Revelation of Praise

So this past Sunday I had the joy of leading worship at a small church that meets in a local YMCA.   It's a sweet body of believers who worship God and live life together.    The pastor preaches with a passion and an urgency that compels you not only to listen, but to really dive deeper into the word.  I have found that each time I am asked to lead worship there, the Lord speaks very clearly to my heart.   Something specific that I really needed to hear or be reminded of.   This week was no exception.      

To be vulnerable for a minute, something I struggle with from time to time as a musician, singer/songwriter, (and I am guessing I am not the only one), is that feeling of why.   Why does a song matter if no one hears it?  Why can't I get more doors to open?  Why can't I achieve this goal, or that marker?  The plague of questions and lies that are no doubt a scheme of the enemy that keep us distracted from the true point....the true purpose.   Yet despite knowing this, they still find their way into my thoughts.     I have been praying lately for the Lord to use me.  Asking Him to show me His plan for the gifting He gave me, and so clearly called me too.   Have you ever prayed those prayers?  Felt unsure about your calling within music/ministry?    Maybe you already have a strong ministry or a confirmed call you are walking out each day....either way it is good to be reminded of the reality of what we do on a spiritual level.    
The church is working their way through Revelation, and this Sunday they went through Revelation 5.   This chapter reveals how John sees, in his vision, a scroll, which contains the future and hope of creation.  Sealed with 7 seals.   The chapter goes on to tell of the one who was able to open the scroll.     Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the only one worthy or able to open the scroll.    
Revelation 5:8-14 says
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign[b] on the earth.”

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

¹⁴ The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The scroll being open, means hope for us.   We were purchased by Jesus, for God Himself.   That we could be one with the creator.   And this news, this glorious revelation, led the elders to worship.   With harp and song.  Worshiping with song was not only their immediate reaction to the reality of salvation but it was a worthy and just response.   The glory and majesty of what was done for us led those already in heaven into a place of worship.   And this shows us just how precious worship is in heaven.   It is an event that is going on even now as I write this.   And I heard the Lord say to me as 

the pastor delved into these truths, "I have given you the ability to experience what is happening in heaven right now, on earth through worship.   To have a true encounter with me through a heavenly activity.   And to help others experience this as you lead".   This floored me.    The idea that the Lord would give a gift like this to His children.    It has in many ways changed my view of worship.   And of music.    I believe the enemy knows and understands just how much power and value there is in Worship.   He has experienced it first hand and that is why he tries so very hard to stop us.   To discourage us, or to distort what music means to us.   No matter who hears it, or how many people are in the room, or how many downloads you get for a song, you are engaging in heavenly activity.    Lifting up your voice with a new song, a new word....bringing glory to Him who sits on the throne....joining the angels and those who have gone before us is an honor, a privilege, and a true way to bring praise to the king.  The question pastor Chuck asked us that has had me thinking for the last few days was this...If the angels and the elders, who have experienced worship in heaven with the Savior, were in the room with us during worship, what would they be thinking?    Do we worship as ones who have been saved and redeemed the way the elders did as Revelation tells us, when they saw the Lamb of God take and open the scroll?   Is it our first reaction to His grace, His mercy and forgiveness?   Do we worship as children, heirs of the King of Kings?  As ones experiencing heaven on earth?...or do we worship as a formality of praise.    An obligation of our faith.   Has worship become a habit or a work?   Perhaps the gifting isn't even really about success at all....Perhaps the gifting is about the revelation of praise.   The rest is just the earthly ways He uses a heavenly calling.   Until we get to heaven we may never fully know the magnitude and power of worshiping our Lord, but until we do...I want to experience the fullness of His presence.   I want to experience heaven on earth.  

Wait a minute, What?

Doubt="A feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction".

An event took place today that caused me a great deal of doubt.   The event itself, rather small.    Not a big deal and not even something that would phase most people.   But to me, for some reason today, it felt huge.     It was something I had been praying about, and even though it wasn't the answer I was looking for, it was an answer.   And while I immediately recognized that, I still felt a rush of doubt.    A wave of almost overwhelming uncertainty.     I spent the next few hours in a battle between wanting to believe it was the Lord's guiding hand and feeling a bit like a door closing that I wasn't ready to see shut.    Driving home I prayed.   And Prayed.   I found myself questioning the Lord, questioning His purpose and plan.    I began to feel myself falling into the rabbit hole of questioning more then was really appropriate for the actual event that took place....does that ever happen to you?  Something small turns into something big because of a tiny seed of doubt?  
 Then I started thinking about that word....Doubt.     What does it mean exactly.    And how I can see the enemy using it so well to try and undo the truth and conviction I hold so close.     It occurred to me that one of the enemies best tools is to cause us to doubt that which the Lord calls us to, or moves us from.    What better way to stop us from moving forward, or walk in power and authority then to get us to question that very power and authority in our lives, and stop us in our tracks.   What better way to silence the effects of a miracle or dull the joy of a triumph, then to get us thinking there was never anything to celebrate.    Obedience comes with adversity.   That adversity is the first place where doubt creeps in.  "Why would I be experiencing this hardship if I am following the Lord's calling?"   "Shouldn't this be easy if it's right?"    "Maybe I should have stayed where it was comfortable".    I have found in my life, the biggest doubts have hit in the places where it hurt the most.  The places that reach the deepest parts of me and who I am.    As a musician, songwriter, singer....doubt has plagued me all my life.    "Maybe I should have sang that other song?" Or, "Maybe they didn't like my melody?" or even "Maybe I should not have moved to Nashville?"   Doubts that distract and pull my focus from that which I know to be true.   God placed a calling on my life and it is not my job to determine what that calling is or how it will be used.    It is a calling, and it will be used.
Those doubts get in the way....they tell me I am not good enough, talented enough, working hard enough.    that maybe I misread what the Lord has called me to do.   I can't help but think that the enemy has it out for musicians.   he was after all the Lead worship leader before his fall.  He knows how we think.   He knows that we tend to walk with fear of rejection and doubt about the gifting's we possess.   He knows how easy it is to get us to compare ourselves to one another success or level of talent.   All along trying to keep us from the truth that can come when those gifting's are surrendered to the purposes of the King.  He knows it does not take much to get us thinking that we don't have what it takes, or can't compete with all the other musicians/songwriters/singers.    We cannot let the enemy stop us.    He wants to make us an ineffective weapon.   He wants to remove the blade from our sword so that we cannot fight.  i even find myself doubting the very words I write here tonight.     But I know this.   I know this truth above all else.    God's grace is sufficient.    And the Lord knows.   He knows our struggles, He knows our pain.  He knows our fears and deepest insecurities.   He is our safe place.   And to Him, we can surrender that which we can't control.    Knowing that, just as the word says in Philippians 1:6 "being confidant of this, that He who his begun a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." We have the promise of His faithfulness.   The promise of His mercy.   No amount of doubt changes that truth.    So when the enemy whispers words of doubt over the calling of the Lord, whatever that calling may be,  hold on to the character of God.   His faithfulness and His unchanging nature.    
Psalm 33:1-4
"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.  Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him on the ten stringed lyre.  Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.  For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does."