The Endless Joy Of Worship

Good Morning!! "Time flies when you're having fun." This cliché has no basis in fact, but experience makes it seem true. When life is pleasant, time passes all too quickly. Give me a task that I enjoy, or a person whose company I love, and time seems irrelevant. My experience of this "reality" has given me a new understanding of the scene described in Revelation 4. In the past, when I considered the four living creatures seated around God's throne who keep repeating the same few words, I thought, What a boring existence!

They do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"—Revelation 4:8 (NKJV)

I don't think that anymore. I think about the scenes they have witnessed with their many eyes (v.8). I consider the view they have from their position around God's throne (v.6). I think of how amazed they are at God's wise and loving involvement with wayward earthlings. Then I think, What better response could there be?  Like the song says," Our God is an Awesome God!" What else is there to say but, "Holy, holy, holy"? Is it boring to say the same words over and over? Not when you're in the presence of the one you love. Not when you're doing exactly what you were designed to do. Like the four creatures, we were designed to glorify God. Our lives will never be boring if we're focusing our attention on Him and fulfilling that purpose.

A heart in tune with God can't help but sing His praise.

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To be a true worshiper is to fall in love with God,

the Author of love, 

and accept the love He has for you.

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

God Values You

Good Morning, It's A Tremendous Thursday!!  It took years before she finally said yes. A Man had fallen in love with one of his neighbors and wanted to marry her. But they had quarreled, and she refused to forgive. Shy and reluctant to face the offended woman, the persistent suitor slipped a love letter under her door every week. At last, after 42 years, he summoned up courage, knocked on her door, and asked her to become his wife. To his delight, she consented. So they were married at the age of 74!.

As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.—Luke 19:41 (NIV)

God is the ultimate persistent lover. Century after century He sent prophets, seeking the stubborn people of Israel. Then God sent His Son. In Luke 19, we read that Jesus looked out over the city of Jerusalem and wept because of their hardness of heart (vv.41-44). Yet Jesus persisted in His loving pursuit. He opened the way for reconciliation by His redeeming sacrifice at Calvary. Today He is still asking sinners to come to Him, personally accept Him as Savior, and enjoy close fellowship with Him (Matthew 11:28). If you have come to Him, rejoice that you are His. If you have not, however, you must realize that time may run out. Don't remain forever alienated from the Lover of your soul. Trust Him today.

God always knocks loud enough for the seeking soul to hear.

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"You are precious to him (God).  So precious that He became like you so that you would come to Him.
When you struggle, He listens. When you yearn, He responds. When you question, He hears. He has been there."

(Grace for the Moment, Max Lucado, p. 55)

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

Don't Turn Back, After Being Set Free

Good Morning!! What has you?...What's holding you down or back? Slavery can take many forms. Have you seen people, pace back and forth smoking one cigarette after another?,...In bondage to nicotine. Or how about a divorced person that keeps trying to destroy their "ex", with lawsuits, defamation, and threats. Bitterness has them in bondage. Surly you know someone who suffers from some eating disorder,...obsessions with their bodies, controlling them. Many suffer from bondage to materialism, craving whatever tempts the eye. Other cruel masters are envy, jealousy, hatred, sex, gambling. If you feel yourself slipping into despair at any of these things, cry out to God for freedom.
Though you used to be slaves to sin, you . . . have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.—Romans 6:17-18 (NIV)

God told Moses, "I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free" (Acts 7:34). How seriously did God mean this? Exodus 12 says that God kept vigil that night to get the children of Israel out of bondage. I see this as evidence of a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year commitment on God's part. God still commands every tyrant in our lives, "Let my people go" and says to the captives, "Come out," and to those in darkness, "Be free!".

God wants to set us free from anything that keeps us in bondage.(Mary D. MacKinnon)

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" The most important question is not whether God can deliver you out of the pit.

The most important question is whether you are going to call out to God in humility,...or are you going to simply gripe, murmur and complain? "

 

(From Dream to Destiny, Robert Morris, p. 40)

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

In Sickness And In Health, God Is God

Good Morning!!  I was thinking about a friend that died of cancer, just this past week. And all of the others that I know, that have it or fear that they might. One of the guys where I work was is out for testing, last year. I now know friends, family and a co-worker that survivors. I know God heals, or allows healing of cancer,...so, why not everybody? Sorry, I can't answer that one. But I do know what it means when God does grant healing. When God heals someone of that, and other dreaded diseases,...even the not so dreaded ones.  He is talking to us! He is saying, " Look! " " The real problem is not the disease,...that's only a symptom.  Your body and world today are sick, because you continually operate outside of  My Will. ".
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.—Revelation 21:4 (KJV)

In the beginning, God told Adam, " From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:17) The Bible goes on to say, " Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men." (Romans 5:12) You see, death came into our world because of sin! The various forms of disease we experience are simply forerunners of death. So when God does heal someone from a particular illness, He is telling us that He is the cure for sin!...not just a cover-up. As a bonus, He's giving us a taste of heaven to come.

