8/5/2026 Charitys podcast

when worship becomes more than a song

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:59

I am so glad that you are here. However, you found this conversation today, whether you're driving down the road, sitting on your front porch with a cup of coffee, folding laundry, getting ready for work. Or maybe, just maybe, you're awake in the middle of the night, just like I am right now. Thank you for spending time with me. My prayer is always the same. When our conversation is over, I hope you know Jesus just a little better than you did when we started. I pray you'll trust him a little more. Love him a little deeper. And leave feeling just a little closer to him. So go ahead, grab your Bible if you can, and let's have another another conversation. So it's almost four o'clock in the morning as I'm recording, or maybe I should say writing, this conversation. The house is quiet, the coffee is hot, everyone else is asleep, and honestly, I should probably be asleep too. But have you ever had one of those moments when you just couldn't shake something? When I thought it kept coming back over and over again. When you knew there was something God wanted to show you, and no matter how hard you tried to ignore it, it just kept stirring in your heart. That's where I am this morning. I couldn't sleep. Not because I was worried, not because I was anxious, but because one word just kept coming to my mind worship. Now if I'm honest, that's not the word I expected. If someone had asked me yesterday what today's conversation would have been about, I don't think worship would have even made my list. But isn't that just like God? Sometimes he takes us to places we weren't planning on going because he knows that's exactly where we need to be. And maybe, just maybe, that's why you're here today too. Friend, can I ask you a question? What do you do when life falls apart? Not when everything is going well, not when the bills are paid, not when everyone in your family not when your prayers seem to be answered exactly the way you hoped that they would be. I mean, what do you do when the diagnosis comes in? When someone you love is hurting, when the marriage is struggling, when the phone rings in the middle of the night, when your world changes in a single moment? Where do you run? What do you hold on to? What keeps your heart steady when everything around you feels like it's falling apart? Friend, don't rush past that question. Because I don't want you driving down the road and missing what Jesus might be trying to say to you today. The answer to that question reveals far more about our hearts than we often realize. You know, I've been thinking back over my own life. I went to church faithfully for most of my life. Church wasn't something we occasionally did, it was part of our lives. I learned Bible stories, I memorized scripture, I sang the hymns. Later, when churches began using screens instead of hymnals, I sang those songs too. I loved Jesus. At least as much as I understood him at the time. But looking back, I realized there was something missing. Now, before I go any further, I want to be careful here. This isn't about criticizing the churches I grew up in, not at all. I am incredibly thankful for every person who taught me, prayed for me, and pointed me towards Jesus. God used every one of them to shape my life. But here's what I've come to realize. Sometimes people can only teach what they've learned themselves. And all of us, every single one of us, we're still learning. So this isn't about blame, it's about growth. For years I stood during the music because everyone else stood. I sang because everyone else sang. I knew when to sit, I knew when to stand, I knew when to say amen. But if someone had stopped me after church and asked, Charity, what is worship? I honestly don't think I would have answered them. At least not in a great manner. I thought worship was the music before the sermon. I thought worship was singing. I thought worship was something we did for about 20 minutes every Sunday morning. I had no idea that worship was meant to become a way of life. And if I'm being really honest, I think there was always something inside me that knew there had to be more. Have you ever felt that way? You love Jesus, you believe the Bible, you go to church, but something inside you whispers, there has to be more to this. I knew I did. For years I couldn't quite put my finger on it, I couldn't explain it. I just knew there was something missing. It wasn't until about the last ten years of my life that God began opening my eyes to what the missing piece was. And the more I've thought about it, the more I've realized it wasn't just worship that I didn't fully understand, it was discipleship. You see, nobody accidentally becomes more like Jesus. We grow, we learn, we stumble, we ask questions, we open up God's word, we pray, we listen, we obey, and over time the Holy Spirit shapes us into the image of Christ. That's discipleship. And here's what I discovered. The deeper I came to know Jesus, the more naturally worship began flowing from my heart. Not because someone told me to raise my hands, not because the music got louder, not because everyone around me was doing it, but because I was beginning to know the one I was singing about. Friend, I don't want you to miss that because I think many of us have spent years asking the wrong question. We've asked, should I raise my hands? Should I kneel? Should I close my eyes? What kind of music is true worship? Those aren't bad questions, but I don't think they're the first questions. The better question is this. Do I know the one that I am worshiping? Because worship has very little to do with the position of our hands, and it has everything to do with the posture of our hearts. Can't we just sit for that, sit with that for just a second? If all worship ever becomes is another song we sing, we've missed it. If all church ever becomes is another place we attend, we've missed it. If Christianity becomes nothing more than checking off another Sunday morning, we've missed it. We've missed the invitation Jesus is extending to every single one of us. He isn't inviting us into a religion, he's inviting us into a relationship. And relationships grow, they deepen, they mature, they change us. That's why today isn't really about worship, it's about becoming more like Jesus. Because the more we know him, the more we trust him, the more we trust him, the more we love him. The more we love him, the more our hearts naturally respond in