WORSHIP MUST GO ON! by Cheryl Lutz

“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.”  (Psalm 98:4 NASB)

“He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love…” (Joy to the Word! Isaac Watts )

As I heard the clamorous sound, I felt a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. My heart began to race as the nauseating realization hit, our then 9-month-old baby Abigail and just tumbled down our basement stairs in her walker.  It was Christmas Eve 1994.  It was one of those crazy moments you think will never happen to you.  I was ailing with the flu, and my pastor husband was trying to watch our three children as he prepared for the Christmas Eve service.  The ambulance came and found her bruised but not seriously injured.  My husband called the assistant pastor, Michael Saunders, as he prepared to take Abigail to the ER for a precautionary cat scan.

The enemy of our souls would have loved to see the Christmas Eve worship service canceled, but Pastor Michael stepped up to stand in the gap and preached the gospel. Later that evening when Abigail was home safe in bed, we learned that Covenant Presbyterian in Hammond, IN, had experienced one of their most special Christmas Eve services ever.

Worship is indeed “an act of war against the enemy of our hearts.” (Holley Gerth) 

And he will do anything he can to keep us from it.  However, Jesus Christ gives us the power to stand firm and move forward in Him. 

Feeling oppressed?  Worship! 

Feeling depressed? Worship!

Struggling with anxiety? Worship! 

“Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises!”

“Joy to the world! The Savior reigns

Let men their songs employ

While fields and floods

Rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy” (Joy to the Word! Isaac Watts )

What fun traditions do you have planned for Christmas?  I pray worship is on your list.  Will you “ repeat the sounding joy!” ?

Yes, the earth has been cursed with an enemy since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.  He would love no more than to see the busyness of the holiday stamp out our worship.  Don’t allow this to happen!

“No more let sins and sorrows grow

Nor thorns infest the ground

He comes to make

His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found

Far as the curse is found

Far as, far as the curse is found” (Joy to the Word! Isaac Watts )

God spreads the wonders of His love, and His blessings flow: “far as the curse is found!”

“Far as the curse is found!” 

Contemplate those words, my friends.  They should indeed cause us to break out in worship…shouting joyfully to the Lord:

“Joy to the world! The Lord is come

Let earth receive her King!

Let every heart prepare Him room

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven, and heaven and nature sing”

Joy to the World.  It isn’t just for Christmas!

Cheryl Lutz is passionate to teach women how to tear down strongholds and find freedom in Christ. A pastor’s wife for twenty-five years, Cheryl possesses a vibrant love for teaching the Word of God. She is the founder of Securely Held, LLC, where she works as a trained and experienced lay counselor and speaker.

You may contact Cheryl through her blog at:www.securelyheld.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/securelyheld

Twitter: @clutz40

Email: clutz40@gmail.com