CECWorship Confessional 10/07/07

Interesting week… I am about to get real here so strap on your helmet.

It has been a tough week with family, emotions, money, kids, pregnant wife, and blogging friends who are going through major trials. (and before there are any crazy thoughts…My marraige is just fine…that isn’t the issues…My wife rocks) I have been really focusing on God this week, but it seems that I was dreading Sunday morning. Basically too much crap going on. So what does I guy do…Pray. yes talk yes. all good answers, but it was still an unavoidably tough week and the peace wasn’t coming.

So church starts this morning…all these thoughts flying through my head. I do not want to be there. I want to be at home on the couch doing nothing. Funny thing is I am more than justified in feeling this way.

Worship starts with Did You Feel the mountains tremble.

“Open up the doors and let the music play let the  streets resound”

It went great. People got really into it from the start…Thank the Lord he can work through a crappy vessel like me.

Next comes prayers and the praise set. I had a good time playing just because I love to play but my mind was not where it needed to be. Things started to change we we came to All we need.
I ended the song repeating..

“All we need…All we Need…All we need is You”

God was starting to push into me..I’m not really receiving it

Sermon…I hear it was good…But here is brutal honesty…I wouldn’t know…I wasn’t really listening.

I sang Bless his name before communion

“Lord we come with gratitude that flows…from deep within our souls…we rejoice in You”

That was me mister thankful…are you kidding…things are a mess…simply that…and I am to be thankful

Communion….

Invitation Fountain:

” all who are weak…all who are weary come to the rock…come to the fountain.”

It hit me…well God hit me…I needed to come to the fountain of mercy….the table of the Lord…remember what He did…and what he promises to do.

” He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.”

I love that verse…there is however a difference to loving a verse or enjoying it and actually standing on the word and the Kings firm foundation.

It’s odd…I have been reading in the blogsphere…God will prune and then expect bigger. Steven Furtick said expect freakin watermelons. I DO!

Apostle Paul was in jail and praised His king…I recently read a bout a woman losing her baby girl and she is praising the King

We went into O Praise him…

I will turn my ear to heaven and hear HIS joyous noise. I will make MY praises constant and rejoice in my Savior. I will thank my God for giving me the most wonderful wife and kids. All else around me may be Wack…I will still Praise Him.

“PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW…”

Comments

15 responses to “CECWorship Confessional 10/07/07”

  1. worship1 Avatar

    Hey Joel, thanks for being real. Sometimes it’s nice to know we all have emotional and spiritual conditions in common.

    In other words, nice to know I’m not the only one who feels like staying home from church and then coming to that place of real surrender and awe of God…. Turning my eyes back on Him just because of who He is and regardless of who I am.

    Sounds like your set this week was awesome. Nothing like getting drawn into relationship with the Lord through the words and works of great worship music. His Spirit will work!

    Blessings and peace,
    Cosima

  2. Jaybrams Avatar

    Thanks for your transparency. I had a pretty difficult week / worship set yesterday as well… tough weeks that help us grow… keep up the good work

  3. fmckinnon Avatar

    aaah, refreshing autheticity

  4. saintlewis Avatar

    Dude. You’re wife is pregnant? We’re expecting on December 2nd!

    I’m sorry you had a hard one – as usually, you had a wonderful set-list. Seriously, if you ever get a live recording of a service, I would love to hear it!

    blessings!

  5. saintlewis Avatar

    p.s. – love the Violet Burning song. 😉
    (Invitation Fountain)

  6. Mark Warnock Avatar

    I feel you man. Been there a lot.

  7. inWorship Avatar

    I feel so humbled that God continues to use the hurting and weak. Thanks for this, cause it’s a reminder that we all are physically, emotionally and spiritually attacked. You dug in and continued to serve. your heart was to honor god and he was “faithful to complete it” in you as you worshiped Him. I love how we can feel so far away and He will being us right into Him!

  8. Bridget Avatar

    WONDERFUL Testimony!!! I felt quite the same this last Sunday… WE are at the front lines!!! You can’t always explain it away–it’s warfare…. thank you for testifying.

    love bridge

  9. […] that require you to get out of bed and be at church no matter how you feel. I really appreciate Joel’s honesty about how he felt this weekend. What about […]

  10. erzsi1113 Avatar
    erzsi1113

    I think you forgot the part about how during the worship set two women in the back row started sobbing uncontrollably.

    There are certainly times when all of us want to be at home doing nothing — You are as entitled to that as the rest of us. But thank you so much for your dedication and committment to the worship at St. M’s!!!!! The service wouldn’t be what it is without you. Keep up the wonderful work!!!

  11. klampert Avatar

    wow..what a response…im gonna have to get real more often

    Cosima: Sometimes the set that God has me do is really for me…thanks for stopping by..great having you on here

    Jeremy: It is amazing what God does on the tough weeks..His revelation…His truth…and His faithfulness

    Shannon: yeah man…due Oct 28th…congrats to you buddy..>I am hoping to get some recording togther very soon…Ill see what I can do…Its very simple…and not amazing but God is working through it…

    Brent: Man are you right…I think it is out of brokenness that HE really shines

    Bridget: I am glad to hear you got through it unscathed this week…great having you on here

    Liz: Dont worry i didnt forget about the teary crew..lol…I know God was there sunday…He works through us if we are faithful no matter how we feel…thanks for the kind words..

  12. tam Avatar

    Thanks for sharing what really goes on sometimes. I appreciate the authenticity!

  13. kim Avatar

    Wow. Thanks for your comments on my confessional. And thanks for what you’ve written here! I COMPLETELY get what you’re describing. It can be terrifying to realize how resistant…or apathetic… you are to the message you’re leading others in singing. I’ve done that. This is a beautiful description of the journey you had this weekend. Thank you.

  14. Darren Avatar
    Darren

    Thanks for the honesty. Glad to know I wasn’t the only one at church this week who didn’t feel like playing!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *