1 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,760 S1: What is worship? Is it the first songs in the 2 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,280 S1: church service? And then you go on to the preaching. 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,400 S1: What does worship do for you and me? And have 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,360 S1: we gotten into the weeds in the past 50 years 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,600 S1: or so? Or is Laura's story puts it gone into 6 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,960 S1: a ditch on one side of the worship road or 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,639 S1: the other? Laura is an award winning singer and songwriter, 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,080 S1: but for the last 20 years, she's been a worship leader, 9 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:36,320 S1: and she's thought deeply about awe and reverence and what 10 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,839 S1: it can do for our worship and our lives. You 11 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,440 S1: could also put that word fear in there, the fear 12 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,120 S1: of the Lord. A lot of people don't like that. 13 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,720 S1: You know, you're just supposed to be afraid of God, 14 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:51,559 S1: and it's not afraid of him. It's reverence. It's. Or 15 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,680 S1: does that kind of fear show up in our worship? 16 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,600 S1: Does it show up in our prayers that. Does it 17 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,810 S1: show up in in my journal. Most of the time 18 00:01:02,810 --> 00:01:06,770 S1: it's about me. How about you? Are we more committed 19 00:01:06,770 --> 00:01:12,210 S1: to a comfortable experience, a relaxed feel to our worship? 20 00:01:12,730 --> 00:01:14,490 S1: She has some things to say to us at the 21 00:01:14,490 --> 00:01:16,850 S1: Radio Backyard fence. Thank you for joining us. Thanks to 22 00:01:16,850 --> 00:01:19,929 S1: our team. Ryan McConaughey doing all things technical. Trish is 23 00:01:19,930 --> 00:01:22,649 S1: our producer. Lisa is in the chair. Josh will be 24 00:01:22,650 --> 00:01:26,490 S1: answering your calls today. God is in the transformation business. 25 00:01:26,490 --> 00:01:28,970 S1: He does not want to give you a soul makeover. 26 00:01:29,650 --> 00:01:31,650 S1: He wants to make you new. He wants to make 27 00:01:31,650 --> 00:01:35,690 S1: you a different person. And Doctor John Perkins experienced that. 28 00:01:35,690 --> 00:01:38,649 S1: His son, Spencer, came home from Sunday school one day 29 00:01:39,090 --> 00:01:42,569 S1: and told him, daddy, here's what I learned today about Jesus. 30 00:01:43,370 --> 00:01:48,090 S1: And when John Perkins heard that a very simple message 31 00:01:48,090 --> 00:01:50,290 S1: of the gospel and went to the church and heard 32 00:01:50,290 --> 00:01:53,250 S1: the good news, he responded, I want you to listen 33 00:01:53,250 --> 00:01:57,370 S1: to this. Almost immediately, God began to do something radical 34 00:01:57,370 --> 00:02:01,630 S1: in my heart. Art. He began to challenge my prejudices 35 00:02:01,870 --> 00:02:05,030 S1: and my hatred toward others. I had learned to hate 36 00:02:05,030 --> 00:02:08,549 S1: the white people in Mississippi. I hated their control over 37 00:02:08,550 --> 00:02:10,470 S1: our lives. I hated them for what they had done 38 00:02:10,470 --> 00:02:13,470 S1: to my brother Clyde. I hated them for refusing to 39 00:02:13,510 --> 00:02:16,070 S1: see me as a person deserving of respect just because 40 00:02:16,070 --> 00:02:18,870 S1: I was a human being. I had so much hate. 41 00:02:19,669 --> 00:02:22,430 S1: And if I had not met Jesus, I would have 42 00:02:22,430 --> 00:02:26,030 S1: died carrying that heavy burden of hate to my grave. 43 00:02:26,470 --> 00:02:31,990 S1: But he, God began to strip it away layer by layer. 44 00:02:31,990 --> 00:02:34,790 S1: He reminded me again and again that I could not 45 00:02:34,830 --> 00:02:38,910 S1: hoard his love, and I could not be selective about 46 00:02:38,910 --> 00:02:41,470 S1: who I would share it with. The love he had 47 00:02:41,470 --> 00:02:44,669 S1: shed abroad in my heart was meant to be shared 48 00:02:44,669 --> 00:02:51,070 S1: with others, regardless of their color. Words from Doctor John Perkins. 49 00:02:51,070 --> 00:02:55,269 S1: And for one week more, we're sending a copy of 50 00:02:55,270 --> 00:02:59,680 S1: his book, One Blood Parting words to the church on 51 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:03,320 S1: race and love. It's our thank you right now for 52 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:07,240 S1: one week left. The time is ticking. Call or go 53 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,720 S1: to the website. Give a gift of any size and 54 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,200 S1: I'd love to put it in your hands. Eight. Six. Six. Nine. Five. 55 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,959 S1: Faber is the number if you want to give a gift, 56 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,240 S1: or if you just want to leave a message for 57 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:24,079 S1: us here at the back fence. (866) 953-2279. Or if it's 58 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,840 S1: easier and it's easier for me to say go to chris.org. 59 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,480 S1: Scroll down, you'll see how you can be a friend 60 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:35,000 S1: or partner with us right there. Chris FABRY. Chris Fabry 61 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:39,080 S1: live dot ORG. And thanks for your support. That allows 62 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,280 S1: us to talk with people such as Laura Story, a 63 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,360 S1: Grammy and double winning with One More Time Laura Story 64 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,840 S1: Mark and edit their Write Laura's Story, a Grammy and 65 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,960 S1: Dove Award winning singer songwriter known for her certified platinum 66 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,500 S1: song blessings. And that's it. She's never done anything else. 67 00:03:58,780 --> 00:04:02,460 S1: She serves as a worship leader at Perimeter Church, also 68 00:04:02,460 --> 00:04:05,180 S1: a Bible teacher, author of several books we've talked about 69 00:04:05,180 --> 00:04:08,580 S1: When God doesn't fix it here. And our featured resource 70 00:04:08,580 --> 00:04:11,900 S1: today is Stand in Awe. Laura lives with her husband, Martin, 71 00:04:11,900 --> 00:04:16,420 S1: and their four children near Atlanta, Georgia. Laura Story, welcome 72 00:04:16,420 --> 00:04:18,140 S1: back to the program. How are you doing today? 73 00:04:18,980 --> 00:04:21,980 S2: I'm fantastic. Chris, thanks so much for having me on. 74 00:04:22,339 --> 00:04:24,979 S1: I am glad I'm standing in all that you are 75 00:04:24,980 --> 00:04:28,300 S1: here and that you would, uh, deign deign to come 76 00:04:28,300 --> 00:04:31,540 S1: in here. And I, I really resonated with a lot 77 00:04:31,580 --> 00:04:35,500 S1: that you have talked about in this book. And so 78 00:04:35,620 --> 00:04:39,740 S1: the question that I put up on Facebook was the 79 00:04:39,740 --> 00:04:43,260 S1: question that I thought would get the most response, or 80 00:04:43,300 --> 00:04:46,420 S1: maybe stir things up a little bit. And that is 81 00:04:46,420 --> 00:04:49,500 S1: about the contemporary Christian music world. How has it changed 82 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:51,820 S1: our worship? I'm not going to ask that of you 83 00:04:51,820 --> 00:04:54,980 S1: right now, but have that in the back of your mind. Um, 84 00:04:55,260 --> 00:04:59,230 S1: you have been doing this worship thing for a long time, 85 00:04:59,589 --> 00:05:02,870 S1: and you've thought deeply about this. What is it that 86 00:05:02,870 --> 00:05:05,390 S1: you're saying in this new book, Stand in Awe? 87 00:05:06,270 --> 00:05:08,789 S2: Oh, man. Man, I kind of want to jump into 88 00:05:08,790 --> 00:05:12,150 S2: the contemporary Christian world. I want to hear what people think. Um, 89 00:05:12,350 --> 00:05:16,190 S2: but yeah, I think that, uh, part of it is 90 00:05:16,230 --> 00:05:19,070 S2: kind of, it is part of that it's looking at 91 00:05:19,110 --> 00:05:22,550 S2: kind of how we're worshiping God. And, and the question 92 00:05:22,550 --> 00:05:26,390 S2: should always be in every age of the church, you know, there, 93 00:05:26,790 --> 00:05:31,350 S2: there's always something, um, that's going well and oftentimes some, 94 00:05:31,390 --> 00:05:35,390 S2: something that's being overlooked that where we need to grow. Um, 95 00:05:35,390 --> 00:05:37,789 S2: but the question is, how does God tell us in 96 00:05:37,790 --> 00:05:41,390 S2: his word that he wants to be worshiped and stand 97 00:05:41,390 --> 00:05:44,430 S2: in awe? Really, the premise is that God wants to 98 00:05:44,430 --> 00:05:46,270 S2: be approached in reverence. 