Michael Todd - How To Worship With a Hole In Your Heart
Today, we are starting a series called «Worship on the Word,» and I need every time I say that at the beginning of the message, this is just for me—I need everybody to say «Wow.» Okay? So, like, okay, okay, okay. Today, we’re starting a brand-new series called «Worship on the Word.» Y’all are fake; y’all didn’t even do it over here. We’re going to try it one more time. Today, we’re starting a brand-new series called «Worship on the Word.» There we go. It seems annoying right now, but by the end of this series, you’re going to be in awe of God. The only reason you say «Wow» in an authentic sense is when something literally takes your breath away. Wow! I’ve never seen anything like that. Everybody say «Wow!»
Wow! I’ve never been to a place like this! Somebody say «Wow!» Wow! I’ve never felt this before! Y’all are going to get it. I really do believe that worship is the one area of our relationship with God that, no matter how you get into His presence, you can leave saying, «Wow, God!» I didn’t know that this amount of frustration could turn into that much faith. I wasn’t sure that my brokenness and all those pieces could turn into a masterpiece. But God, somehow, you do what nobody else can do. In this series, I’m excited because your boy is a worshiper. Like, if I don’t do anything else, I’m going to worship God. I’m going to worship God until you feel uncomfortable! I’m the dude on your row that’s going to be like, «He’s doing a lot!» But it comes out of me because I know where I was when I was broken, and I know what God has done for me. At the end of this series, I believe there is going to be an eruption of expression around worship—not just in church services. The weakest place to worship is here! Oh God! The entire atmosphere is set.
We have amazing musicians. Is that the Holy Spirit? No, it’s haze! They sell it; it’s haze—it just makes you able to see the lights better! Like, the people down the row, where worship gets authenticated is when you walk into that job you don’t like. Worship gets authenticated when you are in your home and your kids are driving you crazy, and your hands go up, and you say, «God, I thank you.» Uh-oh! I thank you for who you are, what You’re doing, and where You’ve got me right now. Worship is authenticated in environments that seem unlikely. My question to you is: when’s the last time you worshipped in a place that was not conducive for it?
This is why we have to worship God with understanding, and it is my burden in this series because when I ask people basic questions about worship—who go to church, love God, are saved, play in a band on the platform, serve—a lot of people don’t have an understanding of worship. When I ask people, «What is worship? How do you worship? What happens because of worship? Why should we worship? When do I worship? Who is qualified to worship?» Most people, I am convinced, do not have a true understanding of worship. Charles, give me—uh, this is the wrong one, and I don’t need the sermon to be able to do this; it’s in my heart. So put the thing back up there! We don’t have a full understanding of what it means to actually worship God.
That’s why we think it’s the two slow songs at the beginning of service. Oh, I can’t miss worship! Some people think worship is just crying. We can do that. But what I’m saying to you right now is worship is not what the church has relegated to the 15 minutes at the beginning of service where the lights go low, and they sing a slow song. That is not worship. That is an expression of worship, but that is the smallest sliver of what worship actually looks like in your entire life. In this series, I want us to worship God with revelation—revealed truth.
I don’t want you using some borrowed version of somebody you saw who you liked the way they sing and using their version of worship to make you feel like this is true worship. Half the people that sing your favorite songs are living foul. Okay, I get the calls. I’ve had to rescue some of them. I’ve had to—B.R. Like, it’s not about the singing only; it’s about what’s in your heart and how you live your life. Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh. See, the problem is, if worship was just a song, everybody would get an A, because all of us have our favorite worship song. But God says, «Could I have your worship life?» In this series, I want you to have an understanding.
Go to Proverbs 4:7. We’re going to know how to worship God with our words, with our song, and with our mind. Oh my gosh! Proverbs 4:7: «Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom.» What are you supposed to get? I said, what are you supposed to get? «And in all your getting, get understanding.» There is a difference between—watch these three—understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. Understanding initiates wisdom. A lot of people understand knowledge but don’t understand understanding. Okay, let me explain it to you. Knowledge, write this definition down, are facts and information. A lot of us have knowledge about random, dumb stuff. A lot of us know—like, okay, let’s be honest—how many of you know random facts about stuff that does not matter in life?
Okay, we’ve got facts and information. But understanding, watch this, is to perceive the intended meaning. So when I get actual understanding, I’m like, «Oh! Those facts and information actually make sense because I understand what is happening.» And watch this: wisdom is applied knowledge. Now, a lot of people have knowledge and understand it, and do not apply it, so they do not walk in wisdom, but they know a lot. Y’all ever met somebody who’s «dumb smart»? Okay, y’all know what I’m talking about—like, you’re really smart, but you don’t know how to do the stuff you would tell other people to do. Okay, some of y’all are like that in relationships. Here we go, got advice for everybody, but still in a relationship—that’s never mind. Let me stop. Let me—I was about to— that was going to be too personal. Write this equation down: Knowledge plus understanding equals wisdom. Say it with me. Knowledge plus understanding equals wisdom.
