Arm Yourself!

Quote from the NRA on a Facebook ad: "No law abiding American should be forced to face evil with empty hands." I AGREE!

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12 NIV

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV

Seeing God in the Details - He's a Good, Good Father

On Tues, Nov 24th,  I had a very interesting day.  To say it was a good day would not be accurate.  To say it was a bad day would be judging it based on the circumstances.  To say it was a day I could see God working in the details (albeit in hindsight) would be best.

After dropping Hope off at daycare, I headed down Cape Horn Road to work, cutting through Sage Hill on my way to Camp Betty Washington Road.  I learned rather quickly how important it is to pay attention to those lights on the console of your car.  The battery light had been on for a few days, but I had been too busy at work and readying plans for Thanksgiving to have time to stop to have it checked.  That was a mistake.  After a few turns, the power steering went out in my car, and within a short distance it came to a dead stop.  It would not turn over.

I called my insurance company and arranged a tow.  It would take an hour and a half.  An hour and a half!  And it was cold.  I called work; I was expected to be there ASAP to train a new employee.  After getting agitated due to the circumstances, I called my garage, explained the situation, and said I would be having it towed.  Then, a good Samaritan came along and gave me a jump.  I called to cancel the tow, a decision I quickly regreted after my car made it 5 feet and completely died, no power at all.  Feeling overwhelmed, I cursed at the car.  I called to reschedule the tow truck.  I called my garage again, explained my situation and learned that I could have a local tow truck there within 15 minutes.  I called to cancel the tow again.  After arriving at the garage, I asked if I could borrow a car and that I needed to get to work.  The owner graciously agreed.

I arrived at work around 10:00, almost 2 hours late.  After I pulled in, I realized my car keys were still in my pocket.  Needless to say, my car could not be fixed without the keys.  Just great...  I called my dad and grandfather, hoping they could find my spare key.  Even that was missing.

Well, I started my mail route 2 1/2 hr late, with a heavy load and a new employee to train.  Time flew by quickly, and I could see we were not going to be done by 7:00.  Then, the new girl got sick.  Seriously, what else could go wrong?  I continued delivering mail until she could be safely taken back to the office.  I still had more than 2 hours worth of delivery when it became dark.  Help was sent for me, and I finished my day around 6:30.

Looking back on my day, not much went right.  In fact, pretty much everything went wrong.  I even sinned multiple times, especially when I doubted God's providence when I instead felt the need to curse at the situation.  As the day went by, I could instead see God working in the details, despite the circumstances:

• My car died in a closed residential neighborhood, not on Route 83 where it could have caused a serious accident, and not before dropping Hope off on a chilly, November morning at her daycare.
• One passerby stopped to see what happened, and offered help.
• The local tow truck sent by my garage arrived quickly.
• The owner of my garage graciously lent me a van for the day.
• I arrived only 2 hours late for work, instead of not making it at all.
• I learned my dad had a lot of time scheduled off because of hunting season, and I could borrow a car until mine was fixed.
• The new employee even rebounded from her sickness quickly, returning to work on Wednesday.
• Wednesday was my normal scheduled day off, so I was able to collect a full day's overtime to help dull the pain of the expensive repair.

All those things went right.  And, the best detail not mentioned yet - when I turned on the borrowed van's radio, WSBA came on.  Not wanting to listen to talk radio, I pushed the FM button.  WJTL promptly came on, with Chris Tomlin singing "Good Father".  I promptly sensed a peace overcome me as I listened to the lyrics.  They were exactly what I needed to hear.  I no longer needed to focus on my circumstances, I could see God's goodness and love working throughout the day to keep me safe.  Even when the day's circumstances continued to get worse, I told one customer that all I could say was "God is good."  Do I wish I could relive the day, and change the circumstances?  Yes.  But I'm glad I can't because God taught me a lesson that day - don't look around me at the world, just look up at Him.

Here are the lyrics to "Good Good Father", with bold emphasis on what God had me learn that "terrible" day, one for which I can now be thankful:

Listen on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBmwwwiHrOk.


