We have a saying in the south that sometimes you can jump “out of the frying pan and into the fire.” I’ve had some friends recently who have demonstrated incredible faith in the middle of “frying pan” situations. That’s why this post is called “frying pan faith”. I’d like to share some of their stories here.

I had a friend who had a miscarriage this week. We’ve been praying with and for them for the last few weeks and asking God to work out this pregnancy according to His plan and ultimately believing Him for life for this child. My wife received an email update after we had heard what was going on. This mother, who had just lost a child, sent out an email extolling the virtues of God’s sovereignty. Saying things like, “we trusted in God to do what’s best” and “we have peace”.

My Mom has been a stalwart of faith through this process of fighting cancer. She has seemed to find an even stronger grip on her faith than I’ve seen before. There is such a trust in God to not only do what’s best, but a sense of peace to wait on Him to see it play out.

Another friend of mine who unexpectedly lost his job two weeks ago volunteered his butt off this week for our VBS. To know what they were going through as a family with kids heading off to college and uncertainty certainly looming in the background, and that he was here EVERY day of the VBS and made it his goal to make an impact in the lives of others and trust in God for providing for him was just incredible! It reminds me of the verse “seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.”

I’ve been completely moved and motivated by what I’ve seen out of these people and they way they deal with devastating news with a sense of trust and faith that is supernatural. It seems like we are always hearing of someone turning to drugs, alcohol, adultery or some other form of self-destructive activity to help ease their pain. I’m thankful that I’m surrounded by people that know where to look when difficult times come. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and they are saved“-Proverbs 18:10

It is amazing to me how these stressful moments in life can be so clarifying for us. When life seems to be falling apart, God seems to bring such focus to our lives about what matters. My prayer is that I will live my life with frying pan faith; knowing that there is no situation too difficult to trust God in and through.

Last night I had the opportunity to share with 20+ Jr. High students about worship. I had planned to talk about the “why, how and where” of worship, but instead felt impressed to share that there is purpose and significance to worship. It was a great time of sharing filled with some fun moments. Here’s a little of what we shared:

• Worship is about more than singing good songs-There is an invisible world beyond the one that we know. We acknowledge it in our talk of the life after this one and need to acknowledge it in the now and know that invisible things are happening when we worship.
• Worship stops the enemy (2 Chronicles 20:22)
• It invites His presence (Psalms 22:3)-To this point we talked particularly about how, according to this scripture, God brings His Kingdom rule when we praise. I talked about the “rules” my parents had when I was a kid. The way things are done in the Herod house and that when we worship we invite God to set up His “rules”. To come into where we are and dictate His pattern of doing things.
• Worship is the activity of eternity (Revelation 4)-When we worship we tap into the eternal stream of worship happening in heaven.

I tried encouraging the kids that if they could grasp that worship was about more than the song, more than a moment, but carried purpose and significance for their life they could receive a passion for the worship of God. I always love the opportunity to share worship with the next generation. Psalm 145:4 says; “One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.” Living out that Scripture is one of my life’s passions. I would encourage you to find someone from another generation and recount God’s goodness to them.

On a side note, I’d like to ask everyone to pray for my Mom. She has lymphoma and is going to have to go through some more treatment for it. I’m a little low on the faith-o-meter this morning and would love to know that others are joining with me in believing for God’s healing to overtake her body. We serve a God whose Name is above EVERY other name. Thanks…adam

Today I’m posting a document that I sent out to our team worship leaders a few months back. I have a personal process that I walk through about every 6 months and thought I’d share it with them. Here’s basically a cut and paste of the email I sent out. I’d love to hear how you review what God is doing in your life.

I just wanted to walk you all through the process I go through on a regular basis with myself. Thinking through these questions should help us all learn more about where God has us and has us doing.

