March 16

10 comments

Worship in Jerusalem!

By Michael Q. Pink

March 16, 2015

israel election, Jerusalem, worship

Wailing Wall Jerusalem

This evening, we arrived at our hotel in Jerusalem. We had a good flight here. Thank you for your prayers already. Upon arriving, I heard from several more folks who are beginning their own 30/30 worship challenge. Read this blog to see where it all started.

George wrote and said, “I have let Bible study, Hebrew study, and all manner of sermons, ‘worship’, and Christian involvement cloud the one ‘prime directive’. In a real sense, I’ve allowed ‘Christianity’ to come first in my life – an idol. The trappings about God have, in a real sense, clouded and hidden God Himself. I have worshiped an image of Him, and not the Creator our Savior Himself. Somewhere along the way I lost true worship. Thanks to your article I’ve begun to re-discover it.”

If you think about it, for many of us this is true, at least in part.

We have a form of godliness without the power. We have the words of our Savior upon our lips, but not living in our hearts. It is enough for us to sing songs about Him, but not to Him. It is enough for us to “say a prayer” and never hear His response. It is enough for us to tell Him our woes, our wants and our wishes, without ever investing the time to discover what matters to Him.

It is in worship of Him, that we are stripped of pretense. We are stripped of the façade and facsimile of religion and discover just how much reality we walk in, just how much we really know Him, just how much we are really comfortable being one on One with Him.

Truth be told, for most of us, it is downright uncomfortable.

We run out of words. Run out of song lyrics, run out of intimacy, before we’ve hardly begun. But that is the point, where we should press in. Don’t you truly want a vibrant relationship with the Creator of the universe who holds your very breath in His hand? It’s actually very good to come to terms with how little you know Him.

Tonight, after arriving in our hotel, having an evening meal and befriending some folks from Indiana, Judy and I came into the room, drew back the curtains and looked at the old city of Jerusalem. We began singing to the Lord. As I bowed low to the floor to worship the Almighty, I realized there’s a day coming where Zechariah prophesies that “whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain.” Wow! That day is coming! It was wonderful for Judy and I to be joining in that now.

When I started my own 30/30 worship challenge last week…

I had no idea that in only a matter of days, I would be in Jerusalem worshiping the Lord in Spirit and in Truth! Things have begun to change for me and there is much to come.

The 30-minute time allotment at first seemed like a very long time. Now, increasingly, the time is gone before I know it. I am getting to know the Lord as Sovereign God who is worthy of our worship and full devotion. In some respects, my times of worship are like getting saved all over again.

Tomorrow we head to the Wailing Wall to intercede for this nation. Not just prayer, but intercession. Even more, I hope we will be able to worship there and sense God’s presence moving upon His people. It is their national election and there is so very much at stake. We intend to “give Him no rest until He makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth.” (Isaiah 62). Please join Judy and I in prayer tomorrow and please keep sharing how God is changing you through your own 30/30 worship challenge.

Until next time, be fruitful and multiply!

Michael Q. Pink

About the author

Michael is America's leading authority on applying Biblical Wisdom and Natural Law to sales and business and has authored 19 books including The Bible Incorporated, Selling Among Wolves and God's Best Kept Secrets. Using that knowledge, he has helped thousands of professionals and entrepreneurs experience radical transformation in their lives and careers, including helping a start-up with 3 struggling sales reps turn the corner and become the 16th fastest growing company on the INC 500 list. 

  • Michael,

    Do you think worship can be done in a community? What about as a husband and wife together rather than as independent actors?

    If so, what does that look like for you?

    Thanks,
    Kurt

    • Hi Kurt. Thought provoking questions. I do believe worship can be done corporately, as long as the individuals participating are themselves worshiping. The problem so often is, in my opinion, is that we gather corporately and watch a great worship band sing great songs. We even join in on the singing, but if you look around in those “worship” services, many times you will see a crowd of spectators. Back in the ’70’s when I got saved, it was MUCH different.

      As for husband and wife worshiping together… Judy and I do that, but not as often as we intend to going forward. We did last night in the room and we have on numerous other occasions. However, when we do that, we are also worshiping individually. By that I mean, each of us individually are worshiping the Lord, but in the presence of the other. When that happens, it usually adds a little “fire” to our time together.

      Does that answer your question?

      • Michael,

        Thanks for your thoughtful response. I agree watching and singing along with a band doesn’t seem to result in true worship, myself included with rare exception. I am curious what was different when you were first saved as it sounds like you’ve experienced something much richer?

        My wife and I are trying to figure out how to worship together so I appreciate the glimpse into your world. We pray together but I cannot say we have really worshipped together. But we are still infants when it comes to worship so I pray the 30/30 will draw us closer to Him and to each other.

        Thanks,
        Kurt

  • Thanks Michael, so very true. Day 6 for me has been about trust and it was beautiful so I imagine my day will be awesome. Rebuilding trust in Daddy, understanding that Worship counts, that it is the main thing, simply put; putting first things first. So I have made a radical decision for the 30 days to move away from the self centeredness and ask only that which pertains to knowing God, going deeper, loving Him. No more I need this, I need that…
    I am glad you’ve made so friends in Jerusalem.

    • Excellent Carol… Keep worshiping and keep sharing please. Your comments are a blessing to many.

      Bless you!

  • Thanks for sharing your journey Michael but more importantly for your example to live a lifestyle of worship. Michael, I give thanks to God for every remembrance of you and the seeds that you continue to plant for His Kingdom. Now, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

  • 30/30 Day 7
    Yesterday I started 20 minutes of simply sitting quietly and waiting to hear from God after the 30minutes of worship. Today was about quietness and that part of Isaiah 30:15 came to mind, the NLT version says ” Only in returning to me and resting in me you will be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength…”. I read the whole chapter all the same. I took the quietness literally, I quiet my mind, I don’t ask so my mind doesn’t get clouded with possible answers, so I can get fresh stuff from Him.
    I am loving this.

    • Carol;

      There is much to be said about quietness before the Lord. Hard to do, but oh… so important. My wife Judy has shared much with me in this regard, from her times with the Lord.

      Keep pursuing Him!

      Michael

  • Very thought-provoking post. Makes me think hard about what the goal is. While, for me, budniilg a church is not the goal (I see that as God’s job) knowing what the goal is not does not help much. I have been in a season of not belonging and not knowing where to focus my energy. I am feeling healed and ready to move to the next step. However, I do not know what that is. For me, loving God with my whole heart is the goal, but what does that look like? How do I do that? Where do I belong? Looks like I have a lot of questions to take before the Lord in prayer. While I wish I could have just skipped this whole season, I am trusting Him to work it all out for Good. Thanks for the post!

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