The Mirror

The mirror.

A place for reflection.

A place for vanity.

A place for disappointment.

A source of identity.

We all use mirrors. Some more often than others, but at one point or another we all take a second to glance at our reflection just to see if the image is something that we are happy with presenting to the world. Men do this much less often than women, but I know I am not the only guy that will glance at a shiny window for a second to make sure everything is still in order.

The point is we care about how we look. Mainly because it is our first form of identity. Before someone knows our name, our job, our passions or our talents, they know what we look like. We care a lot about our identity. This is the single area where I get tripped up the most in my faith. It is not that I don't have confidence. I do. I have caught myself getting downright prideful in the past if I'm being honest, but that doesn't mean that I am confident in my identity. True confidence comes in knowing who we are in Christ and in the identity that He is putting on us... not what we try to shape our reflection into on our own.

Today a scripture jumped out at me that sparked this conversation.

2 Corinthians 3:18

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

We need to come with unveiled faces.

No masks.

No lies.

No reputations.

Just our faces unveiled and open to the presence of God.

If we could come to Him in that way, this verse says that we can be transformed into the same image as Christ Himself! Our reflection could start looking like Him.

Is Jesus ugly?

Is Jesus a mistake?

Is Jesus too fat? too thin? not strong enough? not tan enough?

Is Jesus not lovable?

No? Then neither are you! Once you get close enough to look like the Glory of Christ then you take on the identity that He has for you!

A prayer for today:

Lord, Help me to see what you see in me. Help me to trust you enough to change me into who you want me to be. Help me to allow my reflection to look like you. Take away my masks and replace it with a new identity. In your name I pray, Amen.

God bless!

Pastor Derby

Visual Worship

This is a collection of resources that I gathered for my Church Music Administration class.

Presentation Software

ProPresenter:

Overview: http://www.renewedvision.com/propresenter.php

Purchase: http://www.renewedvision.com/store.php?item=pro

Media Shout:

Overview/Purchase: http://www.mediashout.com/store/software/product/mediashout-version-4/

Easy Worship:

Overview: http://www.easyworship.com/easyworship/overview/

Trial: http://www.easyworship.com/easyworship/trial/

Media Resources

http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/

https://www.sermonspice.com/

http://centerlinenewmedia.com/

http://seeds.churchonthemove.com/

Freebies!

http://churchmediadesign.tv/category/freebies/

http://www.creationswap.com/free

http://www.kineticfaith.com/blog/

http://www.vintagechurch.cc/

http://open.lifechurch.tv/

Tutorials/Teaching/Misc

http://churchmediadesign.tv/category/episodes/

http://www.collidemagazine.com/blog/index.php/category/the-collide-show

http://www.collidemagazine.com/blog

http://www.sharefaithblog.com/2011/02/worship-videos/

The Thrill of Hope

Christmas is over, the new year is a few short days away. If your family is like mine you have already begun the process of tearing down decorations, tossing out gift boxes, eating the last few cookies and putting away your new clothes and gifts. Part of this post-holiday slump is the disappearance of Christmas music from the air. I don't know about you but i love the stuff. So much in fact that each year i have to dump a large portion of the music from my iPod to make room for the ridiculous amount of holiday favorites that i have on shuffle for a few weeks.

All that to say that this year one song really touched my heart. It is an old song that i am sure you have heard many times throughout the years. "O Holy Night" has been performed by countless artists in many different ways and will forever be a beloved classic. It was only this Christmas season, today actually, ...that a line from that old song really stood out and challenged me.

"A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born"

A thrill of hope...

I don't know about you but i don't always describe my hope in the Lord as "thrilling". I am thankful and blessed beyond measure. I love the Lord and am honored to get to be His servant in my life and ministry, but the thought of making sure that I still see my salvation as thrilling after 11 years in the faith really challenges me.

Where is that thrill?

