Through Jeremiah, God said this about His people: "For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds; but you said, 'I will not serve!'" (Jer. 2:20) Being set free doesn't guarantee a willingness to serve the Lord, but it absolutely should. Jesus came and gave all of Himself to redeem us; let's give all of ourselves to serve and love others this Christmas (and beyond)!

I look forward to praising our Savior with you Sunday, as we sing: "What Child is This?", "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "In the Secret," "Enough" and "I'm Forever Grateful." Keep choosing to worship fully!

By His Grace,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Nov. 28th, 2010

2010-11-26T11:02:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a blessed, Happy Thanksgiving, taking time to meditate on God's abundant goodness! For those of us who were able to attend Tuesday night's Praise Service, we were wonderfully reminded of many, many reasons to give thanks to our faithful God - from Him and through Him and to Him are all things! (Romans 11:36)

On Sunday, we continue the Advent Conspiracy journey, and are encouraged to "Spend Less"...we will sing several familiar carols and worship songs...I leave you with a passage in Isaiah which encourages me in the pursuit of worshipping fully:

Isaiah 12:2-6 (NASB)
    ²"Behold, God is my salvation,
         I will trust and not be afraid;
         For the LORD GOD is my strength and song,
         And He has become my salvation."
    ³Therefore you will joyously draw water
         From the springs of salvation.
    ⁴And in that day you will say,
         "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name
         Make known His deeds among the peoples;
         Make them remember that His name is exalted."
    ⁵Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things;
         Let this be known throughout the earth.
    ⁶Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
         For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Worship Thoughts - Nov. 21, 2010

2010-11-16T16:40:00.000-06:00

I hope you are experiencing God's comfort and strength as you trust in Him this week, knowing He has you "hemmed in" for your good and His glory!

This Sunday marks the launch of "Advent Conspiracy" here at First Free; a journey we passionately hope will inspire us to live lives of continual, wholehearted worship and loving servanthood, responding to God's incomparable gift of Jesus.

This week's challenge is to "Worship Fully", but what does that mean? A dictionary gives these great synonyms for "fully": thorough, total, undivided and uncompromised. As we seek to "enter the story" of Christ's coming and ask what it means to imitate Him, let's ask ourselves if we worship God with total and undivided love and commitment. This season, let's come and behold the glory of Jesus like never before, and respond by doing everything for His glory!

Begin the journey with us Sunday morning as we sing: "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "Joy to the World," "Open the Eyes of My Heart," "You're Worthy of My Praise" and "Holy is the Lord!"

By His Grace,
Steve Mills

Worship Thoughts - Nov. 14th, 2010

2010-11-10T09:04:00.000-06:00

Hi Friends,

Are you finding opportunities this week to grow in patience? I know I am, which is fitting after Pastor Mark's excellent sermon last Sunday :-) If you feel anxious, take a minute to read Philippians 4:6-7; it reminds us to cast our burdens on Jesus, who gives us perfect peace when we do!

I was reading an interesting verse this morning, Zephania 3:17, which says: "The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." This passage seeks to encourage Israel with the hope of God's future blessings, and should encourage us. How amazing that the God we gather to praise and worship will Himself rejoice over us with singing - wow! In the words of a recent praise song, "How can I keep from singing Your praise?..."

This week, we will praise our Awesome God with the songs: "Lead Me to the Rock," "Come, Now is the Time to Worship," "Glorious," "Jesus, Draw Me Close," "Forever Faithful" and "You Never Let Go." May you find His grace to be sufficient this week!

In Jesus,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Nov. 7th, 2010

2010-11-04T14:53:00.000-05:00

Please don't forget to set your clocks BACK one hour Saturday night! Otherwise, you may be part of a very small, quiet service on Sunday morning :-)

Here is a great worship quote from Chuck Swindoll:
“The Bible calls worship a ‘sacrifice of praise,’ words that stem from gratitude (Heb. 13:15). Praise is a sacrifice to God; it’s something we give Him...it’s not done for ourselves. By connecting worship to the presentation of our physical bodies to God (Rom 12), Paul reveals that worship is not limited to songs we sing on Sundays. Worship also relates to the lives we live on Mondays. It’s a devotion of our whole selves to Christ...We give God our futures, our finances, our worries and concerns, and our joys. We withhold nothing in our worship!” (Grace Awakening, p.137)

We will offer a sacrifice of praise to the Lord Sunday with the following songs: "Let Everything That Has Breath," "Alpha and Omega" and "Our God is Greater." After Pastor Mark's message from Psalm 37:7 on Patience, Humility and Hope, we will respond with: "I Will Be Still," "The Rock" and "The Solid Rock."

May the Lord strengthen and use you in His service this week!

Steve

Worship Thoughts - Oct. 31st, 2010

2010-10-27T14:48:00.000-05:00

Can I enourage you to ask yourself a question: "is the Lord my first love"? II Timothy 4:8 says; "In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." This verse causes me to ask, 'am I so in love with Jesus that I can't wait to see Him face to face?' God is looking for worshippers that love Him and belong fully to Him. Isaiah 29:13 speaks to this powerfully: "These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote."