99 00:05:48,310 --> 00:05:49,909 S1: Period. That's it. 100 00:05:50,190 --> 00:05:53,830 S2: Period. I know that's the simple answer. 101 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,880 S1: Yes. And what does that mean then? The next logical question. 102 00:05:57,880 --> 00:05:59,520 S1: What does reverence mean? 103 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:02,839 S2: Well, yeah, I think there's a lot of aspects of it. 104 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:08,480 S2: There is focusing on God and singing about him in 105 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:12,360 S2: a God focused way rather than a self-focused way. It's 106 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:18,239 S2: treating him as the majestic, holy, transcendent, completely other God 107 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,400 S2: that he is, rather than treating him like our buddy 108 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:25,960 S2: or like a genie in a lamp. You know, I think, uh, 109 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:28,720 S2: a friend of mine told me the other day, I 110 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:33,120 S2: loved this. She said, if God answered all of your prayers, 111 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,160 S2: if he just said yes to all of your prayers, 112 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,640 S2: would it change the world or would it change your world? 113 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:39,279 S1: MM. 114 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:43,600 S2: Oftentimes, you know, we, we love worshiping God as long 115 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,920 S2: as we're singing songs about ourselves and we love praying 116 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,839 S2: to God, as long as we're praying prayers about ourselves. Um, 117 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,320 S2: but it's lifting our eyes to see this bigger picture 118 00:06:53,380 --> 00:06:56,260 S2: because what the Lord tells us. You know, so many 119 00:06:56,260 --> 00:06:59,580 S2: different places in the world and so sorry, so many 120 00:06:59,580 --> 00:07:03,300 S2: different places in His word is that he doesn't come 121 00:07:03,339 --> 00:07:07,339 S2: necessarily to make our lives better or more manageable or, 122 00:07:07,700 --> 00:07:13,700 S2: or more organized or more comfortable. He comes, he calls 123 00:07:13,700 --> 00:07:16,700 S2: us to give our lives that we might lose them. 124 00:07:17,300 --> 00:07:19,620 S2: He said, if you lose your life for my sake, 125 00:07:19,660 --> 00:07:22,140 S2: that's when you really begin to gain. And so that's 126 00:07:22,140 --> 00:07:25,700 S2: kind of the beginning of reverence, um, acknowledging that he's 127 00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:28,380 S2: God and we're not. Uh, but yeah, there's so many 128 00:07:28,380 --> 00:07:31,060 S2: different ways this shows up in our worship, but also 129 00:07:31,060 --> 00:07:31,900 S2: in our lives. 130 00:07:32,460 --> 00:07:33,300 S3: I like what Keith. 131 00:07:33,340 --> 00:07:36,100 S1: Gaddie said in the introduction. And if you get Keith 132 00:07:36,140 --> 00:07:38,740 S1: Getty to write the introduction to your book, you jump 133 00:07:38,740 --> 00:07:41,980 S1: on that. I'm sure you I'm sure you did. But 134 00:07:41,980 --> 00:07:44,660 S1: he said it was said of the 16th century Scottish 135 00:07:44,660 --> 00:07:48,860 S1: reformer John Knox that he, quote, feared God so much 136 00:07:48,860 --> 00:07:53,190 S1: that he never feared the face of any man, unquote. 137 00:07:53,390 --> 00:07:56,230 S1: The fear of the Lord unlocks a deep joy intended 138 00:07:56,230 --> 00:07:59,590 S1: for each of us that will come from nothing else. 139 00:07:59,910 --> 00:08:04,110 S1: So reverence, you know, English is really hard because, you know, 140 00:08:04,150 --> 00:08:06,830 S1: we got love and you love pizza and you love 141 00:08:06,870 --> 00:08:10,070 S1: God and your wife and you know, your dog. Yeah. Um, 142 00:08:10,070 --> 00:08:13,190 S1: and fear is well, we think of fear as this 143 00:08:13,190 --> 00:08:17,030 S1: trembling Oz, you know, the great Oz. And it's like 144 00:08:17,230 --> 00:08:21,230 S1: there's so many facets to fear. I think John Knox 145 00:08:21,270 --> 00:08:22,670 S1: got it right, don't you? 146 00:08:23,510 --> 00:08:26,150 S2: Oh, absolutely. Even when you bring up the idea of love, 147 00:08:26,190 --> 00:08:30,150 S2: you know, the different versions of love that we think of. 148 00:08:30,510 --> 00:08:34,590 S2: But truly, when it comes to the Lord, there is, uh, 149 00:08:34,590 --> 00:08:38,309 S2: he calls us to love him alone. You even see 150 00:08:38,350 --> 00:08:42,070 S2: places in scripture where he's, uh, where Jesus is saying, like, 151 00:08:42,070 --> 00:08:43,870 S2: who is my father? Who is my mother? You know, 152 00:08:44,270 --> 00:08:48,829 S2: we're called to put God above all other loves in 153 00:08:48,830 --> 00:08:51,760 S2: our life. And I think that's where you begin to 154 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:56,400 S2: see a little bit of that trembling in awe. Um, 155 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,120 S2: it's that God, God's not the kind of God that's 156 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:02,360 S2: content being one of the parts of your life, like 157 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,080 S2: one of the things you love and one of the 158 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,839 S2: things you care about. Um, he actually, I talk about 159 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:09,800 S2: this in my book, you know, you think about the 160 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,280 S2: letter to that, that church in revelation where he says, 161 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:15,680 S2: you know, I wish that you were like, either on 162 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:17,840 S2: fire for me or didn't talk about me at all. 163 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,880 S2: The fact that you're lukewarm. Um, I want to spit 164 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,640 S2: you out of my mouth. And so you see that? God, uh, 165 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,360 S2: he's not he's not really great when it comes to 166 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:32,440 S2: casual relationships with his children. Um, he wants our whole hearts, 167 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,480 S2: and there is a bit of a fear and trembling 168 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:39,920 S2: when it comes to giving our whole selves to such 169 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,960 S2: an awesome God. Um, but I believe, I believe that 170 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,280 S2: that that's exactly what he describes in his word. And really, that's, 171 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,520 S2: that's what makes Christianity worth it. 172 00:09:50,980 --> 00:09:55,540 S1: And in the last few decades, the church in in 173 00:09:55,580 --> 00:09:59,220 S1: the West, and especially the American church has kind of changed. 174 00:09:59,220 --> 00:10:02,180 S1: And we want people to feel relaxed. And we want 175 00:10:02,220 --> 00:10:05,100 S1: people to feel comfortable when they're when they come in 176 00:10:05,100 --> 00:10:08,140 S1: so they can have an experience. I want to hear 177 00:10:08,140 --> 00:10:11,260 S1: what you have to say about that, and also what 178 00:10:11,260 --> 00:10:14,660 S1: you have to say about that question I posted on Facebook. 179 00:10:14,660 --> 00:10:18,580 S1: How is the Christian music industry shaped worship in the church? 180 00:10:18,580 --> 00:10:21,900 S1: Has it made a positive or negative impact? Do you 181 00:10:21,900 --> 00:10:23,699 S1: have an answer to that question? You want to talk 182 00:10:23,700 --> 00:10:31,580 S1: with Laura? Story (877) 548-3675. This is a really good topic 183 00:10:31,580 --> 00:10:36,020 S1: and it's a great way to deal with this aspect 184 00:10:36,020 --> 00:10:39,500 S1: of reverence of God. Laura Story has written stand in 185 00:10:39,500 --> 00:10:44,140 S1: awe how reverence transforms our worship and our lives. You'll 186 00:10:44,140 --> 00:10:56,510 S1: find a link to it@chris.org. I am so glad to 187 00:10:56,510 --> 00:10:59,390 S1: have Laura's story with us. She's back today and she's 188 00:10:59,390 --> 00:11:03,590 S1: written a really good book about worship. Stand in awe. 189 00:11:04,190 --> 00:11:07,709 S1: A reverence transforms our worship and our lives. Find out 190 00:11:07,710 --> 00:11:12,829 S1: more about it at Chris Fabry live.org. chris.org. That's the 191 00:11:12,830 --> 00:11:16,710 S1: song that is the best known song that she has 192 00:11:16,750 --> 00:11:20,110 S1: sung in the last few years. Well, you really kind 193 00:11:20,150 --> 00:11:24,550 S1: of started things that was, uh, the, the, the tornado 194 00:11:24,870 --> 00:11:29,150 S1: blessings was the tornado that really catapulted you, right. Laura? 