Good, Good Father

I've heard a thousand stories
Of what they think You’re like
But I've heard the tender whisper
Of love in the dead of night
You tell me that You’re pleased
And that I'm never alone

[Chorus]
You're a Good Good Father
It's who You are
It's who You are
It's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am
It's who I am
It's who I am

I've seen many searching for answers
Far and wide
But I know we're all searching for answers
Only You provide
Because You know just what we need
Before we say a word

[Bridge]
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Love so undeniable I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
Into love love love

Faith in Action: A Command

Yesterday, we had a group from Zion helping someone in need with yardwork, cleanup, and moving who was in need of help.  It was a backbreaking work.  Over the past year, I've gotten to know this person, have lunch and dinner with her on occasion, talk with her, attend church with her, shop for her, become her Facebook friend, and generally try to lend a helping hand on a few other occasions. The relationship I've had with this person has helped me grow in my faith over the past few months, and for that I am thankful.  Now, I find the need to share.

First, I'll start with some quotes from those I spoke to recently about this person:
"I didn't know she needed help."
"I don't really know her."
"I was praying for God to send someone to her to help her.  She needed so much help."
"When someone is taken advantage of, they remove themselves from a relationship with others, in fear of being taken advantage of again."
"She is not welcome here; our other customers are complaining about her."
"I don't know how to help her."
"I always saw her in the car.  It looked like she was lonely."

And lastly, from the individual herself:
"I get a lot of dirty looks from my neighbors when they drive past."
"It seems the police are watching me all the time."
"I don't feel welcome here.  In fact, I hate living in Pennsylvania."

The reason I share the above, is that when we feel uncomfortable reaching out to an individual, we come up with every excuse.  I admit, I was uncomfortable at first reaching out, but it was the right thing to do.  But, there is a much more important reason to reach out to those hurting around you - because God commanded us to.  We may feel obligated to do the "good Christian thing."  But God does not need us to feel obligated.  But, we need to be thankful for what he has done for us, and to PASS IT ON.

Consider the following scriptures:
"We love because he first loved us."  I John 4:19

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  Matthew 6:19-21, 33

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24

^"Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"  Matthew 25:34-40

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Ephesians 2:10

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."  Philippians 2:5-7

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galations 6:2

And finally, my life verse:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."  Colossians 3:23-24

I've heard it said many times that God helps those who help themself.  This couldn't be more untrue.  After all, Romans 5:8 states, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  We have never done anything to help ourselves spiritually, but God sent His Son to die for us regardless.  We turned our back on Him.  We shamed Him. We mocked Him.  We disobeyed Him.  We ignored Him.  We blasphemed Him.  We denied Him, just like Peter.  But, unlike us, God is still faithful.  He is still merciful.  He is full of grace.  Jesus died for us despite ourselves.

So, the next time you think to yourself, I can't help someone because:

• I don't have time.
• I'm busy.
• I'm not qualified.
• I'm tired.
• I don't know how to help.
• They are getting what they deserve.
• It makes me feel uncomfortable.
• They might refuse my help.
• I'm afraid of what others might say.
• Someone else can do it.

Or maybe you think you can't help someone because you know they won't appreciate it anyway.  To refute this, you need only to turn to Jesus himself.

In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus encounters 10 lepers:

"Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

I ask, did Jesus know only one leper would come back to him, thank God and worship him?  Of course.  But that did not mean Jesus was not going to heal all ten lepers.  He healed them regardless, despite their ungratefulness.  So, even this is not an excuse not to help someone in need.

Remember, when you put others first, you are obeying God.  I admit, it felt good today hearing some neighbors say how nice the yard looks.  Or that "I have a good heart."  Or that I was an answer to prayer.  Or that it was nice to sacrifice what little time I have to help someone else.  But I pray that God does not allow me to take these things to heart.

In the end, don't fool yourself into thinking you're "all that".  Don't just do it for yourself.  Don't just do it so you receive praise from others.  Don't do it for a reward, financially or otherwise.  Philippians 2:3-4 says it this way: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."  The rewards this world offers pass away.  They don't last.  They could be gone in an instant, letting you feel empty one again, looking for that next big thing you could do to feel better.

Instead, we need to look at it from God's perspective.  We need to take a step back.  We need to stop looking at others.  Stop looking at the world.  Stop looking at ourselves.  We need to look up to God.  Do it for God.  Do it for Jesus.  Do it for the Kingdom.  After all, "We love because He first loved us."  Why did I reach out to help: for the kingdom, no more, no less.

