Worship of God has several factors. In the communion a personal and corporate admission of forgiveness. In the singing musical exaltation of God in Christ. In the offering our acknowledgement of God's ownership of our finances. In the preaching guidance, correction and stimulation in discipleship. In the fellowship, realization of belonging to a forgiven people, a cause worth living for, a kingdom worth living in.
Consider what impact worship of God SHOULD have on us. Think of it as Mobil Gas Station:
Think of it as a San Diego Gas and Electric:
Think of it as our Hoover Dam:
Think of it as Mt. Palomar Observatory:
Think of it as a Spindletop, the Texas oil gusher:
Think of it as the Marianas Trench:
Think of it as Wall Street:
And all this only begins the benefits accruing to us as we worship God in Christ.
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Friends, an abbreviated Blog for this Thursday, February 24, 2022. If we want to know history's Response to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, change the "t" in his name to a "k", and add DOG. If you want to know how history responds to Joe Biden's cowardly response to the invasion, cast back to 1938 and you'll find the master appeaser—Neville Chamberlain.
My perspective, understand. Since Christians face a culture alien to our Faith. Since we can sometimes feel as my wife Judy once said, more beaten down and run over by problems than pressed down and running over with blessings, disciples need a boost. In yesterday's blog, two booster shots. In today's finale, two more.
Third encouragement. While the culture vainly seeks new direction, hoping to find in it what it hasn't discovered in others—improvement among races, more stress on diversity, more help for the homeless, more attention to those confused by their sexual identity—Christians take heart by returning to Scripture. Returning to God's authority in Scripture, Biblical Christianity flourishes. We must succeed, and cannot fail, indeed, we have WON and cannot LOSE IF we let:
Christians, relying on God's Word, God's Son and God's Spirit will maintain us as a WITNESS, not merely a PRESENCE. Our sins will not deface it, but its purity will infuse us. Our humanity won't weaken it, but its sacred holiness will transform us. Fourth Encouragement. God will never expect from us what he hasn't given us capability to achieve.
Therefore, Jesus will not have his people thinking they are DEFEATED when he knows HE's VICTORIOUS! And since he lives in us through the Holy Spirit, we share HIS victory. He wins through us NOW because He WON for HIMSELF while on earth. Never give up as a Christian because it's hard. Never give in as a Christian because it seems impossible. Jesus HAS...not SHALL...or MAY...but HAS overcome the world. And we share in his victory by faithfully gluing ourselves to him by FAITH. Speak up, Christian; don't be silent. Stand up, Christians, as a faithful witness of Jesus; don't merely recline in the comfort of faith. Equip yourself with God's armor and, having done so, stand your ground as a servant of Jesus Christ Ephesians 6:13. Fini Confronting a society hostile to Christ's Faith means his disciples need frequent, positive reinforcement. For the times we need uplift and inspiration instead of correction, exhortation or repentance, consider the following encouragements.
First, whatever our age, Jesus has a kind word for us. He sponsored a child as his model kingdom subject Matthew 18:2-4. He chose young adults as his disciple/apostles Matthew 4:18-22. He welcomed women into his inner circle, accepting their financial support Luke 8:1-3. And God acknowledged the continued worth of Seniors by reserving thrilling spiritual revelations for two Senior Adults, one a priest, the other a woman Luke 2:22-38. From these examples we learn that all disciples, of either sex at any age, can be a minister of God's grace in Christ. Young ministers need to understand the VALUE of Seniors. Second, while we're opposed by many satanic forces, remember: Jesus minimizes the opposition by maximizing his spiritual power. He remains unimpressed by Satan's claims and unafraid of any threat they pose. Disarming them at the cross, Colossians 2:15, he made a spectacle of them there, and mocked their weakness by rising from the dead. His fearlessness fortifies our own. Knowing he snapped his fingers in scorn at satanic powers he faced in ministry, he expects confidence, not dread, as we face opposition from society, from politicians, from governments, from interlopers who claim to have created a new morality that discards Biblical truth. For Jesus assures us: no decision ratified in Heaven can ever be annulled by any decision ratified on earth Psalm 2:1-12. His courage, whatever the enemy, fuels our desire to be his witnesses into active evangelism. Since he came to destroy the devil's work, I John 3:8; to seek and save those lost in their self-centeredness, Mark 10:45; to be the reconciler of God and humanity, he commissions us to be agents of reconciliation, II Corinthians 5:18-21. Since he mocks all enemies, ridicules all enemies and figuratively spits in their faces as they literally spit in his at his trial, Mark 14:65, he urges us to remember that "the one who is in you is greater than the one" against you I John 4:4. End Part I A professor in a Tennessee University chanced $50 to see if his 70 students carefully read the syllabus of his music seminar. On page 2 of the 3 page syllabus he included the combination of a school locker holding the funds. At the end of the semester, NOT ONE STUDENT accessed the prize! San Diego U-T, 12/26/21
Christians are urged to carefully read God's Word: from beginning to end, cover to cover, Genesis to Revelation—though not necessarily in that order. This writer has divided regular Bible study into four parts: 1) Genesis – II Chronicle; 2) Ezra – Malachi; 3) Matthew – Acts; 4) Romans – Revelation. This schedule, reading 2 chapters a day from each section, allows him to read the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice. However, if studied, he usually reads one chapter from each. However we read God's Word, we need a specific program. And we need to carefully read and study. Reading fewer chapters carefully excels more hastily done. What magnificent spiritual treasures lurk in all Biblical texts. Awaiting only the careful student-reader. Relaying to him GOD'S MIND in written form. Casting light on everyday events and the course of human history. Assuring the reader of God's sovereignty over life and the reader's freedom from anxiety in life because he knows GOD CARES, RULES and ENLIGHTENS. Try it if you haven't. Return to it if you have, but have been misdirected from it. Nothing...that means NOTHING...will ever be so rewarding as the wise-knowledge gained. This writer once heard a youth minister tell his class that God had a great destiny for them. He didn't take time to tell of what that destiny consisted. When Hannah begged God for a son, the highest destiny she saw for him was as a life-long Nazarite—a deeply-committed servant of God. She didn't foresee his future as priest/prophet of Israel. Just as Joseph and Mary could see their 40 day old Jesus as a committed disciple of Moses—but stood astonished when old Simeon forecast his future as the Judge of all mankind Luke 2:33.
