Just Shut up and Worship... or Dance

Worship Wonderings While Whirling

or

Did David Dance

By Pastor Adam Fox

Music is something that will always divide up a local church. There is and never will be a church that is completely and totally happy with how the music is done, or the style of it, or the level of it, or so many more. The church originally never had musical instruments in there worship services, using them would be too pagan. But today, churches around the globe do anything from choirs with hymnals, to choruses, music teams, to worship concerts. It is as broad as music is itself. 

But is there a correct way?

There seems to be a growing trend, right or wrong, but a trend to have the music times of a church service grown into a display or concert. Some churches roll out bands with multiple guitars, drummers, keyboards and all the lot, lead singer with a back up team, light show, even the smoke on stage. It takes the parishioner from participating into a music part of a church service into going and having a semi-pro band sing and play at you like at a concert. 

I love going to concerts, but not at church. Church is not about me being entertained through a pro-concert, but me worshiping God.  And I think we as a generation, or the trend of this generation is limiting how we worship God. And by doing so we have misused or misunderstand what worship of God really is. 

The origins of the word "worship" have their roots in Anglo-Saxson word meaning Worthship, as in praise or worship of that which is worthy. And my friends, there is only one who is truly worthy, and that is the Lord God. 

But worship is more than just music. We can worship God through so many other means, like song, reading His Word, our teaching and study, our work, our attitude, participating in the ordinances of the church to name a few. While song is the main way to do so, it is not the only way. We can worship the Lord God in many ways through times of the day. An example of that is King David. 

In my morning devotions this week, I am chugging along through the books of Samuel, and have been enjoying learning and being taught about David, Saul, Samuel, and so many others. But in 2 Samuel 6, there is a section that is not Baptist or Nazarene approved. David dances. 

Now, I am not a dancer, accept I have to be. Let me explain. 

My wife, Andrea, loves to dance. She has had this passion and love since she was a girl. In fact, as a young adult - she took lessons at Fred Astaire Studios. Me, never have I tapped a toe. But, things change over time, and I am always willing to try. Even if I mostly fail. At wedding receptions, we would go out there and dance, or rather Andrea would dance and I would try and keep up. After dancing together for a handful of times, it can be fun and exciting. I see more clearly now why King David chose it as a medium for worshiping the Lord. 

In 2 Samuel 6, David and the crew bring the ark back to it's home in Israel. After some difficulties and a few tries, the procession is bringing this sacred vessel back to where it belongs.  

14 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

David danced or whirled before the people, and most importantly he dances to God as his form of Worship. (I always picture this scene as the one in the Blues Brothers where Jake and Elwood are dancing to Ray Charles on the piano, trust me, look it up.)

Singing. Dancing. Praying. Studying. Anything can be a way to praise and worship the Lord. But what matters most is your attitude. 

Bill Thrasher wrote a book called  A Journey to Victorious Praying. Thrasher has a section on Worship and it is spot on what is needed to worship God. Thrasher quotes Henry Blackaby saying "Genuine worship is when a person chooses to come into the presence of God and there is an encounter with God; when God literally so makes Himself known that there is an automatic response to the very nature of God."

We should worship God with our hearts, our minds, our will, our emotions, and our attitude. Each and every time, we need to bring all five of these to worship God truly and authentically. Without even one, it is not worship. It is just lip service like the Pharisees. 

David is the great example of that. He danced and worshiped the Lord with all his heart, mind, will, emotions, attitude. Not caring what he looked like, or what people will think of him enjoying being int the presence of God. 

Am I telling each of us Sunday to busta move, to start dancing like no one is watching? No. But if you do, make sure you are doing so for God and not for the enjoyment of others or to be seen or other selfish reasons. 

But what I am telling you is that no matter who is singing, playing, preaching, teaching, or praying we need to worship authentically to God with all our hearts, minds, wills, emotions, and attitudes. Stop making it about how fast or slow the song is, how much cowbell is being played in the song, what genre it is from, or who is leading it or preaching it. 

It is YOUR private time to worship the God who made you and loves you and anything short of that is not worship and is unacceptable. Like the song goes, 

The Heart of Worship.

