"Sing and Play Skillfully a New Song"

Psalm 33:1-3
Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord with the harp, make music on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to Him a new song, play skillfully, and shout for joy.

The greatest joy and most fulfilling thing for me is to just love the Lord. Love Him in song, love him while playing my guitar, either with a crowd or by myself. To me, the ultimate love-song, is the one song for Him. The song that, with all heart, shouts praise and worship, from a heart of love to the King of kings, Lord of lords, my Savior Jesus Christ. The song that tells of the love of the Father, that tells of the leading of the Holy Spirit.

But These Songs Are New Everyday

The real beauty in this, is that the songs are not on tape, are not recorded on CD. These songs give birth in the heart, fresh and new everyday. Now as they are birthed, they may become a song that gets recorded, and maybe not a recorded song, maybe just a time of intimate worship with God. But there is one main thing to know, there is also a continual practice of worship that is non-stop. Learning to play "SKILLFULLY" the song of the heart for God. A skillfull player, has had much practice. Practice on learning the instrument in his hands. Stretching in all areas of playing. Same goes with the song, learning to be skillfull in worship, skillfull in our praise. Worship is a day by day love song to the Lord. It is more than music, it is a life-style.

The New Song

With the Lord, each day is fresh and new! With the Lord, our walk is given depth by the worship and praise of our mouths and our hearts. The song is new, because with each day, the skillfull worshiper, finds a new revelation of the fullness of His love. He finds a new reason to bow at the foot of the Savior and raise holy hands and surrender to His awesomeness. With each day, he finds a new revelation that draws him into a deeper relationship with the King of kings. This is because of the deeper understanding of His forgiveness, His healing touch, His deliverance, His love. So the "New Song" finds "New Words and New Meaning." It is a new song of love for the Father.

My grandson, Tucker, has a song he sings which has new meaning with each time I hear him singing it. "All uh ooooh" the most beautiful words that can be sang. It will turn the heart of any who are the recipients of that song. The focus of his heart in that three word song has no question on his meaning. "All uh oooh" simply, "I love you."

The Call to Praise and Worship

This passage from the Psalms is a call to praise and worship! It is a call that is reverberated again by Paul.

Ephesians 5:19
Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.

This is a call to allow the song of your heart come forth. You need not be an accomplished singer for this, you just need a heart full of love for the Father. You just need a desire to tell Him of all your love and desire for Him. It is every kind of appropriate song, whether psalms like those of the Old Testament, or hymns directed to God or other contemporary songs that sing of His love and His greatness. It is simply the song in your heart whether written or not. It sings for joy and shouts out to the Lover of our souls.

One day recently, while watching a video of a musician, Yanni, who has written many songs that cause the heart to be happy, joyful, whose music can draw on the strings of your heart, cause you to cry out of love, out of security and peace. It was a statement made by a friend with me, "In just watching him, he reeks of music, his whole body, his movements, and the look in his eyes is a song." Yes, you could see and feel the music coming from his soul. But even while watching this, I thought to myself, the hours of practice, the hours of learning to play this song skillfully. I thought of the mastering of the "Art" of that song, the mastering of the "True Heart" of that song. Does your true heart song say, "All uh oooh"?

Have you mastered the "Art" of the song of the heart? Have you mastered the "True Heart" of the song? You might even say, but I am not a musician, I dont play. Thats not what I am saying here. I am speaking of learning to master the skillfull playing of the heart in worship to the Father. Yes, it is heightened when one plays an instrument. But even non-players, have a song. Even non-singers have a song. One beautiful thing God has given each and everyone of us is a voice, and funny too, a whistle. Do you walk around whistling by chance? God has given each and everyone a way of expressing our heart to Him of our love for Him. Even with a whistle can a song of praise and worship be skillfull played, because its from the heart.

I am reminded of a statement made by Joel Osteen about his father, who would walk around whistling because of the joy in his heart. When he was told the song he whistled was the theme from Andy Griffith, his response was, it is the song I am feeling to sing right now, but the real joy is the song I am singing to the Father.

What is your song? What does your heart sing to the Father? Then , as the psalmist said, "Shout for Joy" this song in your heart! What is your song? Once again, I have to ask, Does your song say, "All uh oooh?"

"The Heart of God"

Luke 15 "Parables on the Heart of God"

Jesus told parables that countered out confused picture of God the Father. In three of these parables, Jesus dealt with our inclination to focus more on our guilt than on God's grace.

"The Parable of the Lost Sheep" (Luke 15:1-7)

It reveals that in the heart of God "No one is Unimportant." God is never so preoccupied with "saved" people that He is unconcerned about the one who is at risk. Instead, he will leave the 99 and go find that one sheep. When found, He carries that sheep back to the fold.

In one major way, this is our reason for Praise and Worship. We have a Savior, a Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ, who cares so much about us, He reaches out continually to bring us in. WE have a great need to understand that we are each and every one, a precious sheep in His eyes!

Notice close, "And when he finds it, he JOYFULLY puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors and says, 'Rejoice with me, I have found my lost sheep." There is in no way an attitude of exclusiveness in God's heart. In other words, when others will not reach out, He will. When love is in short supply, His is full. There is great joy in God's heart, as there is great joy in heaven, each time a lost sheep is found.

Yes, this speaks of sinners, turning from their way, and coming to the Lord. But, also, this is sheep who already are in the fold, and wander off, slip and slide on the roadside, and are led astray by some circumstance or situtaion. His heart rejoices over the fact, we are IMPORTANT and the fact that we are FOUND. We are never "unimportant."

"The Parable of the Lost Coin" (Luke 15:8-10)

Here, we learn and see God's glad anticipation of being "REUNITED" in a working partnership with us. We need to learn that the reason for the woman's eagerness to find the lost coin is that it was on the order of an engagement ring, a part of a set of 10 coins woven together as a necklace at her wedding. That coin, speaks of her value to her husband. Who she is in his eyes.
It also, speaks the same from her father, in the same way.

Note close, the significance is that often, shamed by our sin, we may run and hide from God, oblivious to His love but also unaware that He sees us as desirable, needed to complete a set. He has plans that include us, and without us, His plan is crippled. The rejoicing, is because we are desired and valued by the Father's heart.

"The Parable of the Lost Son" (Luke 15:11-24)

Here we see God's plans for "Complete Restoration." This is a glimpse into God's heart, revealing a Father who is WAITING for the son's return. He does not make the son grovel at his feet, does not half heartedly accept the son's approach, and he does not hold him at an arm's length to test him for sincerity. Instead, he gives a warm, glad and immediate embrace, the best robe, gold ring, sandals and a jubilant "welcome home" party.

The heart of the Father is this, Glad and rejoicing that you are home!

Here are three reasons for our need of Praise and Worship. Three reasons that show His love and care, as well as His concern for us personally! You are greatly loved! You are desired!
You are Needed! God's heart is about each and everyone of us individually, and includes us into His plans. You are the apple of His eye!