Category Archives: Worship

November 22, 2015 · 10:30

Thank You, Lord

pray-hands

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  (James 1:17)

Name one thing – anything – that you have that does not come from God. How much time do you need to think about it? In the meantime, think about this:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:27-28)

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:14-16)

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee. (Job 10:11-13)

The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. (Job 33:4)

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. (Psalm 36:7-9)

Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: (Isaiah 42:5)

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (Acts 17:24:25)

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. (Genesis 2:22)

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. (Psalm 128:3)

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. (Proverbs 18:22)

House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD. (Proverbs 19:14)

And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: (Genesis 16:2)

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. (Genesis 17:15-16)

So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. (Genesis 20:17)

And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. (Genesis 48:9)

Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD … For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him (1 Samuel 1:19-20 )

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalm 113:9)

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. (Psalm 127:3-4)

Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. (Proverbs 17:6)

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9)

And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. (Exodus 16:15)

For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. (Deuteronomy 10:17-18)

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart. (Psalm 104:14-15)

Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever (Psalm 136:25-26)

The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. (Psalm 145:14-16)

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: (Job 5:8-10)

Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. (Psalm 147:7-9)

Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. (Jeremiah 5:24)

Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. (Acts 14:16-17)

He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26)

And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war. (Deuteronomy 3:18)

And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. (Deuteronomy 26:9)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) (2 Corinthians 9:8-10)

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (1 Timothy 6:17)

Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:11-13)

Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I [God] will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. (2 Chronicles 1:12)

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. (Psalm 104:24)

Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. (Psalm 112:3)

Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)

And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: (Daniel 2:21)

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:2-5)

The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. (2 Samuel 22:3)

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. (Psalm 35:9)

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)

I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.  (Isaiah 43:11)

Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. (Hosea 13:4)

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:18)

[Jesus says] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1:12)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 John 5:11)

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. (John 6:32-33)

[Jesus said] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51)

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:10-11)

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2)

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (Titus 2:11)

Were you able to think of anything that does not come from God? Everything comes from God and He pours out His riches on believers and non-believers alike. Even His free gift of salvation is available to all, but unlike the sun and rain that fall on all alike, the gift of salvation must be accepted as a matter of choice. Thank God from Whom ALL blessings flow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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November 15, 2015 · 10:30

Priorities

priorities

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

We all have priorities – those things that are most important to us. Things that, when we are forced to make a choice, supersede all others. Many of those things merit high priority – spouse, family, friends, health, etc. Other things that we make high priority are not so worthy – entertainment, pleasure, material possessions, and things of that sort. Whatever our priorities, God wants us to make Him top priority in all things.

A couple of Sundays ago, the Rev. J. John of England, touted as “Europe’s Billy Graham,” gave the sermon at our church. He presented a great message, but the part that stuck with me most was the acrostic “FIRST” that was offered as a memory aid to help us remember to put Jesus first in every area of our lives.

F –

Put Jesus FIRST in your Finances. Someone once said, “Show me a man’s checkbook register, and I will show you where his priorities lie.” Throughout the Old Testament, God demanded the first and the best of the people’s possessions – the firstborn male child (Exodus 13:2), the firstborn of every animal (Exodus 34:19), the first of the harvest, a tenth of the harvest (Leviticus 27:30, 32; Deuteronomy 14:22, 28), etc. God has no need of any of these things. In fact, they all belong to Him in the first place (Exodus 19:5; Leviticus 25:23; Job 41:11; Psalm 50:10, 12; Haggai 2:8). The reason He makes these demands is so that His people will learn to depend on Him for their provision. The tithe (the tenth part) is not addressed in the New Testament, but “generous giving” is encouraged. Luke tells us that the early believers “sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need” (Acts 2:45). As Paul made the circuit of the churches, he took up a collection for the needs of the Christians in Jerusalem. Of the churches in Macedonia he commented, “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality … Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:2, 4, 5, emphasis mine). Note that they gave themselves FIRST to the Lord. In order to have our priorities right, we must put Jesus and His kingdom FIRST in your Finances.