When the music fades
and all is stripped away
and I simply come.
Longing just to bring
something that’s of worth
that will bless Your heart.

I’ll bring You more than a song,
for a song in itself
is not what You have required.
You search much deeper within,
through the way things appear,
You’re looking into my heart.

I’m coming back to the heart of worship
and it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus.
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
when it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus.

Cheers and Excelsior!

Pastor Adam

Abode, Abide, and Abade

Spending Time with Jesus 

All Day. Every Day. 

By Pastor Adam Fox

Being married has brought a new experience to my life, living with a female. Some days are filled with hugs and affection, some days are alone days. It is a new adventure for me, and learning to adjust my perspective has been the hardest part. 

How much she eats. Where she sleeps. Where I can pet her... to give some examples. Living with a cat has been hard. 

(See what I did there)

Andrea has had a cat for 11 years. Isabella Diana Cat is our middle aged grey house cat. She grew up with  a dog, then transitioned to a cat and has never been happier. For me, we have never had a pet longer than a week. I was the new one. 

I have always seen families with pets, with cats. And had thoughts of how cats and humans interacted. Like, I thought that cats enjoy lasagna, being picked up and cuddled, and easily be made to do tricks. 

Boy oh boy was I wrong. 

Living with a cat has been different than I expected. Both for the good and bad. But living with someone is difficult. It means taking the individual, all the ideals and beliefs and putting them together with another free thinking individual. Thoughts will be different. Toilet paper will be put in the wrong direction (over the top), habits will be made and adapted. 

That is what it takes to live with another person or persons. To abide with them. the other week I heard a wonderful sermon perspective being given on John 15.  Normally, this passage is given about God and Jesus, or the Vine dresser and the Vine. And there are many great points that we can learn from this chapter. From analogies on growth and pruning and even about Hell. But what struck me was the word abide. 

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[b] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Abide, or to accept or bear, in this sense does not seem to match up with what John wrote. The definition fits as well as Shaq in a tiny sport car.

But if we get to the root of this word, and most importantly how Jesus is using it in context, we will understand more of what the Good Teacher is trying to learn us. 

Jesus wants us to abide or trust and believe n Him and God the Father. This trusting in God, this belief in Jesus in who He is and what He did for us is the most important moment of your life. It is that moment where you realize that you are a sinner and you deserve punishment for what you have done. But because of Jesus and His grace and mercy and kindness, He took the punishment that we deserve and paid for it with His life. Dead. Buried. Stone cold dead. But three days later rose from the dead and is alive today. 

That moment, that special moment of trust in Jesus. When you become part of God's forever family is a life changing moment.  But that is the problem. We as believers are stuck in that moment. 

Think of it like this, the Catholic Cross. The cross was an important moment in History, our and the Worlds. But Protestant Christians do not worship that moment. We see the cross and understand its place, but praise the Risen Savior. 

We are more than just Christians at that moment in time, we ARE Christians now. And should think of ourselves as abiding in God in the present tense of the word. 

We are in a relationship with the Messiah. It is not just an excellent moment in time, it is a life long celebration. It is a life long relationship. and like any relationship it requires growth from us. I would like to assume that the Ideal Pastor Adam comes to a saving moment with God and stays perfect till death. But that is not it. I am a sinner. I am growing and learning still what it takes to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus here on Earth. 

If we are in a relationship with the Lord, learning and growing, or abiding. We need to understand that like any relationship, it will not be perfect out of the gate. Look at the example of me and Isa the Cat. 

I have learned that just because I want to pet the cat or try to put her in a funny hat, does not mean that she wants to or will let me. Let's just say she says no with her tiny little pointy claws. 

We are alive and no longer dead to our sins because of Jesus. We need to live our lives every day with the confidence and understanding we are children of the risen King and are still living and following, abiding in Christ. Not just that singular moment in our past. Keep growing. Keep learning. Keep fighting sin. 

