The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. – Psalm 145:14 (ESV)

What do you do when you fall down? When life runs over you and leaves you in despair, how do you respond? How do you get off the mat again? These are tough questions. You may be thinking, “I know what the right answer is, but praising God in tribulation is not how I normally respond.” If you have ever been knocked down, then you are well-aware of the challenges associated with getting up again.

Some days you just don’t feel like it

In Psalm 145 God gives us a peek into the heart and life of David, a man who was significantly knocked down. We get to see David’s experience of God in his life. David is not extolling God primarily because he had learned about God through his Christian studies; though theological studies are important in learning about God. David is extolling God because he had experienced God in the crucible of life. It is in the crucible of life where our theology and our experience are meshed together, and this shapes us into the people we truly are.

Though David was a sincere believer in God, he had sinned grievously against his God. You know the story. David was one of God’s choicest servants who fell hard. David acutely lived through some of life’s harshest experiences. His life, marriage, family, and vocation were in shambles and he was the common denominator in all four of these life spheres that had gone awry.

David personally knew the highs and lows of life. And though God’s judgment was at times on him, David knew that God’s love was the backdrop of His judgment. No matter how bleak things became, David was assured that the steady hand of God would lead him through his darkness.

Psalm 145 is not your story

Even though we can be encouraged by Psalm 145 and can draw much benefit from this Psalm of praise, it is not our story. This is David’s story. In order to be changed we must experience our own story. We cannot praise God rightly, based on David’s story. We must praise God from our personal experience of God. If we have not experienced God personally then the bible stories will be ways to encourage us temporarily, but they will be powerless to eternally change us.

Like a good movie, we can live vicariously through the actors of the drama, but at the end of the film we must go home to our own lives. It is when you take God’s words (the Bible) and ask him to work His words into you, by the power of His Spirit, that you can experience him in a way that is more than theory.

The Gospel is your story

David gives us a clue as to how we can experience what he has experienced.

The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. – Psalm 145:14 (ESV)

Your worst problem in life has been resolved at the cross and the tomb. The cross demonstrates God’s unfathomable love for us. The tomb demonstrates God’s incredible power to us.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, – Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV)

If you have been saved by God’s grace then you have experienced God when you were at your absolute worst. He picked you up from your hopeless condition. Because God has fixed your worst problem you can now inform your feeble soul that he will sustain you through any other challenge in your life.

You fell down and you can get up because the Gospel says so!

Application Questions and Reflective Thoughts

1. How does the Gospel inform you when you are brought low by life’s challenges?
2. Though you might not be able to get up at this time, does the Gospel give you that quiet confidence that things will be okay?
3. Though your feelings may not be responding to what you know, begin today to preach the Gospel to yourself. Read Psalm 145 today and ask God to give you a song of praise.

This blog post represents part of my sermon notes from the 08.22.10 sermon preached at Southside Fellowship.

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In my recent webinar called “Connecting the Gospel to Everyday Life” I noted that there is a difference between the Gospel and the effects or the results of the Gospel. This is not an odd statement or thought from a theological perspective. Let me illustrate: Imagine if it was Christmas and you gave a gift to your child. Let’s further imagine that your child expressed gratitude for your generosity, kindness, and thoughtfulness toward him/her. We will surmise that the child opened the gift, enjoyed it, and was truly satisfied with the gift. But here is the twist: let’s say the child chose to set it aside in order to spend time with the giver of the gift, rather than the gift. Maybe your child would say something like the following:

Dad, you are so kind to me. I am blessed in every way imaginable by how you lavish your love on me. You have gone to great lengths to provide this gift for me. While I am incredibly grateful and blessed by your generosity, I just want to spend some time with you. You’re the one I really love, adore, and desire to spend time with. I don’t want to minimize what you have given me, but give me you, dad.

I’m not sure about you, but if any one of my children ever said anything remotely close to this, I think I would fall through the floor. And let’s be honest: if the truth were known, this kind of attitude is not native within me either. But this is the kind of Gospel-centered thinking that I want to saturate my mind with on a daily basis.

While I don’t want to minimize the effect of the gospel (salvation), I want to always keep the Gospel (Christ) in the forefront of my mind. The point of the Bible is Christ. The point of eternity is Christ.

