August 15, 2023

Revelation 4:1-11 (HCSB)
The Throne Room of Heaven
4 After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, 3 and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne. 4 Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads. 5 Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were in the middle and around the throne. 7 The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.  8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming. 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say: 11 Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.

Kim Stahlin
Worship isn’t for us. Worship isn’t about us. Worship isn’t about entertaining us or about singing our favorite song on K-Love. Worship is all for and about God. Period. The second half of Rev. 4:8 reads: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, ’who was, and is, and is to come." God is holy.  God is almighty.  God is the Alpha and Omega.
Many of you have heard me talk about the Jesus filter. Some of you may think that I am referring to Jesus filter as making sure that you all hear only the right notes of music when we sing and play-that you don’t hear the occasional missed note or us coming in too soon or late. But that’s not it at all. The Jesus filter has nothing to do with me or praise team or choir. Every time we sing or play at Temple my prayer is that the entire congregation forgets that I am helping the praise team or choir lead worship. My prayer is that we do our best for God and our praises are so pleasing to Him that he will come into our presence just so we can feel Him with us and worship Him all the more. The next time you are worshiping either alone or at church, worship Him. Truly worship Him. Don’t worry about who is next to you or who can hear or see you. Just ask God to accept your humble heart of worship, sing your praises to God with all your heart and soul and ask Him to honor you with His presence.