We need to let the Bible, the complete and accurate Word of God change us. Mold us. Shape us into the image of Him. Will it be easy? Nope. Will it cause us to hurt? To some extent yes. If I give up smoking for example, it will be a struggle and some pain until I adjust to life without it. 

A great way to be dressed by God and molded into the image of Him is by being in His Word. Studying and reading. Letting the Words of Scripture change you. Talking and Listening. All things that make us less like ourselves and more like God. 

What areas do you need to let Christ mold you and form you? 

Are you letting the Vine Dresser and the Vine change you and strengthen you? Or do you still thing of Jesus as that one special moment instead of a life time with us?

That is all for now my friends. School is back. So it will be a busy two months. Pray for me. 

Cheers and Excelsior!

Pastor Adam

Busyness is the new Cool

Sabbath does not need to be Black

More busy = more better?

By Pastor Adam Fox

Sometimes a TV show stumbles into a correct prediction or point about society or life. Simpsons has done it a hand full of times. But Seinfeld has too. And it is correct with George Costanza. Who in my opinion is the best character on the show.  

George tells the diner gang about how he gets out of work at the New York Yankees. If he is always looking angry and frustrated and overworked, no one will ask him to do more. 

Brilliant. 

George and the writers of this show stumbled into a trend of Americans today, we have to be busy. the busier the better. If our schedule or inbox for the day is not overloaded with things that only Dr Strange could do in all his mystical time powers, then we have a problem. 

How did we get to this point? Why do we think it is needed to overload our work day, and then off-time as well to catch up and stay ahead. We are doing life wrong and our souls are suffering.

The temptation of busyness is something we can all fall into. Society almost has convinced us if we do not let life, or our jobs, or our social standing, or our volunteer, or whatever swallow us up, we are weak. 

One area that bothers me is the urgent. My work week is different than most of peoples, and I am okay with that. I come in on Monday and plan out what I can do when and how best to us each day of the week to do my job to the best of my abilities. But I must admit, it is filled with a schedule or game plan for each day.

Planned and ordered, that is until the urgent pushes its way into my life. While urgent things are not always bad, just need to be dealt with.  

More busy. More needs. More things that need to be done. Less time. What needs to be cut in order to fit it all? The time off.

Am I complaining? Nope. My work week is not much different than that of corporate America, or of a home-keeper (And I LOVE it!!). But the point is consistent through many careers and walks of life, more is not always smarter or better.

Is taking time off or resting weak or is it needed? To me it is needed and commanded.

From the first few chapters of Genesis and consistently through the Law section of the Older Testament, Sabbath rest is shown and told to do. 

God set the example of resting one day a week and commanded the Israelites to do so in the Law. 

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8-11

And this is not the only time God mentions this, it is a consistent calling. But why? why is resting your body AND your spirit so needed?

God created us and knows us. He knows that while we can grind and push and labor all day every day, we will break down. We need the rest for our body, but most importantly the spirit and soul needs a break. 

I can grind everyday all day until I snap. That is not healthy. But my spirit cannot come close. It needs to stop, and be refilled by the Lord. 

I need to stop and come to the Lord. Spend time in the Bible. Praying to God about my needs and concerns and listen. Worship Him for who He is. That is what a Sabbath is.

It is not about the lack of work, that is not the point. It is about stopping your normal activities so that you can spend time with the God who loves you. 

And it is important! Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 11. 

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

God wants us to rest in Him and through Him. Look at the example of  Mary and Martha from Luke 10. Martha was busy making and doing things while Mary sat in the presence of the Master. 

While I am not giving you an excuse to not do your work, but Mary understood the importance of spending time with Jesus and being there. 

We can learn a lot from these ladies. While work is important and needed to life, spending time with God is just as if not more.

Taking rest on a regular bases is needed. It does not mean you are weak, it means you are healthy. Make sure you find your day, your time away from the tyranny of the urgent and the busy and Sabbath. Spend time with God – the Lord of the Sabbath and He will give you rest. 

Cheers and Excelsior!

Pastor Adam

WE are FAMILY

Finding the Family in the Family of God

Sister Sledge had it right all this time

By Rev Adam Fox

The honeymoon was amazing, beach, theme parks, relaxing, fun, everything you want. But it ended in the best way possible, we watched Guardians of the Galaxy 2 together. 

