Clear the Stage
This week has been hard for a lot of different reasons. I've been homesick, I've missed my strong friendships at home, and college became more real for some reason.
Despite it all, I have clung to the Lord really tightly. I've been playing Jimmy Needham songs nonstop this week. On Tuesday, "Clear the Stage" came on. I was brought to my knees in prayer and worship. I'll post the lyrics to the song below, but I realized I had, sort of, put my relationship with the Lord on the back burner for the first two weeks of college.
Yes, I said all the right things and did what I should, but it wasn't the overflow of my heart. Luckily, one of my friends called me out on it. I was really angry with them at first, but as the Lord softened my heart, I realized how thankful I am to have these sort of friendships.
Anyways, that song has literally not stopped playing on my phone, in my car, on my computer, and in my head since Tuesday. I wasn't really sure why the Lord was making this my anthem, but this morning, it all came together.
I've been church hopping, and I have fallen in love with Lakeview Baptist Church. This morning at their College Bible Study (and in the main worship service), we talked about authentic worship. Four of the main points that were brought up were:
1. False worship denies God
2. Misguided worship dishonors God
3. Lukewarm worship sickens God
4. True worship glorifies God
At the end of the service, there was a quote read to us. I don't remember who said it or what else it said, but at the end, it mentioned "If the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, then shouldn't the greatest sin be not to do so?" It rocked my world. How often do we go to church or do a quiet time out of obligation instead of out of hunger for the Lord? How often do we go to a service without expecting the Lord to move, when in reality He is constantly moving and if we leave unchanged, it wasn't true?
A lot of the times, we are modern day Pharisees. We look like we should, say what we should, and act like we should, while on the inside, we are white washed tombs. How can we authentically worship the Lord if we are comfortable with our idleness in worship?
I was acting like a modern day Pharisee; I was acting the way I was supposed to, but I was completely empty on the inside. Thanks to my close friend, my favorite song, and Lakeview, it has become evident to me the steps I need to take towards having authentic worship. College has been an interesting experience, but it's been incredible to see where the Lord has taken me and how much deeper our relationship has grown.
Lyrics- "Clear the Stage" by Jimmy Needham
Despite it all, I have clung to the Lord really tightly. I've been playing Jimmy Needham songs nonstop this week. On Tuesday, "Clear the Stage" came on. I was brought to my knees in prayer and worship. I'll post the lyrics to the song below, but I realized I had, sort of, put my relationship with the Lord on the back burner for the first two weeks of college.
Yes, I said all the right things and did what I should, but it wasn't the overflow of my heart. Luckily, one of my friends called me out on it. I was really angry with them at first, but as the Lord softened my heart, I realized how thankful I am to have these sort of friendships.
Anyways, that song has literally not stopped playing on my phone, in my car, on my computer, and in my head since Tuesday. I wasn't really sure why the Lord was making this my anthem, but this morning, it all came together.
I've been church hopping, and I have fallen in love with Lakeview Baptist Church. This morning at their College Bible Study (and in the main worship service), we talked about authentic worship. Four of the main points that were brought up were:
1. False worship denies God
2. Misguided worship dishonors God
3. Lukewarm worship sickens God
4. True worship glorifies God
At the end of the service, there was a quote read to us. I don't remember who said it or what else it said, but at the end, it mentioned "If the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, then shouldn't the greatest sin be not to do so?" It rocked my world. How often do we go to church or do a quiet time out of obligation instead of out of hunger for the Lord? How often do we go to a service without expecting the Lord to move, when in reality He is constantly moving and if we leave unchanged, it wasn't true?
A lot of the times, we are modern day Pharisees. We look like we should, say what we should, and act like we should, while on the inside, we are white washed tombs. How can we authentically worship the Lord if we are comfortable with our idleness in worship?
I was acting like a modern day Pharisee; I was acting the way I was supposed to, but I was completely empty on the inside. Thanks to my close friend, my favorite song, and Lakeview, it has become evident to me the steps I need to take towards having authentic worship. College has been an interesting experience, but it's been incredible to see where the Lord has taken me and how much deeper our relationship has grown.
Lyrics- "Clear the Stage" by Jimmy Needham
Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols
Jerk the pews & all the decorations, too
Until the congregations few, then have revival
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
Until you're broken for your sins, you can't be social
Then seek the Lord & wait for what He has in store
And know that great is your reward so just be hopeful
'Cause you can sing all you want to
Yes, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And still get it wrong;
worship is more than a song
Take a break from all the plans that you have made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper
Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open
Then read the Word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken
'Cause you can sing all you want to
Yes, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song
We must not worship something that's not even worth it
Clear the stage, make some space for the One who deserves it
Any thing I put, before my God, is an idol
Any thing I want, with all my heart, is an idol
Any thing I can't, stop thinking of, is an idol
Any thing that I, give all my love, is an idol
Cause I can sing all I want to
Yes I can, sing all I want to
And we can, sing all we want to
We can, sing all we want to
We can sing all we want to
And still get it wrong
Worship is more than a song
Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols
Jerk the pews & all the decorations, too
Until the congregations few, then have revival
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
Until you're broken for your sins, you can't be social
Then seek the Lord & wait for what He has in store
And know that great is your reward so just be hopeful
'Cause you can sing all you want to
Yes, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And still get it wrong;
worship is more than a song
Take a break from all the plans that you have made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper
Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open
Then read the Word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken
'Cause you can sing all you want to
Yes, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song
We must not worship something that's not even worth it
Clear the stage, make some space for the One who deserves it
Any thing I put, before my God, is an idol
Any thing I want, with all my heart, is an idol
Any thing I can't, stop thinking of, is an idol
Any thing that I, give all my love, is an idol
Cause I can sing all I want to
Yes I can, sing all I want to
And we can, sing all we want to
We can, sing all we want to
We can sing all we want to
And still get it wrong
Worship is more than a song
Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols
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