Oh, I Want to Know You More

"We get along great ever since I lowered my expectations." When I first heard this said I about fell out of my chair. Hahahaha! I liked it so much I added it to my favorite quotes on Facebook! Of course I can't tell you who was being referred to. I suppose you can look on Facebook and see that Bro. Paul is the one that said it. haha. I don't know if he even remembers.

Have you ever really wanted to know someone better? And then once you got to know them you wondered why you wanted to know them in the first place? I, of course, never have. You all are wonderful! hahaha. Will Rogers said he never met a man he didn't like. (I know, you all have someone he should have met. haha) I guess I'm sort of like him. Well, except for one or two...

Sundays during worship are a great time for us to get to know God better. Of course it takes more than an hour a week to get to know someone, but this is a good start. (You also have to spend time each day in the Word, but that's another post.)

This Sunday in worship during the first part of the service it's my prayer that the songs will give opportunity for you to voice your desire to know the Lord more. I join the Apostle Paul in his prayer found in Ephesians 1:17

I keep asking that the God of our LORD Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

We'll begin the service this Sunday, August 8, singing 'Holy, Holy, Holy." This text of this great hymn was written in the 1820s. The tune we sing it to was first published in 1904. It is a great statement of faith and in the doctrine of the Trinity. In fact, the hymn tune was named NICAEA after the Council of Nicaea, AD 325, which formulated the Nicene Creed, a statement of faith which included an affirmation of the doctrine of the Trinity in response to the Arian heresy.

But I have distracted myself.

The third verse of this wonderful hymn has the words "though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see" (a reference to Isaiah 6) So I like to go from that verse right into "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord." (for you music people out there, just do them both in D. I suppose you could do them in E, but it makes "Holy, Holy, Holy" rather high for present day congregations. It was in E in the 1966 Baptist Hymnal.)

Then after singing through "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord" we'll go straight into the 4th verse of the hymn keeping the tempo and style the same.

"Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name, In earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!"

Then the choir will sing a beautiful song titled "Oh, I Want to Know You More."
It has such a wonderful text.
The chorus says,

"Oh, I want to know You more.
Deep within my soul I want to know you. Oh, I want to know You.
To feel Your heart and know Your mind. Looking in Your eyes stirs up within me
Cries that say, 'I want to know You'
Oh, I want to know You more."

Then there is this text at the bridge. (Oh, if only we could sing this with all our hearts and truly mean it.)
"I would give my final breath to know You in Your death and resurrection. Oh, I want to know You more!" Whew!

Here's how the Apostle Paul worded this yearning of the heart. Phillipians 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death

Preach yourself the sermon you need to hear to get you to the place that you can say this verse with all your heart while we sing it.

The other songs Sunday morning will be
"Nothing but the Blood"
and
"Covers Me for Life"
which I think will support very nicely a message about knowing for sure about your salvation and knowing that you are secure in your salvation (Covers Me for Life).

I'll be looking for you Sunday morning.

Come, Just As You Are to Worship

"Come, now is the time to worship.

Come, now is the time to give your heart.

Come, just as you are to worship.

Come, just as you are before your God.

Come."

Some people interpret this to mean that you can show up for worship in your shorts and flip flops - you know, just as you are when you were out mowing the lawn.

This is bad theology. Our great, holy God deserves and requires our best in worship. If you look at the Old Testament worship the singers were paid like the priests were so they could devote themselves to worship and preparing to lead in worship. They washed themselves and put on clean clothes before they entered the temple to show that they were coming before God with pure and clean hearts.

What "come as you are" means is that you don't have to be sinless and "good enough" to come to God. He takes us as we are then makes us "new creations." 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Many people use the excuse "I can't come to church, you don't know what all I have done" or "I'm not good enough." This is exactly what this song is speaking about. Don't use not being ready or good or smart or holy or whatever as an excuse. Come as you are to worship. God is the one who will change you and make you into the person you need to be.

What this doesn't mean is that you show up to Sunday morning worship with a cup of coffee and the morning paper in your bathrobe and house shoes. The God of the universe, the great I AM deserves better from you.

Does this mean you need to show up in a three piece suit and a $100 silk tie every week? I don't think so. What would you wear to see the President of the United States? You might be a little more casual if he were a personal friend, but you still wouldn't present yourself at the White House in ratty jeans and a holey t-shirt. The attitude of the heart is what is important, but the attitude of the heart is often reflected in outward appearance. Only you and God can judge your heart, but our casual, try to be sloppier than your neighbor culture shouldn't carry over into sloppy flipant attitudes in worship.