I –

Put Jesus FIRST in your Interests. These days many things contend for our attention – television, Facebook, entertainment, family, friends, etc. How often do those things keep us from spending time in God’s Word or in prayer? What kinds of books or magazines do we read? Are they God-honoring? When given the opportunity to attend a professional sporting event that conflicts with a church service, which do we choose? Do you allow your children’s sports activities to keep you away from church on Sunday? If our priorities are right, the things of God should be FIRST in our Interests.

R –

Put Jesus FIRST in your Relationships. Jesus said “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37). That is painfully clear, and it may seem rather harsh; but God created the family, and when God is given first place in familial relationships, there will be enough love to go around and then some. In fact, we are instructed in proper familial relationships. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).  “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right … And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1, 4). Of course, even when we follow God’s instructions, our relationships may not work out to our liking. Jesus warned that our commitment to Him may divide our families. “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” (Matthew 10:35-36, emphasis mine). In that case, Jesus must come FIRST. As for relationships outside of the family, we are instructed: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). If our priorities are right, we must put Jesus FIRST in our Relationships.

S –

Put Jesus FIRST in your Schedule. Many things compete for our time. In the busyness of our lives, making time for God can be a challenge. The best way to overcome this is to set a time every day to spend time with God in prayer and Bible reading. I am reminded of Daniel when a law was passed “that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God … shall be cast into the den of lions” (Daniel 6:7). Daniel put God FIRST in his Schedule and “he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime” (Daniel 6:10, emphasis mine). Daniel had his schedule set and nothing was going to keep him from his appointment with God, not even a decree from the king. If we want our priorities to be right, we must put Jesus FIRST in our Schedule.

T–

Put Jesus FIRST in your Troubles. While it is true that we often forget about God until we are really in trouble, too many times we try to manage our trouble all on our own and only call on God as a last resort. How about calling on Him at the first sign of trouble? “I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill” (Psalm 3:4). “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). “In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me” (Psalm 120:1). “But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer” (Psalm 66:19). “I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation” (Psalm 118:21). Since God hears us and is ready to come to our aid, why not call on Him FIRST? Better yet, why not stay “prayed up” before trouble hits? When our priorities are right, we make Jesus FIRST in our Troubles.

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August 9, 2015 · 10:30

Living Sacrifices

Living Sacrifice

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  (Romans 12:1)

Someone said that, “The problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the altar.” The image of a sacrifice recurs numerous times throughout the pages of the Bible, and in every instance, save for maybe one, the victim dies. The first sacrifice was offered by our Lord to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). The pre-incarnate Christ[1] had to slay innocent animals (most likely sheep) in order to atone (cover) for the sin of the first couple. After this, the practice was repeated as is seen by the examples of Abel’s sacrifice (Genesis 4:4) and Noah’s sacrifice following the Flood (Genesis 8:20-21). More than a thousand years later God codified the practice through the Mosaic Law. Jesus offered the ultimate sacrifice with His death on the cross. That event ended the death requirement for the sacrifice.

The one instance where the victim was spared was in the case of Abraham sacrificing Isaac (Genesis 22). In his heart, Abraham sacrificed Isaac in obedience to God. “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac … Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure” (Hebrews 11:17, 19). Even though Isaac was spared, a substitute took his place (Genesis 22:11-13); someone or thing had to die. However, “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). At last, the blood of Jesus offered the final solution to sin so that neither death, nor the shedding of blood remains as the debt requirement for sin. As the old hymn says, “Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe.” Even so, sacrifice, for the believer, still remains.

The English word “sacrifice” translates various Hebrew and Greek words each with differing shades of meaning. The first occurrence of the English word “sacrifice” is found in Genesis 31:54 where it translates the Hebrew word zebach meaning slaughter. In Exodus 23:18 it translates the Hebrew word chag meaning festival or victim. In 1 Kings 18:29 it translates the Hebrew word minchah meaning offering or present. As used in our beginning verse, the Greek word is thusia which is the same as the Hebrew zebach meaning slaughter.

