Are you too busy?

It's so easy to say, "Lord I'm too busy right now...maybe later, maybe tomorrow I'll have more time for you"...so He waits...then we question "Lord where are you, where were you?", when something goes wrong. All it takes is just finding some time in that secret place...check out this clip by Henry Seeley (PlanetShakers) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yaw_RpQaxgQ

At church last night we were challenged to pick our top 5 songs that bring us into God's love...I couldn't pick 5...so I picked 10! These songs have ministered to my heart, and remind me just how much my God loves me...these songs bring me into the very real presence of God (I've included a link for each song, so that you can let them minister to your heart too)! How awesome is our God!

1. Rain Down - PlanetShakers http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1p2lh_raindown-planetshaker_music

2. More Than Life - Hillsong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbeIEpr4kGg

3. Hosanna - Paradise Live http://www.imeem.com/people/T9yCz-/music/Nmx0qQVY/paradise-live-hosanna/

4. Saviour King - Hillsong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7BQzic-zLs

5. Beautiful Saviour - PlanetShakers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8e9lCxn_IY

6. Falling In Love With Jesus - Jonathan Butler http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMbNitc3DrQ

7. How I Love You - PlanetShakers http://www.imeem.com/people/vzJnPm/music/XcXwjAWs/planet-shakers-how-i-love-you/

8. How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OsyiGgSlqY

9. Assuredly Yours - Paradise Live http://www.imeem.com/smile-patience18/music/YQK0QYUM/paradise-live-assuredly-yours/

10. Hosanna - Hillsong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1764I6JOmLI

Heart Of Worship

I was thinking about my previous post, and about worship being more than just a song, and I was led to this beautiful worship song. The words line up with what I wrote, and what I've read so far in 'Extravagant Worship' by Darlene Zchech, so I thought I would share it with you! You can view the song at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeAwBmb_x28, if you haven't heard it before, it's definitely worth a listen!

The Heart Of Worship

Verse 1
When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart

Bridge
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

Chorus
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

Verse 2
King of endless worth
No one could express
How much you deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is yours
Every single breath

Bridge
Chorus x2

Extravagant Worship!

Wayne shared an awesome devotion at music last night, about making sacrifices for God, & how today's sacrifices, will align with tomorrows promises. He shared about sacrifices that he made when he was a child and how, without knowing at the time, they were all in sync with the calling that God has for Him today! AWESOME!
I was absolutely blessed by this and had to question my life (once again). Am I doing all I can to be who God has called me to be? Am I making sacrifices? I could say yes, I go to music practice every Thursday night, that's a sacrifice of my time. I could say yes, I go to church every Sunday, I sing on a roster...but who am I kidding? Certainly not God!

I know that there is so much more of me to give, so much more I could sacrifice. So today, I started reading 'Extravagant Worship' by Darlene Zschech, again. I know that God has called me to be a worship leader, there's no doubt there. But how can I truly lead people into the throne room of God as a worship leader, without first learning how to become an extravagant worshiper in my personal life?

I have to first acknowledge that it's not something that will just happen overnight. Darlene says in her book that there was a time that God gently whispered to her, while in prayer, "Daughter, you're not an extravagant worshiper yet". She realised, through this, that to call yourself an extravagant worshiper, we have to understand that we have a long way to go!

So, what is worship?
'True worship is not about the songs being sung; it is not about the size of the band...Although music is a wonderful expression of worship, it is not in itself the essence of it. The core of worship is when one's heart and soul, and all that is within, adores and connects with the Spirit of God.'
Worship:

• involves the giving of ourselves totally to the Lord;
• should be a way of life, with many facets of expression;
• must cost us something!

We can see through Bible stories, that 'whenever someone demonstrated extravagant worship, God reacted with extravagant blessing.' So really, why would we, or should I say why would I want to give anything less? Here are some examples of extravagant worshipers:

• 'Noah lived through extreme circumstances, but he still praised God in the midst of it' (Genesis 8:20-22);
• 'Abraham was prepared to give it all. He was overgenerous, excessive in his act of worship' (Genesis 22:2; 11-12);
• 'David wanted to offer a sacrifice to the Lord to stop a plague on the Lord's people'. But he wouldn't give 'a burnt offering that cost him nothing'. (1 Chronicles 21:24).
• 'When Paul and Silas where in jail, they worshiped God.' (Acts 16:23-35).

Extravagant worship grabs God's attention!

So, in 2009, I want to grow more in God and move closer towards being an 'Extravagant Worshiper'. Not just so that I can be more sensitive to hear God's voice while I'm leading worship at church, but so that I can be EVERYTHING that God has called me to be!