195 00:11:30,030 --> 00:11:32,350 S2: I guess, I guess so. Well, I'll tell you, I'd 196 00:11:32,350 --> 00:11:34,990 S2: written a song before then that had kind of put 197 00:11:34,990 --> 00:11:38,189 S2: me kind of in the worship world, a song called indescribable. 198 00:11:38,190 --> 00:11:40,710 S2: So that was my first one. But blessings definitely was 199 00:11:40,710 --> 00:11:44,990 S2: the one that I sang. Uh, yeah, because Chris Tomlin 200 00:11:44,990 --> 00:11:47,910 S2: had recorded the other one. But so blessings was the 201 00:11:47,910 --> 00:11:50,530 S2: first time that I was really, you know, on the radio, 202 00:11:50,570 --> 00:11:52,370 S2: which was was kind of a fun thing. 203 00:11:52,610 --> 00:11:53,010 S3: Yeah. 204 00:11:53,290 --> 00:11:55,650 S1: I remember and I told you this story, but I 205 00:11:55,650 --> 00:11:59,130 S1: still remember sitting in this men's group at a, at 206 00:11:59,170 --> 00:12:03,689 S1: a cowboy church and this grizzled guy who had had 207 00:12:03,690 --> 00:12:06,330 S1: some real hard stuff in his life, and he wore 208 00:12:06,330 --> 00:12:08,290 S1: cowboy boots and, you know, he could just see him 209 00:12:08,290 --> 00:12:12,530 S1: out there in the, in the field kicking rattlesnakes and 210 00:12:12,530 --> 00:12:15,650 S1: doing everything. And he said, have you guys heard that 211 00:12:15,650 --> 00:12:19,809 S1: song Blessings by Laura Story? And then he went on 212 00:12:19,850 --> 00:12:22,530 S1: to say what it meant to him. And I thought, 213 00:12:22,530 --> 00:12:24,929 S1: and we had had conversations, you know, I didn't tell him, well, 214 00:12:24,929 --> 00:12:29,130 S1: I know Laura story, but that just shows the power 215 00:12:29,130 --> 00:12:34,610 S1: of writing something and singing something from the heart that 216 00:12:34,610 --> 00:12:37,210 S1: reaches the heart of somebody else. And I just, I, 217 00:12:37,650 --> 00:12:42,690 S1: I was, was in awe of that, that God would 218 00:12:42,690 --> 00:12:45,770 S1: do something like that with a song that you'd written. 219 00:12:46,210 --> 00:12:47,340 S1: And I know you feel the same. 220 00:12:47,380 --> 00:12:49,780 S2: And you you you know how that works. You know 221 00:12:49,780 --> 00:12:52,540 S2: the fact that the Lord uses my music or your 222 00:12:52,540 --> 00:12:55,900 S2: radio program. We we're just both so humbled that he 223 00:12:55,900 --> 00:12:57,140 S2: would use people like us. 224 00:12:57,460 --> 00:12:59,059 S3: Yeah. But at some point. 225 00:12:59,059 --> 00:13:01,179 S1: You say in the book that we kind of we 226 00:13:01,220 --> 00:13:04,420 S1: walk in to church and we think we're the we're 227 00:13:04,500 --> 00:13:07,380 S1: the center of attention. We're the big deal here because 228 00:13:07,420 --> 00:13:10,460 S1: you're one of your kids wore a shirt to church. 229 00:13:10,660 --> 00:13:11,620 S1: Tell the story. 230 00:13:12,780 --> 00:13:13,540 S2: Oh, yeah. 231 00:13:13,580 --> 00:13:14,460 S1: You know what I'm talking about. 232 00:13:14,500 --> 00:13:17,580 S2: You know, I absolutely do. Yeah. You know, as a 233 00:13:17,620 --> 00:13:20,740 S2: as a worship leader. I like to call it music 234 00:13:20,740 --> 00:13:24,220 S2: minister because that that word minister meaning servant, like you're the, 235 00:13:24,300 --> 00:13:26,740 S2: you know, just seeing yourself as the music servant of 236 00:13:26,740 --> 00:13:30,420 S2: the church as as the music minister at my church, 237 00:13:30,460 --> 00:13:33,620 S2: you know, I'm always showing up super early and I'm 238 00:13:33,860 --> 00:13:37,020 S2: trying to get my, you know, line checked and sound checked. And, 239 00:13:37,059 --> 00:13:39,980 S2: and oftentimes I don't even look at what the kids wear. Um, 240 00:13:39,980 --> 00:13:43,780 S2: but I noticed my son Benjamin had on a, he 241 00:13:43,820 --> 00:13:45,460 S2: was still in his pajamas by the time we showed 242 00:13:45,460 --> 00:13:48,429 S2: up to church and across the front of his shirt 243 00:13:48,429 --> 00:13:51,230 S2: it said, I'm kind of a big deal. And I'm thinking, 244 00:13:51,270 --> 00:13:55,510 S2: oh my gracious, I cannot believe that my son has 245 00:13:55,510 --> 00:13:58,550 S2: shown up in this shirt. But I think it also 246 00:13:58,590 --> 00:14:01,189 S2: kind of made me laugh because how often do I 247 00:14:01,190 --> 00:14:05,350 S2: do that? How often do I, you know, kind of, uh, 248 00:14:05,630 --> 00:14:08,950 S2: wander into church with my Starbucks, you know, make sure 249 00:14:08,950 --> 00:14:12,910 S2: I have everything, you know, that makes me feel comfortable. And, 250 00:14:12,950 --> 00:14:18,030 S2: you know, I'm barely there on time. And oftentimes I'm, 251 00:14:18,309 --> 00:14:21,990 S2: you know, my mind, like, I'm, I'm, I'm physically present, 252 00:14:21,990 --> 00:14:26,150 S2: but mentally I'm thinking about the luncheon we have afterwards. 253 00:14:26,150 --> 00:14:29,670 S2: Did I, did I get enough hot dog buns? You know, and, 254 00:14:29,710 --> 00:14:35,750 S2: and I'm approaching a holy, majestic God, but I'm not 255 00:14:35,750 --> 00:14:38,350 S2: really giving him the attention that he deserves. 256 00:14:38,590 --> 00:14:38,990 S4: MM. 257 00:14:39,750 --> 00:14:42,750 S1: And I think it was your pastor who's been at 258 00:14:42,750 --> 00:14:45,530 S1: the church for years and years and years who talked 259 00:14:45,530 --> 00:14:50,490 S1: about for anybody on the worship team who who might 260 00:14:50,490 --> 00:14:53,130 S1: walk in in flip flops. And I'm not throwing stones 261 00:14:53,130 --> 00:14:57,130 S1: on to anybody here today. But what would happen if 262 00:14:57,290 --> 00:14:59,850 S1: you tell that story? What did he say to the 263 00:14:59,850 --> 00:15:04,330 S1: team about coming into God's presence and, and thinking about 264 00:15:04,330 --> 00:15:06,370 S1: it from, like, a political figure? 265 00:15:07,250 --> 00:15:10,690 S2: Yeah. He was talking about, uh, like if you had 266 00:15:10,690 --> 00:15:14,970 S2: been granted an audience, let's say, with the Queen of England, 267 00:15:15,130 --> 00:15:17,810 S2: you know, you would you would probably, first of all, 268 00:15:17,850 --> 00:15:20,250 S2: like that would be the top priority on your calendar 269 00:15:20,250 --> 00:15:23,610 S2: that week. Okay. You'd probably, you know, spend all this 270 00:15:23,610 --> 00:15:28,330 S2: time getting ready, not just physically, but mentally. You'd probably 271 00:15:28,330 --> 00:15:31,650 S2: get there early. And then there would be this moment 272 00:15:31,650 --> 00:15:35,650 S2: of all rise, the Queen of England, you know, and 273 00:15:35,650 --> 00:15:38,570 S2: you're in many ways, like you mentioned before, kind of 274 00:15:38,610 --> 00:15:43,290 S2: trembling in fear, not, not really fear, but just excitement 275 00:15:43,290 --> 00:15:47,460 S2: and or of this person that you get to meet with. Well, 276 00:15:47,460 --> 00:15:51,180 S2: we actually have that opportunity every Sunday. But one of 277 00:15:51,180 --> 00:15:53,060 S2: the neatest things that I that I did for this 278 00:15:53,060 --> 00:15:57,380 S2: book is I searched the scriptures and I searched for 279 00:15:57,700 --> 00:16:00,780 S2: the pictures of what it looked like for God's people 280 00:16:00,780 --> 00:16:03,940 S2: to meet with him. And Chris, you, you know exactly 281 00:16:03,940 --> 00:16:07,140 S2: what I'm about to say. We have, you know, we 282 00:16:07,140 --> 00:16:12,020 S2: have Isaiah, who is like in the throne room. It's shake. 283 00:16:12,060 --> 00:16:16,180 S2: The foundations are shaking. It's filled with smoke. He's completely 284 00:16:16,180 --> 00:16:19,460 S2: in awe, saying, you know, woe is me, I am ruined. 285 00:16:19,660 --> 00:16:23,060 S2: You have Moses taking off his shoes, standing on holy ground. 286 00:16:23,060 --> 00:16:27,780 S2: You have, uh, Joshua, you know, coming in into, you know, 287 00:16:27,820 --> 00:16:29,620 S2: and having this encounter with God and he falls on 288 00:16:29,620 --> 00:16:33,060 S2: his face. You have Abraham falling on his face. You have, 289 00:16:33,340 --> 00:16:36,020 S2: you know, you go to revelation and you see the 290 00:16:36,020 --> 00:16:41,140 S2: elders and, and having kind of an Isaiah type moment saying, Holy, holy, holy. 291 00:16:41,140 --> 00:16:43,440 S2: And they're all falling on their faces. So a lot, 292 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,160 S2: a lot of falling on our faces here. But I 293 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:52,000 S2: think what that speaks to is the reverence that is 294 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:54,680 S2: due to such a holy God. And if we were 295 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:59,040 S2: to truly see Him as He is and as the 296 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:03,760 S2: scriptures reveal him to be, I think our posture towards him, whether, 297 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:05,679 S2: you know, you're probably not at the type of church 298 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,000 S2: where you actually bow, but maybe you are. But at 299 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,040 S2: least our hearts would be giving him that type of 300 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,080 S2: respect that he is so worthy of. 301 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:18,960 S1: Yes. And that that spirit, you know what, what is 302 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,320 S1: on the inside will leak out. And how many times 303 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:25,680 S1: do you kind of waltz, not waltz in, but just 304 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,720 S1: kind of saunter in a little late and things have started. 