worship. So today, let's open our Bibles together, not to prove a point, not to defend any tradition, not to debate styles of worship. Let's simply ask one question. Jesus, would you teach us what worship really is? Now part before we go any further, let's open our Bibles. I don't want you to simply hear my thoughts today. I want us to hear what Jesus has to say. If you have a Bible, turn with me to John chapter 4. Now, before I read this passage, I want you to paint the picture because context, it matters. You have to understand the context before you can actually understand the scripture. So Jesus is traveling through Samaria. Now, that may not seem like a big deal to us today, but in Jesus' day, many Jews avoided Samaria because there was deep hostility between Jews and Samaritans. Yet Jesus, he went anyway. Why? Because there was someone he wanted to meet. A woman. Because she was carrying shame. It was a woman with questions, a woman whose life had been marked by brokenness. And isn't that just like Jesus? He doesn't avoid broken people. He walks straight toward them. And friend, don't rush past that because today you're listening and you've convinced yourself that you've messed up too much. Maybe you're carrying shame from choices you've made. Maybe you're wondering if Jesus still wants anything to do with you. I don't want you driving down the road and missing what Jesus is doing here because before he ever talks about worship, he chooses relationship. He meets the woman exactly where she is. That's where Jesus always begins. Not with condemnation, with an invitation. So now let's read what Jesus says in John chapter four, verse twenty three. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit and he worships and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. So can we slow down just for a minute? I don't want us to read over words we've heard our entire lives and accidentally miss what Jesus is saying. Let's take this one phrase at a time. The true worshipers. I find that interesting. Jesus doesn't simply say worshipers. He says true worshipers. Why? Why would he say that? Because apparently it's possible to participate in worship without actually worshiping. Ooh. Ouch. I don't know about you, but that steps on some toes. It does mine anyway, because I've done that. I've stood in church, I've sung every single word, I've smiled, I look like everyone else. And all the while my mind was somewhere completely different. Has that ever happened to you? You finished singing three songs, and if someone asks you what you just sang, you couldn't even tell them. Friend, that's not condemnation. We've all been there. Jesus isn't inviting us to fake it better. He's inviting us to something much deeper. Alright, so the next words. We'll worship the Father. Notice who worship is directed toward? The Father. Not the worship leader, not the musicians, not the people sitting around us, not our favorite songs. Everything points to the Father. One of the biggest changes in my own life happened when I stopped asking, do I like this song? And I started asking, does this song help me see Jesus more clearly? Those are two very different questions. Worship isn't about my preferences, it's about God's worth. In spirit. What does that mean? I think sometimes people hear those words and they're not really sure. So here I think Jesus is telling us that worship is not merely something that we do on the outside. It begins on the inside. It comes from the heart that has been made alive by God. You can sing without worshiping, but you can't truly worship without your heart being involved. That's why God isn't impressed by perfect voices. He's after surrendered hearts. Alright, so the next words, and in truth, this part is just as important. Our worship isn't based just on our emotions. Some days you'll feel close to God and some days you just won't. Some mornings you'll wake up ready to sing. Other mornings you'll barely have enough strength to whisper a prayer. If worship depended only on how we felt, then our worship would rise and fall with our emotions. But Jesus says worship is rooted in truth. Truth reminds us that God is still faithful when life is hard. Truth reminds us that Jesus is still Lord when our prayers haven't been answered yet. Truth reminds us that God's answer, that God's character never changes, even when our circumstances do. Friend, don't miss that. Your emotions are real. God, he cares about them, but your emotions do not define who God is. His word does. Alright, so the next words, the Father seeks. Let's stop right there and think about that just for a moment. The creator of the universe, the one who spoke galaxies into existence, is seeking worshipers. Not because he is lonely, not because he needs applause. God is complete in himself. He has never lacked anything, so why does he seek worshipers? It's because he loves relationship. Our heavenly father delights when his children come to him with sincere hearts. Not because he needs our praise, but because we were created for fellowship with him. So what is worship really? So after reading these verses, here's the question. Still the same. What is worship? I used to think worship was music. Now I think worship. Now I think music is an expression of worship. Worship is much bigger than a song. Worship is my response to who God is. When I realize that He is holy, I worship. When I remember He forgave me, I worship. When I see His faithfulness through the hardest seasons of my life, I worship. When I look at the cross and remember that Jesus willingly laid down his life for me, how can I not worship? Worship is love responding to love. It changed everything for me. So you know, looking back, I think this is what was missing for so many years for me. I knew about Jesus, but over time I began to know him more personally. There's a difference. I can know facts about someone without truly knowing them. But my relationship with Jesus deepened. As my relationship with Jesus deepened, worship changed. Not overnight, not because someone told me how to lift my hands, not because anyone pressured me. It happened because I began seeing more clearly who he is. The more I discovered his mercy, the more I wanted to thank him. The more I understood his grace, the more I wanted to surrender to him. The more I experienced his faithfulness, the more natural worship became. And friend, I think that's why discipleship matters so much. Nobody accidentally grows deep roots. Growth takes time. Questions, scripture, prayer. Faithful people walking