Let me give you an example. Everybody has the knowledge that we’re not supposed to text and drive. Uh-oh! Somebody got convicted right there! But everybody knows, «Don’t text and drive.» But if you get in a car accident and wreck your car while texting and driving, now you have an understanding of what you knew you weren’t supposed to do. Now I get it. I might have to be riding a bus for the next eight months. I understand—I’m a grown person—calling people for R.O. It’s because now you get it. But after you get knowledge and understanding, you should be walking in wisdom. The word you read means nothing still until you start walking or applying the knowledge you have. Your time and devotion are worthless; it’s just an exercise in religion.
I hate religion. If you don’t do what you read, it’s like practicing basketball and never playing a game. You’re doing all that, and you never—it’s ritual; it’s routine; it’s religion. And may I submit that most of the church, when it comes to worship, is not worshiping with wisdom. We’re worshiping out of ritual; we’re worshiping out of routine. This is the part where I—okay, this is the part where I—okay, this is the part where I—and God is saying, «I want your worship to be real.» Somebody write this down by faith. Somebody say, «I will.» I will have the wisdom to worship. Say it one more time: I will have the wisdom to worship. See, when you start walking in wisdom, it changes everything.
Let me tell you a story, and with this being Mother’s Day, I’m going to make it real personal. In 2014, we had our beautiful baby, Bella, in 2013, and it was Mother’s Day. At this particular time, I had the knowledge that Mother’s Day was important, and I had the understanding that moms like things on Mother’s Day. But I was still a little ignorant because I thought, you know, you had to put years into the game to really earn the substance and find the value and the meaning of being a mother. This one isn’t good. So, me and Natt go to Target to get our mother something for Mother’s Day late the night before Mother’s Day. I’m just walking by, and at Target, every woman points at something and says, «Oh, I like that!»
I thought that was a cue that that’s what she wanted for Mother’s Day. So she walked by and saw something that was like «Ehh,» and I was like, «Oh yes! I’m going to sneak off and get this for her for Mother’s Day, and tomorrow she’s going to look up and think I’m the greatest man in the world!» Well, I gave her that gift the next day. She was devastated! Tell us why, Pastor! She was devastated because there wasn’t much effort, much energy put behind it, and she carried my whole baby for nine months and let that thing come out of her, and I was kind of treating it halfhazard. That baby was so mad! She didn’t want to look at me; she didn’t want to talk to me. It ruined the day; it ruined the week. Honestly, she looked at me like I gave her a disease.
Do you understand what I’m saying? And that 2014 Mother’s Day, I started walking in wisdom. Some of y’all thought that’s too much for him to bring her up here and duh-duh-duh. That ain’t about you; that’s about me living this week! Y’all don’t hear me! I walk in wisdom at your expense! Well, that took too long—not for me. Mother’s Day to me is like her birthday. Why? 'Cause my knowledge had to move to understanding, and then my understanding had to move to applied knowledge, which is wisdom! I don’t ever want you to lift your hands in a service again and not know why. I don’t ever want you to be in a place where tears start coming down and you don’t know why. We will worship in wisdom! Oh, I feel this thing!
Okay, so here’s why worshiping in wisdom is so important. Write this down; this is so important because our worship is the only gift we can give God. I need you to hear me say this: your worship is the only gift that you can give God! Let me help you; this changed my worship life, my expression life to God when I thought about this for real. Think about it: when we pray, that’s not for God. When we pray, prayer is to God for us. So, a lot of times, like, «I spend time with God; I spend time praying.» He doesn’t need the prayers; you need the prayers! You need to talk to Him. You need that source of life; you need to be refreshed by what He speaks back to you. But that’s why I need everybody to understand: prayer ain’t for God!
The end result of prayer is that our God would speak to us and help us through our current situation, that we would intercede for other people, that we would supplicate, and we would be able to make prayers and petitions and all those other things. But prayer is to God for us! Everybody say «to God.» To God for us! For the Bible, the Bible is not for God; He is the Word! He didn’t write it down through men so that He could remember what He said! What did I say? The Bible is from God to us! So when you read your Bible, you’re not giving God what He deserves. Oh God! I need you to think about it, 'cause many of us check off our prayer and Bible reading like we did God a favor—"Made it to Your presence! I’m on a reading streak on my Bible plan. God, I prayed for seven minutes today; you happy with that?»