This week, let's examine our hearts to make sure we're not taking God's grace for granted. If we love Him with all of our heart throughout the week, we will be excited to worship and exalt Him on Sunday morning! This week, our High School Worship Team will encourage us to praise God with the following songs: "He's Gonna Reign Forever," "Happy Day," "From the Inside Out" and "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus."

Blessings in Jesus,
Steve

Worship Thoughts - Oct. 24th, 2010

2010-10-20T09:46:00.000-05:00

As I was preparing for this Sunday's service, I came across a great quote on a worship blog. Though directed at worship leaders and pastors, it contains a relevant message for all worshippers:

“Worship goes so far beyond songs and into the fabric of each of our daily actions. And so the focus of our worship pastoring must be much broader than the big weekend event. As we begin to understand it as more of an equipping ministry, we are able to begin releasing people to walk in the truth of Psalm 89:15: ‘Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.’ We lead people to become individual and corporate beholders of God, more than consumers of a ‘great experience.’” (Matt Browning, 10/16/2008 New Life Blog post)

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us that our bodies are temples of God's Spirit, Who empowers us to live holy and pleasing lives before our King. On Sunday morning, we will enter His presence singing: "Love the Lord," "I Will Follow," "Jesus Saves," "Above All" and "Lord, Reign in Me" Remember the theme we keep hearing from our study of 1 Corinthians... it's not about me :-)

Blessings in Jesus,
Steve

Worship Thoughs - Oct. 17th, 2010

2010-10-15T22:46:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I apologize for the late posting this week - been busy cleaning out the garage in preparation for winter; in California, we didn't park our cars in the garage, but I hear it's helpful here in Lincoln :-)

I always love to celebrate the Lord's Supper, which we will partake of this Sunday. Communion will be woven throughout the service to give us more time to contemplate our Lord's loving sacrifice. We will sing the following songs and hymns: "Your Grace is Enough," "The Rock," "Crown Him With Many Crowns," "We Fall Down," "There is a Fountain" and "Let Your Kingdom Come." Joelle Buskirk will also sing a beautiful new Communion song, "We Remember," accompanied by Del Whitman on cello.

As you prepare your heart to worship the Lord with His people this Sunday, think about just how far Jesus went to demonstrate His love to you and me: "He made Him Who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

See you Sunday morning!
Steve Mills

Worship thoughts - Sunday, Oct. 10th

2010-10-06T15:18:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I hope you're having a great week and eagerly anticipating our time of corporate worship on Sunday! I'm still thinking about last Sunday's message, seeking to show "undistracted devotion to the Lord." (1 Cor. 7:35). There are plenty of people and situations that compete for my attention, but I want to love and serve the Lord above everything else in my life. 2 Chronicles 19:9 say that "the eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." What a great reminder that more than anything else, God wants our hearts!

This Sunday, we'll begin by singing "A Thousand Hallelujahs," "Glory to God Forever" and "I Will Follow," a new Chris Tomlin song. These songs encourage us to give all credit and glory to God for His work in creation and our redemption.

Next, we will learn a song called "Side by Side," which reminds us that we are the body of Christ, instructed to humbly consider others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3). Finally, we'll sing "Everlasting God," one of my favorite modern worship songs, which reminds us that God never waivers in faithfulness to His children. May we offer our lives to Him in worship throughout this week!

By His Wonderful Grace,
Steve Mills

Worship for Sunday, October 3rd

2010-09-28T16:20:00.000-05:00

I loved Pastor Mark's challenge last Sunday to maintain a single-minded focus on Jesus, and to make sure we live with an eternal perspective. It's so easy to be consumed with day-to-day worries and responsibilities and to forget what really matters - that because Christ saved us, our lives are forever hidden with Him in God!

I was encouraged by this verse from Psalm 17:15 today: "As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake." Just before this, David speaks of "men of the world, whose portion is in this life." What a wonderful reminder that our eternal portion and hope are found only in Jesus Christ!

This Sunday Pastor Mark will preach from 1 Corinthians 8. In our worship time, we will unite as the body of Christ, drawing near to our Savior Who satisfies our deepest needs and desires (Ps. 37:4). I pray we will passionately worship Him as we sing: "Lead Me to the Rock," "Trading My Sorrows," "Better is One Day," "Let Your Kingdom Come" and "Your Name." May we grow daily in our love for Jesus, wholeheartedly worshipping and offering ourselves to Him!

Welcome to the new First Free Lincoln Worship Blog!

2010-09-16T11:22:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

I decided to start a worship blog to communicate with you regarding Sunday morning worship services, as well as Scripture passages, thoughts and quotes about living a life of worship. I'm so excited to serve as worship pastor here at First Free, and it is my passionate desire to be a wholehearted worshipper of our Glorious God! I hope that as we get to know each other, we will encourage one another to know Jesus better, love Him more and offer our lives fully in service to Him.

I love what Psalm 73:25-26 says: "Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (NASB) May we find that God is our portion - everything we need - as we trust Him and walk in the power of His Spirit this week!

By His Grace,
Steve Mills