alongside us. That's discipleship. And discipleship produces a heart that knows how to worship. So before we leave John chapter 4, I want to ask you one question. Not about your church, not about your music, not about whether you raise your hands or you kneel. Just one simple question. When was the last time that you simply sat in God's presence, not asking him for anything, but just telling him how wonderful he is. So can't we just sit for just a second? I think that is where worship begins. It doesn't begin with a song, but with a heart that has fallen more deeply in love with Jesus. In this next part of our conversation, I want to show you what happened when worship moved from something I did in church to something that carried me through one of the darkest seasons of my life. So, friend, can I share something deeply personal with you? I don't share this story because my experience is unique. I share it. I'm sorry, my husband's in the background. He just about fell. And I'm sorry you couldn't see it, but it was kind of funny. So, anyways, I share this next story. Um, not because my ex my uh experience is unique. I share it because I think every one of us will eventually find ourselves in a place where we have to decide what do I do now? Not when life is easy, not when the prayers are being answered exactly the way I hoped, but when life suddenly takes a turn I never saw coming. For me, that moment came in 2020. Like so many people around the world, I got the dreaded COVID. At first I hoped it would pass. I thought maybe that test was wrong. I thought maybe after a few days I'd shake this and start feeling better. Instead. I got worse and worse and worse until I found myself in the back of an ambulance heading to the hospital. I can still picture that room. The sounds, the machines, the constant reminders that my body was fighting a battle I couldn't win on my own. Oh I was so weak. I was in complete agony. Breathing took everything I had. I couldn't just get up and walk around. I couldn't fix what was happening. I couldn't control the outcome. And if I am completely honest, I truly thought I was dying. Friend, don't rush past that because maybe you've never laid in a hospital bed fighting COVID, but maybe you've sat beside someone you love while they fought cancer. Maybe you stood at that graveside. Maybe you've watched a marriage crumble. Maybe you've buried dreams you thought would last forever. We all have hospital rooms. They don't all have to be hospital beds. Sometimes they're living rooms where difficult conversations happen. Sometimes they're lonely bedrooms where tears fall after everyone else has gone asleep. Sometimes there's doctors' offices. Sometimes there are phone calls that change everything. Every one of us will eventually walk into a place that we never wanted to be. The question is what do we do there? I remember laying in that hospital bed. I couldn't do much other than lay there. I couldn't sing loudly. I couldn't stand, I couldn't even raise my hands very high, but I remember lifting them anyway. As much as my exhausted body would allow. Not because anyone was watching, there wasn't a worship a worship team. There wasn't a pastor, there wasn't a congregation, and as I played the music on my phone softly, it was just me and Jesus. And in that quiet hospital room, I worshiped. Not because I understood everything, not because I wasn't afraid, because I was. Not because I knew how the story would end. I worshiped because somewhere along the journey Jesus had taught my heart where to run. So let's just sit with that just for a second. I don't think worship suddenly appeared in that hospital room. I think it had been growing for years. Every scripture I had hidden in my heart, every prayer, every lesson God had patiently taught me, every moment he had proven himself faithful over and over. He was preparing me for a day I didn't even know was coming. And friend, that's discipleship. Discipleship isn't preparing us only for Sunday morning. It's preparing us for Monday morning. It's preparing us for those hospital rooms. It's preparing us for funerals. It's preparing us for the days when life just doesn't make sense. And that's why discipleship, it matters so, so much. Because what we've been learning about Jesus in the good seasons becomes the foundations that we stand on in the hard seasons. You know, something happened in that hospital room that I'll never forget. My circumstances, they didn't change immediately. The machines didn't suddenly become quiet. The sickness didn't instantly disappear. And that room didn't magically become comfortable, but something inside of me changed. Peace. Not because everything was okay, but because I remembered who was with me. Isaiah twenty six three says you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Friends, let's slow down. I don't want you driving down the road and missing what God just said. Notice what Isaiah doesn't say. He doesn't say God gives us peace because life is easy. He doesn't say God gives us peace because every prayer is answered the way we hoped. He says peace comes as our minds remain fixed on Him. Let's break that down. So you will keep. Who keeps us? Who? God does. Peace isn't something that I manufacture. Trust me, I don't manufacture peace. It's something that only God can provide. In a perfect peace. Not because life is perfect, but because his presence is perfect. God's peace is not the absence of trouble, it's the presence of Christ in the middle of trouble. Friend, if you're waiting until life gets easier before you experience peace, you may spend your whole life waiting. Jesus offers peace right in the middle of a storm, whose minds are steadfast. That word steadfast, it means fixed, steady, established. Where is my attention? Am I staring only at my circumstances? Or am I looking at my Savior? Because whatever has my attention will usually shape my perspective. And finally, because they trust in you. That's the key. Trust. Not understanding, trust. Can I tell you something? I still don't understand everything that God allows. I still have questions. I still don't know why some prayers are answered immediately while others seem to take years. I don't understand why some people are healed here on earth while others are welcomed into heaven. I don't understand every why, but I've learned something. I can trust the one who does. Friend, don't rush past that. Faith isn't having every answer. Faith is trusting Jesus even when you don't. And that brings me to another story because