Out of the Heart
I believe that everyone has a song to sing not just the Worship Team Members. For too long we have made them a club of superstars in the church where they do the singing and they do the worshipping. It is time for worship to rise up out of the congregation. It is happening and I believe we will see it more and more. Now don’t get me wrong I know there is a place for the worship team but it needs to be a place of facilitation not a place of being above the rest. Worship comes from the heart to know that we just need to look at the Word of God.
Matthew 12:33-37
“33Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt. For from the fruit the tree is known. 34Offspring of vipers! how can ye speak good things, being wicked? For of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man out of the good treasure brings forth good things; and the wicked man out of the wicked treasure brings forth wicked things. 36But I say unto you, that every idle word which men shall say, they shall render an account of it in judgment-day: 37for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Darby Translation
I’m starting with this passage because I believe that it has an important key to our journey into worshipping from the heart. Jesus is teaching here and speaking to the Pharisees of His time. He is using fruit trees as an example by telling them that they need to choose this day who they will serve. Either we serve the devil or serve God but don’t expect good to come out of a heart that is filled with hatred and jealousy and all kinds of dark things.
This is true when we worship if our hearts are not filled with Him then what comes out is empty words, we are not able to trump up worship or work it till it comes. Either we are filled with love for our King or we are filled with love for ourselves. We can’t have it both ways. As Jesus said that out of the mouth comes the abundance of our hearts. Sometimes when leading worship you see people shifting about, looking bored and not really getting into the worship. You start to question yourself, am I not hearing God is the song wrong, then you look again and others are worshipping and praying and all out communing with their God why? Out of the mouth comes the abundance of the heart. I’m sorry if this offends but if our hearts are not filled with such a hunter to worship our King we will not get into the worship time because it’s not inside of us.
I know I’ve heard it before, well Pastor I’m worshipping on the inside I just don’t show it. The Bible says to show it so the world knows who God is. If it’s not coming out on the outside then you need to pray for God to melt a heart of stone and turn it into a heart of flesh yearning to worship. God is looking for those who would worship Him in Spirit and in Truth are you going to be one of those? Am I? We need to ask God to search our hearts deep within and pull out the roots that have blocked us from worshipping. Let Him begin to heal wounds and tear out strongholds until we are set free to worship.
How far are we willing to go to see God move? Will we chase after God and His Kingdom no matter what the cost? These are legitimate questions we have to start asking ourselves. God is calling His people to rise up and be counted what will your answer be? In John it talks about what God is looking for let’s take a look at it.
John 4:23-24: “23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” KJV
Now the hour is that true worshippers will worship God in Spirit and in truth. Abandoning all that would separate us or take up our time and giving all we are and have to Jesus. Will you say Yes Lord I’ll go where you want me to go?
What does this have to do with worshipping God from the heart it has everything to do with it. Obedience is greater than sacrifice to our God look it up in 1st Samuel 15:21-23: “ 21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal. 22And Samuel said, Has Jehovah delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, As in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, Attention than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is [as] the sin of divination, And selfwill is [as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He hath also rejected thee from being king.” Darby Translation. Public Domain
Is what we are doing in the Worship services for our benefit or is it for the benefit of the King of Kings. If we are not walking in love, if we are being disobedient to what God has told us, if we are holding offence we are incapable of worshipping God in spirit and truth. Don’t just believe me let’s look it up.
Matthew 5:20-26 tells us all about it:
20For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpass [that] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
21Ye have heard that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not kill; but whosoever shall kill shall be subject to the judgment.
22But *I* say unto you, that every one that is lightly angry with his brother shall be subject to the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be subject to [be called before] the sanhedrim; but whosoever shall say, Fool, shall be subject to the penalty of the hell of fire.
23If therefore thou shouldest offer thy gift at the altar, and there shouldest remember that thy brother has something against thee,
24leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go, be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25Make friends with thine adverse party quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest some time the adverse party deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26Verily I say to thee, Thou shalt in no wise come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing.” Darby Translation Public Domain
If we are truly seeking to sing to the Lord, sing the Song of the Lord or sing prophetically our lives must line up with what He is calling us to do. We need to be in the Word and soaking in the presence of our God daily. Take time to seek Him first every chance you get in your day to day routines and you will see the difference it will make.
You see I am writing this because I too am seeking to live a life of worship. This isn’t an article about just singing pretty songs it is about living a life so full of praise it causes the very foundations of prison walls to shake and shatter.
