Archive - April, 2012

Overwhelming victory is OURS!

By Scott on April 30, 2012 in Community, Devotional with 0 Comments

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble… A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10,12 NLT)

Help. It’s a beautiful thing. Sometimes it’s hard to ask for it and sometimes it’s hard to admit it, but we all need it. Even if we don’t think we need any help right now, there’s comfort in knowing that someone has your back. When all hell tries to break loose it’s good to have someone who’s ready to help – however, whenever, wherever.

Friendship is powerful and should never be overlooked. Don’t believe the lie that it’s easier to do life alone and deal with the attacks of the enemy in isolation. You’ve probably heard me say that we were meant to live this life of faith with others, in community. We were made for the strengthening that comes from relationships with one another, caring for one another.

We are stronger in community.

We are safer in community.

We are better in community.

We are more effective in community, too.

Here’s the good news about community: God is not just on your side and my side, He is on OUR side. God is not just for you and me, He is for US. And… “If God is for US, who can ever be against US.” (Romans 8:31 NLT)

The triple-braided cord: God, you and me… not easily attacked, not easily defeated, not easily broken.

I like that very much. I like you, too. I like US even better. I’m so glad we are on the same team. We make a good one, you know. When we’ve got each other covered, we get overwhelming victory. WE get that. Overwhelming victory is not just yours and it’s not just mine. It’s OURS! Together!

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is OURS through Christ, who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NLT)

Don’t worry, God has OUR backs.

Scott

Senior Associate Pastor of Arts and Media at Eagle Mountain, Teacher, Communicator, Songwriter, Music Producer, Grammy Award Winner, Your BFF

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The First Words in Human History

By Jordan on April 23, 2012 in Devotional, Inspiration, Uncategorized, Worship with 0 Comments

ever recorded.

Was a song.

The first thing the Bible says Adam did when he saw Eve was say:

This at last is bone of my bones

And flesh of my flesh;

She shall be called Woman

Because she was taken out of Man

(Gen 2:23 ESV)

In English, when we think poem or song, we default look for the rhyme. In Hebrew, then they think poem or song, they default look for parallel language. Repetitions and rewordings. Instead of using rhyme, Hebrew songs use an ornate system of similes and metaphors. And it is everywhere in these 25 words.

Now the Bible doesn’t mention whether Adam pulled out a Martin guitar or had a Steinway baby grand piano nearby. But in the least, this was the Old Testament equivalent of what we now call “Spoken Word”.

Some observations:

  1. We were designed to create and sing. Adam just busted this out. Improv. No request was made. No commission given. This is just how he expressed himself. And God sees it as good when we use song to thank Him or express ourselves.
  2. This song was a response to a gift from God. Adam sets the precedent for how we should respond to the Lord. With praise (thanks).
  3. The song was specific. Like all good art, it speaks through precise details. It uses sensory information. “Flesh of my flesh” makes me imagine that he had just touched her soft face for the first time. He speaks to God about the gift He had received. We should do the same. Daily thank God in our own creative ways for the specific gifts we have received.
  4. Talent was not criteria to sing. The Bible does not say if Adam had a good voice. It just says he sang. When you worship your God, your talent does not matter. Sing with all gusto. Brag on God in the best way you know how. Do not do it to show off or draw attention to yourself. Do it to get your attention and everyone else’s around you on God. And in that, God will be glorified.

What about you? When you think about this song and story, what does it say to you?

Jordan

ORU Graduate in Music Composition/Technology. Worship Arts Ministry Assistant at Eagle Mountain Church.

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The Big Production…

By Melissa on April 16, 2012 in Devotional with 2 Comments

I wonder how many churches had “big Resurrection Sunday productions”? I’m sure ALL of them to some degree! What better event to celebrate than the resurrection of our Lord and Savior! …and with all the rehearsals and all the people involved it took to make it happen,it’s no small thing!   Imagine no one being there Sunday morning to see it?

God made the greatest creation, the universe.   He also created US to enjoy it with Him!    Isn’t it amazing  that He created His FAMILY for Him to enjoy?   But one of His GREATEST pleasures is US enjoying Him and His “production”!   He made it FOR US because He loves us so much!   Isn’t it wonderful to be able to use the gifts He gave us to put on a “production” and tell the world about our glorious King!  ….and to live our lives EVERY day WITH Him and FOR Him in thanksgiving and praise for ….the big production!?!   It’s no small thing!

 

Melissa

I am a saved worshiper of God! ...a wife, mother of 6, sister, friend, musician, singer, and assistant to the worship pastor at EMIC. I love God, family, worship, and anything that has to do with God, family and worship.... I love the life God gave me and honored to worship Him with it!

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Resurrection season was GLORIOUS!

By Jeff on April 9, 2012 in Community, Inspiration with 3 Comments

Photo by Aine Kendall

WOW!!!

Consider Jesus

And His Resurrected Life in us!

His power…

Living in us.

Not condemning us.

But actually changing us from the inside out.

From this moment forward and throughout eternity…

Seated with Him…

And continually lifted higher and higher by His living word working in us.

Even now…as we read these words…we are being changed into His glorious likeness and image.

As we submit to His authority as Lord over our lives…

And as we enter His rest…His Holy Spirit is working in us.

And His power…the same power the raised Him and now us from the dead…

Is changing us from glory to glory.

That’s what this season is all about…and every season.

The living experience of Christ in us every day of our lives…

His gift that keeps on giving…

Inside every believer.  Inside us!!!

 

And this is just a taste of what we experienced in services these last two weeks.

Heart felt thanks to all who participated in lifting up powerful worship to our King of Glory.

Our children, youth, young adults and adult teams and congregation joined yesterday as one voice to declare…

JESUS IS LORD.

And once again…we were all changed…into His image…into His likeness…

We came up HIGHER!

And it was marvelous!

 

Thank you Jesus!

Pastor Jeff

Jeff

Husband. Father of six. Pastor and worship leader. I love Jesus, my wife, family, people, church and the Word of God.

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We are a worship community!

By Scott on April 1, 2012 in Community with 1 Comment

Welcome to emicworship.com - the online home of the Eagle Mountain Church Worship Arts community!

Merriam Webster defines “community” like this: joint ownership or participation, common character, social activity.

As a community, we share these three things.

  • We share a joint ownership and participation in leading others into the presence of God, a place that we cherish both individually and corporately.
  • We share a common character, a common passion: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4 AMP)
  • We share social activity with one another. Students and adults, men and women, staff and volunteers, we are commited to and interested in each other. We learn from each other’s experiences, stand with each other in challenges, and rejoice in each others’ victories.

We are believers.

We are disciples.

We are artists and technicians.

We are worshippers.

We are priests of our God.

We are a community.

About the website:

Pastor Jeff will kick off our first official week of posting here on Monday, April 9th! After that, we (Jeff, Melissa, Jordan, Mary, Kevin and I) will be posting new content every Monday and a few bonus days each month, too.

the writing team

There are several ways to stay connected here, including email and RSS subscription options on the top right corner of the site.

You are the BEST!

Pastor Scott

Scott

Senior Associate Pastor of Arts and Media at Eagle Mountain, Teacher, Communicator, Songwriter, Music Producer, Grammy Award Winner, Your BFF

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