Paul calls us (brethren) to present our physical bodies as “living sacrifices” – slaughtered lives. That seems oxymoronic. How can a slaughtered person live? To the Galatians Paul writes, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live” (Galatians 2:20). Again, how can one crucified live? Obviously Paul cannot be referring to physical death. Elsewhere he explains: “that he [Jesus] died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15). Hence we die to “self.” “For if ye live after the flesh [i.e. “self”], ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:13). The Greek word translated “mortify” is thanatoō meaning “to kill,” or, in keeping with our theme, “sacrifice.” Note also that the means by which this is accomplished is “through the Spirit.” That source of power comes about by only one way. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This newness is that of which Jesus spoke when He said, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).

Through the rebirth and by the power of the Spirit, the Christian can put to death the old self and present his body as a living sacrifice that is “holy.” That does not mean sinless or perfect. “Holy” means to be set apart, consecrated, or dedicated to God. Holiness is an attribute of God that sets Him apart and above all of His creation. This is why God cannot abide sin and why He must judge and ultimately punish sin. Although we cannot obtain holiness that approaches the holiness of God, yet God demands holiness from His children. “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Lamentably, Christians these days fail to understand the meaning of holiness. Many think that just because God’s invitation is “Just As I Am” that nothing needs to change. Perhaps they “walked the aisle” to the words of that old hymn, shook the pastor’s hand, and got dunked in the baptistery at some point in their life, and they presume they are okay. They continue living “just as I am.” But God demands holiness.

How does one achieve holiness? In the following verse Paul says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). In other words, do not allow the world to shape you into its mold. Someone once asked, “If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Sadly when one looks at Christians they are indistinguishable from non-Christians. They dress the same as non-Christians. They talk the same as non-Christians. They indulge themselves as non-Christians. There are absolutely no distinguishing characteristics. God says, “do not be conformed to this world.” Rather we should be “transformed.” Here again is the idea of being “born again.” The Greek word translated “transformed” is metamorphoō from which we get our English word metamorphosis. “Metamorphosis to the adult stage is nothing less than a biological miracle. Complex molecules called enzymes are released, that literally digest the caterpillar while it is ensconced in the chrysalis, converting it into a rich soup of disjointed tissues and cells—which after four days becomes an adult butterfly.”[2] In a manner of speaking, the caterpillar dies, and its liquefied self is “transformed” into a beautiful butterfly. In similar manner, when the person is born again, there is a spiritual transformation that takes place so that the old self is sacrificed and the “new creation” is set apart, dedicated as an acceptable offering to God. That acceptable offering is “your reasonable [logical] service” to God. The Greek word translated “service” is latreia meaning ministration or worship of God. This suggests that all of your life should be conducted as an act of worship to God. It has nothing to do with going to church on Sunday and lifting your hands while you sway to the “worship music.” Your acceptable worship to God is your life – all of it.

Here is where the “living sacrifices” crawl off of the altar. Too many Christians think of worship as what they do on Sunday mornings. Then on Monday, it’s back to conforming to the world. In order for the metamorphosis to become at least semi-permanent, there must be a “renewing of the mind.” That can only take place when the Christian spends time in daily prayer and Bible reading. Instead of reading worldly books, read books by excellent Bible teachers that will build you up. Instead of wasting a lot of time watching worthless, or, worse, harmful television programs, watch and listen to great Bible teachers on TV, DVD or the internet. In other words, fill your mind with the things of God. That will give you a godly perspective on life and the world, and it will change the way that you think. When your thinking changes, the way that you conduct your life will change also. When that happens, you will be set apart – holy – a living sacrifice, acceptable to God.