Those who trust in Christ for salvation from sin will one day be totally healed of every physical problem,...and that's what heaven will be like!

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We spend millions on over the counter drugs, millions on doctors, and in hospitals,

....seeking a cure, but ultimately settling for just another cover-up.

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

World Or Word

Good Morning!!  It's time to eat, and you have to choose, what are you going to feed yourself, your family and friends. There are two packages "A" and "B". Package "A" has bright colors and nice writing, it's very pleasing to the eye. Package "B" is simple, plain, black and white. "A" says it's part of this nutritious meals, showing you things on the package that are not inside. "B" says it's complete, providing all of your daily requirements with everything you need already inside.  "A" says it's new and improved and everybody wants it! "B" says it's the same as it always was, and it's only for those that are serious about their well being.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."—2Corinthians 12:9a (NIV)

What about the stuff we take in daily, dose it feed our hearts and souls,...or do they fill us up with garbage? In Philippians 4, the apostle Paul laid down some guidelines for what we should seek in our entertainment diet (as well as other parts of our lives). Among the list, we find the word noble (the Greek word is semna, meaning “worthy of respect”). The final word he lifted up is admirable (euphema or what is “praiseworthy, attractive, and rings true to the highest standards”). Paul implored the Philippians to be discerning as they chose what to mull over in their minds. His desire was that his readers be growing, maturing believers who focused on noble, right, pure thoughts. He knew this edifying practice would lead to lives that better reflect Jesus and His attributes. Books, T.V., movies—and other entertainment—that aren’t worthy of respect or praise leave us wanting. They starve us of the spiritually enriching “food” we need. So, live!, enjoy!,...but let’s pass on things, that are tasteless in Jesus’ eyes.

We are what we eat,...so just what are we feeding yourselves,...World, or Word?

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"When a man is born from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him,...and he can either starve that life, or nourish it."

"Returning good for good is human,...returning good for evil is divine."

Respect God, Obey God

Good Morning!! Showing respect for God means learning what He wants us to do and then obeying Him completely. Not just when it fits our own agendas. We want to do great things for God, but mainly the things we want, our way. In 1 Chronicles 13, we see how important it is to show respect to God. David had good intentions when he decided to bring the ark back to Jerusalem. During the process, however, Uzzah touched the ark in an attempt to prevent it from falling off the cart. God struck him dead. David was stunned and upset by God's anger. Why did the Lord respond so severely?

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.—Proverbs 14:27 (NIV)

David came to realize that what he wanted to do for God had to be done with respect for Him and His specific instructions. God had commanded that the ark be carried by the sons of Kohath on poles, not on a cart, nor was anyone to touch it (Exodus 25:14-15; Numbers 3:30-31; 4:15). What David learned is something we too must take to heart. To please the Lord, we must do His work His way.

We respect God,...when we obey God.

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"Ask yourself, whom you most enjoy giving to,...that will tell you, whom you really love."

(Breakthrough Prayer, Jim Cymbala)

"Since we are intentional creations of God, we do not invent our life mission,...we discover it."

Never Alone, No Matter What

Good Morning!! Have you felt forsaken by a friend, a family member, a child, a spouse? You could feel like Robinson Crusoe, shipwrecked and stranded on an uninhabited island. Life can be hard, but like him, you too can find hope and comfort when you turned to the Word of God. Crusoe said, "One morning, being very sad, I opened the Bible upon these words, 'I will never, never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' Immediately it occurred that these words were to me; why else should they be directed in such a manner, just at the moment when I was mourning over my condition.

I will never leave you nor forsake you.—Hebrews (NIV)

If God does not forsake me,...why should anything else matter? Even if the whole world should forsakes me, at that moment I was able to conclude, that it was possible for me to be more happy in a forsaken, solitary condition than it was probable that I ever would have been in any other time or place in the world; and with this thought planted I am going to give thanks to God for bringing me to this place. God has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). So you too can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (v.6)

"The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives." 

