Jesus is obsessed with having your heart.

The reason is simple...

He knows that you are at your best when you're obsessed with Him.

A few things (at least for me, personally) really get in the way of this. But a particular scripture jumped out at me in my personal time in the Bible this week. It encouraged me and I hope it does the same for you.

If you don't look closely, the Bible may seem to have conflicting information.

Should we boldly ask God for anything we want?

Or should we, like Paul, learn the secret of being content whether well fed or hungry?

What is the true point of prayer anyway?

Read on...

A few years ago I discovered every time we read the Old Testament and come across the word, "praise", we are more than likely reading one of seven various words the Hebrew language uses to describe the demonstrative activity of giving honor, worth, and glory to God.

Sometimes our gift of music actually clouds our view of God.

Sometimes the preparations distract us.

God assuredly wants you to use your gifts to serve Him and His Bride, but it’s critical we assess the time and place to set those gifts aside and choose “what is better.”

“Hosanna” to “Crucify him” in just 5 days.

Was there a sudden change in the crowd or were their hearts blind from the start?

Palm Sunday warns us that followers of Jesus aren’t immune to self-seeking and misguided worship.

Our praise is blind when we only look at what God can do FOR US and neglect to see what God wants to do IN US.

Anyone else ever try to do some last minute “spiritual cramming” late Saturday night or early Sunday morning in an effort to “ready your heart” for the service?

I’m guilty too. But let’s look at that it really takes to experience the power of the Holy Spirit on a regular basis in your life and in your gatherings.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how deeply connected worship is to discipleship and Luke 6:43-45 I believe agrees. For anyone out there who serves on a praise team and is entering a season of burnout, apathy, or just a general feeling of lull, I encourage you to take a close hard look at the daily deposits in your storehouses of discipleship and take the brave step to address the issue at the very core.

Firm Foundation by Cody Carnes is a wildly important song for the Church right now.

But I think there’s a wrong way to sing it.

HOW we build our foundation on the rock is often misunderstood.

It starts with faith in Jesus. But it’s more….

As a worship leader or volunteer, one of the most important places for ministry will be the lobby (or patio) and not the stage. Don’t hide in the greenroom. Sit in the seats for the message. Book it to the lobby after service. Pack your gear later.

…and 5 other questions I’ve been asking myself lately before buying a new piece of gear. What would happen if we processed our spending and posting through the filter of discipleship?

What if you wrote a song for Jesus that you never released?

Read on to discover why this “waste” of an offering may be the very kind of worship the Father is seeking.

Being discoverable is perhaps one of the most essential ingredients to what the Bible really calls “worship.” But it doesn’t end there…

One of the best ways you can lead your church into worship is easier than you think.

What’s the first thing you do when you get that scheduling notification from Planning Center?

Is the term “Worship Leader” even Biblical? How about the role itself? A lot of people have been stirred by this word lately for many reasons, but it made me remember a few important things I processed with my team and my church several years back.

Psalm 37:7 says, “…do not fret when people succeed in their ways…” But how often are we caught in the trap of jealousy, envy and rivalry when it comes to watching others succeed, whether they’re believers or not?

“Be content with second place” is how Eugene Peterson interprets Colossians 3:13…and I couldn’t be more convicted!

There’s simply no replacement for obedience. Though Jesus came to bring grace and brake the chains of the law, we still show Him that we’re His by living the way He lived.

Jesus defines greatness on a scale of servitude. The more we embody the role of a slave, the greater we are in the Kingdom of God. Period.