The preacher correctly evaluated the future of every child of God—whatever their age! We all have the potential of being powerhouse disciples fueled by the Holy Spirit to honor the Christ! We serve faithfully, not because God has a great reputation or riches for us, but because Jesus expects and deserves a life appropriate to his. We need not live as if he has a famous role for us. We need only live daily so he can if he chooses. If he does, we'll be ready when he calls. If he doesn't, we have still fulfilled the basic requirement of all believers: being self-denying, Christ-honoring believers. Whatever role we fill in Christ's service, daily discipleship remains the cross of self-denial Matthew 16:24. The basic spiritual equipment each believer wears remains Ephesians 6:16-18. The basic life each produces remains Galatians 5:22-26. No personal embellishment of that compares with the GLORY it entails. Have you noticed the inconsistency in liberals' pronouncements on diversity? First, they call for increasing diversity in American life. Then, when others notice the diversity they demand, drawing comments on differences in the races, they clamor for silence.
They want it both ways: demanding differences and no notice of them! Demanding we all preserve our distinctions while demanding a no-variety society. A socialist's dream! An average everywhere. Anyone above knocked down. Any below ignored. When we poke harmless fun at our differences—THE WAY it USED to be in America—we're called racists. Where we didn't previously take ourselves seriously, because we had an inbred God-given confidence, we're now so thin-skinned we can't take a joke, or even a reference in good humor, of our dissimilarity. Some people love Big Brother watching over us, telling us what to think, how to relate to one another. Many of us don't. And we won't be muzzled by those who at once love diversity but tolerate no reference to it. Especially when they make exceptions for themselves, as those several cuts above all others while demanding the right to make rules for everyone else they do not personally obey. While many want government to tell them how to have self-confidence, this writer doesn't. And many others don't. We tell Big Brother to quit inconsistently demanding diversity AND treating citizens AS IF they aren't diverse. Instead, liberals, accept the differences in us as well as affirming our common humanity and American freedom—both of them quite apart from your persuasions! To those reading my blogs. It's been a tough six weeks. It began with a sinus infection our Kaiser doctors wouldn't treat with antibiotics since they mis-diagnosed my condition as covid-19. It then continued with a periodic loss of peripheral vision in the right eye. My ophthalmologist encouraged a visit to Emergency. Tests there proved I had a stroke in my cerebellum. Thankfully, it didn't strike my eyes. I have residual imbalance and occasional eye symptoms. I'm back preaching and writing blogs. Hope to continue both.
* * * * * God answered Hannah's prayer for a son she promised to dedicate as a life-long Nazarite. Then, once giving him birth, delayed for three years fulfilling her vow. Husband Elkanah grew concerned when she stayed home the first two years of their annual migration to Shiloh. Knowing that her motherly instinct GREW more tenaciously each month, he warned her to remember her vow. Finally, in the third year, to his relief, she accompanied the family to their annual rendezvous, a tiny tailor-made ephod tucked among Samuel's clothes. What shuddering motherly instincts she must have stifled as she gave the lad to Eli and the women at the Tabernacle. (And we're not told what the lad thought. Did he throw his little arms around Hannah's legs, begging her to take him home? This writer remembers doing that when his mom left him at first grade.) We're not told...God knows the price he paid to send Jesus. Who knows the price he paid to save us? Why should we pay no price to serve? I Samuel 2:1 answers the question, "what did Hannah feel when leaving her son?" She felt JOY, "rejoicing in the Lord." There she left her little boy...the one prayed for, the one sought and desired. And as she left him she "rejoices in the Lord"! Hannah experienced what mystic Madame Guyon discovered: she wanted to KNOW the God of peace, not merely the peace of God. The God of mercy, not merely the mercy of God. The God of comfort, not merely the comfort of God. As we face the challenges of life, do we ask God only for answers, or do we seek a deeper faith in him, whatever his answers are? Knowing as we experience HIM, all he IS becomes ours? |
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