Ultimately, I have grown through the experience, seeing how this individual lived, and still felt satisfied; then comparing it to how I live, when sometimes I just can't seem to get enough. Just look and see how a simple gesture could mean so much.  But don't just look and see from the outside; put your faith into action.  After all, to God be the glory!

If today's worship songs are not good, why don't we just sing the Psalms?

An interesting read... It doesn't take away my preparation for Sunday mornings, but I do sense a bit of irony.  :)

A classic from Jeremy Pierce:

Here are some of the things I really hate in a worship song.

1. Too simplistic, banal, lacking in depth, shallow, doctrineless: Consider that one that just talks about unity among brothers that only mentions God in passing at the very end.
2. It’s so repetitive. I mean, come on, how many times can you repeat “His steadfast love endures forever” before you start thinking the song is going to go on forever? Examples: here and here.
3. For some songs, the focus is too much on instruments, and the sheer volume leads to its seeming more like a performance than worship and prevents quiet contemplation.
4. There might be too much emphasis on too intimate a relationship with God, using first-person singular pronouns like “me” and “I” or second-person pronouns like “you” instead of words like “we” and “God.” This fosters a spirit of individualism, and it generates an atmosphere of religious euphoria rather than actual worship of God. Worship should be about God, not about us. Or what about the ones that use physical language to describe God and our relationship with him? Can you really stomach the idea of tasting God?
5. Some songs have way too many words for anyone to learn.
6. It patterns its worship on experiences that not everyone in the congregation will be able to identify with. If you’re not in the frame of mind or don’t have the emotional state in question (e.g., a desperate longing for God), then what are you doing lying and singing it? Worship leaders who encourage that sort of thing are making their congregations sing falsehoods.
7. Then there’s that song with the line asking God not to take the Holy Spirit away, as if God would ever do that to a genuine believer.
8. Then there’s that song that basically says nothing except expressing negative emotions.
9. Finally, there are those songs that have like four or five lines that people just either have to repeat over and over again or just sing briefly and never get a chance to digest.

At this point I’m so outraged that people would pass this sort of thing off as worship that I’m almost inclined to give in to the people who think we shouldn’t sing anything but the psalms.

Oh, wait. . . .

The Lyrics Behind Our Songs

Many times, I find myself wondering why the lyrics are what they are in a certain song. What scripture is behind the words? Who or what is the focus of this song? Does the song reveal something about God's character to us? Or does it reveal something about our walk with Him? Are the lyrics repetitious or "theologically shallow"?

Most songs are written with a purpose in mind. When I select songs for Sunday morning worship, I try to keep one thing at the forefront of my mind. I need to be careful to choose songs which are focused on God and his character, and not on ourselves. There are a lot of "good sounding" songs in contemporary Christian music today that are not necessarily God-honoring. For instance, some songs are more about "me, me, me." "What can I get from God?" "How will my relationship with God benefit me?" "What am I doing for the Lord?" I remember a former pastor telling me that he knew of a fellow who wouldn't sing in church, because he would be essentially "lying to God" through the lyrics of the song. Even scripture can be made more about ourselves than about our God.  Examples:

• I Chronicles 4:10 (commonly known as the prayer of Jabez)
• Jeremiah 29:11
• Luke 11:9 (If I ask God for riches, He must give them to me...not so much)
• Romans 8:28
• Philippians 4:13

Here, we return to my question last week "What is worship?"  Worship can be defined as giving honor, adoration, love, respect, reverence or devotion to someone or something.  As Christians, we need to make sure to direct our praise, honor, and glory upward to God, and not sideways to those around us. Yes, worship should engage and encourage us, but it should never be a lateral or horizontal experience. It shouldn't just be a feel-good moment for us.  Take for instance this quote from an article entitled "How a Terrible Worship Song Drove Me from Christianity":

"The point, she said, isn't really the lyric of the song, but how you feel when you sing it. If you feel good; if you feel like the song brings you closer to God; if you are praising God with the song, then it isn't really important if the lyrics make sense or not."