Like, that’s not for God; it’s for us! Let me give you one more: giving. Giving is me giving God what was His. It was hard, but I want Him to know where my treasure is; my heart is also there! You think God is up in heaven, counting one, two, three, four, five—streets are paved with gold in heaven? You think your $30 or $7 did something? For real! When we give, we give to God, but it’s for us! Nothing makes us more like God than when we give, when we step outside of ourselves and we’re generous. I just want to let you know that worship is the only gift that you can give God because worship is for God from us! Every time I say, «I love You, God,» every time I wake up and say, «Thank You for waking me up again,» every time I say, «Father God, I hate this pain, but thank You that I can feel,» every time, every time that I lift my hands, when I clap, when I don’t want to, every time—that’s the only thing I can give God.
And this is the crazy thing about it: angels don’t have a choice. They were created to worship Him. They’re singing the same song in heaven, top one hit on the Billboard charts in heaven forever: «Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!» They remix it, put a little reggaeton on it, but it’s the same sound! The reason human beings are different is because God gave us a choice because it cannot be love if it is coerced. Not a choice, and so when we worship God, let me tell you something: you have a choice. A lot of people think they don’t have a choice; they better worship God.
No, I do have a choice, and there have been many times I’ve honestly chosen to obey my feelings instead of my Father. I don’t feel like it, and so I have allowed my feelings to become my God over what the Father doesn’t require. Watch the word—He requests. Let me help you understand: God is not standing in heaven saying, «Worship me.» The worship of His people is not powering Him to do miracles; it’s not like that. I need you to know that some of us act like God needs to power up through our worship. He’s God, whether you worship Him or not. The Bible says the trees will begin to cry out, the rocks will begin to cry out, and the ocean will begin to worship Him. But, as a good Father, He’s not requiring worship; He’s requesting it. Many of us, because we don’t feel like it, will not listen to our Father’s request.
So, I think about it because I am a father of four. It would be like Ava, who is 5 years old, coming up to me and saying, «Daddy, what can I do for you?» Anything you have is mine. Let’s think about this: the house you have, the clothes you own, the stuff you call yours—it’s mine. Whose iPad is it? I’m pulling up to my house—whose house is this? If I want Chick-fil-A, who is going to get it for you? The only thing my daughter can give me is gratitude. She doesn’t have to say «thank you.» A lot of times, as parents, we try to force them to say, «What do you say?» and the kids are just sitting there with their mouths watering. It’s awkward, and we feel the need to teach them, but they don’t even care anymore. They might say, «Thank you,» but they didn’t do anything for it.
However, when it comes from their heart and my daughters say, «Daddy, thank you,» it gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart. Bella comes up to me and says, «Dad, you’re the best dad in the world. I love that you’re my dad.» It literally takes my breath away to think that everything I’ve given them—they can’t give me anything back. They can’t contribute to the bills; well, they do add to the bills, but they can’t help pay them. But when they express gratitude to their father in response to what they’ve seen me do, it’s part of being a father that makes me think, «What do you want? Why are you acting like this? Oh, this is just coming from your heart; this is how you feel about me.» If my little girls can do that on this earth, how much more do you think God feels when His children—red, yellow, black, and white—all precious in His sight, begin to lift their hands, open their mouths, and make decisions with their lives? How much does that bless Him? Worship is the only thing we can give to our God.
So, I’m going to give you a spoiler alert. I said it before, but I’m going to reiterate it so you can write it down in your notes: worship is not just a song, and the church has done a bad job of letting people think otherwise. Now we’re going to worship! Get on your feet! Let’s worship! Put your hands up! Let’s worship! And when something is defined incorrectly for a long time, you begin to think that’s what it is. So, when someone asks, «Did you worship this week?» and you say, «I was at church,» some of us know that the whole time we just stood through it, thinking about the cares of life: what we’re going to eat after this, why she keeps looking at me like that, or how we might need to pray for scoliosis from sitting in church awkwardly.
Many times, we have made it about a song. I love worship songs, but God loves a worship life more than He likes a worship song. You could never sing another song but live the way He says to live, and your life would be more of a worship than having everybody you like on this platform. Okay, maybe you didn’t like that because I just messed up your playlist. What I’m trying to provide is the playbook to live your life in worship.
Now, we’re going to talk about expressing through worship, through song, and through all types of different ways, but I just have to break it down right now: worship is not just a song. Okay, so what is worship, Pastor Mike? Write this definition down; this is the anchor definition for this entire series, however long we go. Here we go: worship is our love expressed to God as a response to His grace towards us. Worship is my response to God; it is love expressed to God as a response to His grace towards us. Matthew 22:37, Jesus replied, «You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.»
All the years I’ve been in church, people say that like it’s easy. That is not easy! I could barely do anything with all my heart, all my mind, all my soul—anything! But this is supposed to be hard so that you cannot do it alone. This Christian faith is one of dependency on Him. God does not want you to do anything without Him; He wants you to be with Him. So, you can read the scripture and be like, «Dang, I can’t do that.» Exactly. Worship starts, watch this, with God’s love for us, not our love for God.