305 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:33,360 S1: And because I think we think of worship as, okay, 306 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,440 S1: worship is the music. So I want to get there 307 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,480 S1: for worship. But it's like, wait a minute. Worship is 308 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:46,050 S1: the entire experience. Worship is our entire lives in a sense, right? 309 00:17:46,850 --> 00:17:50,570 S2: That's really that's a great way to say it. And, uh, 310 00:17:50,570 --> 00:17:55,250 S2: just you think about if you were going somewhere that 311 00:17:55,250 --> 00:17:58,410 S2: you knew that God was going to be. I think 312 00:17:58,410 --> 00:18:03,210 S2: that if we really believe that and, uh, really just 313 00:18:03,250 --> 00:18:06,729 S2: like took a moment to comprehend what that would be like, uh, 314 00:18:06,730 --> 00:18:08,810 S2: I think we would show up with a little bit 315 00:18:08,810 --> 00:18:12,010 S2: more anticipation, I think would show up a little bit 316 00:18:12,010 --> 00:18:16,810 S2: more excitement of like the holy and living God is 317 00:18:16,810 --> 00:18:19,450 S2: in our presence here. And one thing that you also 318 00:18:19,450 --> 00:18:21,690 S2: see in the scriptures, I mean, literally from the beginning 319 00:18:21,730 --> 00:18:24,050 S2: to the end of the Bible, you see people having 320 00:18:24,050 --> 00:18:26,090 S2: an encounter with God, or people having an encounter with 321 00:18:26,090 --> 00:18:29,610 S2: Jesus or the Holy Spirit, and not a single one 322 00:18:29,609 --> 00:18:32,810 S2: of those people ever walks away the same. Yes, it's 323 00:18:32,810 --> 00:18:36,530 S2: impossible to have an encounter with a holy God and 324 00:18:36,530 --> 00:18:38,530 S2: not walk away changed forever. 325 00:18:39,090 --> 00:18:42,140 S1: And like you said with the Queen You would figure 326 00:18:42,180 --> 00:18:44,340 S1: you would prepare, you would know what you were going 327 00:18:44,380 --> 00:18:47,220 S1: to wear, and you would know how to bow or 328 00:18:47,220 --> 00:18:49,740 S1: how to curtsy or what the you know, if a 329 00:18:49,780 --> 00:18:52,419 S1: head of state from some other country and there's a 330 00:18:52,420 --> 00:18:55,420 S1: special handshake that you do or that you don't do, 331 00:18:55,580 --> 00:18:57,620 S1: you would know that you know, all of that kind 332 00:18:57,660 --> 00:19:00,060 S1: of thing, and not that God is a stickler and 333 00:19:00,100 --> 00:19:02,219 S1: you got to know the exact right thing to do. 334 00:19:02,420 --> 00:19:05,340 S1: It's what is going on in your heart. And that's 335 00:19:05,340 --> 00:19:08,820 S1: what Laura's story is written about. And stand in awe 336 00:19:09,140 --> 00:19:13,020 S1: how reverence transforms our worship and our lives. We're to 337 00:19:13,020 --> 00:19:16,980 S1: get to the contemporary Christian music industry here in a minute. 338 00:19:16,980 --> 00:19:20,460 S1: But I've got Don in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Hi, Don. 339 00:19:20,460 --> 00:19:21,580 S1: Why did you call today? 340 00:19:24,100 --> 00:19:27,379 S5: When I heard what you all were talking about, man. 341 00:19:27,380 --> 00:19:30,380 S5: And it's the Holy Spirit that got me through. Really. 342 00:19:30,380 --> 00:19:32,340 S5: I didn't expect to get through, but I needed to 343 00:19:32,340 --> 00:19:36,180 S5: tell somebody because what you guys are talking about needs 344 00:19:36,180 --> 00:19:39,379 S5: to be said so badly. And I think that God 345 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,800 S5: has put it in a young lady. I don't know 346 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:44,840 S5: how old she is, but she's most likely younger than 347 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:49,000 S5: me because I'm 70 something. So, um, uh, to, to 348 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:52,320 S5: say a hard thing because the church needs that. We 349 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:55,120 S5: got all of this talent. I mean, we got talented preachers, man. 350 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:57,760 S5: We got guys that can go through that scripture and 351 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:02,720 S5: articulate it, man. But what's missing is the or I remember, uh, 352 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,400 S5: Sarah Groves that got me hooked on her years, years ago, 353 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:08,440 S5: I used to drive to Detroit and listen to her 354 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,000 S5: at jobs over there anyway, but, uh, and she said, 355 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,000 S5: I don't want to ever lose my wonder. 356 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:18,560 S6: That we see when we lose, we lose that wonder man. 357 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:20,040 S6: It's we. 358 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:22,880 S5: Listen. What did he say? He said all who would 359 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,480 S5: draw near to me. I'm to all who would draw 360 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:29,639 S5: near to me. I must be regarded as holy. I mean. 361 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,280 S5: And like you guys have said, everything you said. Everything. 362 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,320 S5: We stroll in the church, you know, with our coffee, 363 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:36,840 S5: with our stuff. You guys are covering it, you're covering it. 364 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,609 S5: And you know, I pray that you get some, um, some, uh, 365 00:20:40,650 --> 00:20:43,010 S5: good ratings on this, but you probably won't, because the 366 00:20:43,010 --> 00:20:47,890 S5: Holy Spirit, uh, is saying something that's very powerful. And 367 00:20:47,890 --> 00:20:51,170 S5: this world, uh, is not for for God. It's not 368 00:20:51,170 --> 00:20:54,050 S5: for if we start to reverence God like we reverence 369 00:20:54,050 --> 00:20:57,370 S5: movie stars like we reverence a football star, or like 370 00:20:57,369 --> 00:21:00,370 S5: we go to these games and, and just all in 371 00:21:00,369 --> 00:21:03,730 S5: awe of the talent that he's given, man. And we 372 00:21:03,730 --> 00:21:06,410 S5: have an opportunity to go see the one who's created 373 00:21:06,410 --> 00:21:07,090 S5: all of this. 374 00:21:07,930 --> 00:21:08,290 S2: Mhm. 375 00:21:08,730 --> 00:21:11,690 S1: Don, you're you are doing exactly what we're talking about 376 00:21:11,690 --> 00:21:14,410 S1: here today. And I'm glad we're speaking your love language 377 00:21:14,410 --> 00:21:18,450 S1: or whatever language that is because you are saying you 378 00:21:18,490 --> 00:21:21,929 S1: used that, uh, you say you're not an NFL fan, Laura, 379 00:21:22,130 --> 00:21:26,450 S1: but the excitement that people have for this game that's 380 00:21:26,450 --> 00:21:30,490 S1: in front of us, we don't have that same kind 381 00:21:30,490 --> 00:21:32,730 S1: of anticipation excitement, do we? 382 00:21:33,490 --> 00:21:35,889 S2: Well, and I love even what you were saying, Don, 383 00:21:35,890 --> 00:21:40,940 S2: about how, uh, you know, we Revere people, but oftentimes 384 00:21:40,940 --> 00:21:44,260 S2: we're just revering the wrong people. You know, you think about, 385 00:21:44,300 --> 00:21:47,980 S2: you know, Taylor Swift with her however many billion followers, 386 00:21:48,020 --> 00:21:51,780 S2: you know, like whatever, whatever it might be, um, in, 387 00:21:51,940 --> 00:21:55,980 S2: in some ways, like it's innate within us to, um, 388 00:21:56,140 --> 00:22:02,540 S2: to show reverence to someone, to something. Um, but oftentimes, uh, 389 00:22:02,700 --> 00:22:07,900 S2: we as believers, we're just not revering God as we should. 