How long has it been since you worshipped God?  No, I didn’t ask you when you last went to church, but when you last truly worshipped?  Many go to church.  Few go to worship.

Worship is the greatest privilege a child of God has.  It is the created acknowledging the Creator.  Worship is celebrating our life in the body of Christ. It is receiving God’s love, thanking Him for His provisions, and being in awe of His mighty power.  Worship cannot be mandated by man.  It must come out of a personal, growing relationship with God.  It is the true and first expression of a love relationship.

One of the better-known evangelical preachers of our time is John Piper.  He says this about worship:  “The fuel of worship is the true vision of the greatness of God; the fire that makes the fuel burn white-hot is the quickening of the Holy Spirit; the furnace made alive and warm by the flame of truth is our renewed spirit; the resulting heat of our affections is powerful worship.”

If worship is so critical in the life of a believer, logic would dictate that it is equally important when those believers gather together as a corporate body on Sunday.  If this is the case, and in my opinion it is, why are there so many dead churches on Sunday morning that have never experienced true worship?

Billy Graham estimates the 60 percent of the members of most local churches have never had a life-changing encounter with Jesus – they are spiritually dead.  Of the 40 percent who are believers, it is probably safe to assume that half are carnal Christians, which leaves only 20 percent of the church who are maintaining a fresh, vital relationship with God.  This scenario is rather bleak, but it portrays a valid representation of the challenge that the typical church faces when it attempts to enter into a time of worship.

When Jesus was asked to prioritize all the commandments, without hesitation He replied: The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

The first priority of the church must be God.  Any other answer would be idolatrous, because idolatry is simply setting anyone or anything before or above God.  Therefore, our programs, designed to promote the Kingdom, must not take precedence of the King.

Dr. Don McMinn, an author of many books on praise and worship, says this in his book, “The Practice of Praise”:  “There are 80 billion dollars worth of church buildings in America.  That represents a lot of square footage devoted to worship; and yet, on a typical Sunday morning, how much worship actually transpires?”  McMinn continues, “Regardless of what our individual concept of worship is, many of us would ruefully admit that it is all too often ostensibly missing from our worship services.”

Gordon Dahl once observed, “Our problem is that we worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship.”

A.W. Tozer says that “worship is the missing jewel of the evangelical church.”

All however is not completely bleak.  I believe God is changing the hearts of His people, and that He is restoring worship in His church. The body of Christ is beginning to experience another reformation – a reformation of worship, and it could be just as significant as Luther’s campaign.  We are discovering that God desires it, it is good for us, the devil hates it, and it is biblical.

Since this column appears in your newspaper on Saturday, why don’t you take the remainder of today to begin preparing for the worship service tomorrow?  Seek Him in prayer.  Confess your sins before Him.  Anticipate His presence and His glory.  Focus only on Him.  Then, and only then, will “the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

 Copyright 2008 Scott Ptak

Goodbyes.  I must admit that I don’t care for them much.  Tight handshakes that turn into hard swallows.  Eyes that mist over as you both realize it may be quite a while before God gives you the opportunity to see each other again.

Knowing down deep that there will be many times in the near future when just thinking about this person brings either an inward smile or an outward tear.  It helps to know that God’s will is being done. That He has confirmed, in a number of ways, it’s time to move on to another of His great adventures. Such was the case this past Monday for me as I said goodbye to a dear friend.

Many of you may remember a story I wrote almost two years ago concerning a Nigerian missionary, the Rev. Alfred Sunday Otoki.  Pastor Alfred, as he is affectionately called, has been with my family and me, and our church family for almost two years.  We’ve grown very close during that time and I have learned much from him.  It was especially difficult as I helped him move this past Monday.

God called Pastor Alfred to the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Asheville, NC.  His missionary work is to return to Nigeria and build a pastor’s Bible College and Conference Center.  The new calling God has provided for him in North Carolina will allow him to gain the necessary experience he needs before returning to Nigeria.

As I reflected this past week about how God has used Pastor Alfred during his time here, I couldn’t help but marvel at how much was learned in so short a time.  He had, through God, much to teach me about being a pastor, and so much to teach the church about many issues.

Prayer always came first for Pastor Alfred.  He is a man of devout, Spirit-filled prayer.  His life revolves around the time he spends at the Master’s feet.  He is drawn to prayer like a moth to a flame, or a dying man who desperately seeks new life.  There is a passion and belief when he prays that God hears and understands.