How sad.  Our feelings should never be the primary benefactor of worship.  Our feelings and circumstances change.  God does not.  (Look at how Paul and Silas reacted in worship when they were thrown in jail.  They worshiped God despite their circumstances.)  Therefore, our worship should always be vertical in nature, looking to God.  Worship shouldn't be an opportunity to compare ourselves to the world, but it should be a realization of just how holy God is when we compare our lives to his example in Christ.

It was with this context, I researched the Chris Tomlin song, I Will Follow. Whenever I see the word "I" or "we" in the title of a "praise and worship" song, I like to do some digging. Why does the word "I" or "we" appear so many times in the song?  Please take the time to read the next post in my blog, entitled "I Will Follow - Story Behind the Song." I do understand and appreciate the song better now.  However, I am still uncomfortable with how many times it focuses on what I will do (and in reality, probably not do), and therefore I don't think we'll be singing it anytime soon on Sunday morning.

In retrospect, here are some other favorites of mine in the past that are not necessarily good worship songs:

• In the Secret by Andy Park (centered on self, lyrics questionable)
• Hands and Feet by Audio Adrenaline (centered on self)
• Rise Up and Praise Him by Paul Baloche (repetitive and short on purpose)
• Friend of God by Israel Houghton (again, centered on self and not God)

(Note: One other song I discovered through my search of questionable worship songs was "Draw Me Close."  Never once does the song mention God or Jesus, and the lyrics could just as well fit a secular relationship.  However, if the lyrics are sung within the context of a Christian service, and take into consideration our desire for God to draw us nearer to Him, with scripture as a lead-in, I find nothing wrong with this song.  But it could easily be taken placed into context elsewhere without a Christian message.  It's all in the heart, which is where our worship should begin.)

I'd like to close with a thought from Rick Warren. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through his book "The Purpose Driven Life" many years ago. Although I do acknowledge his books do fall short theologically to many people (another thing I learned from a former pastor - most books written by man and not directly inspired by God (i.e. the Holy Bible) include both meat and bones. We must eat the meat to grow, but we must also spit out the bones (I John 4:1)), I thought this particular quote accurately summarized my thoughts in the article above:

"If you have ever said, "I didn’t get anything out of worship today," you worshiped for the wrong reason. Worship isn’t for you. It’s for God."  - Rick Warren

I Will Follow - Story Behind the Song

This article is taken from the Christian music website, newreleasetuesday.com.

Chris explained the song's meaning: "The chorus of this song makes some pretty bold claims: Who you love, I'll love. How you serve, I'll serve. Where you go I'll go. Even if I lose my life I'll follow you. While those words might be a true expression of the heart, when we hear them coming out of our own mouths it should still be a little sobering. Are we really considering the implications of what we're saying? Or are we just speaking with bravado the way the Apostle Peter did in his early days of following Jesus? After all, he was the brash one, the impulsive one who was always making those sorts of big, bold statements. He told Jesus things like "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." But when Jesus was arrested, those claims fell apart. Peter ran and hid and even renounced Jesus. Thankfully, that failure wasn't the end of Peter's story. In time, God's grace and power would transform him into a man whose boldness was based on God's strength rather than his own. But it cost him something to get to that point of understanding what following Jesus was really all about.

Mark chapter 8 contains what must have been one of the most difficult and pivotal points in Peter's journey as a disciple, and it illuminates something about our own hearts as well. In this passage Jesus is explaining plainly to the twelve how he was soon going to have to suffer and die. Peter takes him aside and rebukes him for saying such things. Jesus responds with his shocking "Get behind me, Satan," and then explains: "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Then Jesus gathers the crowd around him and elaborates: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Jesus knew beforehand the road of suffering he would walk in faithful obedience. He was explaining God's plan of redemption to his followers. But Peter—and probably the other disciples too—already had set in their own minds a different version of how God's salvation for Israel was going to unfold. Most likely they were still dreaming of the day when Jesus—with the twelve of them on his right and his left commanding the thousands that would rally to their cause—would take up the sword to drive the Romans out of Jerusalem and restore all things to their rightful place. At the very least, the idea of a suffering and dying messiah wasn't part of Peter's plans. When he had signed up to follow the Christ, it certainly wasn't for that.

