The ultimate goal of the church is worship. - Piper

My prayer over the past few months is asking the Lord again and again to place within my heart-His heart. His heart. His heart for Swaziland. His heart for the nations. I've been asking not quite knowing the depth and reality of what that truly means. That's why I asked. He began to show me that it doesn't start with the nations. It starts with the greatest commandments. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. And love others as yourself." Well it makes sense: love the Lord, and love the people he has already placed in my life. So he has been taking me on a journey, and just painting this beautiful picture. I'm calling it the journey of my heart. He is showing me what it really means to love him and live this verse out. I believe God has a heart for the nations. Through much of the writings of the prophets, and the psalms the Lord declares over and over again that his glory will be known among the nations. But the overlying truth above his heart for the nations is his heart for His name. It's about His glory, "that his glory be known throughout the earth."

Worship should be the driving force of missions. Jesus came to do his father's will, so that the father may be glorified (John 12:27-28). Colossians 1:16 says that we were created by him and for him. We were created to worship. God wants the works of his hands to worship him, not man worshipping the works of their own hands. If we really want to know how to look an orphan in the eye and have a compassion…it doesn't start with feeling pity- it starts with a love for God that his name may be known and glorified. We can only move in pity and our own feelings for so long- it will in fact fade. If our heart for the nations doesn't derive from a love for what matters to God's heart then it won't last.

If the pursuit of God's glory is not ordered above the pursuit of man's good in the affections of the heart and the priorities of the church, man will not be well served, and

God will not be duly honored…Where the passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak. Churches that are not centered on the exaltation of the majesty and beauty of God will scarcely kindle a fervent desire to "declare his glory among the nations" (Ps. 96:3). Even outsiders feel the disparity between the boldness of our claim upon the nations and the blandness of our engagement with God.

- Piper

You have heard that worship is not just a song, but a lifestyle. It is true. But worship is not just action, but affection. Back at the end of December I went to a youth conference with my youth group. It breaks my heart- we are a selfish generation. We expect everything to be handed to us and suit our needs.I got so frustrated, because a lot of the youth are real cynical about how good the band has to be for them to be into it. This is what burdened my heart that weekend, and honestly still does. This is the cry of my heart: To say that worship is not about us. We are a people who rely on feelings and presentation. We stand in a worship service failing to give God the glory, because we give the enemy a foothold. I'm so sick of my selfishness and the western church's mentality- we think just because the music doesn't please us, we are having a bad day, or we just don't "feel" like it- we won't worship God with all of our heart. I'm so stinkin guilty of it. I'm not saying we have to worship a certain way in a worship service- I'm talking about the intent of our heart. Worship is in our hearts- even so it isn't just about a "worship service"… that's actually far from it, because it doesn't start there. It starts in the heart. Because if we can't stand in a worship service with the right attitude in our hearts-How can we be living sacrifices?   Worship begins in the heart.

            Worship starts with the affections of our hearts. Where the Spirit of the Lord is -there is freedom. We now follow the Spirit- Not the law. If we live by the Spirit, then we aren't striving to keep the law ourselves. We worship in Spirit and in truth. May our praise be effortless. When I am striving- I'm trying to live this life on my own strength. He said my power is made perfect in weakness. That's where religion comes in. Man I hate everything about religion, even just the word. When we are striving, and not depending on God- We start coming up with our own rules and regulations, because our efforts are getting us no where, but circles. Circles that go around and around the mountain when we should be climbing it. I know there are times to be in the valley, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm sick and disgusted with my own "strength". It is so ridiculous when I step back and look at it. I am set free by His Spirit. Why aren't I walking in that-In the freedom of His Spirit all the time? The enemy has deceived us into thinking that we have to strive to keep our salvation and move forward. If we didn't have to earn this salvation, then why in the world would we have to work to keep it? Just follow His Spirit. If we could ever get a hold of what it really means to worship the true and living God we say that we live for… Oh man. The reason Sunday morning worship is so dead is because we haven't taken hold of what it means to live a life of worship in our everyday lives. We haven't allowed him to simply love us. Our hearts aren't captivated by the one who made us- we are too caught up on the things our hands have made.

Lord forgive me for trying to live a life for you without you. Lord I repent for making it all about my needs and wants and failing to give you the glory you deserve. I don't understand why I make it so complicated. It is so easy-being satisfied in you-in your love. Fill us with a passion to glorify your name. To be motivated by a love for you that longs to bring you glory. Send us out Lord to people in our cities and nations with a deep affection for your name to be honored. In Jesus name.

May we live lives that long to glorify your name.