Worthless Worthship

And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. (2Samuel 24:24)

This is a verse that has been preached threadbare, especially when a pastor is looking to raise money for one or the other indulgence.

But today I want to slam the same verse on ministers, I of course being one of them.

What is your investment to the ministry you are reaping from? What kind of cost have you paid to enjoy all those goodies you continue to receive?

But I want us to go deeper. According to our definition of worship (mark you, not the Bible’s), do we qualify to be called worshippers? Again how much have we invested in that worship?

I have severally raised the issue of singing (what we now call worship) and the reality that very few singers have any connection to the God they presume to worship. I want to give my theory as to why this is so.

We are offering worship that costs us nothing in the spiritual realm. We pour all our sacrifice on the human aspect (voice, diction, rhyme, instruments) and forget that it is possible to excel in all that and not worship. Otherwise secular musicians would also be called worshippers (though they actually are, only that they worship other gods). We therefore could be worshipping those other gods when the externals guide our worship.

I know some are burning within, wishing that I was within reach that they could hit me, or worse. But just maintain your cool. I will explain why I am saying this.

When was the last time you attended a worship event or service where all the songs were new, composed by the ones leading the worship? And I am not talking about a launch of this or the other since that is purely business. Again rule out functions with an entry fee as they have blocked some from the ‘worship’ using unbiblical means.

As someone who sang and played instruments I will say this authoritatively as that is what the Bible plainly teaches. And it is that any authentic relationship must have effective communication. Many times in our relationship with God the communication on our side will be new songs. And by new songs I do not mean those that we have never heard before or those that have been released recently. I mean songs that come from our hearts through our mouths to God in praise and prayer. That is what worship in song should mean.

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. (Psalm 40:3)

But that song does not come about because we have trained our voices and can play skillfully on instruments. It comes about because we are in God’s presence. We sing because that is the best we can do in that presence. It is simply an overflow of that communication and fellowship.

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)

It is therefore not a product of a good arrangement of rhyming lines and well arranged notes but of someone who has enjoyed being in God’s presence.

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Psalm 84:10)

That is what produces a new song.

Most new songs are simply arrangements of music and lyrics to produce a danceable or emotionally charging response from our body and soul that does nothing to the spirit. That is why many ‘worship leaders’ are unable to desist from sexual immorality. That is why many pastors are unable to deal with their greed and self seeking though they could be in any and every worship session. That is why we have bishops and theologians who do not believe in the God of the Bible or the Bible itself.

You see, only God’s presence is able to burn away such sludge from our lives. And it is not the presence we like talking about when our souls and bodies are on fire after an intense music or preaching session. In fact you may wonder the source of the inspiration when you listen to some very danceable songs as some go all the way to blasphemy, irreverence and spiritual folly when you examine the lyrics.

I remember in the past someone would before singing ask the fellowship to listen to the words in the song and not the music. I wonder how many songs nowadays would pass that simple test if the music is removed.

I know people who cannot endure the singing in a church service because everything from the songs to the singers is a shame to the cause of Christ. It is sad when you examine some of the lyrics with the Bible as the reference point. Some of the commands they issue for the dancing to be satisfactory border on insanity as they have no relationship at all with the God who should be the focus of that worship.

And this is why I am talking about our investment in that worship. And that investment is not the money you spend or give to this or the other.

I know of Christian singers who will not take sugary drinks for the sake of their voices yet will not spend a few minutes reading the Bible to hear what God is saying. I know of singers who spend countless hours polishing their voice yet will not spend time in prayer and meditation on scriptures, the source of those songs. Yet they will want us to call them Gospel musicians.

What many do to get a Christian message is open the Bible randomly and get a few lines that they will then mutilate to have a rhyming effect and fleshy response from whoever hears it.

Otherwise explain me this one who says that he sees his neighbor with this and covets, then cries to God to give him the like that he may then praise Him. Another one compares Christ to a drug. What about this one who says that we pray for our enemies so that they live long enough to see God lifting us way above them? What about these others who run worship experiences in bars with beer being the entry requirement? And there are many other such.

It is impossible to be casual with God and expect any depth of revelation from Him. It is also impossible to dwell in His presence and fail to enjoy His revelation in whatever direction He desires.

But that presence releases the kind of revelation that serves His purpose and not ours. That is the scary aspect. That is why many opt out of that presence.

Let me give my experience.

I had just published a book that became very popular. As the author I knew that it would sell very well and quickly and of course bring in quite a sum. But as I was praying God issued the order that I stop selling His message.

I had two options; to sell the book to recover my costs as well as make an extra coin, or go the way of obedience. Mark you the project had drained me completely financially.

I am glad I chose the way of obedience. And I have not sold a copy since though I have done quite a number.

That is what being in God’s presence can do. He takes charge of our lives in ways that bring us to the acknowledgement that He is Lord of all and that we must prostrate before Him at all times. This will lead us to surrender our ambitions and desires to Him because we have realized who He is.

Many preaching about giving gives the impression that only finances are the things we give, not realizing that it is the last thing God considers as it is of the world. Part of what consists Mammon is money or finances. Giving money can therefore be as worthless in the spiritual as giving nothing. No wonder Peter told Simeon that his money perish with him.

We are therefore talking about sacrifice of things other than money. It is that sacrifice that will have a bearing on our pockets and not the other way round. That is the scary part. It explains why only a rare preacher will preach about that other aspect instead of financial giving.

How much time do you spend with God’s word? How much time do you spend in prayer for direction as opposed to needs? How much time have you invested in the study of God’s word and ways? Compare the songs you can sing to the verses you have memorized. Compare the money you have given to a church to the needs around you that the Bible says you should meet. Yet do you know that how you deal with those needs will determine your eternal destination? Read Matthew 25 from verse 31.

But we can be able to do that only when we are constant in God’s presence. That is where we are given up to date instructions to guide our worship that for the most part has nothing to do with singing. And that presence has a cost, a cost that has nothing to do with money as money may come as an addendum.

I will conclude by shocking you with this. If you call yourself a worship leader and a new song is not a constant reality in your singing, then you really are not a worship leader. You are a musical copy typist or photocopier. And the reason is simple. God has promised to give us a new song to praise Him. How then do we worship Him with copied songs?

If you are a Christian writer like I am and the focus of your writing is the sale of your books or the likes on social media you are just a writer who has superimposed the word Christian on your job.

What I am saying is that if fresh revelation does not drive what you are doing for Christ, you can safely conclude that you are not doing it for Him.