The Right Worship

The Right Way and Wrong Way to Worship

Most of us have felt the feeling when we are tired, concerned, or stressed that, while we may be present “physically,” we are not there mentally. I suspect most of us have even said something in the past like: “I’m here physically, but not mentally.”

Is your Worship given right?

Is your Worship given right?

But what happens when this attitude infects our worship? How many times have Christians entered an auditorium for worship, only to check their brains at the door? It is no secret that individuals today can sing and take part in the Lord’s Supper, but be mentally absent from worshipping God.

Internally we may be focusing on someone’s new hairstyle, the preacher’s clothes, where to eat lunch, or an upcoming ball game. Yes, we are physically in worship, but our attitudes demonstrate that we never acknowledge being in the presence of Jehovah God. Sadly, there are occasions when people are worried about critiquing the preacher, the roast in the crock-pot, passing notes, whispering, personal grooming, playing with children, etc., and thus, they never mentally engage for worship.

Here’s what I intend on teaching my children about mentally engaging for worship.

The mainstream media has done an incredible job of painting Christians with a broad-stroke as ignorant individuals. Hollywood has reconfirmed this label by frequently showing Christians as weak-minded and foolish people who don’t have enough strength to cope with life on their own.

Sadly, this label is occasionally well warranted. There are times in which Christians don’t use their God-given brains—and they never truly engage their minds during worship. Do not give into this temptation—no matter how much is going on in your life. Take a few moments to clear your thoughts and remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing and Who the ultimate audience is for our worship.

Consider one example in which the Lord observed: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men …” (Isaiah 29:13). We know from the text that the people had offered their sacrifices (Isaiah 1:11ff), but their attitude was one of just going through the motions. Jesus used this very passage to rebuke the Pharisees: “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:7-9). These were people who were going through the motions, but their hearts were not in it.

On another occasion, Jesus again commented on their attitude, rebuking the Pharisees saying: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Matthew 23:23). The Pharisees were correctly observing some of the small details of worship, but they completely neglected why they were doing what they were doing. Their hearts (and minds) were in the wrong place. They weren’t mentally engaged in what they were doing.

Never forget that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7). In Paul’s admonitions to Timothy he told him, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV). God has not called us to be unintelligent. Rather, He wants us to study and be able to defend His Word. In 1 Thessalonians 5:21, we are commanded to “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” In James 1:5 we read, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Do these admonitions sound like crutches for weak-minded people? We must actively engage our rational, intelligent minds in worshipping our Creator. Christianity is a religion based on evidence and intelligence. Don’t check your brain at the coat rack!

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A Wise Tongue

Be Careful What You Say

From the foolish vow of Jephthah to Samson’s riddle revealed to his wife in Judges 11–15 we are reminded of the importance of thinking before we speak. One of my father’s favorite saying (I thought for a long time that it was original to him) that has stuck with me over the years was, “Engage brain before putting mouth in gear.” In other words, “Always think before you speak.” Solomon tells us that, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). One English translation of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, says, “so is it to speak a wise word.”

Are the words you share wise?

Are the words you share wise?

For the Christian today we could use a friendly but firm reminder that Jesus told us to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Despite the old children’s rhyme words can do far more harm that sticks and stones. The words that we say can cause deep, lasting, and devastating scars. Preachers have stopped preaching because of the harsh words of their brethren. Children have grown into adulthood only to turn from the faith because of destructive words. Christians have left the church and fallen away only to be lost forever because or words not “fitly spoken.”

And don’t be fooled or foolish; good intentions don’t lighten the blow!

To us all Paul reminds, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). Our words are powerful and they say much about the kind of people we are and what are the conditions of our hearts. Another one of my father’s favorite sayings was “Better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” Indeed we need to heed the advice of our mothers that, “If we do not have anything good to say, then don’t say anything at all.”

Lastly, it is eternally important to remember that by our words we will be judged. Jesus said, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Before we open our mouths and let our brains fall out it may be wise to think, “If I say what I am thinking will it help or hinder my entrance into the kingdom of heaven?” Or, “Will this help the person and I speak to (or about) go to heaven?” Be careful what you say. Be faithful and have a blessed day!

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What Produces Repentance?

What Produces Repentance?

From where does repentance come?

From where does repentance come?

Have you ever wondered why David, “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22; 1 Sam. 13:14), never showed any sign of remorse over committing adultery with Bathsheba and his attempted deception and ultimate murder of her husband (2 Sam. 11)?  After all, it was David’s faith that motivated him to face the giant Goliath (1 Sam. 17), and it was his love for God and compassion for others that kept him from killing Saul, his enemy, when he had the chance (1 Sam. 24, 26).  This same man would later showed kindness to the crippled grandson of his slain enemy (2 Sam. 9), and yet a short time after that he would give in to his lustful temptations and sleep with the wife of one of his most loyal soldiers, all while giving no sign of feeling guilty about his sins.

Yet, this all changed – apparently in an abrupt manner – when the prophet Nathan called him out on the carpet for his sins with the forceful accusation, “You are the man!” (2 Sam. 12:1-15).  One minute David, blind to the fact that Nathan’s story of the rich man who killed the poor man’s one prized lamb related to his own sin, was indignant over the perceived sins of others.  The next minute, after being indicted for his adultery, deception, enticements to drunkenness (cf. Hab. 2:15), and murder, David was confessing his sin against God with the greatest of sorrow and remorse (Ps. 51:1-15).  What brought the penitent change of heart?