• John the Baptist got it right: He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)
• Paul would concur with JB: That I may know him and the power of his resurrection… (Phil. 3:10)
• The Father expressed unbridled pleasure in His Son. (Mark 1:11)

Generally Two Types of Music

There are generally two types of Christian songs: (1) Songs that sing about Christ; (2) Songs that sing about what we get because of Christ. I am not, in any way, downplaying songs that clearly and theologically articulate what I get because of Christ. I love those songs. But my overwhelming song choice is always songs that point to him alone.

Songs about Christ will put me on my knees quicker than anything else. Songs about Christ will get my hands and arms in the air quicker than anything else. Songs about Christ lift my soul to places that no other song can. I’m naturally selfish. It is not hard for me to sing about what I get because of Christ, but for me to be truly Gospel-centered in my music, then I must be other-centered, which is the very essence of the Gospel: Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. (Mark 10:45)

Effects of the Gospel

I appreciate salvation, grace, obedience, commitment, the Bible, justice, freedom, and many other effects or results of the Gospel and, again, I am not downplaying any of them. But give me Christ! He is the one I live for. He is the one I pray to. He is the one I want to exalt every step of the way, every breath I breathe, and every day of my life. When we are gathered around the throne of God, this idea of exalting Christ alone will be crystal clear. (See Revelation 5)

Some of the best, theologically rich and Gospel-centered songs I have ever been exposed to are HERE

Reflective Questions

1. At your local church meeting, how much time and focus do you give to reading the words of the songs you sing?
2. Is it difficult for you to discern the difference between the Gospel (Christ) and the results or the effects of Christ in your song choices?
3. Which do you prefer more: songs about Christ or songs about what Christ has done for you and others? Why did you answer that way?

Other Articles in This Series

• Connecting the Gospel to Gluttony – 1.0
• Connecting the Gospel to Physical Suffering – 2.0
• Paul Connected His Suffering to the Gospel – 3.0
• Connecting the Gospel to Music – 4.0
• Connecting the Gospel to Perfectionism – 5.0
• Connecting the Gospel to Unfairness – 6.0
• Connecting the Gospel to a God Who is Silent – 7.0
• Connecting the Gospel When All Alone – 7.1

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Here is a question you never ask another person, “Are you worshipping?”

The reason you never ask this question is because the answer is always and forever the same for all people, everywhere. God wired people to worship. It is part of our “spiritual DNA.” Worship is what we do and we cannot do otherwise. We worship 24/7. The better question to ask is, “What do you worship?”

If it is a given that worship is what we do, which it is, then the better question is to find out who or what are we worshipping. And there are only two answers to that question: we are either worshipping God or we are worshipping self.

Our culture practices full-tilt self-worship. You cannot go anywhere in our culture where self-worship is not happening. And though it is understood that we should worship God everywhere, it is also incumbent upon all Christians to have a place where they can worship God with other likeminded God-centered worshippers.

Life is Christ!

The place for this kind of celebratory worship is a regular meeting of a local church. It is unfortunate, but I suspect that when most people think about the word worship, as it pertains to the local church, they think about music. Though music is a component of worship, it is a lesser component of worship.

For the Christian, the word worship communicates what he does. It is a specific kind of activity. It is God-centered worship. The Christian is a uni-directional kind of guy. He is looking to God alone. His desire and mandate is to think about, pursue, and engage God. Therefore, the best day of the week for the Christian is the day when he can gather with like-minded people who have a singular desire to celebrate the goodness of God as understood in the Gospel.

This gathering is a foreshadowing of what all Christians from all ages will do in heaven. All Christians will be in one place doing one thing. Heaven is the place and worshipping our Savior will be the activity.

It’s a Breakaway!

The local church is a temporary breakaway from our earth-bound moorings. Though there is much to do to put on a church meeting and there is a lot of activity at a church meeting, there is one primary point for this meeting: create an ease-of-focus for the worshipper to adore and enjoy God.

If you leave a church meeting tired, then you may need to rethink how you prepare for and participate in the weekly worship event. If you leave the church meeting and have not engaged the Savior in some way, then you may need to rethink your purpose and point of attending your church meeting. If you are not thinking about or anticipating encountering Christ in a refreshing way during the church meeting, then you need to rethink your priorities for the church meeting.

Read this article on how to prepare for “Game Day.”

Application Questions to Think About When Looking for a Local Church

1. What specific ways does your church make it easy for you to engage Christ at the church meeting?
2. How does the sermon motivate you toward a richer depth of and appreciation for God?
3. How does the music lead you toward a refreshing engagement of the Savior?
4. How would you rate your level of anticipation, as it pertains to encountering the Savior at the meeting?
5. How do your friends and fellow-worshippers spur you on toward worshipping the Savior at the meeting?
6. Is your church meeting more of a God-centered, worship event or a duty or expectation that must be met?