Okay, let me break it down. If worship is love expressed, what is the key ingredient to that? We have to express love. Everybody say love! You cannot worship something without loving it. A lot of us worship other things besides God because we love them. Uh-oh! Can you name them? No, don’t say it out loud; think of three things that you love. Honestly ask yourself: have I expressed my love to those things more than to God? This is a very convicting moment because I had to be honest: there have been times I’ve expressed my love to Natalie more than I did to God—and what the Bible calls that is an idol. Oh, I have made my children idols! Some of you love your jobs: «I love this job! They pay me well; the benefits, the benefits!» You say, «I’ll never lose this job! I’m going to work my way up. I’m going to forsake all others! I’m not going to get married; I’m not going to do anything. The job has become an idol!» And God is saying, «You love other things more than me.» Cool, but I’m asking you to refocus on loving me and expressing it.
So, watch this: if we need to understand worship, worship is love expressed. Everybody say that: worship is love expressed. So, when you express your love to God, you must understand this: you cannot express what is not there. So, worship starts with God’s love for us, not our love for God. This is great news for me because when I was messed up, I wasn’t thinking about God. People don’t say this, but when you’re in the club, you’re not thinking about God. You’re thinking about what feels good, what you like. And if I had to start worshiping with the love I had for God, it wouldn’t have been good, because I didn’t have enough. But worship starts with God’s love for us. While we were yet sinners, He said, «I love them so much that I’m going to make the ultimate sacrifice for them so that if they ever look this direction, they’ll see that somebody has paid more to have a relationship with them than anyone they will ever come in contact with.» I’m going to love them before they even know they need to love Me.
And that’s why we can be confident. John 3:16 says, «For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.» The scripture says, «For God so loved the world,» not «For the world so loved God.» So, if you don’t love God now, it’s okay. If you don’t feel it, if you’re wondering why people are doing what they’re doing, it’s okay. He already loves you. You don’t have to clean up or present yourself well, whether you’re here with a Black & Mild, a blunt, or a 40. I’m in here with a few religious people, so they don’t even know what to do right now in the alternate lifestyle. What you are doing right now—God already loves you. There is nothing you can do to stop Him from loving you. You may not receive it yet; you may not feel it yet, but it’s already done. He has already proven His love for you. And if there’s anybody in the room that knows that God loves them despite what they do—oh, that God loves you more than you could ever express! Why don’t you give Him a shout of praise? Somebody just say this: «I am loved by God!» Say it like you believe it. «I am loved by God!» Woo, this makes me excited!
So, when Matthew 22 says, «Love with all your heart, your soul, your mind,» He says, «All right, that love starts with Me, so I’m going to give it to you first.» Now, we don’t worship for love; we worship from love. I don’t ever want you to lift your hands, say a word, give anything ever again trying to prove something to God. «Well, God, I’m here—let me just give…» No, no, no! You do not worship God for love another day. You worship God from love. You are backstroking in the love of God right now! The fact that you are alive and have half of your mind and that you are able to stand here and think—you are loved. It’s time for the church to stop worshiping God for love. There are days that God would rather you come to Him honest and real and say, «God, I don’t have anything for You today. Would You do what I can’t do right now? I’m doing what Your Word says because this series is called worship. I’m listening to Your Word. You said in my weakness, You would give me strength. So, my act of worship to You today is telling You the truth.»
Do you know what would happen if we would actually worship God from love, not out of ritual, not rules? It’s not a down payment for our salvation; it’s not brownie points for heaven. It is a response to His love. So, write this down: worship starts with love. Worship starts with love. I’m saying the same thing because I’m trying to reprogram you. I’m trying to get you to understand that there is nothing you can do that disqualifies you from worshiping God. A lot of people have not worshiped because they have felt discouraged. Can I be honest with you today? I wanted to take this message up. I told my people, «Let’s worship; we’re about to tear the roof off!» And the Holy Spirit says, «But you’ll leave a lot of people because most people have not figured out how to worship with holes in their hearts.» A lot of people have been discouraged. They have looked at the layout of the land and how the trials of life have come to try to knock them out, so they think, «The worship series is for everyone whose life is going well. The worship series is for everyone that has a reason to praise. The worship series is not for me; I feel like God has forsaken me. If He was really good, I hate when they sing 'Good, Good Father' because He doesn’t feel good to me.» Can we be honest? We’re singing, «Here’s my worship, all of my worship.» Where have you been for me?
Sometimes we come into moments where God wants to meet us, and it’s a standoff. «You want to get to me? You know how to reach me! I’m telling you what I know. You want me to worship? Make me do something! You’re the God of miracles! Change my heart!» I have watched people for years stand face to face with the God of the universe, and the only reason they won’t do what they really desire to do is because they’ve been hurt. I have found out in this last season of my life that something very significant happens when you learn to worship even with a hole in your heart. Woo! Write this point down: there will be times you will have to worship when you are weary. There will be times when you will have to worship God when you are weary.