while I was learning to worship in one season, God was teaching me something else through someone very close to me. Someone whose life has been marked by one health challenge after another. I've watched them receive difficult news. I've watched them walk through pain that most people they never see. And if I'm completely honest, there were times I found myself asking, why Lord? Why them? Why again? Why can they not catch a break? Have you ever prayed those prayers? I have. And you probably have too. But do you know what amazes me? I've watched that same person stand in church, hands lifted toward heaven, worshiping. I've watched them kneel before a holy God. Not after the answers came, not after every prayer was answered, right in the middle of the battle. And every single time I see it, I'm reminded of something. Strong worship, it isn't produced by an easy life. Strong worship grows from a deep relationship with Jesus. It grows one day, one prayer, one scripture, one act of obedience, one step of faith at a time. And friend, that's exactly where I want us to go next. Because if worship can remain strong in a prison, if worship can remain strong in a hospital room, if worship can remain strong while life is breaking our hearts, then the question becomes how? So how did Paul and Sallas worship with chains on their feet? How did David worship after unimaginable loss? How did Mary pour everything she had at the feet of Jesus? Let's open our Bibles again because I think Jesus is about to answer this question too. Frank, can I ask you something? Have you ever noticed that throughout the Bible, God often does some of his greatest work just before anyone sees a miracle? Think about that just for a second. We usually focus on the miracle. The prison doors opening, the Red Sea parting, the giant falling, the empty tomb. But what if we've been overlooking what happened before those moments? Because I don't want you driving down the road. Don't rush past it. I don't want you driving down the road and missing what Jesus is about to teach us. So let's open our Bibles together to Acts chapter 16. And before we read, let me tell you what's happening. So Paul and Sallas, uh, they weren't in prison because they had done something wrong. They were there because they had faithfully shared the good news of Jesus, and they had um they had been beaten, publicly humiliated, thrown into prison, their feet were fastened in stocks, their backs were wounded, their future was uncertain, and if anyone had a reason to complain, huh, it was Paul and Sallas. If anyone had a reason to say, God, where are you? It was Paul and Sallas, but listen carefully to what the Bible says in Acts 16, 25. About midnight, Paul and Sallas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Alright, so about midnight. Let's slow that down. There is so much packed into one verse. Let's walk through it together. Midnight. Not morning, not after the breakthrough. Midnight. The darkest part of the night. Maybe your midnight isn't twelve o'clock. Maybe your midnight is the season you're living in right now. Maybe it's the doctor's office. Maybe it's the courtroom. Maybe it's the empty bedroom after someone you love is gone. Maybe it's the silence after another prayer seems to be unanswered. Friend, we all have midnights. So then it says Paul and Sallas were praying. Before they sang, they prayed. I love that. Imagine that. They prayed and then they sing. They talk to God before they talked about their circumstances. What if we did that more often? How many times do I call someone else before I call on God? How many times do I scroll my phone before I open my Bible? Paul and Silas remind me that prayer isn't my last resort. It's my first response. And singing hymns to God. Notice what that verse doesn't say. It doesn't say they sang because they were comfortable. It doesn't say they sang because they knew the prison doors were about to open. It doesn't say that they sang because everything finally made sense. They sang while they were still hurting. Friend, don't miss this. Their worship wasn't based on their circumstances. It was based on God's character. That's a huge difference. Our circumstances change. God does not. And then the verse says to God. They weren't singing for each other. They weren't trying to pre impress other prisoners. Their audience was God. Sometimes I wonder if we're too aware who of who's sitting beside us in church. Do they think I sing too loud? What if I raise my hands? What if I cry? What if people notice me? Friend, when we remember what that worship is directed to God, the opinions of other people begin to lose the grip on us. And the other prisoners were listening is what it says. I've read this verse so many times, but this week it stopped me. The prisoners were listening. They were watching? Do you know what that tells me? Someone is always watching how we respond to suffering. Your children, they are watching. Your grandchildren, they're watching. Your coworkers? They are watching. Your neighbors? They're watching. The people sitting beside you at church, they are watching. Not because they're waiting for you to fail, but because they want to know if the hope you talk about is real. Can we just sit with that? Now let's keep reading. Acts 16 26. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake. And that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And at once the prison doors they flew open and everyone's chains came loose. Most of us just stop there. We celebrate, and we should. God did something miraculous. But I want you to notice something. The miracle when did it come? When? It came after worship. Not before it. Paul and Sallust didn't bargain with God. They didn't say, Lord, if you'll get us out of here, we'll sing. They worship because God was worthy before they knew what he was going to do. Friend, that's mature faith. That's discipleship. That's what happens when you've walked with Jesus long enough to know that his goodness isn't measured by your circumstances. Now, I want to be careful here. Because I know some of you are listening and carrying prayers that haven't been answered. Maybe you've prayed for healing and your loved one is still battling cancer. Maybe you've prayed for restoration and the relationship is still broken. Maybe you've prayed for years and you're still waiting. Please hear my heart. This passage, it doesn't teach us that if we worship enough, God will always answer our prayers the way we hope. Sometimes he does something miraculous in this life. Sometimes