Articles in This Series

1. How to Find a Local Church, 1.0
2. The #1 Priority for Any Local Church, 2.0
3. The Second Question to Ask a Local Church, 3.0
4. You Better Believe Worship Matters, 4.0
5. Ministries, Programs & Amenities of Religion - 5.0
6. Fellowship! What is Missing in Most Local Churches – 6.0
7. Thoughts on Pursuing Others Relationally – 6.1

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Job said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” -Job 1:21

Job had a distinct order regarding his religious experience. Though he enjoyed many benefits from the hand of God as well as personal setbacks, his primary focus and appreciation was for God Himself. He makes this clear in the early hours of his drama.

Job gives us insight into his theology, when he says that he came into the world naked and he will leave the world similarly, but the more important thing was knowing God and having a relationship with Him.

The Lord does give and the Lord does take away, but the real deal is not what I get or what I miss out on. The real deal is God Himself. That is the most important thing.

The Christian experience is a “give and take” experience, with God being the Giver and the Taker. Sometimes things go in a way that we really like. At other times, things do not go according to our preferences. Good and bad is the Christian life, because God is the Writer of our stories. Job chose not to be controlled by the wins and losses. Job found something more satisfying. Job had “dialed into” the most important thing that any Christian can experience and that is a relationship with God.

If you are a Christian who focuses more on what you get or do not get from God, then your Christian experience will be as up and down as your “status updates.” If you see a relationship with God as being the most important thing, then you will be steady and satisfied, even when things are not going according to your preferences.

The following questions are good x-ray questions for you to examine your heart to see what is more important to you: Who God is or what God does. The answers to these questions should not be either/or as much as which is more important. While both are good in our understanding and practice of God in our lives, the better one for the God-centered Christian is a high affection for God, rather than getting my earthly expectations met.

What is your priority in conversation?

1. Do you prefer to talk about God, who he is, and other aspects of his character? -or-
2. Do you prefer to talk about what you have received from God?

What is your priority in music?

1. Are your music preferences more about what you receive from God? -or-
2. Would you prefer to sing praise to him because of who he is?

What is your priority in counseling?

1. Is your counsel to others more problem-centered and problem-solving? -or-
2. Is your counsel to others more about giving them a bigger vision of and greater appreciation for God?

What is your priority in reading?

1. Do you pursue self-help books as your primary reading material? -or-
2. Do you pursue understanding and appreciating God as your primary desire?

What is your priority in gratitude?

1. Are you more apt to express gratitude for the good things you receive from God? -or-
2. Are you more apt to express gratitude because God is God, regardless of your present circumstances?

The answers to the following questions should be: 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2

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From Bob Kauflin’s Worship Matters Blog

I’m happy to let you know that you can listen to samples from our new album, Sons & Daughters, over at the Sovereign Grace Music website. We’ll be releasing it next Wednesday, Aug. 5, at the WorshipGod09 conference.

The songs are primarily meant for congregational worship, and focus on themes related to 1 John 3:1: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

The project came out of a perceived lack of songs that help us meditate on the unfathomable love God has shown us in adopting us through Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5). We are now part of God’s family – in Christ we will forever be the objects of God’s particular and passionate mercy and love. We are not only forgiven, we are co-heirs with Christ, and never again have to doubt God’s care for us.  That biblical reality, rather than leaving us focused on ourselves, drives us once again to proclaim the greatness of the God whose grace turns hopeless rebels into the precious children.

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!” (Gal. 4:6)

Go over to the Sovereign Grace Music site and let me know what you think.

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If you are looking for some excellent worship music, then let me make a suggestion. One of our favorite CDs is Songs for the Cross-Centered Life.

good homework assignment for counselees

If you want to keep the main thing the main thing, then the main thing you need to be focused on is the Cross of Christ.

Paul reminded us in 1 Corinthians 2:2 that he had made a decision to know nothing, but Christ and him crucified. Paul knew a lot of things. Therefore, if he considered this news to be the best news and the news he must remember first, then it behooves me to do the same.

There is no news more important than this news: Christ died for our sins. If your music selections are not theologically rich, such that they bring your heart and mind to the Cross, then I suggest you rethink your music selections.

Let your music know nothing but Christ and him crucified. Nothing is more refreshing, motivating and life changing.