Notes:

[1] See: https://erniecarrasco.com/2014/02/16/the-first-sacrifice/

[2] Frank Sherwin, “Butterflies vs. Macroevolution” http://www.icr.org/article/butterflies-vs-macroevolution/

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February 8, 2015 · 21:54

Worship vs. Emotion

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.   (Romans 12:1)

This topic has been on my mind for quite some time now, but I have been hesitant to write about it because, well, it stirs up a lot of emotion. The topic of worship is a hot-button topic in church circles because Christians take worship personally – and it is personal. Most of the debate centers around the kind of music used in worship services. The conflict usually boils down to hymns vs. “praise and worship” (P&W) music, or “reverent” vs. “up-beat” music. Personally, I like all kinds of music – classical, country gospel, “high” church and regular hymns, and, yes, even some P&W music. In a recent article I remarked about listening to “godless” rock and roll; I like that too. For me, it is not about the style of the music, but rather the substance. My personal assessment of modern P&W music is that it is shallow in content, overly repetitious, and manipulative. By manipulative I mean that it is designed to excite and stir up the emotions. Hymns sometimes do that for me, but that happens when the truth of the lyrics strikes a chord in my heart that reveals my fallen condition and God’s awesome grace shed on one so undeserving. That puts a knot in my throat and brings tears to my eyes. It is, for me, an emotional experience that brings to mind the great “worth” of God – worship. Some P&W songs do the same, but by and large, not so much.

But worship has little to do with music, or the lyrics of songs. Worship means to “assign ‘worth’ to.” The hosts of heaven assign worth to the Lamb of God: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). The first occurrence of the word “worship” in the King James Bible is found in Genesis 22:5. Here we see Abraham on his way to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God’s command. As they arrive at the location of the sacrifice, Abraham tells his servants “Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” Abraham wasn’t on his way to a song service. In fact, I imagine that he did not feel much like singing at that time. He was on his way to worship. The Hebrew word here is shâchâh and it means to “prostrate (especially reflexively in homage to royalty or God): – to bow down; to crouch; to fall down flat; to humbly beseech; to do or make obeisance; to do reverence; to make to stoop; to worship.” Nothing in that definition says anything about singing or music. I am not saying that music and singing should not be a part of worship. Indeed, the Psalms are a collection of hymns and many of them, like Psalm 150, talk about singing and making music unto to Lord. Psalm 66:4 says, “All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.” It might be worth noting that the “worship” comes before the singing, not the other way around. So, there is an aspect of worship that calls for music, but even in the Psalms the focus is on God and His majesty, greatness and awesomeness. Often when a complaint is leveled against modern P&W music the retort comes back, “We’re just singing the Psalms.” That is only partially true. The fact is that one or two lines are taken out of a Psalm (and usually out of context), and repeated ad nauseam. The worshipers seldom know the source of the Psalm much less the context, but it makes them “feel” good.

Worship is more than music. Our lead verse exhorts us to make our bodies, i.e., our lives, a “living sacrifice” (recall Abraham’s sacrifice above) holy, i.e., set apart/sanctified from this world, and acceptable unto God. In the O.T. an acceptable sacrifice had to be spotless and without blemish (Exodus 12:5). In our sinful nature, that is impossible, but when we have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb (Isaiah 1:18), we qualify. Finally, our verse says that our sacrifice is our “reasonable service.” The Greek word translated “service” here is latreia which means “ministration of God, divine service or worship.” That it is “reasonable” (Greek logikos) means that it is logical, or rational. It is not “mindless.”

We may never fully understand God. How can the creature comprehend the Creator! But the closer we get to Him, the better we get to know Him, the more we realize His power and His awesomeness, the more we will recognize and acknowledge that HE IS GOD. And our lives should reflect that. It is not about the style of music we sing. It is not about emotion. It is not about how we feel. It is about who He is and how well we know Him. Worship has little or nothing to do with emotions. We may not feel like “worshiping,” but God is always worthy of our worship; and we show that best with how we conduct our lives.

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