strength to endure. Sometimes change the situation. Sometimes he changes us. But every time he remains faithful. That's why we worship, not because we know exactly what God will do, but because we know who God is. And that brings me back to the hospital room I told you about. When I lifted my hands as much as I could, as weak as my body would allow. I wasn't worshiping because I knew the one who was holding the story. Friend, that's the difference. Worship isn't pretending everything is okay. Worship is declaring that God is still worthy even when life isn't. Maybe today your chains, your chains don't look like iron shackles. Maybe your chains, maybe it's fear, maybe they're shame, maybe they're grief, maybe their addiction, maybe their regret, maybe their questions you've been carrying around for years. Can I encourage you? Don't wait until every chain falls off before you begin worshiping those chains with you. Bring those chains with you into the presence of God. He already knows they're there. And whether he removes them immediately, walks with you as you carry them, or strengthens you day by day, you will never face them alone because that's who Jesus is. And friend, keep your eyes on Jesus, not on the chains, not on the prison, not even on the miracle. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Because the greatest miracle in Acts 16 wasn't just an earthquake. It was that two ordinary men loved Jesus so deeply that even in the darkest night they could still sing. I believe that kind of worship doesn't even happen by accident. It grows one day at a time, one prayer at a time, one act of obedience at a time, one step of discipleship at a time, and that's where I want to take us next. Because if worship grows through discipleship, then what does it actually mean to become a disciple of Jesus? Let's open our Bibles again. Friend, can I ask you a question? When was the last time someone explained what happens after you give your life to Jesus? Think about that for a minute. Many of us can remember hearing the gospel. We remember hearing that Jesus died on a cross for our sins. We remember the invitation to repent and trust Him. We remember the joy of knowing our sins were forgiven and praise God for that. There is no greater miracle than our heart being made new through Jesus Christ. But then what? What happens after the amen? What happens after the tears? What happens after that excitement of that first day? Because life, it doesn't stop. Monday still comes, the bills still arrive, relationships still need work, temptations still exist, questions still come, the diagnosis may still come, the grief may still come. So what now? Friend, don't rush past that question because I don't want you driving and missing something yet again. Jesus spent three years teaching his disciples. Salvation is just the beginning of your journey. It isn't the finish line. So let's look at Jesus' invitation in Matthew 4 19. Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, Come follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. Those two words, follow me. I love that Jesus didn't begin with a lecture. He didn't hand out a stack of books. He didn't tell them that they had to have everything figured out before they could walk with him. He simply said, follow me. Friend, isn't that still his invitation today? Not have all the answers, not never struggle again, not become perfect before you come. Simply follow me. Can we slow down just for a minute and think about what that means? Following Jesus means movement. You can't follow someone while standing still. Every day Jesus invites us to take another step. Sometimes it's a small step, sometimes it's a difficult one. Sometimes it's a step of forgiveness. Sometimes it's a step of trust. Sometimes it's a step of obedience when we don't understand what God is doing. But it's always a step towards Him. Now let's turn to one of the last things that Jesus said before He ascended into heaven in Matthew twenty eight, nineteen through twenty. He says, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. So let's break this down together. Go. Jesus didn't tell his followers to stay comfortable. Faith moves. Love moves, the gospel moves. Sometimes go means crossing an ocean. Sometimes it means walking across the street, and sometimes it simply means walking across the room to someone who needs encouragement. Make disciples. Notice what Jesus emphasizes. He doesn't say go make people who know Bible trivia. He doesn't say go make people who attend church. He does, is what he does say, make disciples. So what is a disciple? A disciple is a follower, a learner, someone who is becoming more and more like Jesus. Discipleship is helping someone grow in a relationship with Christ. It's opening the Bible together. It's praying together. It's asking honest questions. It's encouraging one another. It's reminding each other of God's promises when life gets hard. It's helping one another learn to trust Jesus one step at a time. And friend, discipleship, it's not a program, it's a relationship centered on Christ. And then it says teaching them to obey. The word obey used used it make me very nervous. Maybe it does you too. But obedience isn't about earning God's love. We already have his love because of Jesus. Obedience is simply a response to that love. Just like a child learns to trust a loving parent, we learn to trust our Heavenly Father. Every act of obedience deepens our relationship with Him. Every step of trust strengthens our faith. Every time we say yes to Jesus, even when it's hard, our roots grow a little deeper. Friends, don't miss that. God isn't just interested in changing our destination. He's transforming our hearts along the journey. And surely I'm with you always. What a promise. Jesus never said go figure it out by yourself. He said I am with you. When you're learning, he's with you. When you're struggling, he's with you. When you're celebrating, he's with you. When you're sitting beside a hospital bed, he's with you. When you're standing at a graveside, he is with you. When you're wondering how you'll make it through another day, he's with you. That promise changes everything. And can I share something that's become one of my greatest passions? I absolutely love discipling children. Not because children are the future of the church, they're part of the church right now. Every Wednesday and every Sunday, I have the privilege of opening God's word with little hearts that are so eager to learn. We sing, we laugh, we play