From The Pastor’s Priorities, p. 133

In all our preaching, we must never lose sight of the hill called Calvary, where the Son of Man was killed in our place. Regardless of the text or topic at hand, there must be some view of Calvary in every sermon.

Your congregation should experience the amazing and comforting sight of the crucified Savior each and every time you preach. They should anticipate the sight of Calvary in every sermon and rejoice when it comes into view, and all the more when the cross is not immediately obvious in the text.

“Where is the hill?” they should be asking. ”Where is that blessed hill on which our precious Savior died?”

We should exalt Christ’s finished work in our sermons so as to comfort the converted and to convict the unbeliever.

Spurgeon’s example should inspire us:

“I received some years ago orders from my Master to stand at the foot of the cross until he comes. He has not come yet, but I mean to stand there until he does.”

Let us stand with the prince of preachers, gentlemen. As we preach the whole counsel of God, let us keep the cross central. By doing so, we will indeed be watching our doctrine.

To purchase this CD, click HERE

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Worship is what we do. Worshippers are who we are. Worshipping is how we were wired. We were born to worship and this is our passion all day long. The question should never be, “Do you worship?” The answer to that question is always yes. The more important question is what do you worship?

When I think about what I worship, it is easier for me to think in two broad categories.

• I am either worshipping the Creator
• Or I am worshipping the Creature (Self)

Here are some thoughts for you to reflect upon to see where you primarily land as a worshipper.

Five Practical Worship Behaviors

1. Your kid has a smelly diaper, but you ignore it hoping your spouse will respond first
2. You measure (in your mind) the size of the ice cream in the bowl, hoping to get the larger helping
3. You see someone carrying several packages and you immediately get up to help them
4. You park further from the church building to give someone else the closer spot
5. When someone cuts you off in traffic you quietly praise God under your breath because you know your greatest problem in life has been resolved at the Cross

Five Heart Worship Attitudes

1. Your first thought when things don’t seem right is to think the best rather than the worst
2. You rarely compare yourself to others, but when you do you are more aware of the “log” in your eye than the “speck” in your brother’s eye
3. It is rare for you to think negatively about people
4. You’re consistently modeling Paul’s thought of outdoing one another in showing honor
5. Gratitude is your natural heart disposition, which typically comes out with the words “Thank you”.

It is very easy for me to place myself in the center of the universe and God becomes displaced to the periphery. Jerry Bridges has been very helpful in my walk with God by reminding me to preach the Gospel to myself every day. It is this daily (and many times during the day) reminder of the Gospel that keeps my heart somewhat adjusted toward a God-centered worldview.

Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. (Mark 10:45) And he demonstrated serving by giving his life as a sacrifice on the Cross to save my wretched soul. Though I cannot do what he did, and thankfully God does not call me to do that, I can still model the Gospel by seeking to serve others more than myself.

And serving is the practical essence of worship: modeling the Gospel before others.

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John Stackhouse, Jr. at Christianity Today has written a helpful article for your worship leader and worship band. He gives us five reasons why we should consider turning the volume down a notch or two during the Sunday meeting. Here is the short version: 

1. Turning it up can be a “cheap trick” to add energy to the room.
2. When not in tune don’t try to compensate by volume.
3. Church systems typically can’t handle volume.
4. Remember the older members of your body who may not be as blessed.
5. The point is to lead your people to engage God, not perform for them.

Bob Kauflin at Worship Matters also has some helpful insight on the subject.

The following is an excerpt from Joel Harris at the Rebelution Site. The article is very helpful, but my other motive in posting the article is to introduce to you, if you haven’t found it yet, a very good website for your teens to check out. Enjoy!

We should be honest. Nowadays, when someone mentions worship, most people think of music. You know, that time in the church service when everyone sings. Lots of Christian recording artists make “worship projects” with hit singles on them.

However, if we search God’s Word faithfully and look to mature Christians who possess wise insight, we will quickly see that worship is much more than songs. Worship is what we were created for, it’s what we’ll spend eternity doing, and it encompasses our hearts as well as our actions.

“Worship – whether an inner act of the heart, or an outward act of the body, or of the congregation collectively – is a magnifying of God. That is, it is an act that shows how magnificent He is. It is an act that reveals or expresses how great and glorious He is. Worship is all about consciously reflecting the worth or value of God.” - John Piper, Desiring God Ministries

“Even our tears of repentance needs to be washed in the blood of Christ.” –Owen