Nobody told me that; everybody told me, «You’re going to worship God because you got the victory.» We come into the service and we love having a victory, but nobody tells you about the valley. Oh God, how do you worship in the valley? I’m sick of walking through this. My money hasn’t changed yet. Why don’t my kids acknowledge what I did for them? Why do they keep coming after me? Why haven’t I gotten a promotion? G, why am I still alone? See, the church has taught you how to worship when you’re winning, but they have not taught you how to worship when you are weary. And today, before we go off on this rocket ship of worship, I didn’t want to leave anybody behind. I didn’t want us to go up and be praising God while our brothers and sisters are down here like, «Y’all let me know how it goes.» Y’all live a life of worship. Five things I want you to know about love because worship is love expressed.
Okay, the first thing: love is given. Deuteronomy 30:6— I love this; this changed my life. The Lord your God will change your heart. Oh, I could stop there! The Lord your God will do what? Change your heart! And not just yours, but the hearts of your descendants, so that you will do what? Love Him with all your heart and all your soul. You see how this ties back in? God gives you a requirement: love me with all your heart and all your soul. But He also says, «I’ll change your heart. I’ll give you what you need to do what I ask you to do. I’ll change your heart.»
See, this is what people don’t understand. This is what your heart looks like before salvation: used, abused, full of holes, brittle, jacked up. And what we usually try to do is ask God to fix this heart — «Fix my heart, Lord!» He said, «There’s nothing I can do with that.» Deuteronomy 30:6 says He doesn’t fix your heart; He gives you a new heart. Today, somebody needs to be encouraged. You’ve been holding on to this when God’s trying to give you this. He said, «Stop trying to patch up a heart that does not have the ability to hold my presence. Would you just allow me to give you — everybody say — a new heart?»
This is why you have to understand that when we come into the presence of God, when your attitude begins to change and you say stuff like, «That ain’t me; I’d never do that,» He’s giving you a new heart. So many people deny God’s transformation in their life because they’ve never been like that before. But how can you change and stay the same? How can you ask God to take you to another level but won’t let Him give you what you need for the next level? What God is saying is that if you need a heart full of love, don’t try to patch up your old one. Let me give you a new one. Somebody just say, «God, give me a new heart.»
This is what happens at salvation, but you can’t hold on to your old heart and claim the new one. So the thing you’ve got to know is love is given. Okay, 2 Corinthians 5:17 — «This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone, and a new life has begun.» What is the source of life in a body? The heart! If He’s giving you a new life, He’s giving you a new heart. He’s going to allow your heart to beat for things you didn’t even care about before. You’re going to get new feelings!
«I’m supposed to go serve with kids; I don’t even like kids!» That’s not the old heart. Many times we’ve declared stuff, posted things on Facebook, made declarations to people: «I’ll never get married!» Hold on, you have a new heart! «I’ll never — y’all better stop saying what you’ll never do.» You said that with your old heart! «I ain’t never going to be no pastor!» Hold on, I said that with my old heart. Look at me in a pink suit on Easter. No, it’s not Easter. What is it? Mother’s Day? All the holidays; I don’t know, there are a lot of them. Be careful what you say with an old heart — oh that’s nasty! 'Cause God wants to give you — everybody say — a new heart! Okay, so when you get faith in Jesus, you get a new heart.
The second thing you need to know about love, 'cause love — I love this. Well, let me just say it like this: have you ever been in a worship service or around people who really love God and it seems like they love God more than you? It just feels like, when somebody says, «Jesus!» they’re like, «Oh, L of the valley, BR, buy star!» It’s like, dang, am I the only one? Sometimes, it feels like they’re talking about things, and I’m just here being like, «Made it to another day. Thanks!»
I used to ask people, «Why does it feel like their relationship with God feels so much bigger?» I’m like, «What’s up, dog? Made it to another day, thanks!» Like it was just my mom calling. Oh, I’m like, dang! I’m just being honest. But what I found out is that love is not just given; when you get a new heart, love grows! God will give you a heart, and some of y’all have been — let me just say it honestly — some of you have been saved for decades and still have your adolescent heart. You just thought, because you got a new heart, you didn’t need to grow.
Okay, we’re talking maturity right now, and then people start getting offended. «What do you mean? That’s my relationship with God; it’s just me and God. Nobody should judge me.» What all I’m saying is you’re 52 in God and still acting five. Your love should grow! Let me ask you a question: for everybody that has children — and maybe you have teenagers or adult children — is your love for your children less, the same, or greater than when you had them? It’s greater! You love them more. You might not like them more, let’s be honest, but you love them more. Why? Because of the time spent, because of experience, because of being there.