(Ps. 37:23, NLT)

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You are not anywhere, that God does not mean for you to be.

(it's all a part of that God's Will thing.)

"Since we are intentional creations of God, we do not invent our life mission,...we discover it."

Nothing To Do, But Ansewer God's Call

Good Morning My Friend!!  In his book The Call, Os Guinness says, "We are not primarily called to do something or go somewhere; we are called to Someone,... Our gifts and destiny do not lie expressly in our parents' wishes, our boss’s plans, our peer group's pressure, our generation's prospects, or our society's demands. Rather, we each need to know our own unique design, which is God’s design for us."

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—Romans 1:1 (NIV)

If you’re God’s child, yield yourself to His call to follow Him each day. Keep going to church and spending quiet times alone getting to know Jesus and discovering who He has made you to be. Don’t worry about a call to a specific vocation. Just keep obeying Him and asking Him to bring about His special purposes in you and through you. God will not likely call you with a laser-light show, but He does know what you’re best cut out for in life because He made you.

God's call, comes with His Power.

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"You are called to belong, not just believe.....

The Bible knows nothing of solitary saints, or spiritual hermits,...isolated from other believers, and deprived of fellowship."

 

(The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren, p. 130)

"Since we are intentional creations of God, we do not invent our life mission,...we discover it."

Why Do We Labor So?

Good Morning!! A friend told me that she feels closest to God when she's the busiest. She explained that when demands are the greatest, she finds herself most reliant on the Lord's strength. She pointed out, however, that unless she takes time for daily worship, her work can quickly become an escape. Many people (like me) sometime, engage in activity for activity's sake and use busyness as a device to avoid facing other realities. Just as alcohol or drugs can deaden the senses to personal relationships, family obligations, and community responsibilities, constant work can be a narcotic too. It dulls our sensitivity to the deeper issues of life.

...My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil.,...everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.—Ecclesiastes 2:10b, 11b (NIV)

This is what the author of Ecclesiastes discovered, about 3,000 years ago. He sought satisfaction by busying himself with building houses and planting vineyards. But then as he thought about the work he had done, he realized it was full of emptiness (2:10-11). We can make the same mistake, even in the name of the Lord. Could this be the reason some of us try to keep the church running by our own efforts but forget that fulfillment comes only from hearts full of God? Are we laboring without those vital times of worship and reflection? If so, it's time now to worship before we get caught again in the trap of working merely for work's sake.

Never take on more work than you have time to pray over.

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Holy Spirit, don't allow us to let what is most important to God, to become displaced by what's urgent today. Amen.

"Since we are intentional creations of God, we do not invent our life mission,...we discover it."

Time For, and With, God

Good Morning!! We can be,...and have been, too busy or stubborn at times to pay attention to God's instructions. And that, quite often causes us to dismiss the still small voice that desires to communicate wisdom to us. It is this wisdom, that brings blessings and life to those who will listen.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding.—Proverbs 5:1 (NIV)

We have two choices when the Spirit of God speaks to our hearts; to respond, receive it, obey and act or to disregard and rebel. Wisdom is not about understanding or knowing everything,...but rather examining, searching, and then seeking the wisdom of God.

Is there really any point to asking the Lord to speak to your heart, if you're not listening and are unwilling to follow His instructions?

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Father, I am dependent on You,...and I choose to submit to Your wisdom, in Jesus name I ask,...respond,...receive,...and obey, Amen.

"Since we are intentional creations of God, we do not invent our life mission,...we discover it."

A Spirit Of Unforgiveness

Good Morning, It's A Fabulous Friday,...(T.G.I.F.)Thank God I'm Forgiven!! " Forgive Them." this is Jesus' message to us all,...even unto death. Someone's fears, envy or lies may have cost you, your job, a relationship, some money or caused you physical harm,...and yet you are still asked to forgive them. Nothing we have endured or will endure will ever match what Jesus went through,....yet He forgave. He has not asked you to do anything that He has not already done.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.—Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

The spirit of un-forgiveness can keep you from sleeping, eating and moving on with your life. If you can't defeat it, un-forgiveness will consume you. The only way to truly defeat it is to learn to L.I.G.,(Let It Go)...when you do you'll discover a whole new level of freedom.

Forgive as you have been forgiven.

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If you are struggling to forgive,...understand that forgiving others is not only for the sake of our trespassers,...but for our sake as well.

"Worship is an honest admission that God, is greater than we are."

