Living Our Worship for God's Glory!

"For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, . . ."(Rom. 8:29)  It is no secret that even though we will never be perfect in this life, God's purposed intention is to make us like Jesus. In 2 Cor. 3:18 we are told that  as we behold His glory, the Spirit of God is at work transforming us into the image of God's Son.  Worshipping transforms us into those who live for God's glory.

Worshipping Him makes us humble.  When we truly encounter God it is a humbling experience.  We see that response through scripture in the lives of those who behold God's majesty.  Worshipping God does not leave us thinking more highly of ourselves.  To worship at the foot of the cross is a humbling experience.  John Piper has said, "People never leave the Grand Canyon more in awe of themselves."  We are worshippers because Jesus died and rose to make us worshippers, not because we earned the right to be one. 

Worshipping Him makes us secure.  Security is found in the unchanging love of the Father.  If we are faithful to keep the crucified, risen Savior at the center of our worship the result is that we feel safe in Him.  Romans 8:39 reminds us that "nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Worshipping God makes us grateful.  Nothing opens our eyes to God's amazing grace more effectively than authentic worship.  When we look on the cross and realize that we should be the one hanging there, we have a response of overflowing gratefulness to Him.

Worshipping God makes us Holy.  Holiness is sometimes mocked in our culture and our day.  But, those who bear His name and dwell in His presence are called to be holy even as He is holy.  Confession both privately and corporately increases our awareness of God's Holiness and contributes to our holiness in Him.

Worshipping God makes us compassionate.  When we gaze upon His glory, our caring and affection for those He created should increase.  I John 4:20 tells us that we can not love God and hate our brother.  And, in John 15:12, Jesus is clear that we are to love one another the same way He loves us.  

Worshipping God makes us mission-minded.  Our passion to help people see why God deserves to be worshipped makes us want to share the joy of knowing Him through our words and our lives.  And, in seeing God's glory, we come to know His heart for all peoples, nations, and people groups.  

True, authentic, honest worship transforms us.  May we behold His glory and be changed to be more like Him!  mjm

Hindrances to Praise . . . and Worship

The hindrances to our worship grow out of the very things in our lives that keep us from acknowledging His presence, not only in our private and corporate worship . . . but in our daily living.

Fear, doubt, worry, depression, anxiety,  . . . on and on we could go.  These things ultimately are sin because our spiritual eyes are on self and circumstances -  rather than on Him.  In the midst of these things, we are failing to acknowledge His presence.  We are failing to trust in Him.  We are living like practicing atheists, as opposed to living as those who are redeemed and kept in His love.  These kinds of things in our lives are sin and sometimes we also have a particular sin which has a hold on our lives that keeps us from worship and praise. 

The importance of acknowledging our sin before God and asking forgiveness is absolutely a prerequisite to effective worship. We can not expect to come into His presence holding on to sin.  We are promised that "if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9)  That is only one of the passages that deals with our sin and forgiveness.  Isaiah 6 also talks about sin and God's forgiveness and of course there are many other passages that do, as well.  We as Baptists have tended to shy away from confession of sin, especially in our corporate worship, because of our perception of the mis-use of confession by other groups.  But I believe more awareness of this in our worship would not only be healthy but would actually un-hinder our worship.  

We need to acknowledge His presence and acknowledge our sin if we are to worship Him in freedom.  mjm

Don't Beg . . . Just Cherish

As a follow through from the last blog - we don't have to beg for God's presence, but we do need to cherish God's presence both in our private worship time and our corporate gatherings of the body.  It can become quite confusing when people talk about God's presence.  But, there are some things in scripture we can count on or as they say, "hang our hats on".  

In Psalm 105: 4 we are commanded  to "seek His presence continually".  Some people are side-tracked into emotionalism or superstition rather than coming to a Biblical understanding of God's presence.  But, we must not let wrong responses keep us from the reality that our God says He dwells in the midst of His people.  We should always be in the mind-set of enjoying, pursuing, anticipating and cherishing God's presence among us.  In Psalm 139:7-8, David asks, "Where shall I go from Your Spirit?  Or where shall I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend to heaven You are there!  If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there!"  That just about covers it all.  