I am not talking about the American white-bread prayers that come from a full belly and an over abundance of “things.”  No, these are the prayers of a man who comes from a nation born in strife, from a culture that has been oppressed for hundreds of years, and where freedom comes at the whim of the current political leadership.

He grew up understanding the true meaning of “give us this day our daily bread.”  We in America hold onto God with a thumb and forefinger.  Pastor Alfred, his people, and the majority of Christians outside of America and Western Europe, are holding onto God with everything they have. Their arms and legs are wrapped around Him because He is their “all in all”.  He is all they have.

Theirs is a prayer born out of desperate need, while the prayer in American churches often comes almost as a casual afterthought.  Our perception, all too often, is that if God doesn’t provide it for us, then we’ll provide it for ourselves. It’s hard to imagine God hearing and responding to both of those prayers in the same manner.

Yes, Pastor Alfred showed us how to pray in a new way and with a new power.  If God allowed him to do nothing more than that during his time with us, then it was to God’s glory.

God brings different people into our lives for specific purposes and in His perfect timing.  Often, as in this case, we believe the person is there for too short a time.  I will readily admit that my motives in believing that are selfish.

Pastor Alfred performed many roles in my life; mentor, brother in Christ, friend, and confidant. Our daily conversations and prayer time will be greatly missed.  I look forward to when God will allow us to spend time together in the future – either in this life or the next.  God willing, many from our church will be with him Nigeria as, one day, the new Bible College and Conference Center is dedicated to the Lord.

Until then, God as given us the ability to work together for His name and for the Kingdom. What a glorious privilege that is.

There is something wonderful and miraculous about watching the birth of a baby as it comes into the world.  As you watch this event taking place, it can, if just for an instant, literally take your breath away as you see what God Himself has created unfolding right before your eyes.  There is an innocence and purity associated with the birth of a child that is unlike anything else.

As parents we look down into the face of this baby and we see a newness of life that offers hope.  Hope that our children will grow strong and healthy, that they will rise above earthly circumstances, that they will have a better and more productive life than their parents before them, and that they will impact society in a meaningful way. 

As I looked into the faces of both my children as they were being brought into this world, I could not help but wonder what God had in store for them. I imagine that if you are a parent, you felt the same way.

God is so good. Do you realize that even as adults we have been given the opportunity to begin again – to start over?  God has given us the opportunity to begin our lives again, to start fresh, regardless of how old we are.  From the teenager to the senior citizen, we can begin again. It doesn’t matter what your past has been or what you’ve done, you too can have the chance to start over.

How can that be you may ask?  Well, I’m not speaking of undoing what has already been done.  It’s hard to unscramble scrambled eggs.  I’m speaking of the ability given to us by God to begin again spiritually when we accept Him into our lives.

In the Gospel of John, God shares it with us this way; “After dark one evening, a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to speak with Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are proof enough that God is with you." Jesus replied, "I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God."  "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?"  Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.   Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven.” (John 3:1-6 New Living Translation)

The terms being born again, saved, converted, or accepting Christ, all mean the same thing.  They are all Biblical and you may refer to it in one way and someone else by another.  The essence is this:  When you receive Christ as your personal Savior, you become brand new spiritually.  I hope you are grasping the significance of this statement.  You will become new again.

The Apostle Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes to the church in Corinth, and to us, the following: “Whatever we do, it is because Christ’s love controls us.  Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live…” What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons.  They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone.  A new life has begun.

Christians are brand-new people on the inside.  The Holy Spirit gives us new life, and we are not the same anymore.  We are not reformed, rehabilitated, or even reeducated – we are recreated (new creations) living in a vital union with Christ.  At the time of accepting Christ we don’t merely turn over a new leaf, we begin a new life under a new Master.

Are you tired of living the same way day after day trying to “do life” on your own?  You don’t have to any longer.  Your past can be forgiven, your present can be glorious, and your future can be secured if you humble your heart before God and accept His Son Jesus Christ.  God’s words say it best: “For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you.  On the day of salvation, I helped you.’”

Indeed, God is ready to help you right now – all you need do is ask.  If I can be of assistance, please email.  Have a blessed day.

© 2008 Scott Ptak.  All Rights Reserved.

