David & Ministry to the Lord: Songs of Revelation

David began his ministry to the Lord on the back-hills of Bethlehem with a harp and some sheep. No one saw his ministry at that point, except the Lord, and the lambs. He sang little songs and became a skillful player on the harp--so skillful, in fact, that he was called into the service of the king for his music. Not only was his music good, but it was anointed to drive away evil spirits (I Sam. 16:18-23).

But God saw the heart of David, and raised him up to be king. However, David never lost his heart to gaze on the beauty of the Lord, and dwell in His temple (Ps. 27:4).

David wrote hundreds of songs, as recorded in the book of Psalms. Many of these songs express David’s own emotions and struggles, and many express the emotions and heart of God. Reading the Psalms, one feels as though God was David’s best friend. David left us an example of how to pour out our emotions to God in worship, and receive God’s emotions in their place.

Furthermore, it is amazing the revelations of God David received in the place of worship to our Lord. He saw the beauty of the Lord (Ps. 24, 27); the Crucifixion of Christ (Ps 22), the revelation of the Shepherd (Ps. 23), the Second Coming (Ps. 2, 24, 110), and the restoration of Israel (Ps. 45-48).

Even as in David’s day, it is amazing what can happen when you place an instrument into the hands of a young worshipper and have them sing about truths of God. Revelation will come. The emotions of God will come. The young person will be transformed, and others will be brought into the presence of the Lord.

God, give us young worshippers with a heart like David in this generation!

Implementing the Five-Fold Ministry: Essential Life of Worship

There are so many valuable things learned from spending years serving at a House of Prayer. Watching a body of believers pursuing the Lord together as much as they can has made a lasting impact on my life. There are many reasons for a spirit of unity in the House of Prayer, and one of these elements is the centrality of worship.

When we see God for who He is, there are two responses that come. One, we realize our own lack in comparison to Him. Two, we express His worth and value back to Him. As we look at Him, we fall in love with who He is and we begin to take on portions of His attributes.

God has already told us what He is like through His Word. However, when we sing those truths back to Him, they become a part of our very identity. Facts that we knew in our head, now become realities in our hearts.

Thankfulness is absolutely essential to a life of worship, and it is difficult to be depressed when you sing. Remembering the goodness of God and allowing your heart to express gratitude will break off any yoke of oppression.

When a corporate body joins in unity to worship the beauty of Jesus, it is nearly impossible for their hearts to not become knit to one another. Praise from the upright is beautiful, and when we sing and worship God together, we cannot help but fall in love with one another.

True worship is not just song lyrics and melody lines, but it is an outward expression of an inward reality of adoration for the One who is glorious beyond words. Singing from our hearts to the Lord changes the atmosphere around us and changes our identity within us.

Worship will unite a group of believers to lay aside their differences and whole-heartedly pursue the Lord together. People will begin to care more about the glory of the Lord and about loving their brothers more than their own agenda. It is in this type of context that the five-fold ministry can find expression.

Being in a place for five years where the worship to Jesus never stops, I have been transformed by constantly singing truths of who God is. Also, I have seen the transformation of lives and the drawing together of hearts of believers. When a body of believers worships Jesus together continually, they cannot help but love God and love each other. For the five-fold ministry to truly function in a body, these elements are absolutely essential.