That's probably why Peter pulled his master aside and rebuked him for his talk of being humiliated and put to death. You have to wonder if Peter's rebuke of Jesus was born out of fear. Because what Jesus was revealing was threatening the dream that Peter had invested his hope in. And yet, what Peter had in mind was not what God had in mind. How often do we find ourselves in similar positions—feeling disappointed, or angry or scared because God's plans turned out to be something very different from our own expectations?

In time Peter did respond in the only way a disciple can, by laying down his own ambitions and embracing what it meant to truly follow. At the end he even willingly gave his life for Christ. But I think the hard work of divestment from the things and hopes and dreams of this world was already complete by the time Peter allowed himself to be nailed to a physical cross. I think the hardest step for Peter must have come the moment right after this conversation in Mark 8, because that was the moment he realized this business of being a disciple, of following Jesus, was not about seeing his own agenda accomplished and his own dreams fulfilled. It was about seeing them crucified, and surrendering them to God's greater purposes instead.

Isn't that still what it means for anyone to follow Jesus? It means that we lay down our own agendas and hopes and dreams, and faithfully obey day by day. It's a daily dying to self—the crucifying of our own petty and self-centered desires so that we might more clearly reflect Christ to the people around us. In the end, it's not about bravado and bold statements. It's about simple, ongoing obedience to the words of our Lord. To say 'I will follow' is really not so different from saying 'Help me every hour to die to my own desires, Jesus, so that you can live more fully through me.'"

What Is Worship?

As I continue to focus on honoring God with our worship on Sunday morning in song, I asked myself the question, "What is worship?"  We'll be reading from Psalm 150 and Revelation 5 this Sunday to lead into our time of praise and worship thru song.  But how would I define worship?  Or better yet, how would God define worship?

Worship - derived from the Old English, woerthship:  Giving God His worth.

Now, what does this mean?

Well, when we take our offering on Sunday morning, our former pastor, Ben Woodring, would always precede it with prayer.  In closing each week, we "gave God the thanks for allowing us to give back to Him a portion of what He has bestowed upon us."  Money can be tied to worth, so maybe, just maybe we can learn a lesson from this prayer on a deeper meaning of what worship is.

GIVING GOD HIS WORTH:

First, we must recognize that God gave us worth first.  He loved us first (I John 4:19), while we were still sinners and had not turned to Him. (Romans 5:8)

Second, we must recognize, God gave us the very best He had.  He gave his one and only son, Jesus.  (John 3:16)

Third, we must recognize, God gave us everything He had.  Christ, when He came to redeem us, gave up everything He had in heaven.  He came as a servant, despite the fact that He was a king. He "emptied himself" (Phil 2:6-7).  The Amplified Bible states it this way, Jesus "stripped Himself of all privileges and rightful dignity."  In contrast to God emptying Himself for us, we esteemed him not (Isaiah 53:3).

Fourth, we must recognize, God continues to give to us bless us when we live in Christ. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)  What are these blessings?  Verses 4 thru 14 goes on to describe some of these - love, redemption, God's selection (or predestination), adoption as His sons, forgiveness, wisdom, understanding, the Holy Spirit, and the list goes on.

So, going back to our original question, "What Is Worship?"

Reading on thru Ephesians 1, we come to verse 12, " in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory."  God wants to bless us, in turn so we can bless Him.  God wants our honor.  God wants our praise.  God wants us to "Stand in Awe" of Him.  God wants us to give our "All in All."  "We Bow Down" and "We Fall Down", knowing we are but sinners offering an imperfect sacrifice of praise.  He wants us to "Bring the Sacrifice of Praise."  (Notice, the focus of the names of some of our praise and worship songs.)

"Giving God His Worth" sounds simple, but I find myself falling short.  Do I give Him my all or do I share my heart with other idols?  Do I obey Him, or do I turn to sin for pleasure?  Would I rather read my Bible or turn on the TV?  Do I forsake my wordly belongings like Jesus commanded of the rich man in Matthew 19:16-22?  Do I follow Jesus with such a passion that in comparison the love that I give my friends and family is so imcomparable that it seems as if is comparable to hate, as Jesus teaches in Luke 14:26?  I admit, I do not honor God and give Him His worth each and every day.  But I am thankful that He is patient and loving toward me, extending His hand of mercy when I fall short or fail Him.