390 00:22:07,940 --> 00:22:11,700 S2: You know, sometimes, uh, you get this sense in some 391 00:22:11,700 --> 00:22:14,699 S2: churches actually teach this, that, that the God of the 392 00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:20,420 S2: Old Testament was this like, you know, awesome, um, fiery God. 393 00:22:20,420 --> 00:22:22,780 S2: And then he kind of mellowed out in the New Testament, 394 00:22:22,820 --> 00:22:26,940 S2: you know, which what the scripture actually teaches is no, no, no, 395 00:22:27,100 --> 00:22:30,740 S2: he is the same God. And yes, we can approach, 396 00:22:30,780 --> 00:22:32,700 S2: you know, he, the writer of Hebrews talks about we 397 00:22:32,700 --> 00:22:37,480 S2: can approach him with confidence. Um, we can boldly approach him. 398 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:42,000 S2: But the reason why we can't is because of Jesus. Um, 399 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,880 S2: so it's not that he has lessened in intensity in 400 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,399 S2: any way. Um, so it really should make us not 401 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,280 S2: just more in awe of who God is, but also 402 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,640 S2: more appreciative and grateful of the work that Jesus has 403 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:58,119 S2: done on our behalf that we can approach him. 404 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,920 S1: Dawn, thanks for your call today. And let's see if 405 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,840 S1: Dawn is right that this program will not be as popular. 406 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,280 S1: We won't get as many calls on this because this 407 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,440 S1: is hard. I don't know, I think there are other 408 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:13,720 S1: people who feel the same as Laura, that we have 409 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:17,480 S1: lost our. Or that we've lost our reverence. And what 410 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,879 S1: does that mean? I can see the loss of awe 411 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:24,440 S1: and reverence in other people so much easier than I 412 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:27,320 S1: can see it in myself. So I do not take 413 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:31,200 S1: from what you're saying here, Laura, as you know, judge 414 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,040 S1: everybody that's around you that's not wearing what you would 415 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,209 S1: wear or singing the way you would, or singing the 416 00:23:37,210 --> 00:23:39,929 S1: songs or whatever. It's not this is not about looking 417 00:23:39,930 --> 00:23:43,810 S1: around at other people. It's about looking at our own hearts. 418 00:23:44,010 --> 00:23:47,090 S1: And here's from the book. I pulled so many different quotes. 419 00:23:47,090 --> 00:23:49,810 S1: You say if someone who knew nothing about Christianity or 420 00:23:49,810 --> 00:23:53,330 S1: God visited the average North American church. Well, let me 421 00:23:53,369 --> 00:23:56,770 S1: let me change that. Visited your church. If someone who 422 00:23:56,770 --> 00:24:00,010 S1: knew nothing about Christianity or God visited your church, what 423 00:24:00,010 --> 00:24:03,330 S1: would that person conclude? Based on the topic of the 424 00:24:03,330 --> 00:24:06,609 S1: sermon and the content of the songs? Would that individual 425 00:24:06,609 --> 00:24:11,170 S1: conclude that God exists for man, or that man exists 426 00:24:11,170 --> 00:24:13,970 S1: for God? Would the way we talk about God and 427 00:24:13,970 --> 00:24:17,250 S1: the language used in our spoken and sung prayers present 428 00:24:17,250 --> 00:24:22,330 S1: an omnipotent, self-existent deity who is worthy of our worship? 429 00:24:22,450 --> 00:24:26,810 S1: Or would these words and themes simply convey our expectations 430 00:24:26,810 --> 00:24:31,290 S1: of what this powerful being can and should do for us? 431 00:24:31,730 --> 00:24:35,550 S1: That's from the book stand in Awe How reverence transforms 432 00:24:35,550 --> 00:24:38,949 S1: our worship and our lives. It's our featured resource at 433 00:24:38,950 --> 00:24:41,950 S1: Chris Fabry live.org. If you go there right now, you 434 00:24:41,950 --> 00:24:44,990 S1: can find the link. And I promise you, we're going 435 00:24:44,990 --> 00:24:46,830 S1: to get to because we got on what Dawn said 436 00:24:46,830 --> 00:24:49,590 S1: and I couldn't get off of that. I promise you, 437 00:24:49,630 --> 00:24:52,350 S1: we are going to get to contemporary Christian music because 438 00:24:52,390 --> 00:24:55,030 S1: Laura's story is part of that. She's she mentioned the 439 00:24:55,030 --> 00:24:59,110 S1: Chris Tomlin, you know, the songs that he has sung 440 00:24:59,750 --> 00:25:03,070 S1: her songs in the book stand in Awe, how reverence 441 00:25:03,070 --> 00:25:05,710 S1: transforms our worship and our lives. You're going to find 442 00:25:05,710 --> 00:25:10,149 S1: something that challenges you and something that encourages you as well. 443 00:25:10,430 --> 00:25:13,629 S1: And if you go to the website, Chris Fabry live.org, 444 00:25:13,670 --> 00:25:17,230 S1: you can see more about Laura and that book. And 445 00:25:17,230 --> 00:25:24,510 S1: here's our number (877) 548-3675 more straight ahead on Moody Radio. 446 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,960 S1: It's always a treat to have Laura's story with us 447 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,320 S1: at the Radio Backyard Fence. She's written a new book 448 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:46,000 S1: called Stand in Awe How Reverence Transforms Our Worship and 449 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:53,040 S1: Our Lives. Featured resource at Chris Fabry live.org. Chris Fabry live.org. Okay, Laura, 450 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:57,000 S1: answer that question. The contemporary Christian music industry. What has 451 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,440 S1: that done to our worship? 452 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:05,200 S2: Man. I mean, we could spend hours talking about it, but, 453 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:08,359 S2: you know, we mentioned the song indescribable when I first 454 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:11,040 S2: wrote that song. We had pitched it to I mean, 455 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:13,240 S2: this is like 20 years ago. We pitched it to 456 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:17,720 S2: so many artists and nobody would record it. And the 457 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,000 S2: reason why, uh, I don't think it was that bad 458 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,400 S2: of a song. I think it was, um, we kept 459 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:24,960 S2: on hearing from different artists. Well, the radio stations will 460 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:30,160 S2: never play worship music. So here we are 20 years later, 461 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,010 S2: and it's basically all that the radio stations are playing 462 00:26:33,010 --> 00:26:38,050 S2: is worship music. And that is good in many ways. 463 00:26:38,050 --> 00:26:42,730 S2: But there's also, I'd say maybe an unintended consequence to that, 464 00:26:43,010 --> 00:26:46,570 S2: where the radio stations which Chris, you mentioned this earlier, 465 00:26:46,890 --> 00:26:50,130 S2: I love Christian radio, and it's been a huge part 466 00:26:50,130 --> 00:26:53,290 S2: of my ministry and my story and really how the 467 00:26:53,290 --> 00:26:55,889 S2: Lord has, you know, shown me so much about himself. 468 00:26:56,050 --> 00:27:00,090 S2: But any Christian radio station you talk to, um, not any, 469 00:27:00,090 --> 00:27:03,729 S2: but most you, you know, the taglines, they say we 470 00:27:03,770 --> 00:27:07,250 S2: are positive, we are encouraging and we are family friendly. 471 00:27:07,530 --> 00:27:11,810 S2: And that's, that's wonderful for Christian radio. But then when 472 00:27:11,810 --> 00:27:15,850 S2: you look at what the church, um, is supposed to 473 00:27:15,890 --> 00:27:18,930 S2: sing of, when you think about what God is calling 474 00:27:18,930 --> 00:27:21,610 S2: his people to say to him, or what he is 475 00:27:21,609 --> 00:27:26,330 S2: wanting to say to his people through the songs we sing, um, 476 00:27:26,369 --> 00:27:28,850 S2: you realize that we're called to so much more than 477 00:27:28,850 --> 00:27:31,630 S2: just being positive, encouraging, and family friendly. 478 00:27:33,390 --> 00:27:36,990 S1: Amen. And I don't want to get on the bandwagon. 