Happy Thursday FBC Friends!
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1, 9)
An important part of our vision for FBC is to be a church that is passionate about “Exalting the Lord’s Name” through meaningful worship. I was reminded of that again this morning as I read and prayed Psalm 8. What a great statement of the majesty of His name. His name is glorious. His name is powerful. His name is wonderful. On and on we could go, couldn’t we? One day, the name of Jesus will be truly exalted in all the earth:
Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)
How are you doing at exalting His majestic name in your life? This week I read the chapter on “Worship” in Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. I almost used my highlighter on just that chapter! One section in the chapter was on “Preparation for Worship,” and though this may be long, I think it would be worth sharing with you one part of that section as encouragement to prepare for our corporate worship services:
“Live throughout the week as an heir of the kingdom, listening for His voice, obeying His Word. Since you have heard His voice throughout the week, you know that you will hear His voice as you gather for public worship. Enter the service 10 minutes early. Lift your heart in adoration to the King of glory. Contemplate His majesty, glory, and tenderness as revealed in Jesus Christ. Picture the marvelous vision that Isaiah had of the Lord ‘high and lifted up’ or the magnificent revelation that John had of Christ with eyes ‘like a flame of fire’ and voice ‘like the sound of many waters’ (Isa. 6; Rev. 1)… Next, lift into the light of Christ the pastor and other worship leaders. Picture the Shekinah (glory) of God’s radiance surrounding them. (Pray for) them to speak the truth boldly in the power of the Lord. When people begin to enter the room, glance around until you see someone who needs your intercessory work. Perhaps their shoulders are drooped, or they seem a bit sad. Lift them into the glorious, refreshing light of His Presence… If only a few in any given congregation will do this, it will deepen the worship experience of all.” (pg. 163)
The other book I started reading this week is Enjoying Intimacy with God by J. Oswald Sanders. The second chapter in his book is also on worship, “Intimacy is Nourished by Worship.” It starts out with a quote from A.W. Tozer, which some of the men have heard before: “What is worship? Worship is to feel in your heart and express in some appropriate manner a humbling but delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpowering love in the presence of that most ancient Mystery, that Majesty which philosophers call the First Cause, but which we call Our Father Which Art in Heaven.” He also quotes John R.W. Stott: “We evangelicals do not know much about worship. Evangelism is our specialty, not worship. We have little sense of the greatness of Almighty God… Much of our public worship is ritual without reality, form without power, religion without God.” Disturbing? Maybe, but we can change that, little by little, as we all seek to glorify the majestic Name of our Lord more and more in our lives. Either a hymn or poem from Isaac Watts says, “The heavens declare Thy glory, Lord, In every star Thy wisdom shines; But when our eyes behold Thy Word, We read Thy name in fairer lines.” Josiah Conder expressed thoughts related to Philippians 2: “In Thee most perfectly expressed, The Father’s glories shine, Of the full deity possessed, Eternally divine. Worthy, O Lamb of God art Thou, That every knee to Thee should bow.”
Please prepare your heart, mind, and body to fully engage in worship of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ this Sunday (remember, we start at 9:00)!
I will be preaching on Lamentations 3, a message titled, “New Every Morning.” The verses we will try to recite from memory together, v. 22-25, are the most well-known verses in the book of Lamentations. I also think they form a perfect hinge on which to consider the rest of what the book says. Are you feeling hopeless? In despair? Concerned for the future? Read chapter 3, and especially meditate on verses 22-25. Come ready for His Word to speak to your heart.
This Saturday is our Men’s Breakfast at 7:00 a.m. All men are invited, and bring your sons! Also please bring your Bible and be ready for a time of discussion around His Word.
Following Sunday School this week we will have our Quarterly Business Meeting (starting around 12pm). It will be primarily informational, and I intend to share some of my heart regarding decisions affecting our near future as it relates to our growth as a church. Our members will be voting on two potential new members, but all who call FBC your church family are welcome to attend.
I plan to have a membership class on the following Sunday, July 20, from Noon to 3pm. Lunch will be provided. I’ve heard from a few so far, but if you are interested in attending please let me know as soon as you can so we can prepare for lunch.
9 guys have signed up for “Growing Godly Guys” so far! That is a course on discipleship and spiritual disciplines that we will have from mid-September through May. I won’t take more than 12, so if you want to be in it please let me know.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
Love From Your Pastor,
Michael