In closing, Pastor Jeff shares with us periodically what our first and foremost thought should be when we approach God's throne with worship.  In the words of the Westminster catechism,"The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."  It sounds to me that they have been asking "what is worship", for many, many years.  And until we see Him on the other side of glory, we will continue to fall short in giving God what is His due.  Let us pray, then:  Lord help us to become better worshippers for You by learning to give you the "weorthship" you deserve.

For more thoughts on worship as a continuous and growing action, and not just a relational state of being, read the following blog entry with the same title.

http://thinkingworship.com/tag/giving-god-his-worth/

Profound Thoughts About the Grace of God

I was cleaning up my inbox this evening, and found an old email that had some profound thoughts I thought I would share.  They are not specifically scripture references, and as such, cannot be taken as infallible truth.  However, they do have specific precepts and truths in them that are scriptural.

(1) "To get something you've never had, you have to do something you never did."

Think of what the disciples were asked to do.  Leave everything they called home, and even their jobs and livelihoods.  What did Jesus promise?

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:29-30

(2) "When God takes something from your grasp, he's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better."

It's important that we consider the context of our "punishment".  There are problems or circumstances in our lives that we create by our own wrongdoing.  If it is a result of sin, then we must repent, and turn back to God.  It could be, however, a stumbling block or a test placed in front of us that gives us the opportunity to grow closer to God.  This is the context on which I wish to expound.

In this case, the story of Job is an excellent example.  In Job's case, it wasn't God who took everything from him, but Satan.  However, God allowed Job to be put to the test.  Job did not turn from God, though his family, friends, and everything else suggested he should.  Job was rewarded in the end, with so much more than he ever had.

This quote also brings to mind part of a sermon I remember from the past.  Sometimes sin is not just choosing evil over good, but choosing good over best.  God does not want satisfied Christians.  He wants Christians who continuously seek to grow closer to Him, to strive to be more like Him, to be a better witness to the world for Him.  God wants the very best for us, and sometimes He must ask us to give up the "good" things in our lives to achieve what is "better".  Again, just like the disciples' example above.  A career in fishing may be good, but a mission of fishing for men is better.  And their eternal reward for choosing to follow Jesus is greater than than their present reward of being a provider for their families by fishing.

Sometimes, we perceive this as punishment.  However, Jesus has greater plans for us.  He needs to break us to grow closer to Him.  He reassures us that He "has overcome the world" (John 16:33) and we can "do all this through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)

(3) "The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God cannot protect you."

Concerning God's protection:


"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4
Concerning temptation:

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." I Corinthians 10:14

Being Made Clean, Part 2 - Our Unrighteousness, Christ's Blood and Our Salvation

Part 2 of today's message continues with more thoughts on Leviticus 15:31:

“‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.’” Leviticus 15:31

We still have to deal with the unclean things of this world today, which we must set aside.  We also still have to struggle with the sin issue today, as we are all born sinners (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-2; Psalms 51:5)   This sin will result in our spiritual death until we accept Christ's perfect (I Peter 2:22) sacrifice for them. God is still holy, and still requires righteousness.  However, we do not have to perform all the sacrifices, cleansing ceremonies, and purifying of material possessions today like the Israelites had do to in the time before Christ.  Why?  Consider the following:

First, we must accept that there are consequences for our sin.  Without cleansing, we are doomed to eternal death.

" For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

Next, we must recognize that we cannot make amends for uncleanliness or sin ourselves.  And we also know that the sacrifices and cleansing ceremonies were only a temporary relief from sin or uncleanliness.  The priests had to perform these ceremonies endlessly with the blood of lambs, goats, calves, doves, etc. on a continuous basis for all sin (spiritual uncleanliness), whether committed in ignorance or a blatant disregard.  They also had to make clean anything that had become physically unclean (food, childbirth, open sores, mold, bodily discharges).  No sacrifice could fully and completely cleanse you under the Law.

"For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh..." Romans 8:3a

"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."  Hebrews 10:1-4

"Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins." Hebrews 10:11

"For it is by grace you have been saved,through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (emphasis mine)

Finallly, we must accept Christ's sacrifice for us, a sacrifice made once and for all time.  Christ is our sin offering today.  Without him, we are still dead in our sins.  Unlike the sacrifices, He only needed to die once for all time.  Today, he is our perfect high priest, who gave himself for us.