games. Sometimes we wave colorful ribbons, sometimes we use learn hand motions, but I always want them to know something. The ribbons aren't worship, the motions aren't worship, the songs aren't worship. Those things can help us express express our love for Jesus, but they are not the source of it. So I always ask them this question: what is worship? Why do we worship? Because I never want them to simply copy what someone else is doing. I want them to know Jesus for themselves. I want them to understand that worship grows out of a relationship with Him. And then I realized adults need that same kind of discipleship too. We never outgrow the need to learn. I'm still learning. God is still teaching me. He is correcting me. He is stretching me. He's still revealing places in my heart that need to become more like Jesus. Friend, that's discipleship. It's not arriving, it's walking one step at a time, one day at a time, one conversation at a time. And can I ask you two questions before we move on? Who is helping you become more like Jesus? An who are you helping to become more like Jesus? Those two questions have challenged me over and over again. Because discipleship isn't only something we receive, it's also something that we give. As God teaches us, we lovingly help others grow too. Not because we've arrived, but because we're walking together towards Jesus. And here's what I've discovered. The people who know Jesus deeply often worship him deeply. Not because they've had easier lives. Many have had incredibly difficult lives. The worship, they worship deeply because they've walked with him through those valleys. They've seen his faithfulness. They've experienced his grace. They've learned they can trust him. And friend, that's where worship and discipleship they meet. The more we know Jesus, the more we can trust him. The more we trust him, the more we worship him. The more we worship him, the more we become more like him. The more we become like him, the more our lives point other people to him. Let's sit with that just for a second. Because I believe that's what Jesus has been inviting us into all alone, all along. So, friend, can I tell you that one of the greatest joys in my life? Like I said, it's children's ministry. Now, I know some people hear that and think, well, she must really like doing crafts, or she must have a lot of energy. And while I do enjoy watching kids laugh, play games, and get excited about Bible stories, that's not why I love it. I love it because every single week I have the privilege of introducing children to Jesus. I don't take that lightly. Think about that. Some of the conversations we have with children today may become the truths they stand on 30 years from now. One Bible verse, one prayer, one lesson about God's faithfulness, one moment where a child realizes Jesus really loves me. God can use those moments for an entire lifetime. Friend, don't rush past that because whether you're a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, a pastor, or someone who simply loves the next generation, you are planting seeds, and seeds matter. Turn with me to Deuteronomy 6, 5 through 7, 7, and listen to what God tells his people. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. These commandments that I give to you, give you today are to be, are to be on your hearts, impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. I love this passage because notice what God doesn't say. He doesn't say teach your children only when you're sitting in church. He says when you sit at home, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, when you get up. In other words, discipleship. It isn't an event. It's a lifestyle. Faith wasn't meant to stay inside the church building. It was meant to fill everyday life. Imagine that. Imagine what our homes would look like if conversations about Jesus became as normal as conversations about school or sports or work or the weather. Friend, that's discipleship. That's inviting Jesus into ordinary moments. One of my favorite parts of children's ministry actually does happen during worship. Sometimes we hand the children those colorful ribbons, which I affectionately call trolley gigs. Sometimes we play a song with motions, and I love watching their faces light up, they'll spin, they'll smell, they'll wave those ribbons with everything they've got. And it's beautiful. And can I tell you something? Those ribbons aren't worship. The motions aren't worship, the music isn't worship. Those things simply give children a way to express what's happening in their hearts. That's why I always stop and ask him. What is worship? Why do we worship? Who are we worshiping? Because I never want worship to become something they simply imitate. I want it to become something they understand. If we only teach them motions, they may learn what to do. If we teach them about Jesus, they'll begin to understand why they did it or why they do it. And friend, I think adults need that reminder too. How many of us have learned what to do without always remembering why? We stand beside because everyone else stands. We sing because everyone else sings. We bow our heads because that's what we've always done. There's nothing wrong with those things, but Jesus is inviting us into a much deeper habit. He's inviting us into a relationship. And um, do you remember what Jesus said in Matthew 18, 38, verse 3? Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Let's think about that. Jesus isn't telling us to become more childish, he's inviting us to become childlike. Children trust. Children ask questions. Children, they aren't embarrassed to admit they don't know everything. Children are amazed by simple truths. What if we approach God that way? What if every moment morning we opened our Bibles with curiosity of a child? Jesus, teach me something today. Help me understand your heart. Show me who you are. Friend, I think that's where discipleship begins. Not pretending we know everything, but humbly saying, Lord, I am still learning. There's another verse that has become incredibly meaningful to me, and it's Luke 6.40. Jesus said, The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. Let's stop right there. The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. Will be like their teacher. That's the goal. Not simply to know more, not simply to attend church more, not simply to memorize more verses. Those things are all wonderful. But the goal is to become more like Jesus. Friend, don't miss that. Because it's possible to know a lot about the Bible and