479 00:27:37,710 --> 00:27:39,990 S1: You get me on hymns and you had Keith Getty, 480 00:27:40,030 --> 00:27:42,150 S1: you know, write the intro to the book. So it's 481 00:27:42,150 --> 00:27:45,750 S1: like you got to talk about. But the jettisoning of 482 00:27:46,109 --> 00:27:51,190 S1: hymns and the, um, the truth that we have sung 483 00:27:51,390 --> 00:27:55,150 S1: through the ages, O God, our help in ages past, 484 00:27:55,190 --> 00:27:58,869 S1: our hope for years to come. We, we don't sing 485 00:27:58,910 --> 00:28:02,430 S1: the songs and maybe your church does. And I'm getting 486 00:28:02,430 --> 00:28:05,670 S1: that wrong as you listen here today. But for those 487 00:28:05,670 --> 00:28:09,510 S1: that no longer sing those because they're a little archaic, 488 00:28:09,670 --> 00:28:12,630 S1: they've got these words in here. I raise my Ebenezer, 489 00:28:12,670 --> 00:28:16,230 S1: you know, all that, all the, um, attitudes that we 490 00:28:16,230 --> 00:28:18,750 S1: have toward, you know, we want to be contemporary. We 491 00:28:18,750 --> 00:28:22,150 S1: want to be new. I know that a mighty fortress 492 00:28:22,190 --> 00:28:24,950 S1: is a is our God was at one point a 493 00:28:24,950 --> 00:28:28,669 S1: new song. So I'm not yeah, I'm not against new songs, 494 00:28:28,830 --> 00:28:31,720 S1: but what is the content like you're saying, what is 495 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:36,880 S1: the content saying from us to him rather than just 496 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,440 S1: us looking at how God, how can you meet my 497 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,600 S1: needs here today? Right? 498 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,760 S2: Yeah. Or even, uh, one thing we talk about at 499 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:49,480 S2: our church a lot, we talk about expressive, sorry, expression 500 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:53,640 S2: and formation, and we think about kind of like a, um, 501 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,280 S2: we have kind of like as a, as a linear thing, 502 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:00,200 S2: like with the expression on one end and information on, 503 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,480 S2: on another where, you know, there's nothing wrong with singing 504 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:06,239 S2: songs that are expressive to God and tell them how 505 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,400 S2: you're feeling and all of that. Nothing wrong with that. 506 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,520 S2: You see that, you know, the Psalms are full of this, 507 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:15,960 S2: but the Psalms are also full of formative teaching. You know, 508 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,560 S2: I will share, I often share the example that when 509 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,120 S2: I was growing up, like, I wish I could tell 510 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:24,320 S2: you that I paid attention to the sermon in church 511 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,880 S2: as a kid, but I, I vividly remember falling asleep 512 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:30,490 S2: in my mom's lap most Sundays when it came to 513 00:29:30,530 --> 00:29:33,730 S2: the sermon. Um, but how did I learn about God? 514 00:29:33,970 --> 00:29:37,650 S2: I learned about God through the anthems and the hymns 515 00:29:37,650 --> 00:29:40,930 S2: that our choir led us in. And when I look 516 00:29:40,930 --> 00:29:45,530 S2: back at those days, like I really, I learned who 517 00:29:45,530 --> 00:29:48,090 S2: God is, I learned who I am, who he created 518 00:29:48,090 --> 00:29:50,890 S2: me to be. I learned how I should view the world. 519 00:29:51,010 --> 00:29:54,730 S2: And I think about now I'm asking the question when 520 00:29:54,730 --> 00:29:58,330 S2: it comes to my children, based on the songs that 521 00:29:58,330 --> 00:30:01,570 S2: we're singing in my church, what, uh, what are my 522 00:30:01,610 --> 00:30:06,930 S2: kids learning about God? And is it deeper than Jesus 523 00:30:06,930 --> 00:30:07,450 S2: Loves me? 524 00:30:07,810 --> 00:30:08,330 S6: Yes. 525 00:30:09,250 --> 00:30:16,090 S1: And like the doxology, praise God from whom all blessings flow. 526 00:30:16,130 --> 00:30:21,450 S1: Praise him above all creatures here below. Uh, I'm going 527 00:30:21,490 --> 00:30:24,490 S1: to get the doxology wrong, but you see what I'm saying? 528 00:30:24,850 --> 00:30:31,830 S1: We're we're casting our vision On him rather than give 529 00:30:31,830 --> 00:30:40,150 S1: me give me a comfortable, seeker sensitive, curated, relaxed theater seat. 530 00:30:40,150 --> 00:30:42,310 S1: And that, you know, and I'm again, I'm trying not 531 00:30:42,310 --> 00:30:44,630 S1: to throw stones at anything, but that's kind of the 532 00:30:44,630 --> 00:30:47,270 S1: direction that we went. We want people to feel more 533 00:30:47,270 --> 00:30:50,990 S1: comfortable here. Nothing wrong with people feel uncomfortable. You don't 534 00:30:50,990 --> 00:30:53,430 S1: have to sit on a stone in order to go 535 00:30:53,430 --> 00:30:54,670 S1: to church, you know. 536 00:30:55,030 --> 00:30:58,150 S2: Um, yeah. Well, and you mentioned the. Oh go ahead. Sorry. 537 00:30:58,190 --> 00:30:59,230 S1: No, no, no, you. 538 00:31:00,070 --> 00:31:03,030 S2: Well you mentioned the seeker sensitive, you know, and that 539 00:31:03,030 --> 00:31:05,550 S2: was probably one of the most popular movements of the 540 00:31:05,550 --> 00:31:09,470 S2: past hundred years in the North American church and probably 541 00:31:09,510 --> 00:31:12,830 S2: passed beyond just the North American church. But and I 542 00:31:12,830 --> 00:31:17,030 S2: think that the heart behind it, um, was so good 543 00:31:17,030 --> 00:31:20,670 S2: and so pure. And the Lord used it in many ways, 544 00:31:20,670 --> 00:31:23,630 S2: but you also have to look at that unintended consequence 545 00:31:23,630 --> 00:31:27,719 S2: because you think about this movement, um, uh, trying to 546 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:34,959 S2: make the unsaved people in their community comfortable in church. Well, again, 547 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:40,400 S2: it's a beautiful picture, but oftentimes the way that they 548 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:43,000 S2: would do that is to talk more about the love 549 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:45,720 S2: and grace of God and omit any talk of our 550 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:50,600 S2: sin and omit any talk about like, just talk about 551 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:53,000 S2: the delight of God, but not talk about the duty 552 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:55,640 S2: of the believer, you know. And so there's so much 553 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:58,640 S2: that we were leaving out. And the truth is what 554 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:02,280 S2: you win them to. I'm sorry. What you win them with, 555 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:04,560 S2: you win them to. I knew I would say that wrong. 556 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,520 S2: What you win them with, you win them to. So 557 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:11,520 S2: if you win them to a version of Christianity, a 558 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:15,440 S2: that is comfortable and that, uh, and, and that's mostly 559 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:19,440 S2: focused on your own needs. Um, then that's what you 560 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:23,680 S2: win them to. And ultimately, Chris, these people become very 561 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:29,380 S2: disenchanted with Christianity. They become very disillusioned because a few 562 00:32:29,380 --> 00:32:32,900 S2: years in God's not meeting my needs the way that I. 563 00:32:32,940 --> 00:32:36,100 S2: That I thought he would based on the songs I 564 00:32:36,140 --> 00:32:38,580 S2: sang and the prayers I prayed and the teaching I received. 565 00:32:39,260 --> 00:32:42,740 S1: Exactly. And then we feel like he's abandoned us when 566 00:32:42,740 --> 00:32:45,700 S1: he hasn't. And we're going through a hard time and 567 00:32:45,700 --> 00:32:50,700 S1: a real struggle that is there, uh, by his providence, 568 00:32:50,700 --> 00:32:54,500 S1: his sovereignty to bring like blessings, talks about to bring 569 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:57,380 S1: us to the place where we see our need for him. 570 00:32:57,380 --> 00:32:59,740 S1: And we put our full trust and faith and hope 571 00:32:59,740 --> 00:33:05,540 S1: in him, not in him making our lives better or happy, 572 00:33:05,580 --> 00:33:08,300 S1: or whatever it is that, you know, we, we would 573 00:33:08,300 --> 00:33:11,220 S1: think that he needs to show up to do. Um, 574 00:33:11,380 --> 00:33:14,340 S1: I'm all, I'm all over that stand in or is 575 00:33:14,340 --> 00:33:17,900 S1: by Laura story. Chris is in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Hi, Chris. 576 00:33:17,940 --> 00:33:18,740 S1: Go right ahead. 577 00:33:19,740 --> 00:33:20,260 S6: Hello. 578 00:33:21,820 --> 00:33:22,140 S2: Hey, good. 579 00:33:22,140 --> 00:33:23,780 S1: To hear from you. Yeah, go right ahead. 