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God, and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Jeremiah 31:33-34

"...God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Romans 8:3b-4

"Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;
with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.
Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’”

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second.  And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Hebrews 10:5-10

"But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:12-14

" For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit." I Peter 3:18

This Easter, remember Christ's sacrifice for us.  But do more than this.  Make it personal.  See it not only as an historical event which shaped human history, but see it as a personal live-giving experience.  See it as not just an event, but a personal life-defining moment.  See it not just as a loving God dying to save the world, but a loving God who died on the cross for you.  See it as your "born-again" experience.  One day we will stand before God in judgement.  Will you continue to try and justify yourself, fruitlessly and in vain?  Or will you accept God's sacrifice once for all time?  May God be glorified for His loving sacrifice for us.

Being Made Clean, Part 1 - Our Unrighteousness, Christ's Blood and Our Salvation

As we continue to read thru the Bible this year at Zion, I find myself falling behind.  However, though it may take longer than a year, I continue to read, and constantly find a picture of our Christian faith in the Israelite nation long ago.  Someone I recently met pointed out Galatians 3:24 to me as he tried to explain to me some of his beliefs.  This verse pretty well explains why we still have the Old Testament today, to not only use as an example to how God worked with his chosen people, but how He continues to work with us today thru Christ. (I've chosen the Amplified version, because it highlights and stresses particular words found in multiple versions and translations, and "amplifies" or expounds the meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew into English.)

"So that the Law served [to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ [came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right standing with God) by and through faith." Galatians 3:24

Today's thought comes from Leviticus 15:31.  After working through what makes a person unclean in the chapters before, and how to become cleansed by the priest, comes this verse:

“‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.’” Leviticus 15:31

In part 1 of this 2 part message, we will discuss unclean things and how Christ reacts to them.  First and foremost, this scripture above does not just apply to the Israelites of the Old Testament.  It still applies today, albeit in a much different manner.  It Part 2, we will discuss how we can fully trust Jesus for our freedom and salvation.

Listed in Leviticus alone, the Israelites in the Old Testament (under the old covenant), could become unclean by:

• Improperly eating the fellowship offerings - Leviticus 7:15-21
• Eating fat or blood - Leviticus 3:17; 8:22-27
• Eating the wrong animals like rabbits, pigs, vultures, owls,rats, lizards - Leviticus 11:1-30
• Eating or touching a dead animal - Leviticus 11:31-40
• Childbirth - Leviticus 12
• Being exposed to a skin disease like leprosy - Leviticus 13:1-45
• Being exposed to mold - Leviticus 13:46-59
• Having bodily discharges - Leviticus 15

These things above may not be sin or the result of sin itself, but is a case of something impure which our holy God cannot accept.  Holiness means to be "set apart" or "dedicated to God."  God, in His holiness, cannot fellowship with us if we are not "set apart" toward him.  He cannot fellowship with the uncleanliness of this world.  The Israelites were held accountable for their unclean acts or their exposure to unclean things.  

" I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. " Leviticus 11:44

“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." Leviticus 19:2

" This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light;in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth." I John 1:5-6

How does this apply to us today?

First, there are still unclean things in this world we have to avoid as Christians.

We are to avoid (to name just a few):

• Giving into sensuality, deceipt, unholy anger, stealing, unwholesome talk, bitterness, brawling and slander (Ephesians 4:17-34)
• Adultery, fornication, idolatry, hatred, envy, murder, drunkenness, heresies (Galatians 5:19-21)
• Homosexuality, covetousness, pride, disobedience, merciless, maliciousness, hatred of God (Romans 1:26-32)
• Judging, causing our brother to stumble in their faith, anything not done in faith (Romans 14)

This list includes a list of sins that are a blatant disregard for God's holiness and His instructions of holiness to us.  We also need to consider the following:  what is sin to us may not necessarily be sin to our brother, and vice versa.  Certain things are sinful by nature.  Others are not, but are sinful when not done in faith.