However, while we have the assurance that God is present everywhere, He sometimes chooses to localize His presence just as He did in the burning bush in Exodus 3.  Because of our oneness with Christ, the church is God's "dwelling place" or the new "temple", the place where God lives.  So, it only stands to reason that where God chooses to reveal His presence would be when His people gather and meet in His name.  His presence is promised to be with us.  Have you ever been in a crowded room and discovered later that someone was present without your knowledge?  I am afraid that describes some people's worship.  They are in a crowded room and never even "know" that He is there.

When you approach worship, do you approach with the attitude of "God is definitely here"?  Do you approach with expectations of His presence being revealed in and through the body?  Do you pray and pursue His active presence in your worship?  Let us always approach worship knowing and cherishing His presence among us as worshippers.  "He is here.  Hallelujah!"  mjm

No Need to Beg

I think sometimes we have the mind set or attitude that we have to  beg or plead with God for His presence among us in worship.  When in fact, He IS present.  There is no need for us to beg or plead for His presence.

Matt. 18:20 says, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them."  He is present. It is a stated fact.  Psalm 22:3 indicates that God inhabits, or dwells in, the praises of His people.  Psalm 46:4 states, "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells."  He dwells in the holy place of the gathering of God's people. In Psalm 100:4 we are challenged to "enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise".  Now the assumption is made that we are entering where He already is present.  

All of the above passages and many more indicate that God is present.  We do not need to plead for His presence; we simply need to acknowledge His presence.  We need to enter fully assured that He is already present among us when we gather for worship.  We need to acknowledge, accept and be aware of His presence because He has already promised His presence.  As an old author used to say,  "We need to practice the presence of God".  We not only sometimes live like "practicing atheists", but we sometimes gather for worship as if we are ignorant of the fact that HE IS PRESENT among us.  

Let's be faithful to pray for each other's awareness of His manifest presence among the people of God as we gather to worship.  Instead of "calling" for His presence, we need to "count on" His presence. mjm

Lessons from Fathers

I read lessons John Piper has written that he shared were from his father.  I am going to summarize them here as a reminder for our fathers on Father's Day and also realizing they are an enhancement to our worship lives.

1.  When things don't go our way, God always makes them turn for good.  Romans 8:28 tells us so.  An important foundation for our lives is - This is the way God works.  Life is hard. God is Sovereign. God is Good.

2.   God can be trusted.  Psalm 56:11 says, "In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.  What can man do to me? "

3.   People are lost and need faith in Jesus.  

4.   Life is precarious and precious.  Don't presume that you have tomorrow and don't waste today.  "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring."

5.   A merry heart does good like a medicine, and Christ satisfies our hearts.  We are saved, safe, and satisfied in Christ.

6.   The Christian life is supernatural.  The Christian life is lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.

7.   Bible truth is important, but don't beat people up with it.  Ephesians 4:15 says, "Speak the truth in love.  Both truth and love are important."

8.   Respect your mother.  Our heavenly Father is clear about honoring our mothers.

9.   Be who God made you to be and don't try to be someone else.  Seek God's will and be whatever God has made you to be.

10.  Make God the main thing.  Put Him first in all things.  Matthew 6:33 - "Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."

Fathers, lead your children to these lessons and show them how to worship both privately and when you are gathered with the body in corporate worship.  They are watching.  mjm

Resting to Abide

It is with interest that we notice that God created man and woman on the sixth day but on their first day both they and God rested.  After being with God one day, they then began their work.  An important principle of life may be had here.  We should work from our rest, not rest from our work.  

Not only do we think the opposite of this - "I deserve rest after working so hard" or we fill up our "rest" with so much activity that we come back to our work exhausted.  We've really managed to mess that principle of life up big time.  My point in all of this is that this is an important principle to our discipleship and worship as believers.

We are referred to as human beings, not human doings.  Our starting point is rest.  God established the order of rest and then work.  Too many times we pride ourselves in our work ethic when we should consider our rest ethic.  The only way we can be successful (in God's perspective) in our mission - in what we have been called to do - is to rest in God, abiding in His presence.  Rest and abiding are not optional for the biblical lifestyle of the disciple and worshipper. 

John 15:1-8 gives us the circle of the disciple/worshipper.  It all begins with rest or abiding.  If we abide - we grow; if we grow - we bear fruit; if we bear fruit - we are pruned; leading us back to resting or abiding in Him.  We have come full circle.  The passage does not specifically mention growth.  Some call "bearing fruit" growth.  But, we have to grow before we see fruit as in the natural order of God's creation.  Growth has to happen before fruit is produced and growth comes from our knowing how to abide.  

