Worship

Worship

Psalm 22:  But thou art Holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel!

Is Worship something we attend or something we do?  Of course the topic of Worship can be a huge Bible Study unto itself.  But I just want to make a few points and ask a few questions.

Have we put the Worship of God in a box?  Can we only worship God at an appointed time?  Can we only worship God with a certain way?  Don’t get me wrong I totally believe in verses 24 and 25 of Hebrews Chapter 10. 

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.

But, I ask again!  Is Worship something we attend or something we do?  I will say it is something we do.  Worship is a lifestyle!  As in Chapter 4 of the Gospel of John, Jesus has his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.  The topic of Worship comes up and Jesus says to the Samaritan woman “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

What Jesus is focusing on here is the “Motive” of our worship.  If we are truly worshiping God in spirit and in truth then our worship is coming from a heart full of gratitude.   Worship is a time where we pour our heart out to God in gratitude, thanksgiving, awe, repentance and love to him.   This kind of worship can happen anytime and anywhere.  

In Psalm 22 we read the Lord inhabits the praises of Israel or his people.   The word inhabits here establishes that God will sit down with us or he will dwell among us as we worship him.   What a blessing to sit in the presence of God as we praise him and he comes and communions with us. 

May our hearts be pure and may we worship with pure motives as we worship God in the way he asks us to.   James 4:10 says “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up”.

In Christ,

Dale A. Jennings

Going Down Swinging

Going Down Swinging

2 Timothy 4:6-8: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.   I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

I played a lot of Baseball in my youth. From age 10 until 18 my Spring’s and Summer’s were taken up with Baseball. I loved the battle between myself, as the batter, and the pitcher that stood on the mound. One thing that my Father and my coaches taught me was to never take a called third strike if possible.   To always try to “Go Down Swinging”.   Obviously, there is a better chance of hitting the ball if you are swinging at it than not swinging at all.

Did I always do that? No! But more times than not, in Baseball vernacular, I was taking a hack at it. I could walk away and say at least I went down swinging.   Well, I am in my late 40’s now and that term means something totally different to me.   As I study scripture the Apostle Paul uses references many times about being in a battle or competing.

In Ephesians 6 verses 10-20 he talks about putting on the full Armor of God because we are in warfare not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers of darkness and forces of evil in heavenly places.   As a “Follower of Jesus Christ” Satan wants to do anything that will keep us discouraged or ruin our testimony or living out a life that is totally surrendered to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Temptations come our way daily or maybe even hourly that can keep us side tracked from the task at hand.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 the Apostle Paul refers to running a race in a way that you may obtain a prize that is imperishable. In the verses leading up to 24 – 27 Paul speaks of becoming all things to all people that he may win some to Jesus Christ.   He says I do it all for the sake of the Gospel.

Other verses to look at are: Hebrews 12:1-2, Philippians 2:16, Philippians 3:12-14.  We
are in a battle for our purity, our families and the souls of people. Jesus himself told us that if you love me you will keep my commandments. In the Gospel of John Chapter 21, when Jesus is restoring Peter after having denied Jesus three times, Jesus asks Peter to “Feed his Sheep” and that is a picture of our call also.

Are we battling for our Marriages, for our children’s souls and for the souls of lost people that we are in front of every day?  I am challenged by the verses listed above. Just as when I was playing ball of making sure I would “Go Down Swinging”.   I am making sure I am “Going Down Swinging” for the Glory of God and for the sake of the Gospel.

So! Are you “Going to go down swinging”?

In Christ,
Dale A. Jennings

Grace

Grace

1 Peter 4:10  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied Grace.

I have posed this question to many people about the Grace of God.  What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of God’s Grace?  Almost to the person the first thought is the Saving Grace of God and rightfully so.  But, is there more to God’s Grace?

We read from Ephesians as the Apostle Paul penned in Chapter 2 verse 8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing.  It is the gift of God”.  Also we read from Titus Chapter 2 verse 11 “For the Grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.   So just in those two verses we can see why our first thoughts would be directed to God’s grace of Salvation through Jesus Christ. 

As we read in 1 Peter we see that it is also the continued working of God’s Grace in our lives that we use the gifts God has given us to serve each other.   God did not save us to just sit around and do nothing.  He has work for us to do.  Now these works don’t save us but they are definitely evidences of our Salvation.   Praise God for his Saving Grace but let’s also understand it is God’s Grace that continues to work in our lives to grow Kingdom of God for his glory.

In Romans 12:6a we read “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us; let us use them”.   For the glory of God let us be good stewards of God’s grace that is working in our lives.

In Christ,

Dale A. Jennings