It can be said that the story of the bible can be summarised as a battle over worship. The people of Israel were commanded many times to put the worship of God at the centre of their lives. They were to regularly gather together to hold feasts of worship, to sing, dance, shout and play musical instruments to the Lord.
Read MoreI was at a song writing retreat a few years back and there was a speaker giving a talk before we started writing. He was trying to get us to open up our creative minds and think outside the box.
Read MoreAs worshippers we want to be ready to worship with gladness, and sing our joyful songs at all times but as God’s people we are spiritually forgetful. We lose sight of God’s goodness and our secure position in Him is too easily eroded. When this happens releasing a song of worship might not come freely but there is a way that works, a journey we can choose.
Read MoreIt’s amazing to think that God has chosen us. Before we were born God had set us apart to be His special possession, so that we may declare the praises of God. We were born to worship God! When we worship Him we soon realise that this is what we were made to do!
Read MoreOne of my early memories is climbing into the back seat of our family car and watching my dad start it up – from outside the vehicle! He would pick up a steel crank handle from the car floor, walk around and engage the end in a slot in the front of the engine.
Read MoreIf you’ve ever been on an aeroplane when it starts it’s descent, you’ll know how tiny people can look on the ground. Even bodybuilders can appear tiny. When we think about how humongous the universe is, we are but a spec so isn’t it amazing that God still sees us?
Read MoreOver the last three years, I have found myself clinging to this passage continually. I’ve been a musician, singer and songwriter since my teenage years. All of my adult life (up until baby three) I have been upfront, leading worship, writing songs, travelling, working for churches and leading teams.
Read MoreThe world of music has navigated some climatic change over the last fifteen years. I’m going to tip my age, but my first real job was managing a record store. A real record store! Well, actually it was 1990 and the vinyl album had been usurped by the compact disc…
Read MoreI personally love creation, it reminds me of how great and majestic the creator is. Every time I see the sun rise or set, I’m reminded and stirred to be grateful for His unfailing love. I don’t know about you, but there is something about mornings and evenings…
Read MoreAll of the great revivals in this country happened when prayer, social justice and worship overlapped – William Wilberforce helped legally end slavery in the UK, William and Mary Booth set up the Salvation Army to help the poor, two old ladies praying together started the Hebridean revival.
Read More‘You need to sing.’ I imagine you’d expect a statement like that from a devotional series like this or from your worship pastor, musical friends and the like. Singing is one of my favourite things to do.
Read MoreIf you are reading this then my guess is you already spend quite a bit of time worshipping at church, or listening to worship music. As often as I can I try to remind myself why we worship. Knowing the ‘why’ stops it becoming a mindless routine.
Read MoreKing Jehoshaphat was 35 years old. For much of his reign he’d worked hard to protect the people of Judah from enemy invasion. But now he was to face his toughest challenge yet. Numerous armies, vast in number, were fast approaching with the sole intent of causing mass death and destruction.
Read MoreThis interaction happened the day after Jesus fed the five thousand, and the crowds had followed Him to the other side of the lake. They had just seen Jesus do this amazing miracle the day before and they wanted to see more…
Read MoreI’ve been so struck recently by the Message translation in Psalm 16 where the psalmist writes ‘My choice is you, God, first and only’. Isn’t that a beautiful picture of what worship is about? In a culture where we have never been surrounded by so many choices and faced with so many decisions…
Read MoreStaying motivated in life can be hard. I’m writing this at the end of January and the New Year’s resolutions are quickly fading for us all. The new exercise regime is replaced by the old sofa once more.
Read MoreI recently visited a church in a small beach town here in Australia, and when worship began it was hard not to notice that the worship leader was leading like someone else. From her appearance to the way she sang and even her unique expressions of worship…
Read MoreIt’s essential to remember that our worship has to look like Jesus. If you take a quick glance at the heavenly throne room, as described a few times in scripture, it reflects Jesus brilliantly.
Read MoreOf all the interesting human characters in the Bible, I am most intrigued by King David. Not because of his pure ingenuity in penning some of the most beautiful and fascinating psalms; not because of his interesting personality…
Read MoreThe morning I wrote Nothing Else with two other friends was a defining, about-face moment for my life. The season leading up to that moment was full of frustration from unmet expectations and disappointments.
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