We must be ready when God moves us into a time of pruning and abiding by surrendering fully to Him.  We come to know His grace in the abiding and rest.  

Our individual worship, and most certainly our corporate worship as the gathered, is dependent on our resting and abiding in His presence first. Then we are truly ready to do the work of worship.  mjm

Throne Room Worship

When Christ was crucified the veil was the only thing removed from temple worship.  The Holy Place, the Table of Shewbread, the Altar of Sacrifice, the Altar of Incense, the Golden Lamp Stand and the Brazen Laver were all left in place. Christ effectively removed the barrier between Himself and His priests.  The veil separated the priests from the Holy of Holies where only the High Priest could enter once a year.  But Jesus, our High Priest, removed the barrier so that all of us (priests) could access the Ark of the Covenant where the manifest presence of God dwells.  Whether Jew or Gentile, if we are a worshipper of Jesus Christ, we are a priest with full access to God's presence.

What does throne room worship look like?  It is totally God-focused worship.  How often do we sing songs that have nothing to do with us?  How often do we sing songs that don't have the words "I" or "me" in them?

When in the throne room, all eyes are focused on the King!  When in the throne room, all crowns are laid at His feet.  When in the throne room, every knee bows before Him.  The King, only, sits on the throne.  We find even the elders of heaven falling down in humble worship before the Majesty of the King of Kings.  There is no elevating of man.  There is no flesh with glory.  No darkness is allowed to hold authority.  And...there is no question as to who is Lord.  

What if our worship regularly reflected what is happening around the throne of God even now?  One said, "When the worship of heaven becomes the worship of earth, the things of heaven will become the realities of earth."  We are walking tabernacles.  When God's people become the most Holy Place, the Lord will establish His throne in the midst of His people.  His glory will return to earth.  

Come Lord Jesus, Come!  mjm

Worship . . . a Gift

The fact that we are created - given the capacity to worship... and called - given the responsibility to worship - is a gift of worship to God's people.  Our response with our attitudes, our singing, our prayer, our words and commitment to worship is our gift of worship to God.  

Worship is divine romance.  In 2 John 4:19 John declares, "We love, because He first loved us".  God demonstrates to us a love that is beyond our understanding and comprehension.  His love gives us a sense of awe.  We respond to that love with all that God has gifted us with in expressions of adoration, praise, ministry, and service which become our gifts of love and worship to God.  Our worship becomes a love gift to a love-giving God.

There is a continuum of love between lovers that keeps on giving to each other.  God gives and gives His creation good gifts.  Through worship we His people give back to God what has been given by Him. God gives us faith and we respond with our faith in confession of redemption and acts of submission to Him in worship.  God gives materially and we respond by giving both tithes and offerings made possible by Him.  God gives a song to all the redeemed.  In worship we "sing unto the Lord a new song" as He has commanded.  Music becomes one of the mediums of praise to Him.  

There is a circular continuum pattern between God and His people which is impossible to comprehend fully and lasts for eternity, forever and ever.  We were created and called to that wonderful continuum of worship.  What a gift!!  mjm

In a Moment . . .

In a moment our design and destiny will become fulfilled in a way we could have never dreamed.  We will begin the eternity of worship as we never were able to imagine.  We will be at home with that for which we were designed and destined.

When Jesus was asked about the most important commandment, He immediately pointed us to loving God.  Why?  Because from the very beginning, God's Word shows us that this is why we were created.  The beginning chapters of the Bible show us the vision of our original design - designed to worship God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  And then, the closing chapters of the Bible give us a glimpse into our ultimate destiny in Christ Jesus, our Lord.  We are able to get a peek into the very throne room of our Lord through John's revelation.  We see the four creatures, the twenty-four elders, and a myriad of angels who are continually worshipping God as they sing, "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" (Rev. 5:13).

In all of our imaginings about the mysteries of heaven there is one thing we can know with assurance:  God has revealed our very destiny in His everlasting kingdom and we discover that it is a glorious, extended time of worship, glorifying Him forever.  Yes, we were created to worship and in a moment, in that moment, our destiny will be fulfilled . . . to worship Him forever! mjm