God Of Surprises

Good Morning!! In the Old Testament scriptures there are lots of names for the Lord God Almighty.  Among them are Jehovah Shammah, the God who is there. That is one of my favorites.  Also Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner, who goes before us, and Jehovah Rohe, the God who heals. I have my own extra name for God, it's Jehovah Surprise, the God of the Unexpected. Not to say that anything happens or catches Him off guard.  He's not up in heaven, looking down, exclaiming, "Oh my goodness!  Look at that!" Rather, I'm the one who is continually surprised by events and people. Sometimes I even surprise  myself,...and that isn't always a good thing.

"....God is present in the company of the righteous......"—Psalm 14:5 (NIV)

Even if things don't go quite like you've planned today,...hold on anyway. There are two thing in life we can always be certain of,...God and change.There's another saying, "We make plans and God laughs." God is full of surprises, and yet He is still in control, still sovereign, God of the universe, still on His throne, the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Lord's love and faithfulness is about the only thing we can expect in the midst of the unexpected. The good news is we can count on Him in our constantly ever-changing world.

When others oppose us, it's not time to give up,...it's time to get help.

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Obedience alone, is no guarantee that bad things will never happen to us,
...yet, we must obey God, if we are to continually walk in His blessings.

"Worship is an honest admission that God, is greater than we are."

Move Foreward, Stop Looking Back

Good Morning!! We are often more like the Israelites in the wilderness than you might think. After only a short time in the wilderness, they had forgotten how they were required to make bricks without straw, how they had been beaten by merciless taskmasters and how the midwives were commanded to kill the infant Israelite boys to appease Pharaoh’s fears. Instead, they remembered only the pots of meat and the loaves of bread they had enjoyed.

And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.—Exodus 16:3 (KJV)

We often suffer from selective memory,...that is to say we tend to remember our past as better than it really was. When this new life as Christian, is more difficult than we expected and our days as an unbeliever, can be remembered, as being and feeling pretty good. Maybe the devil is reminding you of the sinful things you enjoyed in your old life and blocking the memories of despair and emptiness you felt as an unbeliever. Ask God to cut through these selective memories and help you recall the reality of the past.

The memories Satan helps you select, never reflect the way it really was.

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Never underestimate God's power and grace to set you back on course. 

Let your temptation to sin, draw you to the Lord.

"Worship is an honest admission that God, is greater than we are."

Sow Good, Reap Good

Good Morning!! Look around you, all around you. Your life is a garden, and if you want good things then you must plant good things. God gave you the seeds for what ever good thing you desire in your life. Watch for things that will damage your harvest, like negativity, bitterness and envy, remove them. In Galatians 6, Paul stressed the importance of sowing seeds of God-honoring behavior, for "whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (v.7). We can't expect to experience the fruit of God's blessings if we don't recognize the importance of doing our part.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.—Galatians 6:7 (NIV)

It helps to follow the example of others who have sown good seed. Author Samuel Shoemaker said that a good example can either inspire us, or cause us to say, "Oh yes, he (or she) is like that. He is not troubled by temper or nerves or impatience or worry as I am; he is just a happier temperament." Shoemaker continued, "It may not occur to us that perhaps he had to fight for his serenity, and that we might win if we would do the same." Are you weary of the way you are? Ask God for His help and begin sowing seeds of new actions and responses today. In due season by the Spirit,...you will see an increase.

We're always sowing seeds in life
By everything we do and say,
So let's make sure the fruit we reap
Comes from the good we do each day. —Hess

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Holy Spirit of God, remind us, that the seeds we sow today determine the kind of fruit we'll reap tomorrow. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"Worship is an honest admission that God, is greater than we are."

Know True Value

Good Morning!! Value changes, think of what you called valuable. As years pass, what once was your treasure turns into your trash. In my basement I found all the trophies I had won in past years of athletic competition. There they were in the way needing to be thrown out. I now remember the blood, sweat, and tears that had gone into gaining those awards, yet now I had put them in a box, in a corner, waiting for the trash. They no longer have any value to me.
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.—Philippians 3:7 (NIV)

And so it will be at the end of our lives, all our possessions,...the things we've spent a lifetime working for, will be nothing but junk. That's when we'll surely know that the best things, in life are not things. But we can have the right perspective now, as Paul did. "What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ" (Philippians 3:7). We can keep a proper attitude about our possessions,...because we possess the surpassing greatness, of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our greatest riches are the wealth we have in Christ.

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Father God, all that we have, all that we are, all that we will have or be, is in You,...remind us, that is always more than enough. Amen.

"Worship is an honest admission that God, is greater than we are."