What I’m telling everybody is that God gives you love, but the more time, the more moments you spend, the more time you just get in His presence, your love for God — everybody say — grows! Oh, this is important. That’s why Philippians 1:9—look at this. It says, «I pray — oh my God — the Bible is powerful! I pray that your love will overflow!» When we’re singing that song, «Overflow,» I’m not just talking about that you will overflow with money and overflow, but more than all of that, I want you to overflow with the love of God!
I prayed that your love would overflow more and more and that you would keep on growing in the knowledge and understanding. 'Cause if you have knowledge plus understanding, it equals — oh, the Bible is really hitting us today! What I’m saying to you is what God desires for you is to have a love that, when He begins to pour into you, it would be something that fills up. «That’s just enough for them,» so I can put that in environments where it doesn’t need protection! 'Cause they don’t plan on their love being able to move beyond them. It’s about me and my four, and no more. It’s about me and my family, about my church house— and God saying, «Would you let me put you on display so that when I begin to pour off on you, the love I have could begin to move beyond you?»
See, everything that God wants to give you in this new heart—now listen, my old heart could not even hold half of what happens when I spend time with Him! I can’t tell you how many times God has changed me in His presence 'cause I was just there, not 'cause I did something special. He said, «Just get with me. Just spend time with me!» And some of us still have the audacity to say, «Fill me up, Lord! Do a new thing in me, God!» And the truth is, we’re not in the place of His presence!
So we’re doing it out here, and the closer I get to these electronics—look at this! The whole tech team is like, «Jesus!» What I’m saying is, if I pour out—excuse me, that wasn’t pouring out; I was leaking! The reason many people can’t worship is because your love is leaking. You haven’t let Him give you a new heart, so you’re trying to love people from a leaky heart. And it’s now coming to a place where it can damage things. And God is saying, «Would you please let your love — everybody shout at me — overflow!»
That’s what I’m praying for you, by the end of this series, that you would understand that the love you need to worship God is going to come from Him, but you would not stop it at a little bitty level. That you would allow your love to grow and overflow. I just said it! The third point you need to know about love is that love leaks. Ephesians 6:16 tells us that the enemy, our adversary, is throwing fiery darts at us, and I believe he’s trying to discourage us, make us believe lies, so that the love we have for God leaks out! The enemy wants to do this.
Now, anybody got a pen? I can borrow? You got a pen? Let me borrow your pen real fast, just throw it up here. This is what the enemy will do to us: you had a good worship experience, didn’t you? You’ve got bills tomorrow! You’re spending Mother’s Day, and your kids didn’t call you. Oh, yeah! You thought they were your friends, but they’re trying to steal your reputation. How in the world is it Monday, and I just left this amazing worship experience, and I feel like I don’t even have the audacity to worship God? It’s because even the love God gives can leak out because of the life we have to live on this Earth.
And this is what nobody talks аbout: you should praise Him, command your soul to praise! I’m leaking! I’m discouraged! I’ve been battling trying to stop smoking for seven months, and this week I failed. I don’t want to be fake with God, but the truth of the matter is if worship is love expressed, I don’t have any love in me. And what God is saying is you need to come into His presence, and you need to have protection. You need to be able to set your heart in a place of — everybody say — protection!
See, the thing about it is when the enemy comes, and I spend my life in His presence, the same stabs that would have come—okay, y’all don’t believe me? Okay, let me go to the Bible. Here we go, write this down: number four — Your love needs protection! Your heart needs protection. If I’m going to worship God and worship is love expressed, I’ve got to protect the love! Somebody say that: «I’ve got to protect the love!» Protect! And the enemy is trying to steal your love for God every day. He’s trying to sell you lies: He forgot about you; you’re always going to be in this situation; your marriage will never be this; you can’t believe this! Shut the lies up!
That felt like the most appropriate time to say it: shut all the lies from hell up! Then I have to remember what God is saying, and then I have to put myself in an atmosphere to protect my heart. Okay, 2 Thessalonians 3:3 — «But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.» How in the world can I get up and go into situations that I know are set up for me to fail in, and still come out loving everybody? How can I go to my family’s house today on Mother’s Day knowing my brothers and sisters were talking about me before I got in the room? Oh, y’all going to be fake?
I’m trying to teach y’all how to really worship, and I leave there actually feeling a burden to pray for them. How do I go to that job every day? It’s because you have to guard your heart. The Bible says guard your heart above all else because out of that place flow the issues of life! I can only express love from the place where my love is! Okay, so protection—watch this—is found in His presence. I’m going to teach you something that you need to adopt right now. If you ever are feeling vulnerable, run to worship! 'Cause worship attracts God! You can be off-key; some of y’all singin' off key, but you can be in that key!
