Work and Worship

It appears Rick Warren shares my view that worship is our whole of life response to the goodness of God. Worship is hard work and hard work is worship.

Worship is our first responsibility to God, yet most church members don't understand it. For many, worship is just a synonym for music. They say, “At our church we have the worship first, and then the teaching.” Or they think of worship as something for their benefit. As pastors, we often receive notes that say, “I loved the worship today. I got a lot out of it.” Others associate worship with ceremonies, candles, and communion or healing, miracles, and ecstatic experiences.

Yet all of these ideas fall short. Worship is far more than praising, singing, and praying to God. We worship God by enjoying him. C.S. Lewis said, “In commanding us to glorify him, God is inviting us to enjoy him.”

Read more about real worship at our Free worship music site.

Piano Music for From Footprints

From Footprints I've just produced a piano arrangement for this lovely haunting song. So if your keyboard player can't work from a lead sheet, this should solve your problems...

God of Wonders or God of Blunders?

God of Wonders or God of Blunders?: "God of Blunders?"

My church has decided to introduce the song “God of Wonders” by Marc Byrd and Steve Hindalong. Here’s what writer Steve Hindalong (from 80’s Christian rock band “The Choir” says about the song:

When Marc played the chord progression and melody, it felt really big. I kind of got a chill-I got goose bumps on my arms. I just thought, 'This song needs to be big, with really vast language.' So 'God of wonders beyond our galaxy' was as big as I could think.

You can read the story of the song at http://www.integritymusic.com/worship/story/0903.html


While this song is one of the most recorded “worship” songs in modern history (around 100 versions), when I first heard it, it rang alarm bells for me. Having sat down and analysed it carefully, the concerns remain. But I also have to admit I like playing it. I’m not the only one. Award winning Aussie writer Colin Buchanan (who is normally VERY careful) has recorded a version – while changing a few words. So does it matter? Am I being a Pharisee? Read on and decide for yourself.

No Regrets

Vain Regret -- Daily "Lessons on Living" Christian Devotional: "As Christians, we must live so as to minimize regrets. And when we experience them, we should be quick to ask for God's forgiveness and for forgiveness from those we wrong. Let's live by the Galatians 6:10 principle: 'Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.'

Live thoughtfully today and you won't have to live regretfully tomorrow."

My thoughts

Too many people spend their twilight years regretting missed opportunities, poor choices, honest mistakes, and frank sin. Yes, we should regret, and face the consequences of our wrongs, minor, or serious. However that doesn't mean we should be paralysed by them.

It is NEVER too late. Sure the person we offended may have died. We may have lost contact with the person we need to reconcile with. But forgiveness is for US as well as them.

We can claim and experience God's forgiveness. We can forgive others, even if they do not, or cannot respond. We can, with God's help, change the inner conditions that created the problem and move forward. Even in old age, we can pursue our dreams. Never give up, because it's never too late.

Respecting Your Elders -- Daily "Lessons on Living" Christian Devotional

As I read my daily devotion, I was struck by this comment.

As we deal with the elderly, we must do so with patience and compassion. Most of them have made significant sacrifices to raise their families, to defend their country and to make an honest living. In their golden years they deserve to be treated with respect.

If you have elderly parents, take time to be involved in their lives. Listen to their stories (even if you’ve heard then a hundred times before); sympathize with their aches and pains; look for opportunities to make their lives a little easier. If your parents are no longer alive, perhaps there is an elderly neighbor or someone at church who could benefit from your attention. We are not judged by how we treat the strong and powerful but by how we respect the weak and helpless. Besides, having made an investment of time and interest in an elderly person, you may discover that the return on your investment was greater than the investment itself.

Treat the elderly as a nonrenewable resource; they are!


Have you been out of touch with your parents? Today is the day to give them a call. Send them a letter or drop in and visit. If there are fences to mend, get your repair kit out before its too late.

Don't let Mike Rutherford's Living Years be your story.