The writer of "O Holy Night" was pointing to the fact that Jesus's coming was a thrilling experience for the multitudes who were awaiting their king and savior. They were in bondage, broken, needy, weary and were able to rejoice in the thrilling hope that a savior was coming to change their world.

Maybe you had that thrill once... At one point in your life you were lost, broken, weary and needed someone to come and save you. Jesus came into your life and changed everything; or maybe you haven't had that experience yet, but the hope of a new future is a thrill to you.

In psalm 51:12 the psalmist prays that the Lord would return the joy of His salvation.

In this new year may we all be able to return to the joy we once had in the fact that we have salvation and may we once again know the thrill of hope...

I dont have time!

As of this summer I will have been leading worship and playing in bands for 7 years. Thats a long time when you're only 21 years old. What a blessing... I am so thankful that I have had that opportunity. Anyway the point is that in that time I have learned, sang and played a whole lot of songs. Some that have been nothing more than I good song to stick in the set, others that have impacted me greatly. All that to say over the years I've gotten into a habit of learning songs quickly and just ignoring what I'm saying. Sure I could tell you the lyrics and the point of the song, but every once in a while some of the words will just pass by without me ever thinking about what its really saying. I'm sure any of you that have ever led worship will know what I mean.

This morning we were playing 'How He Loves' at church and a line jumped out at me. I've led that song a whole lot, the band has played it on sundays nearly once a month since last semester and I couldn't begin to guess how many times I've listened to it, but today... something was different.

Today we were in the song and the spirit was really moving in our church. It was awesome to see everyone worshipping and really grasping God's love for them. When we got to the second verse the line I don't have time to maintain these regrets really stuck out to me. Moments later Pastor Jamie got up on stage and pointed out that same line.

How awesome is that!? We literally do not have time to worry about the past or our mistakes. God's Word says that He forgives us and "remembers our sins no more."(Hebrews 10:17) The Word also says that true love "keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Cor. 13:5)

God has forgiven and forgotten... shouldn't we? I shared with a friend after church about how that line spoke to me today and she said something that really impacted me. She said that that line is why she loves that song so much and then she said, "Such a beautiful thing that God has so much in store for us that we can't even dwell on our mistakes, because if we do we waste His time."

Wow! We can waste God's time...? You're telling me that the God who has been here forever... and will be here forever can have His time wasted?

YES!!

God has a plan for us every moment of every day and with every decision we're either following that or we aren't. This in itself may cause us to regret and think about what we have missed the times that we ignored God's plan for us. We shouldn't use that as a reason to be down on ourselves, but as a catalyst to seek God even more in every moment.

God's plan used to be some huge overarching destination for my future. I always prayed as if one day I would learn that plan and His plan was all about the big things in my life. Sure God cares about my college, my job, my spouse, my ministry... etc. but I never really noticed how much God cares about the day to day. Psalm 37:23 says that "He delights in every detail of their lives."

See that? EVERY DETAIL. So why worry about the past and your pile of regrets and poor decisions when God has a plan for every single thing that is ahead of you?

I don't have time to maintain these regrets... when I think about the way He loves me.

God has moved on... shouldn't you?

He's got something new and exciting for you... Go find out what it is...

Magic Eraser

Isn't it funny how God's lessons come to us sometimes? He chooses to speak in the most random of ways and at the most random times... or is that just when we choose to listen? Okay thats another blog entirely...

Anyway, back to what I was going to talk about. Today I was on the stage of our church frantically scrubbing away at the white paint on the stage trying to remove scuff marks and whatever else was making it up. I was using a Mr. Clean magic eraser.

Yeah... one of those. I don't know if you've ever used one, but they're pretty awesome. Anyway... all that to say the darn thing didn't work. It would get some spots out, but some of the marks were deep stains that would show back up a few minutes after cleaning them.

This got me thinking...

How often do we treat God like a magic eraser?

We just want to say a quick prayer and any ugly mark on us is supposed to just go away. Yeah thats great... and God can and will do that... the bible says so...

ephesians 5:25-27 (NLT) just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.