I

 An Unsual Event

I witnessed an amazing thing yesterday. I was privileged to see a group of people from all races, ethnic groups, ages, income and educational levels, occupations and apparent political ideologies unified for a brief moment in a wonderful gesture of humanity and grace.

I was at the Atlanta airport yesterday. Not the kind of place one would routinely expect to find any significant gesture of humanity or grace. Having traveled through this airport dozens of times over the past few years I can offer firsthand examples of exactly the opposite. People in a hurry and unconcerned with anyone other than themselves, business travelers with cell phones that appear to be surgically attached to their heads – pacing and talking about the latest ‘deal’ often at a voice level that allows everyone to hear what a wonderfully superior salesperson they are compared to the guy next to them on a cell phone trying to impress the guy sitting next to him. I love "people watching" at airports. Airports afford us the opportunity to see a microcosm of society in a confined space during a brief moment in time. All walks of life, all backgrounds and nationalities, all there for slightly different reasons. People experiencing the joys, or sorrows, of coming home and others rushing off to new adventures and to fulfill their dreams.

I was there to pick-up my son who was coming in from Texas. While waiting in the atrium of the Atlanta airport, I noticed an unusual number of men and women in uniform. They were not wearing dress uniforms – they were wearing the type of uniform you fight in – desert cammies. I began to watch each of them a bit more intently as they passed by in front of the chair I was sitting in. Some of the younger troops appeared to be apprehensive; others – older and more seasoned – went about their business as if this was just another day at work.

Perhaps I was more watchful and paid more attention to them than the average person because I am a veteran. A proud veteran - having served my country during a time of internal strife not seen since the Civil War – a time called Vietnam. My arrival in uniform – at any airport – was often not a pleasant experience. Suffice it to say that instead of passersby offering us an occasional warm smile or appreciative nod we were often subjected to explosive comments accusing us of all manner of heinous acts. A different time and a different place to be sure.

After a time, I looked up from the book I was reading and noticed that all the soldiers were gone. A few minutes later I heard some people in the atrium begin to clap – then cheer – I turned to my left to the sound of the noise and saw people beginning to stand to their feet just as the soldiers, in a column of twos, began to enter the area. Dozens and dozens of soldiers – initially with perplexed looks on their faces that faded into smiles and bowed heads of humility as they began to comprehend that we were cheering for them. As they slowly moved into the atrium, more and more people began to take notice and join in. Soon the entire group of perhaps a couple of hundred people were clapping and cheering – not stopping until the last soldier was out of sight. At that time, we didn’t know where they were going – overseas or stateside – it didn’t matter. These were OUR troops, representing OUR country, leaving behind wives, husbands, children, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, friends and loved ones. They were doing that for US. I know firsthand that the words duty, honor and country have great meaning for the men and women in uniform and unlike some; they live it out each day, letting their actions speak for them. I later learned that these young men and women of the United States Army were returning to Iraq for their second tour – volunteers all.

I looked at the faces of those who were clapping and cheering – the guy in the $2000.00 suit with a cell phone ear bud still attached, the Asian college student with the backpack, the black couple with the small toddler in the stroller, the petite young woman with the large book, the old man setting down his coffee cup so that he could clap – on and on. Many, like me, had tears in our eyes, the emotion of the moment catching us completely by surprise. Others were showing a sense of pride. Pride of country and of spirit. There was starch in the backbones of those clapping and cheering. At that moment, even for a second, we weren’t concerned with world opinion about our military, NATO declarations or political parties - we were all Americans sending off our young men and women to a distant land to fight for a just cause. It was a moment I pray that I will never forget. It took me above the junk of the day and caused me to reflect upon what makes the United States great: Devotion to others above self, a higher purpose and calling, a just cause and a sacrificial heart. Attributes that any individual or nation should admire and aspire to.

We never seem to hear about these types of stories from the reporters of the large newspapers, the political pundits or the talking heads on the network news. We never hear about them – but they are there.

I mentioned that I was at the airport to pick-up my son. This time he was coming home to his wife and daughter, his sister and her husband, his nephew, his mom and me - and not going off again for 21 days. He is a strong, committed, honorable and determined young man – my son David is a United States Marine. I rest well in knowing that young men and women like him are standing ready at the gate defending our freedoms – here and around the world.

Just thought you’d like to know.

- Scott Ptak