So Many Books, So Little Time

I recently have stumbled upon many a book that I would like to read. So I am compiling a list of those books that I hope to finish within the year. So here it is:

Brian's Book List: The 2006 Edition

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (click here to read a review by Paul Podraza, Media Director at Mountaintop Church)

The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel

He's Been Faithful by Carol Cymbala

Everything Twentys

Wild at Heart by John Eldridge

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

i am not but i know I AM by Louie Giglio

Praise Habit by David Crowder

Emerging Worship by Dan Kimball

Wired - For A Life of Worship by Louie Giglio

Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell

The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus

Ok, this will do now for the first draft. It is getting LATE, and I am tired. Goodnight all! Please read and comment. Thanx!

Worship...so much more than music...

I have also been wanting to write about this for some time now. As Christians, worship is the center of all we do. It is sooooooo much more than singing. As a singer, I sometimes forget this, but God is always faithful and reminds me that He desires more than my voice. He desires/wants/deserves my ALL.

I recently bought a book that is geared towards 18-20somethings (lol...its a Mountaintop term). In the book, it discusses worship (I really like the way it describes it). Here are some things about worship from the book that I think EVERYONE should know (its not just for 18-20somethings):

Keyword: WORSHIP

"Worship is so often misunderstood. There's way too much mystery surrounding something that is completely central to our Christian experience. Scripture teaches us that geunine worhsip is balanced by two things: spirit and truth. John 4:1-26 gives an account of Jesus talking with a woman beside a well. While visiting with this woman, Jesus reveals the two things that balance worship: 'True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worhsipers' (John 4:23 NASB)."

SPIRIT
"We worship in sprit. Worship is not an intense set of mental gymnastics. It's an authentic experience with God. It's as real as two people sitting down over a cup of coffee [comment: tea preferably...will they have Passion Tea in Heaven??] and sharing the deepest parts of their hearts with each other. They each give part of themselve away and they each take somthing of the other away when they leave."

"Not only do we walk away from worhsip with deep personal benefits, but we also experience corporate benefits from worship. Worshipping with others gives us a unique connection with our brothers and sisters in Christ. And it keeps the church focused on God's love and purposes."

TRUTH
"Jesus said that we will worship God in truth. We focus our worship on the things the Bible tells us that Jesus did while he was on earth--his birth, life, death and burial, resurrection, and return to heaven. Jesus is always the subject and the object of our worship."

"Worship exposes who we really are to the purity and perfection of God. It makes us vulnerable. In this exposed position, God gently and lovingly shapes our character [comment: something Bill (my pastor) is teaching a sermon series on]. He [God] changes us on the inside so our behavior can also change."

"Worship connects us to the person of God. It intensifies our intimacy with Him. It places us in direct contact with the Creator and giver of life. In our worhship connection, we will experience firsthand the presence of God."

My comments:
So many times we get caught up in trifles concerning worship. Should worship music be upbeat or slow? Can we raise our hands and dance in the aisles, or should we be more reserved? Is genuine worship supposed to feel a certain way? How will we know when we have truly worshipped?--When we worship the Father in spirit and in truth. That is when we have genuinely worshipped our Creator.