Guardians 2 is the sequal to the amazingly funny space hero action comedy from Marvel. It follows a rag tag group of misfits led by Peter Quill, the Star Lord. Star Lord is determined to find out who his father was. In only the way Marvel can do it, we find out that this human's father is none other than Ego the Living Planet played by Kurt Russell. 

Throughout this reunion of father and son, we learn that this father is not a great person(spoiler!), and Quill's friend and mentor, Yondu, makes him realize that Ego is his Father, but not his dad. 

(I'm not crying, you're crying)

As Yondu helps us realize the importance of Family in our life. Both the ones given to us, and the ones we choose. Either way, it is something we need in our life and often over look. 

Family has been on my mind for a while now. Getting married in February, and planning the sucker for the past 6 months has been a stress filled joy. But during this time, it makes me see how great and massive my family is. And now, it is even larger, deeper, greater - with a big welcome to the Moormann/Schaack family. 

Family is what God has given us. To me that means the blood related folks like your parents and siblings and such. But it can also be the chosen family too. Like my chosen Grandparents - Jim and Ilene Payne and all their family. Or like my bonus brother Bobbo.

If family is both blood and chosen family, couldn't it then be Spiritual family too?

As believers in God, we are apart of a greater group than just the folks we share a pew with on a Sunday Morning. 

Paul writes in Romans 12:5 "So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." One body, one big and close family!

Or look at what Paul writes in Ephesians "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

The hardest part of being the church, of understanding that we are ALL apart of a closeness, a bond, a group of individuals that are one becuse of the saving action of Jesus on the cross. Where Jesus became my sin, He took on all the sins and evil of the world, of all of us so that we can be forgiven.
So, you have a family and a church family, and hopefully the two groups are one. But what does this extended family get you? How should we handle these new brothers and sisters?

On our honeymoon, Andrea and I stayed at the Riu Palace in Jamaica. It was as beautiful as expected and relaxing and restful as needed. One of the great features, well great for me, was the dining options. It was all you can eat, and had 6 food options in this hotel alone. 

Every morning, Andrea and I would go to the breakfast buffet and find a table, and the waiter would bring out our drinks that we ordered, one coffee, one hot tea, one iced tea, and one diet coke. (guess away who had what). By the end of our trip, i noticed that the waiter remembered us and brought them out without asking. 

I was so thankful, and he told me "of course my family". And it hit me, he treats the hotel guests like he would family members. With love and respect.  

That is how we need to act, with our family, chosen, blood, or spiritual. And I know, easier said than done. But we need to be a unit, a family of closeness. Sharing in the joy of another believer, grieving in their loss, supporting and encouraging. Pushing and sharpening. 

"If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." 1 Corinthians 12 Like a family, we support each other and share in the emotions of another - happy or sad. 

It hurts me to see my family being so childish or hateful towards each other. And while I have been guilty of that in the past myself, it cannot be. We need to be the Earthly examples of Jesus - of His love, and grace, and especially his kindness. And that means treating each other with the respect we each deserve. 

How different could it be coming to church if you had the attitude, "I get to be with my beloved family!" Celebrating and worshiping together. Instead of "I hope blah blah blah isn't here." or " she looked horribly fat in that dress" 

We are the arms and feet of Jesus here on Earth. That means how we act and how we live. And life is not always kind. We will need the support of our family, all of our family. Enjoy it. 

Just as I am enjoying the Moormanns as well as the Foxs and the Paynes. Who is your family?

Cheers and Excelsior!

Pastor Adam

What Kind of Veggie is Prayer? Lettuce! (Let us Pray)

The Power of Prayer

Talking to the Most High and listening to our Father

By Pastor Adam Fox

We do it before we eat. Before we sleep. In emergencies. And for good luck. It is filled with promises, some of which we do not keep, hopes, dreams, and truths. They are our prayers. We are called to be a people of prayer, but do we understand what that calling means?