"I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit..." Romans 14:14-17

I have adopted several beliefs based on these verses.  For instance, dealing with the consumption of alcohol.  At one time, I did not consider it a sin when it was done in moderation.  However, when this belief led another to stumble, it then became sin.  Also, the enjoyment of my Christian faith in modern music.  There are those I have come into contact that truly believe this type of music is sinful.  For me to listen to this "contemporary" music in their presence would be considered sinful.

Second, we will be held accountable. The Israelites were held accountable for their unclean acts or their exposure to unclean things. They sometimes needed to offer a sacrifice or offering. Sometimes they needed to be cleansed by the priest. And sometimes they were exiled from their families and friends. Today, we have an easier way to become clean once again - through the blood of Christ.

What is the difference between the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and us as Christians today following the new covenant?  It is Jesus Christ!

First, Jesus can overcome the physically unclean things this world contains.  Since Jesus is the Creator (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16), all creation is subject to Him.  Thus purifying or healing something that was considered unclean in Old Testament times is of no consequence to Him.

For instance, in Luke 5, Jesus healed a man stricken with leprosy, considered unclean according to Leviticus 13. Jesus recognized this, but He healed the man regardless.  Then, in verse 14 it says, "Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”  Jesus recognized the importance of the law to guide unbelievers toward himself (see Galatians 3:24 above).  Furthermore, scripture instructs us:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Matthew 5:17

Further examples of Christ healing unclean things:

• An unclean woman, from her flow of blood (i.e. Leviticus 15) - Matthew 9:20-22
• An unclean spirit - Mark 9:14-29
• 10 lepers - Luke 17:11-19

Second, Jesus can overcome the spiritual uncleanliness of our souls.  His blood can wash us clean, just as in the Old Testament, the sins of the sacrifices washed the Israelites.  The difference is that the Old Testament sacrifices covered up the sin, so the Israelites could fellowship with God.  Jesus can permanently cleanse us from our unrighteousness.  But only if we trust Him.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 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." John 15:1-4

"“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”" I Peter 2:24

" But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." I John 1:7

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:19

In conclusion, God still requires us today to be holy.  The application of how we become holy, though changed with the nails and the cross.  We will discuss more of this in Part 2 of this message.  In the words of Peter:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." I Peter 1:3-9

But, though we enjoy this offer of salvation in Jesus today, we find this reminder from the Old Testament still ringing true today:

"Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”"  I Peter 1:13-16

God Meant It for Good

Today, I wanted to share another blog for thought.

As a side note: We are reading through the Bible as a congregation, guided by Walk Thru the Bible.  Here at home, Nikki has been reading from the Jesus Calling Bible Storybook by Sarah Young each night with Hope.  By reading a chapter or two each night, Hope follows our reading guide.  It even has a "Jesus Calling" section, drawing each day's story back to Scripture and how it relates to Christ.

Hope's story this evening on Jacob and his brothers, and my search for songs this coming Sunday led me to this blog by Rick Warren and Jon Walker.  I hope you enjoy!

Reposted from http://rickwarren.org/devotional/english/god-meant-it-for-good

God Meant It For Good

BY RICK WARREN — MAY 21, 2014

You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result. Genesis 50:20 (NASB)

Joseph’s life was anything but peaceful. He was sold into slavery by jealous brothers and thrown into prison on false charges. Yet, he remained free of bitterness or regret and saw God as the “Great Engineer” behind even the worst of circumstances. 

In a final confrontation with his brothers, he graciously noted, “You meant it for bad; God meant it for good.”

“God meant it for good” says:

You can accept the past. No sin, no action, no choice on your part is too big for God to handle or too big to be worked out for good (Romans 8:28). Just ask Joseph! Better yet, ask his brothers who ended up relying on him for their survival.

You can embrace the present. There’s no need to play the “what if” game. The past is forgiven and gone, and the future is in God’s omnipotent hands; so you’re free to focus on the present: “Wherever you are, be all there,” says Jim Elliot. God wants you in the present because that’s where his grace will flow.

You can look expectantly toward the future. Even if you make mistakes today, God still controls your future. Walking in the Spirit, you can live life to the fullest, without fear of making mistakes that take you out of God’s control. Even when things appear to be terrible, you can trust that God is still working out his divine plan for your life.

This devotional is by Jon Walker, editor of the Daily Hope Devotionals and author of Costly Grace.