still miss the heart of Jesus. Knowledge is important, but knowledge is meant to lead us into transformation. Every time we open God's word, we're not just asking what does this verse mean? We're asking Jesus, how do you want this truth to change me? That's discipleship. And can I tell you something that I've learned? Children usually don't struggle with worship because they're worried about what everyone else thinks. Adults often do. Children don't stand wondering, stand there wondering, what if someone sees me? What if my voice isn't good enough? What if I look silly? They simply respond somewhere along the way. Many of us lose that freedom. We become self-conscious, we become thinking more about the people around us than the God that we're worshiping. Friend, can I lovingly encourage you? Don't let fear steal the freedom that Jesus died to give you. Whether your worship looks like quietly sitting in awe or lifting your hands or kneeling or simply whispering, thank you, Jesus. Remember who your audience is. The Father isn't grading your performance, he's inviting your heart. I think someone needs to hear that today. You don't have to impress God, you don't have to perform for him, you don't have to pretend everything is okay. You simply come just as you are. That's what Jesus has always invited us to do, and maybe that's why I love children's ministry so much. Every week I get to watch their little hearts discover that invitation. I get to watch them begin a journey that I pray lasts the rest of their lives because one day those little children, they're going to grow up. They're going to have their own hospital rooms, they're going to face disappointments. They're going to ask hard questions. They're going to experience grief, uncertainty, and moments when life doesn't make sense. My prayer is that when those days come, they won't just remember a Bible story. They'll remember the Savior that came to know that they came to know. They'll remember his faithfulness, they'll remember his promises, they'll know exactly where to run. And friend, isn't that what discipleship is really all about? Helping one another know Jesus so deeply that when life shakes us, our faith remains rooted in him. Today we've walked through a lot together. We've talked about worship, we've sat in a hospital room, we've stood beside Paul and Sallas in a prison, we've talked about children, we've talked about discipleship, and maybe you're listening and wondering, okay, I understand why discipleship matters. I understand why worship matters. But how? How do I actually become more like Jesus? I'm so glad you asked that. Because I think that's the question every one of us should be asking. Not how to how do I become more successful? Not how do I become more comfortable, not even how do I become more religious, but Jesus, how do I become more like you? And let's open our Bibles one more time back to John chapter 15. Those are some of the last words Jesus spoke to his disciples before going to the cross. Think about that. If you knew your time with the people that you loved was short, you choose your words very carefully. Listen to what Jesus said. I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing. Friend, don't rush past it. Don't drive down the road and miss what Jesus just said. He didn't say try harder, he didn't say be stronger, he didn't say figure it out on your own. He said remain in me. So slow down. What's it mean to remain? What's it mean to stay? To dwell, to continue, to make your home in him, just like a branch stays connected to the vine, we're to stay connected to Jesus. What happens when a branch stays connected? It bears fruit. The branch doesn't strain to produce grape, it stays connected. The life comes from the vine. Friend, that's a Christian life. We're not called to manufacture Christ-like character. We're called to remain close to Christ. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit. That doesn't mean we do nothing. We choose to spend time with Jesus to open his word, to pray, we gather with other believers, we obey what he teaches us, but above all those things, we are to remain close to him. It's not ways of earning his love. Can we just sit with that? Because I think somebody listening today is exhausted trying to earn something Jesus has already freely given. Friend, he isn't asking you to perform, he's inviting you to remain. And there's another passage in 2 Corinthians 3.18, and we all are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Did you catch that? Are being transformed. Present tense, still happening, still growing, still changing. That means if you're listening today and think, I still struggle, so do I. I still have questions, so do I. I still don't always get it right. Neither do I. Friend, being a disciple doesn't mean you've arrived, it means you're still walking. Transformation is a journey. God is patient, He doesn't expect overnight maturity. Think about that, disciples. Peter followed Jesus. Think about the disciples. Peter followed Jesus for three years and still made mistakes. Thomas had questions. James and John argued about who was the greatest. Yet Jesus kept teaching them, correcting them, loving them, walking with them. Why? Because discipleship is a process. And if Jesus was patient with his disciples, he'll be patient with us too. I remember telling you earlier that the years I felt, that for years I felt like something was missing. Looking back, I don't think it was missing. What I was missing was more church. I think what was missing was learning how to walk with Jesus every day. There's a difference. Church is essential. We need to, we need the encouragement, teaching, worship, fellowship that God gives us through his people. But Sunday was never meant to be the only day that we walk with Jesus. He wants to meet us on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday. He wants to be part of our ordinary lives. That's discipleship. Walking with Jesus when no one else is watching. So what does that look like? Maybe it begins with opening your Bible instead of opening social media. Maybe it means talking with Jesus while you're driving to work. Maybe it means turning off noise for 10 minutes and simply simply sitting quietly in his presence. Maybe it means calling a mature believer and saying, Would you help me grow? Maybe it means becoming that encouraging friend for someone else. Discipleship isn't complicated. It's intentional. One step, one conversation, one act of obedience at a time. And if you're feeling discouraged, maybe