1. Reevaluate

• Review what God has done in your area of ministry.
• Where have you seen positive progress?
• Where would you like to see more improvement?
• How can I help you in this process?
• Review songs for retirement
• Is there a song, or songs, that you over use?
• (One of mine has been “Meet With Me”. I love that song a little too much for other people’s good. I have to “retire” songs to prevent myself from that.)
• Retiring a song forces us as worship leaders to be more proactive in finding new or lesser-used songs to keep our worship expressions fresh.
• Review your team
• Where are your strengths and weaknesses as a team?
• What positions could be filled on your team?
• Where can we build a sense of family on our teams?
• Review yourself
• What has God taught you this last year?
• What do you feel like God is speaking to you about your team?
• Am I where He wants me to be?

2. Re-Up

• Recommit yourself to what God has called you to do and whom He’s called you to
• lead.
• Decide to stay creative instead of complacent.
• Fight the urge to stick with the status quo.

3. Reverence

• Once you reevaluate and re-up, reverence the holy calling that you have to
• lead others into God’s presence.
• Take time to be thankful to God for the opportunities He’s afforded you.

4. Respect

• Respect those God has placed in authority and given voice to in and over your area of ministry. (i.e. Pastors, fellow Worship Leaders, Elders)

I hope this will be helpful to us all in reviewing and renewing our commitment to lead our church family in worship. Please let me know how I can be a servant to you in your area of ministry. Let’s grow together…adam

It’s a cloudy, dreary, rainy day here. Not one of the best days to live near a beach. During a prayer, our (great) Children’s Director was praying and she said:

“Lord. Thank You for the rain. Help us to see what the rain brings. Help us to see the results, not just the dreariness and darkness.”

I thought about all the past and present storms in my life. If only I could take that perspective to “look past the rain” and see the results that it is going to bring. It is so easy to focus on the now circumstance and no further.

Father help me today to see past the storm and find the growth and beauty that Your rain is bringing in my life.

Here’s the last installment on Psalm 138. I’ll have a blog up early next week about something family/worship oriented. Please feel free to leave some comments on your thoughts on Psalm 138.

“Though the Lord is on high, He looks upon the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar. Though I walk through the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes, with Your right hand You save me. The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O Lord, endures forever-do not abandon the works of Your Hand.”~~Psalm 138:6-9

So, the worshiper moves from a personal choice to worship, to a cry for justice, to a personal prayer. He first acknowledges the Lord’s elevated state and then articulates one of the great mysteries of Diety. That God “looks upon the lowly”. Isn’t it amazing that God takes time to look on us? I find great comfort in this. Knowing that He walks with me in trouble, preserves my life and reproofs the anger of my enemies. What an amazing God.

One interesting warning here is that while God looks on the lowly He “knows the proud from afar”. The psalmist was again looking back to Solomon’s wisdom. This time in Proverbs 3:34:

“The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Sidebar-This is an important point for worship leaders in particular. As musical people we are more naturally inclined to egotism and should be doubly on guard for this. God not only “sees the proud from afar”, but the scripture further teaches that He is in opposition to those that are filled with pride. That’s why Peter preceded his quote of this proverb with “Clothe yourselves in humility toward one another, because…” (1 Peter 5:5) God forbid us from walking in the “I’m better than they are” mentality and competitiveness in worship that actively blocks the Lord’s favor and presence.–Sidebar End

Verse seven is one of my favorites in this passage. This exiled and belittled worshiper realizes that God is not finished! He will accomplish His purpose. The psalmist recognizes, and relishes, God’s authoritative plan and reason for this season of his walk. That the love of God endures forever regardless of what present circumstances would seem to say.

This worshiper sets the tone for those of us who find ourselves suffering under the hands of the unjust. First we choose to worship, then we pray for those causing the trouble, prophesy over them and find our conclusive peace in the fact that God has not forgotten us.

As I’ve studied this passage I am very grateful that they left the last line in. “Do not abandon the work of Your hands.” After this empowering worship time, the worshiper is still checking to make sure that God is still there. I love to see the humanity of the writers of the Psalms. One moment he is prophesying the release from exile and a few verses later reminding God not to forget about him. That makes me feel a little more normal.