580 00:33:23,820 --> 00:33:24,140 S6: Hi. 581 00:33:25,590 --> 00:33:28,870 S7: Um, yeah. So I was, uh, when you guys were 582 00:33:28,870 --> 00:33:32,230 S7: mentioning praise music and all that. I thought we were 583 00:33:32,230 --> 00:33:34,750 S7: talking about, like, what was on the radio, but you 584 00:33:34,750 --> 00:33:37,390 S7: guys were talking about what was in church. Um, in 585 00:33:37,390 --> 00:33:42,510 S7: my church is traditional. Uh, it's, it's pretty, uh, you know, 586 00:33:42,550 --> 00:33:46,790 S7: the beginning song and the end song are traditional hymns and, uh, 587 00:33:47,950 --> 00:33:51,390 S7: and then we have other contemporary masses offered throughout the 588 00:33:51,390 --> 00:33:55,950 S7: day that are more geared towards, towards people who like 589 00:33:55,950 --> 00:34:00,430 S7: that kind of, uh, music. But, but what I was, uh, 590 00:34:00,670 --> 00:34:04,430 S7: calling about was just saying how music has changed in general, 591 00:34:04,430 --> 00:34:07,910 S7: just on like on the radio over the last 30 592 00:34:07,910 --> 00:34:10,750 S7: years when, you know, my mom would drive me to 593 00:34:10,750 --> 00:34:14,230 S7: school and we would be listening to, you know, either 594 00:34:14,469 --> 00:34:19,150 S7: 95 or something like that. And, you know, it'd be 595 00:34:19,350 --> 00:34:22,150 S7: to me, it would be boring. But nowadays, like it, 596 00:34:22,310 --> 00:34:27,480 S7: it sounds, uh, a lot more palatable, I would say. Um, 597 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:29,759 S7: but as far as church goes, yeah, I agree with 598 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:32,759 S7: you guys that, you know, that's not the music is 599 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:35,799 S7: not why you should be there. It's to, to be 600 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:37,160 S7: in the presence of God. 601 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:38,839 S1: Laura, what do you. 602 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:39,239 S6: Say to that? 603 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:42,920 S2: Well, I'd say even, you know, when you think about 604 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:46,080 S2: I hope I hope that no one's hearing me say that, like, 605 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:49,160 S2: hymns are better than praise songs, because it really isn't 606 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:50,959 S2: what that's about. I mean, I can tell you some 607 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:54,799 S2: hymns that I honestly just dislike. I just think the 608 00:34:54,800 --> 00:35:00,239 S2: theology is bad. I think it's more making sure that 609 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:04,719 S2: whether we're singing a, you know, a seven stanza hymn 610 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:08,800 S2: or a praise song that just was released last week, 611 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:11,439 S2: we need to be looking at the content. We need 612 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:14,759 S2: to be like, is this song saying something or is 613 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:19,279 S2: it just a catchy tune with a catchy, let's call 614 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:23,219 S2: it a catchy concept? Um, when you think of the 615 00:35:23,219 --> 00:35:25,900 S2: other thing, you just have to take this into consideration 616 00:35:26,140 --> 00:35:30,940 S2: that these songs are written. Um, and the desire of 617 00:35:31,420 --> 00:35:35,700 S2: publishing companies is for this song to be, to, to 618 00:35:35,739 --> 00:35:39,259 S2: be a smash hit and song all over the world 619 00:35:39,460 --> 00:35:43,420 S2: at every single church. Okay. Which nothing wrong with that. 620 00:35:43,820 --> 00:35:48,739 S2: But oftentimes the content can suffer. If you're wanting a 621 00:35:48,739 --> 00:35:51,540 S2: song that you can sing in every single denomination, then 622 00:35:51,540 --> 00:35:53,620 S2: it's clearly not going to be able to say anything 623 00:35:53,620 --> 00:35:58,500 S2: that's offensive to anyone. So you have such general ideas. Um, 624 00:35:58,540 --> 00:36:02,339 S2: and too many songs like that in your church service 625 00:36:02,660 --> 00:36:07,219 S2: will lead us, I think, to weaker faith, because we're 626 00:36:07,219 --> 00:36:11,180 S2: not singing the rich, deep truths of who God is. 627 00:36:12,020 --> 00:36:14,700 S1: Chris. Thank you. Kim is in Florida as well. Kim, 628 00:36:14,700 --> 00:36:15,820 S1: why did you call today? 629 00:36:17,500 --> 00:36:22,070 S8: Um, I just thank you so much for this incredible topic. Um, 630 00:36:22,430 --> 00:36:26,310 S8: and I would say that as I hear the words, 631 00:36:26,310 --> 00:36:30,310 S8: that we should be more reverent and we should be 632 00:36:30,310 --> 00:36:36,390 S8: in awe that God doesn't he, he doesn't need our 633 00:36:36,390 --> 00:36:44,629 S8: reverence or amen. But he knows that we need a 634 00:36:44,630 --> 00:36:49,150 S8: reverence for him and an awe that we need a 635 00:36:49,190 --> 00:36:57,550 S8: proper fear because it's that proper worship of God that 636 00:36:57,550 --> 00:37:03,990 S8: will continue to deepen and open our eyes to not 637 00:37:03,989 --> 00:37:10,670 S8: only our sin in light of his holiness, but his grace. 638 00:37:10,670 --> 00:37:13,270 S8: And it's not until we understand our sin that we 639 00:37:13,270 --> 00:37:18,510 S8: can appreciate his grace and his mercy. Right? And so 640 00:37:19,469 --> 00:37:23,890 S8: the awe and reverence. Yes, we should. But the should 641 00:37:23,890 --> 00:37:26,969 S8: is really because he loves us so much that he 642 00:37:26,969 --> 00:37:28,530 S8: knows what's best for us. 643 00:37:29,210 --> 00:37:30,649 S2: Oh, that's so good. And you. 644 00:37:30,650 --> 00:37:30,810 S8: Think? 645 00:37:31,810 --> 00:37:34,850 S2: Yeah. When you think about the Westminster Catechism, I'm pretty 646 00:37:34,850 --> 00:37:38,169 S2: sure that I'm remembering this correctly. But it talks about 647 00:37:38,170 --> 00:37:40,730 S2: what is the chief end of man? Well, it's to 648 00:37:40,770 --> 00:37:44,250 S2: it's to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Okay. If 649 00:37:44,250 --> 00:37:48,290 S2: that is the purpose of our existence, then we should 650 00:37:48,330 --> 00:37:54,489 S2: become students of worship, of glorifying God. We should be 651 00:37:54,489 --> 00:37:57,930 S2: just die, you know, consuming His word, trying to figure 652 00:37:57,930 --> 00:38:00,250 S2: out how to do this in a way that honors 653 00:38:00,250 --> 00:38:04,730 S2: him the most. Yeah. It for, for his praise, but 654 00:38:04,730 --> 00:38:06,330 S2: also for our good. 655 00:38:07,290 --> 00:38:09,370 S1: That's a really deep thing that you brought up there, Kim, 656 00:38:09,370 --> 00:38:13,089 S1: because I'm trying to process what you said through the 657 00:38:13,090 --> 00:38:18,529 S1: prism of. But doesn't God. God desires our reverence is 658 00:38:18,530 --> 00:38:22,540 S1: the only reason he desires our reverence and awe. Because 659 00:38:22,540 --> 00:38:27,739 S1: we need it. Or is there something that he, you know, 660 00:38:27,780 --> 00:38:29,940 S1: take the shoes off your feet because the ground that 661 00:38:29,940 --> 00:38:34,140 S1: you're standing on is holy. Is there something innately in him? 662 00:38:34,140 --> 00:38:36,259 S1: I'll ask the two Michaels that question because it's a 663 00:38:36,260 --> 00:38:39,660 S1: really good question. And Laura's stories with us today, standing 664 00:38:39,660 --> 00:38:42,660 S1: on how reverence transforms our worship and our lives is 665 00:38:42,660 --> 00:38:45,380 S1: our featured resource. And I'm seeing a lot of people 666 00:38:45,380 --> 00:38:48,180 S1: respond here. Today might be something you want to pick 667 00:38:48,180 --> 00:38:52,780 S1: up and get into, stand in or go to. Chris fabry.org. 668 00:38:53,060 --> 00:39:05,380 S1: Chris Fabry live dot ORG. Randy Alcorn's going to be 669 00:39:05,380 --> 00:39:07,540 S1: with us at the Radio Backyard fence tomorrow. Hope you 670 00:39:07,540 --> 00:39:11,540 S1: will join us then. Today it's Laura's story. Stand in 671 00:39:11,540 --> 00:39:16,060 S1: awe how reverence transforms our worship and our lives. Featured 672 00:39:16,060 --> 00:39:19,950 S1: resource at Chris live.org. Okay, Laura, one of the things 673 00:39:19,950 --> 00:39:22,469 S1: that's going to happen with this book could happen with 674 00:39:22,469 --> 00:39:25,750 S1: this book is people will get it and they will 675 00:39:25,750 --> 00:39:29,990 S1: throw it at their worship pastor, their worship leader, or 676 00:39:30,030 --> 00:39:32,670 S1: they'll or they'll say this, you know, how can you 677 00:39:32,710 --> 00:39:35,190 S1: wear those tattered jeans? How can you wear those flip 678 00:39:35,190 --> 00:39:38,510 S1: flops or those tennis shoes or whatever? You are not 679 00:39:39,310 --> 00:39:41,950 S1: telling people to be the Or police, are you? 680 00:39:42,190 --> 00:39:45,830 S2: No, not at all. And even the reason, you know, 681 00:39:45,870 --> 00:39:49,150 S2: the reason why I wrote this. It's it's the journey 682 00:39:49,150 --> 00:39:52,910 S2: the Lord has taken me on because I, um, I, 683 00:39:53,030 --> 00:39:56,110 S2: it's like Paul, like I am the chief of sinners here. 684 00:39:56,390 --> 00:39:59,150 S2: But what it was, is I began to notice how 685 00:39:59,190 --> 00:40:03,150 S2: my prayers were all focused on myself, and my songs 686 00:40:03,150 --> 00:40:06,190 S2: were all wrapped up in what God was doing for me. 687 00:40:06,390 --> 00:40:09,549 S2: And I'll tell you, I realized that that was an 688 00:40:09,550 --> 00:40:13,189 S2: indicator of where my heart was. And so but in 689 00:40:13,190 --> 00:40:16,950 S2: the same way as we change those things, as I'm 690 00:40:17,090 --> 00:40:19,810 S2: changing the way that I sing, the way that I pray, 691 00:40:20,090 --> 00:40:23,489 S2: even the resources that I read, all of that the 692 00:40:23,489 --> 00:40:25,810 S2: podcasts I listen to, you know, you can take this to, 693 00:40:25,890 --> 00:40:30,090 S2: to its very end. Um, as I changed that, it is, 694 00:40:30,130 --> 00:40:33,290 S2: it is beginning to form my heart to a heart 695 00:40:33,570 --> 00:40:37,130 S2: that truly is seeking God's glory above my own. That's 696 00:40:37,130 --> 00:40:40,570 S2: truly seeking God's will above my own. You know, it's, 697 00:40:40,610 --> 00:40:44,529 S2: it's not that God doesn't care about us and our needs. 