The Worship Corner (9/21/09)

God is seeking YOU and YOUR worship!!! How do I know? It's right there in the Good Book! John 4:23"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Be sure to make your worship of Him REAL! Not only on Sunday mornings, but Monday mornings and Tuesday afternoons as well!

Do you need some tools to help you worship through the week? If you love the praise team's style of worship music, then you will enjoy worshiping with this CD: "The Best of Passion (so far)". It includes several of the songs that we use on Sunday mornings as well as some new ones that we haven't used ...(yet!!) This CD features several artists including Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Matt Redman and Charlie Hall, just to name a few. This is a fantastic CD to put on as you and your family are getting ready for church. It not only puts you in the right frame of mind, but there is something about music that soothes the soul! Perhaps this new habit could "de-stress" your Sunday morning routine! It's worth a try!

For those of us that live in the Newton area, we are in a "dead zone" when it comes to Christian music radio stations. Our closest opportunity is WBGL in Mattoon 91.7 FM. However, with the internet, we have access to listen to Christian music whenever we want! Even Mattoon's station has a live stream of their broadcast on the internet. Here is the link: http://www.wbgl.org/ . In the upper right corner click on "Listen now!"

May you Dance Today by Donna (Ensign) Woods

May you dance today,
In a gentle, easy way.
Dance to the early morning sound.
Rejoice in each blessing found
...Within the lazy symphony,
Of night sounds in harmony.

May you dance today,
Thanking God as you pray
Finding peace in the fading night,
As it gives way to the morning light.
Sun beams chase the fog away
So butterflies can dance and play.

May you dance today
Close by you, the Lord will stay.
Dance with old friends and new
...and dance...when it's only you !
There is much to celebrate,
So please, don't hesitate.

May you dance today
...Even if it's dismal and gray
Storm clouds of regret and sorrow
Can steal the joy of tomorrow
Remember...today is a fresh new chance
.....So you can dance......

A Call to Action!!!

This video is very sobering, citing the demographic numbers of Muslim people versus Christians in the next few years. Pray and act!

The Color of Creation by Dena Wilkinson

Father, today I want to thank you for your creative power and the wide array of colors You bring into play to give us variety every day. The relaxing hues of varied green tones blend in harmony with each other, as the blues and grays of the sky lend their complementary notes. Spring brings a riotous sample of pastels, including lavender, pink and pale yellow of the crocuses, daffodils and tulips, reminding us that just as these bulbs rise each year, Your Son arose after only three days in the ground!

As spring blends into summer, we see a burst of primary colors arriving to brighten each day as the perennials come to life and the annuals take root and flourish. Across the Midwest, row after row of corn and beans begin to make their appearance, covering the earth with their strong green shades. To the Christian, the upcoming harvest of these crops reminds us of spreading Your word to those who haven’t heard it yet.

When autumn lazily interrupts summer, the colors deepen into rust tones and deep golds with an occasional burnt sienna thrown in for good measure. The fire bush reminds us of Moses’ encounter with You when he argued that he could not do what You asked of him. Yet, You were with him every step of the way. Ironically, the mum is not quiet about its beauty as if to tell us that no matter what our station in life, if You are in control of us, we can do all things with the strength that You give.

Even as You create the winter months, the stark white of the snow does not hide the beautiful pine trees and the red branches of an occasional bush seen here and there. You encourage us in Your scriptures to view the snow’s purity as a symbol of becoming a Christian. As if that isn’t enough for our sense of sight, You amazingly created the beautiful male Cardinal with his triumphant coat of red. Even the female looks attractive in her soft gray covering and muted colors.

You are so good to us! Everywhere we look, we can see Your power and goodness in all that You spoke into existence. You are truly a God of wonder!!

Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Like a Two-Year-Old by Joyce Schafer

Recently we went to Holiday World. Since I am not a "ride person" I hung out with our two-year-old granddaughter. She needed someone to hold her hand to keep her on the right path, pick her up when she fell down and carry her when she was worn out. I realized how much like a two-year-old I am in God's eyes.
He is always trying to keep me on the right path but sometimes like a two-year-old I can be stubborn and want to go in another direction. I am constantly stumbling and falling down but he is always there to pick me up, dust me off, and get me back on my feet. When I am weary and cannot go any farther, he carries me and comforts me.
God, I pray that you will help me to outgrow my stubborn two-year-old tendencies. I need to trust in you completely. Only then will I achieve my goal of becoming a mature Christian.

Freedom to Hope by Tana LeMay

One of this week’s devotionals was centered on Galatians 5:1: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
What has God given me the freedom to do? He has given me the freedom to live in hope.
I’m not talking about an unrealistic hope that life will always be well and good. We live in a fallen world where pain and sorrow is a part of living. We’ll all experience it during parts of our lifetime. The hope I’m talking about is the hope that comes when we walk with Jesus; the faith of knowing he is in control. I can walk in the assurance of my future in God’s hands. And when I fall, which happens nearly every day, Jesus is there to help me up, to wipe the dirt away and to get my feet moving again. When the valley is deep and dark, he’s there beside me, holding my hand and encouraging me to keep walking.

I came across the following in a novel by Brock and Bodie Thoene, “The answer is that you must simply keep living. Embrace whatever God sends your way. Sorrow and joy. Trust that you are not here by accident. Every moment, every event in your life has a purpose for the welfare of eternity if you love God.”

13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3: 13-14

We Will Never Forget by Donna (Ensign Woods)

We will never forget the victims of nine-one-one.
On that September day, in the bright morning sun.
From New York's majestic twin towers,

To the Pentagon’s symbol of powers.
In the air, there was more than one hero,

And many brave souls at Ground Zero...
Firefighters and policemen gave up their lives.

Now, all alone are their families and wives.
Secretaries and executives are suddenly gone,

And airlines will miss pilots, like Thomas and John.
A day that began the future for a newlywed,

Was the beginning of the end, instead.
Sonia will no longer twirl and dance...

Little Juliana and Dana will never get the chance.
Danny didn't make it home to see his baby born...

With this Nation's widows and children, we mourn.
Jack will no longer coach his son's game...

So many lives will never be the same.
Separate flights for two best friends...

But together forever as the day ends.
Mychal will never again preach,

And a teacher will no longer teach.
We will never forget the United Way and Red Cross,

As they lovingly helped with each tragic loss.
Thank you Lord, for the memories of those who died. GOD BLESS THIS LAND...AND THE TEARS WE’VE CRIED!

The Worship Corner by Theresa Zuber

Luke 6:45 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

This passage applies to our worship as well! Our corporate worship should be an overflow of our personal worship. A tool that can help is worshiping with Christian music throughout your week. But if you are unfamiliar with Christian artists, it’s a difficult decision when purchasing a CD. If you have Dish Network, listen to Channel 975 “The Light” for a variety of Christian artists. The worship team will periodically give suggestions that contain powerful, contemporary music that will help you worship Him through song. This week’s suggestion: Chris Tomlin’s newest release “Hello Love” includes “God of this City” which we introduced two weeks ago!

Rev 4:11"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."