I went back to college at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. I remember my first class there. It was Intro to Christian Ministry. It was a very simple course for 18 year olds, and my old self, that asked them a simple question. Do you want to be a pastor? Are you sure?

It was led by Dr Mark Quanstrom. I am lucky to have had him as my professor since now he has transitioned to a department chair and senior Pastor of College Church of the Nazarene. But while we were there together, Q always made me think. While we never saw eye-to-eye on all matters, he always made me think.

One of those areas was the simple question, "why do we pray?" There were many correct reasons why we pray, but the simple answer was the best. 
We pray, because God answers prayers. 
Boom!

As believers in God, we can pray, and should. But what are the reasons for us. Is it because these recited phrase are good luck? Or the more we ask the more we get - the Squeaky wheel theory? Or the magic lamp theory of prayer. 

No. His simple point we pray to God because God answers prayers. The answer is not always yes, it can be a no, or a not now. But God always answers them. And we as believers need to get comfort with that. The Creator of the Universe, the one who formed the snow and tells it where to go, listens to me. Cares for me. 

Back to the story, Q told us this simple fact, that we pray because God answers them. He encouraged this new generation to pray, to ask for anything. God will answer. And follow up with him about what the answer was. 

So, I thought about it.  What if I would of prayed to win the Mega Millions and find a brand new Lamborghini. I doubt the answer would have been yes. 

So I sat there in that class thinking, and prayed for two things. God answered one that year, the other has just been answered. 

I prayed for friends. True friends that would support me in this new life adventure. And God provided. Bearded Steve. KP. Wide Can.  Joshy and Corey to name a few. Men that sharpen me, and encourage me and I them.

The other prayer was for God to show me the woman I should marry. While God took His time in answering that, He did answer. Gods is faithful and has a plan for us. He waited for the right time for me to find Andrea. 
And as of February 17, Andrea will be my wife. An answer to prayer, and an example of God's faithfulness. (I love you Andrea)

But what about us? What can we pray for? How should we pray? What can prayer teach us?

We pray, openly and specifically. Let me remind you, while Prayer is this special thing, it is not something to fear. While broken down, prayer is talking and listening. We are great at talking. We talk to God about our dreams, our hopes, our fears, our goals, our leaders, our country, our family...
But we need to learn to listen. Communication is half listening. God talks to us, through different ways, but as we see in Scripture through Elijah - God speaks softy too us. He whispers. 

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19

God is there, He is listening to us. He cares for our needs and desires. It is our responsibility to talk and ask, but to listen. To have good communication. And to never have the attitude that our prayers do not work.

Our prayers matter. They can do miracles because God does miracles. Look at the prayer list that we email out and print out. How many times has God done what man says cannot happen?  Healing people. Saving people. To the glory of God. 

And if God can heal the sick, could He heal our broken nation? YES!!!

We need to pray. Pray for our nation, it's leaders, our community leaders, our pastors, pray specifically for people. Like the great revival verse tells us to do. 

 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

We need to be active in our prayer life. Using the example of Jesus Christ, the man who prayed often and always. A great example or model to follow would be the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6.

Or like the Apostle Paul who taught us by example in prayer. Who in his letters in the Newer Testament, talked about how often he prays and loves the people he regularly prays for. 

Get a reputation like the Apostle James. Who has been called "Camel Knees" over his frequency to go to his knees in prayer. 

Or be a modern day Daniel. Who openly prayed to God and only God. Even though it should have cost him his life. He knew it was needed and important. Especially being in a country as sinful as Babylon… or like ours. 

Friends, pray hard and pray often. This is a private matter between you and the Lord. But it is important. It needs to be more than before meals and at holidays. We need to have an active prayer life with the God who loves us and sent His Son Jesus to die in our place. Talking on the punishment we deserve. 

While the answer will not always be yes, and not always come in our own time period. God ALWAYS answers them and always has a plan for us. He hears us and loves us and is talking to us. Listen with me. 

Will be gone for a bit to the islands. But will be back for the winter fun of Smarch.  Until next time my friends. 

Cheers and Excelsior!

Pastor Adam