Acts 16:25-31

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…”

What a great story of the power of God! Paul and Silas were facing dire circumstances and yet the continued to sing their praise to God. Our God is so gracious that he showered his love upon them and set them free because they were worshiping. Think about that. Worship is meant to be us giving our love and service to God and yet he responds! When we get “praise” from people do we respond by blessing them? God does!

No matter you are going through in your life, he can set you free! Just keep worshiping him with all that you are.

In my life, I have been undergoing many tests and doctor visits trying to figure out where my pain is coming from. I have numbness and pain in my arm and shoulder. I have been extremely distracted by everything. God gave me clarity this week and gave me a song. We are called to be free not only from sin but also distractions. Here are the lyrics to the song that we will be singing this Sunday during service. Please read it over and meditate on God’s great freedom.

Free
Jon Gerten/Kris Tarkiewicz

E C#m A
We come before You
E A
With hearts filled with praise
E C#m A
We bow before You
C#m A
And we come just as we are

E C#m A
we all have distractions
E A
We all have pain
E C#m A
we’ve all been sinners
C#m A
but you created us to be

E
Free in You presence
C#m A
We are Free in Your strength
F#m
You’ve broken our chains
E/G# A
and set the captives free
B E/G#-C#m-A
Praise to the King

C#m E/G# A B
We give thanks to the One who sets us free
C#m E/G# A B
We glorify the King above all Kings…..We are (chorus)

1 John 4:9-11

1 John 4:9-11
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

What encouraging words! When i read through this verse this past week it automatically flooded my mind with the greatness of God. It also reminded me of a song I wrote for the worship CD i recorded. I wrote the song based on a verse that was used on a Sunday sermon. It is similar to this 1 John passage. Love is so much more than just words. I believe that worship is the same. Worship is an extension of our love to our God. So if we are just saying the words and not living it out…does it really count? God showed us love by sacrifice. What have we sacrificed for God lately? Just something to challenge yourself with this week leading up to our corporate worship this Sunday morning. I know it is challenging me. Go ahead and listen to this song and meditate on what you can sacrifice to the Lord in love to show that you love him and get beyond the “word service” of worship. Just click the link below.

http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/song_2521051

Job 8:20-21

Job 8:20-21 (New International Version)

20 “Surely God does not reject a blameless man
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.

21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.

Job is this guy who has literally everything taken away from him. God allows his family, possession, livelihood and more to be ripped away from him. His friends tell him he has done something wrong so he needs to make amends. He takes the stance that he is going to worship God regardless of his circumstances. I cannot fathom being in his shoes and reacting the way he does.
We all may be having hard times due to economic, relational, physical, mental circumstances. Are we able to worship God through it all? This is our worship scripture this week and we are singing about worshiping through trials. Lets prepare our hearts and know that God is in control at all times and he deserves our praise even when we do not feel like it.