That’s why the Bible says, «Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.» He didn’t say notes; He said noise! What I’m telling you is the way I live my life, the way I love people, the way that I express Him — it attracts Him. And because your love needs protection, whenever you are weary, whenever you are wondering, whenever you have even been — watch this! Some of us have been dead wrong, and we knew it. Okay, how many people have been doing the wrong thing? You knew it was what God did not want you to do, and you were fully aware! Even when you’re wrong, you can worship! Oh my God! It’s the thing that will change your mind! Everybody’s telling people to get fixed before they come to worship. No! I gotta be close to God! I need to be in His presence! I need to be around Him so I can change!
Write this down: worship supernaturally changes your present because of His presence! I can be in the same spot and worship God and get a brand new perspective! I can’t tell you how many times in this last year and a half, even while preparing as I was writing this book, «Damaged but Not Destroyed,» and battling through the tensions, my emotions, and all this other stuff — God would just stop me and say, «Worship Me!»
I don’t feel like worshiping, and he said, «I don’t care what you feel like; your feelings will follow your faith.» I said, «What? Worship me? I can’t!» I began to worship and express my love to God. Sometimes it was just playing the piano; sometimes it was singing; sometimes it was just walking around saying, «Thank you, thank you, thank you.» That’s powerful worship right there. Thank you, Lord, I’m grateful. I’m telling y’all, supernaturally, it wouldn’t even take 10, 15, or 20 minutes; sometimes it would just be three minutes, and I was a different person because your worship has the ability to supernaturally change your present because of His presence. What I’m telling you is to run to worship when you have a hole in your heart, when you’re disappointed. Run to worship when you’re feeling low. Run to worship when you’re feeling suicidal. Run to worship when you feel alone. Run to worship.
How do I worship, Pastor Mike, with a hole in my heart? You worship all the time when you just get close. Some of you need to take a step towards God, and that would be the biggest act of worship you could ever make. See, everybody tries to make it super deep; it’s about His presence. Oh God, it’s about just being. I know when my dad walks into the room, not because I see him, but because I can smell him before I see him. I can literally walk into the room and say my father’s been here; it was his presence. God is saying, «Would you just come close and get in My presence?»
This series is not about explaining what you’re feeling. There will be tears in every service. There will be people crying. There will be revelations that happen, but it’s not going to be because we’re trying to prove anything to anybody. It’s because we are going to start worshiping with an understanding: worship is our love expressed to God. When I cry, God is being worshiped. When I stand, He is being worshiped. When I go out and give to the person on the street that God tells me to give to, I am worshiping God. Some of you have needed your love, your heart, to be protected. Psalms 91, verse 1: «Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadows of the Almighty.»
This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I will trust Him. I’m asking everybody who may have a hole in your heart to let God renew your heart today. Would you just stand all over the building? I feel the presence of God. The last point I want you to hear me say is the reason that we’re saying we’re going to worship, and worship starts with love, is because love never fails, because God is love. This seems very elementary, but if we don’t get it here and start walking in the understanding plus the knowledge, we can never truly worship God. What we’re trying to do is prove ourselves? No, we don’t worship for love; we worship from love.
1 Corinthians 13 says love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth; it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. Pastor Mike, how do you worship with a hole in your heart? Here’s the one answer to the whole question: hide yourself in Him. My mom used to tell me that from Psalms 119 all the time. How does a young man or woman keep their way pure? They hide themselves in the Word of God. Pastor Mike, if I have a hole in my heart, what do I do? Hide. Hide behind the One who knows every fear. Hide in the One who… This is what I’m saying to you: you can still have a hole in your heart.
Let me just show you. Okay, with the hole in your heart, when your heart is in His presence, you can literally have the holes, and nothing leaks out. Look! Look what it’s doing; it’s holding it up. Oh no, y’all missed it. When you begin to worship God, it begins to carry you. Oh my God, it’s lifting me up. How does it keep bouncing? Is this what it means for God to renew our strength in worship? When I just get into His presence, when I felt like I couldn’t even get up anymore, it literally lifted me up. Instead of leaking, I’m being lifted. Worship is the only place where He can turn your leaking into lifting.
Hands lifted all over this place. Oh, I feel the presence of God. If you’re in this room and you know that it’s been like gravity trying to keep you from expressing your gratitude, it’s been like gravity holding you down; it feels like you don’t even feel worth doing what you know God requests of you. If you’ve had a hole in your heart and it’s been hard for you to worship, this is what I want you to do: I’m asking you to just lift your hand right now. I know I just told everybody to lift their hands, but if that’s you for real, I just want you to lift your hand. If it’s been difficult, I need this to be a moment where you’re saying, «I’m identifying this.»
This is an act of worship right here, okay? Anyone who feels comfortable, I want you to make your way to this altar. We can move these stands back. If you’re online, just put your… Anyone who feels comfortable… Y’all, I just believe God is about to do something! We’re not going to ask God to meet us and then not make time for Him to meet us. I am no longer going to let the holes that have been plaguing my heart keep me down. I will worship. I’m not going to be silent. I’m not going to stand in His presence facing off anymore.