698 00:40:44,530 --> 00:40:48,009 S2: You think about the Lord's Prayer where, um, Jesus is 699 00:40:48,010 --> 00:40:50,530 S2: teaching the disciples how to pray and he says, start 700 00:40:50,530 --> 00:40:53,370 S2: like this. Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be 701 00:40:53,370 --> 00:40:55,609 S2: thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on 702 00:40:55,610 --> 00:40:57,450 S2: earth as it is in heaven. That's how I want 703 00:40:57,450 --> 00:41:00,489 S2: you to start. And then give us this day our 704 00:41:00,489 --> 00:41:04,969 S2: daily bread. And it's not that it's secondary in importance. Um, 705 00:41:05,170 --> 00:41:08,410 S2: but I think there's something to that. Recognizing that we 706 00:41:08,410 --> 00:41:12,489 S2: begin by saying your will be done, your name be 707 00:41:12,489 --> 00:41:15,730 S2: made great. And I'll tell you why. Because then when 708 00:41:15,730 --> 00:41:20,100 S2: he meets our needs differently than we expected. And Chris, 709 00:41:20,140 --> 00:41:23,339 S2: you know our story with my husband, um, who had 710 00:41:23,340 --> 00:41:25,940 S2: a brain tumor and lives now with a brain injury 711 00:41:26,380 --> 00:41:30,300 S2: and his road of healing has looked different than we expected. 712 00:41:30,580 --> 00:41:35,220 S2: But because we began our prayers with your will be done. Um, 713 00:41:35,260 --> 00:41:39,500 S2: we can accept that God hasn't answered our way, our 714 00:41:39,500 --> 00:41:41,939 S2: prayers in the way that we wanted, but he has 715 00:41:41,940 --> 00:41:44,580 S2: definitely been a good and faithful God to us. 716 00:41:45,340 --> 00:41:47,940 S1: You talk about the ditches that we can get into, 717 00:41:47,940 --> 00:41:52,660 S1: and the fourth one is approaching God distractedly rather than 718 00:41:52,660 --> 00:41:55,219 S1: with full devotion. And I want to go to Yvette 719 00:41:55,540 --> 00:41:58,100 S1: in Florida today. Yvette, why did you call? 720 00:42:00,380 --> 00:42:05,060 S9: Hi, Chris. Good afternoon. I am just provoked and reminded 721 00:42:05,060 --> 00:42:10,180 S9: of my childhood and how much reverence we had. I 722 00:42:10,180 --> 00:42:12,980 S9: was looking at this hymn I am thine, O Lord, 723 00:42:13,460 --> 00:42:18,670 S9: wherever I am. in this country or anywhere else in 724 00:42:18,670 --> 00:42:22,109 S9: the world, and I hear that it would stop me 725 00:42:22,110 --> 00:42:27,350 S9: in my tracks, is to show how the Lord love 726 00:42:27,510 --> 00:42:31,310 S9: us with an everlasting love. I think that we have 727 00:42:31,350 --> 00:42:37,670 S9: become very casual about our worship. Psalms 100, verse three 728 00:42:38,469 --> 00:42:42,550 S9: also lead us into a segue. Know that the Lord, 729 00:42:42,550 --> 00:42:46,950 S9: He is God. He has made us and not we ourselves. 730 00:42:46,950 --> 00:42:51,110 S9: Are we people. Are we entering into his gates? And 731 00:42:51,110 --> 00:42:55,190 S9: we're talking about not the world, but the people who 732 00:42:55,190 --> 00:43:00,470 S9: are called by God. It's people, not just the people 733 00:43:00,469 --> 00:43:03,910 S9: that casually go to church on a Sunday or on 734 00:43:03,910 --> 00:43:06,350 S9: a Saturday, because it's a thing to do. But are 735 00:43:06,350 --> 00:43:09,989 S9: we going to church with a heart to worship? 736 00:43:11,030 --> 00:43:13,310 S1: I love that, and one of the notes that I 737 00:43:13,310 --> 00:43:15,450 S1: have here in front of me says I see people 738 00:43:15,450 --> 00:43:18,890 S1: scrolling on their phones in church, and that's why I 739 00:43:18,890 --> 00:43:22,370 S1: mentioned the distracted. And these days, you can read your 740 00:43:22,370 --> 00:43:24,529 S1: Bible on your phone and you can make notes on 741 00:43:24,530 --> 00:43:27,450 S1: your phone. So I don't want to judge anybody. And listen, 742 00:43:27,690 --> 00:43:31,050 S1: I'm behind them and I'm seeing the Facebook ads, you know, 743 00:43:31,410 --> 00:43:37,210 S1: but but that we are distracted in our worship in 744 00:43:37,210 --> 00:43:40,290 S1: a lot of ways in this technological world, aren't we? 745 00:43:41,210 --> 00:43:44,050 S2: Yeah. And I don't mean to be anti phone or anything, 746 00:43:44,050 --> 00:43:48,850 S2: but you know, with the invention, especially of the smartphone, um, 747 00:43:49,610 --> 00:43:53,970 S2: we've always been a distracted people like our hearts are just, uh, 748 00:43:55,450 --> 00:43:58,890 S2: distracted by, by nature. The Lord needs to draw us 749 00:43:58,890 --> 00:44:01,970 S2: into his presence and draw us into like a, into his, 750 00:44:02,010 --> 00:44:04,089 S2: you know, to give our attention to him. But I 751 00:44:04,090 --> 00:44:08,770 S2: think with our phones, it's just a more ruthless, um, 752 00:44:09,489 --> 00:44:14,020 S2: pulling away. It's I feel like we've never had such 753 00:44:14,060 --> 00:44:17,980 S2: a temptation for our attention to be drawn into a device. 754 00:44:17,980 --> 00:44:20,899 S2: And so for me, this isn't a judgmental thing. Some 755 00:44:20,900 --> 00:44:24,660 S2: people love taking notes on their phone during church. For me, 756 00:44:24,660 --> 00:44:28,219 S2: there's too many temptations. There's too many things to look at. 757 00:44:28,219 --> 00:44:30,900 S2: There's too many bells and whistles. I just have to 758 00:44:30,940 --> 00:44:33,860 S2: put it in my purse. Um, if I want to 759 00:44:33,860 --> 00:44:35,379 S2: give God my total attention. 760 00:44:35,380 --> 00:44:38,620 S1: But that can happen too. And I agree totally with you. 761 00:44:39,060 --> 00:44:42,500 S1: That can happen with a study Bible. Just this past Sunday, 762 00:44:42,860 --> 00:44:44,779 S1: it was a psalm that we were going through, and 763 00:44:44,780 --> 00:44:47,060 S1: there was a note and I was focused on the note. 764 00:44:47,100 --> 00:44:49,500 S1: You know, it's like I've heard this one before. And 765 00:44:49,500 --> 00:44:51,020 S1: I looked at the note and I was reading the 766 00:44:51,020 --> 00:44:53,660 S1: note and I realized, I'm not listening anymore. I'm not 767 00:44:53,660 --> 00:44:57,260 S1: paying attention to what the pastor is saying. I'm looking 768 00:44:57,260 --> 00:45:00,100 S1: at the note that's in the in the margin. Nothing 769 00:45:00,100 --> 00:45:03,100 S1: wrong with the notes in the margin either, but it 770 00:45:03,140 --> 00:45:06,500 S1: comes back to my heart. So here's, here's the last 771 00:45:06,500 --> 00:45:08,820 S1: quote I'll give from the book. You quote John Jefferson 772 00:45:08,820 --> 00:45:13,880 S1: Davis as saying, Your God is to light. Your vision 773 00:45:13,880 --> 00:45:17,279 S1: of the church is too low, your view of yourself 774 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:22,200 S1: is too high, and consequently your worship is too shallow. 775 00:45:22,480 --> 00:45:26,640 S1: That hits the nerve. And you've done that with this book. Laura, 776 00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:28,680 S1: thank you for spending the time with us today. God 777 00:45:28,680 --> 00:45:29,520 S1: bless you, friend. 778 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:32,040 S2: Oh, thank you so much for having me, Chris. 779 00:45:32,520 --> 00:45:37,760 S1: Stand in awe how reverence transforms our worship and our lives. 780 00:45:37,760 --> 00:45:43,840 S1: By Laura. Story. The blessings. Laura story indescribable and many more. 781 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:49,080 S1: It's our featured resource at Chris fabry.org. Chris Fabry live.org. 782 00:45:50,120 --> 00:45:53,799 S1: I mentioned Randy Alcorn is going to join us tomorrow. 783 00:45:54,080 --> 00:45:57,400 S1: It's going to be another deep program that we'll talk about. 784 00:45:57,440 --> 00:45:59,640 S1: I hope you can join us at the Radio Backyard Fence. 785 00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:02,719 S1: Chris Fabry Live is a production of Moody Radio, a 786 00:46:02,719 --> 00:46:04,879 S1: Ministry of Moody Bible Institute.