A Different Twist On Happiness

“Whatever makes you happy!”

“I just want him to be happy!”

“Are you happy?”

We live in a culture that is focused on the pursuit of personal happiness.  We go after the next big promotion, the next big toy, the next big experience, the next big relationship, and the next big investment thinking to ourselves “This will bring me happiness!”  (Maybe it’s a big bowl of popcorn.)

My guess is these pursuits may bring us temporary happiness, but this feeling of euphoria eventually fades.

What if we thought about happiness from a different angle?

Last night, Leanne and I saw a new movie featuring Joe Boyd and Rebecca St. James, A Strange Brand Of Happy.  Before you get all excited, it wasn’t my favorite movie, but I did enjoy the date night experience with my wife (who loved the movie).  I won’t go into a major review here – that’s not the point of this post.  The movie did get me thinking about happiness.

Did you ever think that we might make God happy?

I’m not sure if I ever thought about it this way before.

Imagine with me for a minute that you are a parent (that’s not too difficult for many of us).  How do your kids bring you happiness?  For me, I’m happy when I see them using their gifts and talents.  For example, I’m happy when I watch Hannah run.  I’m happy when I see her using her unbelievable Spanish skills.  I’m happy when see her heart pouring out into her actions.  I’m happy when I hear Isaac playing the piano or trumpet.  I’m happy when I see him caring for others.  I’m happy when he just wants to be around me.

The movie suggests that we make God happy, and I think I get it.  When we are using our gifts and talents, we make God happy.  When we are operating in our area of passion, we make God happy.  When we just want to be around Him, we make God happy.  Maybe this is the kind of happiness we should be pursuing.

What do you think?  What makes you happy?  What are you doing today that brings God happiness?

What Does Worship Look Like?

Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care. 

Psalm 95:6-7

When you hear the word worship, what comes to mind?

I think of going to church and singing.  I think this is the answer that is drilled into our heads from an early age – not necessarily on purpose but by tradition.  I don’t think that answer is wrong, but I think it short sells worship – big time!

What does it look like for a leader to worship?

A leader is responsible for leading the way towards transformation.  Paul talks about transformation in the book of Romans, and he provides a glimpse of what it looks like for a leader to worship.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-2

Typically when I read these verses, I read about sacrifice and about transformation.  And I skip right over “this is your true and proper worship”.  If I’m reading this from a leaders perspective, I worship God when I give of myself sacrificially to serve and to lead others.  This didn’t say anything about going to church and singing.

So what is worship?

Of course, worship happens at church, but I think there’s so much more.

Worship is the way I live my life.  I worship God when I put Him first in everything I do.  I can worship God in my parenting, in my marriage, in my friendships, in my exercise, in my job, and even in my writing.

Our worship can be misdirected.  We easily get caught up in this culture of consumerism and celebrity.  We put movie stars and sports stars on pedestals.  We watch TV shows like American Idol (I like that show), Dancing With The Stars, and Celebrity Apprentice.  We are consumed with thoughts of greed – “I have to have this” or “I have to have that.”  This is all misdirected worship.

God says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  You shall have no other gods before Me.  You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”  Exodus 20:2-6

We have a choice to make.  We can allow the distractions of this world to hijack our attention – our worship.  Or we can choose today to worship God – at home, at church, at work, and throughout our lives.  What’s your choice?

What does worship look like for you today?  How do you worship God?

Worship

I am out of town on business this week.  This is a post from earlier this year that deserves a repost especially at this election decision time.  So many of us put our faith in politicians and other leaders.  Today’s post challenges readers to think about who they worship and how they worship.  What does worship look like for you?  I’d love to get your feedback!

Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care. 

Psalm 95:6-7

When you hear the word worship, what comes to mind?

I think of going to church and singing.  I think this is the answer that is drilled into our heads from an early age – not necessarily on purpose but by tradition.  I don’t think that answer is wrong, but I think it short sells worship – big time!

Yesterday, I had the privilege to be a part of a leader/facilitators meeting for a foundations class that is being rolled out at our church.  As we were discussing the leaders role in transformation, the following verse from Romans came up for discussion:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-2

Typically when I read these verses, I read about sacrifice and about transformation.  And I skip right over “this is your true and proper worship”.  If I’m reading this from a leaders perspective, I worship God when I give of myself sacrificially to serve and to lead others.  This didn’t say anything about going to church and singing.

So what is worship?

Of course, worship happens at church, but I think there’s so much more.

Worship is the way I live my life.  I worship God when I put Him first in everything I do.  I can worship God in my parenting, in my marriage, in my friendships, in my exercise, in my job, and even in my writing.

Our worship can be misdirected.  We easily get caught up in this culture of consumerism and celebrity.  We put movie stars and sports stars on pedestals.  We watch TV shows like American Idol (I like that show), Dancing With The Stars, and Celebrity Apprentice.  We are consumed with thoughts of greed – “I have to have this” or “I have to have that.”  This is all misdirected worship.

God says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  You shall have no other gods before Me.  You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”  Exodus 20:2-6

We have a choice to make.  We can allow the distractions of this world to hijack our attention – our worship.  Or we can choose today to worship God – at home, at church, at work, and throughout our lives.  What’s your choice?

What does worship look like for you today?  How do you worship God?

What Is Worship?

Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care. 

Psalm 95:6-7

When you hear the word worship, what comes to mind?

I think of going to church and singing.  I think this is the answer that is drilled into our heads from an early age – not necessarily on purpose but by tradition.  I don’t think that answer is wrong, but I think it short sells worship – big time!

Yesterday, I had the privilege to be a part of a leader/facilitators meeting for a foundations class that is being rolled out at our church.  As we were discussing the leaders role in transformation, the following verse from Romans came up for discussion:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-2

Typically when I read these verses, I read about sacrifice and about transformation.  And I skip right over “this is your true and proper worship”.  If I’m reading this from a leaders perspective, I worship God when I give of myself sacrificially to serve and to lead others.  This didn’t say anything about going to church and singing.

So what is worship?

Of course, worship happens at church, but I think there’s so much more.

Worship is the way I live my life.  I worship God when I put Him first in everything I do.  I can worship God in my parenting, in my marriage, in my friendships, in my exercise, in my job, and even in my writing.

Our worship can be misdirected.  We easily get caught up in this culture of consumerism and celebrity.  We put movie stars and sports stars on pedestals.  We watch TV shows like American Idol (I like that show), Dancing With The Stars, and Celebrity Apprentice.  We are consumed with thoughts of greed – “I have to have this” or “I have to have that.”  This is all misdirected worship.

God says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  You shall have no other gods before Me.  You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”  Exodus 20:2-6

We have a choice to make.  We can allow the distractions of this world to hijack our attention – our worship.  Or we can choose today to worship God – at home, at church, at work, and throughout our lives.  What’s your choice?

What does worship look like for you today?  How do you worship God?