I'm not going to tell you how you should present yourself before God when you come to Him in a corporate worship service. I think if you are honest with yourself and with God you'll know. Obviously there is considerable more that could be - and perhaps should be said about this, but I like to get my readers started thinking and let them sort through things themselves. I'd be interested in your comments.

My original thought for this post was to list Sunday's order of worship for you. So, here it is.

September 27, 2009 AM

Come, Now Is the Time to Worship
Crown Him with Many Crowns

Fellowship song – Your Grace Is Enough

Choir – My Offering

Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Made Me Glad

Special Music – Shannon Jones

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation – Change My Heart, O God

Baptism – (9:45)

Closing & Announcements – Bro. Tony Lewis

As the Deer and Sunday, September 6, 2009

Hahaha! I always like to add a picture to my posts (for my friends who just look at the pictures - you know who you are) and so I searched for "As the Deer" and it ended up that the picture I clicked on was from my own music blog! http://bearhollowmusic.blogspot.com/2008/02/as-deer.html How funny is that? I guess I like this picture.

September 6, 2009 AM

Everlasting God
Fellowship Song – Jesus Saves
Mighty to Save

Choir anthem – Our God Saves

As the Deer
Higher Ground
Draw Me Close

Special Music – Tyson Harris

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation – I Surrender All

Singing with Understanding - Sunday, June 7

I think we worship better and sing better when there is understanding of why we are singing what we are singing.

It reminds me of when the Apostle Paul wrote this to the Corinthians.
"What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with my understanding. "1 Corinthians 14 :15 (HCSB)

Read This Chapter

Here is what we will be singing Sunday morning.

Holy, Holy, Holy – CH 3 (D) V1, V3
Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord – PW2 # 57 (D) C,V,C,V
Holy, Holy, Holy – V4
Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord – C, E

I love putting these two songs together. The third verse of "Holy, Holy, Holy" says, "Though the eyes of sinful man Thy glory may not see." Which to me is the perfect lead in for us to sing "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord." Then, as a response to that request - and as we join all of creation in singing "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea."

Prayer – Bro. Lyndel Littleton

Choir Anthem – Prepare Ye the Way

Welcome – Dr. Larry D. Robertson
Welcome song – Friend of God

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Music for March 1

March 1, 2009 AM

Sing to the King
O Worship the King
Sing to the King

Prayer – Bro. Lyndel Littleton

Choir Anthem – Lord, You’re Holy
Chief Louise Kelton – soloist

Welcome – Dr. Larry D. Robertson
Recognition of Public Servants – police, fire, EMT, etc.

Welcome song – Friend of God

Children’s sermon – Bro. Tim Muñoz

It Is Well
Made Me Glad

Special music – Chief Louise Kelton

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation – Change My Heart, O God

Offertory – Wind and Fire – Shout to the Lord

Announcements & Benediction – Bro. Tim Munoz

Sunday's Music - Nov. 2

Wow! November. There are five Sundays this November. The last one is the first Sunday of Advent. Yes, you read that correctly. Four weeks from Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent.

It was kind of fun freaking out everyone last year by introducing and Advent Wreath. Bro. Tim and I have had them at churches in the past and both thought it would be a nice addition to our worship here. I'll post a funny advent story later. I've distracted myself from the purpose of this post - Sunday's music.

I picked the first two songs because of Tuesday being election day.
O God, Our Help in Ages Past (this is the one with the nice new chorus added to the old hymn)
You Are God Alone (see a video of this song here http://hilldaleworship.blogspot.com/2008/09/you-are-god-alone.html )

for the welcome we are singing Rock of Ages (not grandma's version, the one by Rita Baloche)



For the Beauty of the Earth (again, not the old hymn, but a gorgeous song I first heard at Willow Creek) We have a beautiful Autumn slide show to go with this one.
Who Can Satisfy?

Sunday's Music - the rest of the morning - Sept. 21

September 21, 2008 AM

Everlasting God

How Great Is Our God

Prayer – Bro. Lyndel Littleton

Choir anthem – The Solid Rock

Welcome – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Welcome Song – Lord, I Lift Your Name on High

I Stand Amazed in the Presence

Above All

Special Music – Traci, Laughrie, Pat and Jimmy

Sermon – Dr. Jim Henry

Invitation – Just As I Am

Offertory – Gena Tate

Baptism – Bro. Tim Muñoz (10:30) Jean Woodall
Nathan and Jennifer Kerr

Announcements & Benediction – Bro. Tony Lewis