But if we stop there it kinda takes the responsibility off of us doesn't it?

We could just come to God every time we mess up and get that same just brushed clean feeling. God will forgive, but he calls us to repent.

Acts 3:19 (NIV) "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."

See that? Your sins will only be "wiped out" if you truly repent for them. Repentance takes more than "I'm sorry." Repentance takes a radical lifestyle change that will result in forgiveness and victory over the sin.

So next time you want God to wipe a magic eraser over your situation try and give your whole self over to the process and really turn things around.

Green eyes

I've recently recorded a video of one of my newest songs and I'd love for you to check it out and please feel free to comment on it.

This song is a story of a girl who found her beauty through the eyes of God. So often we focus inward and look through the filter of our problems and past to find our identity. Please take these words to heart and know that your worth something in God's eyes. Thanks for listening and I hope this will bless you.

Click this link to check it out:

YouTube

Embracing the Cracks.

Over the last couple of months I have been studying the life of David. This study started when I realized that I wasn't taking anything from my devotions. Occasionally a proverb or something would resonate with me and I'd carry it around all day, but this was not a frequent occurrence and other than that I wasn't diligently studying anything. I knew that I empathized a lot with king David as a worshipper, but I did not know his story well so I decided to begin to study him.

In the weeks to come my pastor took us through a series covering 'Kings'. It was a powerful series and encouraged me even more in my study of King David. Then before leaving for Christmas break my pastor a book to read that he took much of his inspiration for that message series. The book tells the story of David's brokenness. I have not finished the book yet, but from what I have read I have begun to think even more into this concept of brokenness.

Tonight while reading the book one thought came to me.

Only when we are broken can the true spirit flow into and out of the cracks.

Nothing can be put into or pulled out of our hearts without a crack.

Cracks hurt don't they? Especially in the heart. A heart crack can come at the worst time and usually does. Once cracked we are given a choice.

What comes out and what flows in?

David was a broken and humbled man forced to a life of fleeing to pits and caves for many years. It was in that brokenness that he cried out to God many of the beautiful songs we find in the book of Psalms. David allowed his pride and selfish ambition to be pulled out and God's peace and spirit to flow in through the cracks.

We are given a choice. I will talk later about how at times we can choose brokenness, but it is when can't choose it... when we are cracked by outside circumstances that we are given that most important choice.

What flows through the cracks?

Do we embrace the brokenness like David and allow ourself to flow out of the cracks and more of God to flow in? Or do we push out truth and God's spirit and allow ourselves to be filled with bitterness and hate?

Cracks are revealing.

Lord knows we hate that. We don't like people to see the cracks and certainly not what is just beyond them... We like to hide our hearts and the darkness hiding behind the cracks. But maybe a good crack is a chance for someone to get in and help us to fix the inside.

Cracks are good and necessary.

Its not normal to embrace pain. No one likes being hurt and broken, but it is the best thing that could happen to you. David became the great king that he was through embracing the cracks.

Now is the chance to choose to be cracked.

Mark 8:34 "...if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me"

The cross is the greatest symbol of brokenness that the world has ever seen. Christ chose a horrible beating and an unimaginably painful death over a throne and glory so that we could be saved and through that an even greater glory came for Him. Because He could now share in it with us.

Our greatest glories will come in after the cracks.

We can achieve a lot on our own, but not nearly as much as we can through God and nothing we do on our own is lasting or anything of worth.

Choosing brokenness is not choosing pain or to run into the wilderness like David, but choosing to deny ourself and accept a broken life. This is a great and difficult act of humility, but as with every other topic I bring to you... there is freedom in knowing its not about you (or me). Once we make it past the initial pain and sense of vulnerability God can start to move into the cracks.

If we are already cracked and broken before the throne life's cracks aren't nearly as painful and life-shattering.

Cracks will come. Let God fill them and let yourself flow out.

Embrace the cracks.