you're thinking, discouraged, and maybe you're thinking I've made too many mistakes. I've wandered too far. I've failed too many times. Friend, look at the people Jesus chose. Peter denied him, Matthew had a pass. Mary Magdalene had a pass. Paul persecuted the church before Jesus transformed his life. Yet God used every single one of them, not because they were perfect, but because they were willing to follow. If you're breathing today, Jesus is not finished with you. In Galatians 5, it tells us the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Notice what Paul calls it the fruit of the spirit, not the fruit of trying harder, not the fruit of pretending. Fruit produces this fruit as we walk with him. That's why we worship. Discipleship, prayer, scripture, and fellowship all belong together. They're not separate pieces. They're all ways God shapes us into the image of His Son. The more we know Jesus, the more we trust Him. The more we trust Him, the more we worship Him, the more we worship Him, the more we become like Him. And the more we become like Him, the more our lives point towards Him. Friends, this is a journey worth giving your life to. As we finish this conversation today, I know that you're probably tired of listening to me at this point. I'm going to leave you with one final invitation. It's not to try harder, it's not to perform better, but it's to take one more step towards Jesus. Can I ask you one final question before we close our conversation? If someone spent one week with you, would they know what matters most to you? Would they see Jesus in the way you love? Would they hear Jesus in the way you speak? Would they see his kindness in the way you treat people? Those questions aren't meant to make us feel guilty. They're invitations. Because if we're followers of Jesus, then our greatest desire shouldn't simply be to know more about him. Our greatest desire should be to become more like him. In John 15, 4 through 5, Jesus says, Remain in me as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. Friend. He didn't tell us to become exhausted trying to impress him. He invited us to remain. Remain. Stay close, stay connected, stay with him. That's the picture Jesus gives us. A branch doesn't struggle to stay alive by producing the fruit on its own. It receives life from the vine. And that's because it remains connected. The same is true in our lives. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more life begins to shape ours. Not overnight, not all at once, but little by little, day by day. Conversation by conversation, prayer by prayer, act of obedience by act of obedience. One of the most greatest misconceptions I had for years was thinking Christians' life was mostly about trying harder, trying to be more patient, trying to love people more, trying harder not to lose my temper, trying harder to have more faith. But the longer I walk with Jesus, the more I realize something. Trying harder isn't the answer, remaining closer is. Because when I'm close to Jesus, he changes me. When I drift away from him, I begin looking more like myself than I do like Christ. To be transformed, not instantly, not perfectly overnight, to be transformed. It's a journey. Friend, can I encourage you with one last thing? Don't become encouraged. Don't become discouraged because you're still growing. Growth is evidence that God is still at work. Think about Peter. He loved Jesus deeply, yet he still stumbled. He still spoke before thinking. He still denied Jesus. And Jesus didn't throw him away. He restored him. He continues shaping him. That's grace. And if Jesus was patient with Peter, he'll be patient with us too. Maybe today you're listening and thinking, I still struggle, so do I. I still have questions, so do I. I still have days when I don't understand. Me too. The goal isn't perfection. The goal isn't faithfulness. To keep saying yes to Jesus, to keep opening his word, to keep praying, to keep worshiping, to keep trusting him, to keep following him. Oh friend. Every day he faithfully continues to work. I want to leave you with one final picture. Imagine your life five years from now. Not because everything became easy, not because every prayer was answered the way you had hoped, but because you've spent five more years walking with Jesus, five more years opening your Bible, five more years learning to trust him, five more years worshiping with him in both joy and sorrow. Do you know what I think you'll discover? You'll look back and realize Jesus has been changing you all alone all along. Sometimes so slowly you didn't even notice, but one day you'll realize you're more patient, you're more forgiving, more compassionate, quicker to pray, quicker to worship, quicker to trust. Not because you became stronger, but because you stay closer to Jesus. That's my prayer for you. Not that you'll leave this conversation with all the answers, but you'll leave wanting one thing more than anything else to know Jesus more deeply. Because the more we know him, the more we trust him, the more we trust him, the more we worship him, the more we become like him, the more we become. Um, and the more we become like him, the more our lives point other people to him. And isn't that the way the journey, what this journey is always about, has been about? What's your next step toward Jesus? Maybe it's opening your Bible in the morning, maybe it's choosing to worship in the middle of your of your circumstances, maybe it's asking someone to disciple you, maybe it's encouraging a new believer, maybe it's simply whispering, Jesus, I want to know you more. Whatever your next step is, take it. Not because you're trying to earn God's love, but because he has already loved you through Christ. Friend, God isn't finished with you. He's still working, he's still teaching, he's still transforming. Don't give up. Keep taking one more step towards Jesus. Father, thank you for every person listening today. Thank you for loving us, pursuing us, and never giving up on us. Teach us to know you more deeply, trust you more completely, worship you more freely, and follow you more faithfully. Help us become more like Jesus every single day. And as we grow, use our lives to point others toward him. We love you and we give you all the glory, and it's in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for spending this time with me, and I know I took way too long today. Um, but until next time, keep opening your Bible, keep your eyes on Jesus, and keep becoming more like him. One conversation at a time.