Today, I’m going to surrender. Come on, hands lifted all over this building. W, I feel the presence of God today. God, give us a new heart. Oh, give me a new heart. Make my heart grow. God, fill me with Your presence. This is not everybody, and I know some people are struggling right now, but one of the biggest faith steps you can take is saying, «I’m no longer sitting here in silence.» Somebody needs to move now; this is the moment that breaks it over your life. If you’re at home, hands lifted, take a step towards your screen. This is just an act of faith. There are two groups of people: those who have had holes in their hearts and those who haven’t had a heart exchange.
If you’re in this room and you want to be saved, if you want a heart exchange, I’m going to pray for you first, and then God is about to do a renewal in this room. I’m telling you, I don’t care how long you’ve served; I don’t care if you are a pastor in a different life. I don’t care if you know all the things about God. This is time for you to stop being numb and allow your heart to be renewed. It’s been hard because you’ve been hit. It’s been trying because you’ve been going through trials. It’s been frustrating because you feel like God has forsaken you, but today I feel the presence of God giving you a new heart and renewing your heart. If that’s you and you want to make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior and exchange your heart for His, on the count of three, I want you to lift your hands.
This is why our church exists. This is not for you to clean up and get your stuff right; God is the only one who, if you give Him your heart, will help you change your habits. If that’s you, I want you to lift your hands on the count of three: 1, 2, 3! That’s you! You want to give God… Guys, look at the hands going up all over this world! Oh no, y’all need to give God praise for that! Online, just put your hands up! I’m so proud of you! Today is a renewal, and nobody at TC praises alone! I feel the presence of God up here. Y’all, something is about to change. We’re about to unlock something that’s going to change our worship forever. Oh my God, I feel You! If that’s you, we’re all going to pray this prayer for the benefit of those who are coming to Christ.
Just lift your hands and say, «God, thank You for loving me before I knew how to love You. Today I give You my life. Today I give You my life. I repent of the old, and I receive the new. I believe You lived, You died, and You rose again for me to have everlasting life. Today I give You my life. Change my heart; change my mind; transform my life. I’m Yours. In Jesus' name, amen.» Now look at me, everybody. We’re going to celebrate everybody here in just a second. This is a holy moment. This whole series, we’re going to flow. Everybody say «flow.»
God’s going to speak, and then we’re going to respond. I’m going to say it again: God’s going to speak, and then we’re going to respond. Because worship is our response; it’s our love expressed as a response to His grace towards us. For everybody it’s been hard to worship because you felt like there’s been a hole. Every day you wake up, depression, anxiety, frustration—why, God? God is about to heal you right now. Hands lifted if that’s you; I feel the presence. I need everybody to be praying.
God, You said in Your Word that You would give us everything that pertains to life and godliness, and Father, Your children have been hurting, and our love has been leaking. I feel Your presence. For every person, Father God, who has not had enough to even say thank you, today I thank You that You’re accepting tears. Today I thank You that You’re accepting faith. God, today I thank You that You’re accepting our silence, but our hearts lean towards You. Today we all stand here saying we need You to fill us up again, God. Come on, just ask God, «Fill me up!» God, don’t just patch me up; fill me up! God, fill me up. I need You to protect me in Your presence. Father, I’m running to the shadows of who You are! I’m running to You! I’m running to worship! Forgive me for running away from my Father. Today I’m running towards You! Today we’re running towards You! I pray that today is the last day we believe the lies of the enemy. Father, today I believe that You’re doing heart surgery right now.
God is giving new hearts right now. Oh my gosh, don’t fight what God is trying to do in this place right now. And He isn’t just doing it right now; He’s going to be doing it all week long. New marriages are coming out of this! New relationships with fathers and sons and daughters and mothers! Somebody’s getting their joy back right now! Some of y’all are looking at me; the Holy Spirit is here! The healer is here! He’s in your home; He’s with you right now. Just let Him do the work. Here’s my worship, all of my worship! Receive my worship, all of my worship—come on, just, «Here’s my…» This is what I got to give God! All of my worship! Receive my worship! All of my worship! Come on, just 30 seconds, close your eyes, lift your hands, express to God: «Here’s my worship.»
God, I’m going to live a life worth the grace that You’ve extended to me. God, receive mine; it’s the only gift I can give You. God, today I take off my callous heart and I put on what You have for me. God, they hurt me, but they are not worth stealing the praise that I have for You. Today I worship You with a hole in my heart, and You’re the only one who can renew me and restore me! Somebody’s getting their worship back! Somebody’s getting their praise back! Come on, just because I’m breathing! Somebody say, «As long as the healer is here, the great physician is here, we will worship with the word that You have given us! God, that You’ll never leave us, You’ll never forsake us. Today, God, we are getting our feeling back! God, today we are allowing You to take control! We will not withhold our worship!»