First, Nathan forcefully brought David’s sins to his attention by directly attributing the sinful actions of the rich man in the parable to the king himself while also warning him of the consequences of his wrongdoing (2 Sam. 12:1-7, 9-12).  Too often, we Christians see their brethren commit sin and naively hope that they will repent without having to inconvenience ourselves with the potential awkwardness of rebuking and warning them.  This shows within us a lack of spirituality (Gal. 6:1) and concern for the well-being of their souls and our own (James 5:19-20; Ezek. 3:17-21).  Repentance – and forgiveness itself – will never come without a direct acknowledgement of the wrong done (1 John 1:9) and fear of God’s wrathful punishment (Rom. 2:4-11; Heb. 12:28-29).  If we want to bring about a change of heart within the sinner, we must rebuke and warn them lovingly and truthfully (Eph. 4:15; Acts 2:36-37), humbly and gently rather than argumentatively (2 Tim. 2:24-26), and yet sharply if need be (Tit. 1:13).  We must also never forget that we ourselves will never truly repent of ourselves without first acknowledging our wrongs with honest and open hearts (Luke 8:15) while having that godly fear (2 Cor. 5:11).

Secondly, Nathan reminded David of God’s great love for him by listing all the blessings the Creator had bestowed upon the king (2 Sam. 12:7-8).  In Steven Spielberg’s epic World War II drama Saving Private Ryan, Private James Ryan (Matt Damon) is saved from death by the sacrifice of Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and most of his platoon.  Decades later, an elderly Ryan looks down at Miller’s grave at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial and tearfully confesses that he’s tried to live his life the best he could in order to atone for Miller giving his life for his.  Many veterans whose friends have died in battle to save them feel the same way.  Yet God gave a much greater sacrifice when he gave his Son up to die a horrendous death on a cross to save us, wretched sinners who were his enemies rather than friends (John 3:16; Rom. 5:6-11).  Add to this all the wonderful blessings that God gives to us on a daily basis (Matt. 5:45; James 1:17), just as he did with David.  When we remember all that God does for us with unselfish and humble hearts, we will be motivated to detest the sin that offends our Savior and repent.

This is true because our humble and honest remembrance of God’s great love, mercy, and numerous blessings on our behalf will bring about godly sorrow, which leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:9-10).  In Spielberg’s movie, the older Ryan breaks down in tears as he approaches Captain Miller’s grave, no doubt due to remembering the great sacrifice that man and others made for him.  Likewise, the psalm David wrote after Nathan rebuked him for his sins is filled with remorse and anguish as he remembers the salvation God offers to him (Ps. 51:8, 12, 14).  Unlike worldly grief, which leads to spiritual death in hell (2 Cor. 7:10; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 21:8) and is selfishly based only on sorrow over the punishment one receives here on earth for one’s sins, godly grief is based on anguish that one committed the sin in the first place due to the great offense it gives to our Savior and King.  Only this will truly lead us to repent and thus be saved (2 Cor. 7:10).  Do we grieve over our sins, and if so, what kind of sorrow is it?  We should examine ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5) so we will know if we need godly sorrow in our lives.

Furthermore, godly sorrow will motivate one to “bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matt. 3:8; Acts 26:20).  The thief who has worldly sorrow only over the fact that he got caught and is now being punished will steal again at the first opportunity.  However, the thief who has godly sorrow over the fact that he stole in the first place because it grieved his Creator and Savior will now detest the very idea of stealing and thus be motivated to never do it again.  As a result of the repentance brought on by their godly sorrow, the Corinthians became very diligent in their strong desire to fearfully and zealously serve God and clear themselves of the guilt of their sins which they now indignantly detested (2 Cor. 7:10-11).  Likewise, we never read of David committing adultery or murder again after his repentance over his wrongdoing with Bathsheba and Uriah.  In other words, their actions proved that they had truly repented.  When we commit to repentance, do our actions prove it?  Or are we deceiving ourselves?

Too many today have no idea what true repentance means, or how it is produced.  This contributes to the lack of true conversion to Christ among many, the lack of zealous commitment to his cause among more, and the growing immorality and apostasy within the brotherhood.  We must go out of our way to teach potential converts the true meaning of repentance and how it is produced before we baptize them, while reminding new converts and ourselves of how true repentance is manifested within our lives.  With God’s help, doing so will have a highly positive impact on our own spiritual well-being and that of the church overall.

 

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Creation Speaks

Get Better Acquainted with God

We need to all get better acquainted with God. Moses for example, got acquainted with God in a burning bush and you may find God there too, for God’s creation speaks to us today.

God speaks through His Word and His Creation.

God speaks through His Word and His Creation.

God speaks through the beauty of our world—in the thunderous waterfall, the lofty mountain, the onrushing river, the red, red rose, the green fir tree. When you climb some high peak and you look down into the valley below, the only word that will truly define your feeling is God!

God speaks also through the orderliness of His creation. The stars move in their orbits; the seasons come and go with regularity. Our world is at that exact spot where life may exist. Now, I do not know if we were closer to the sun, everything would burn up or, if we were farther away, everything would freeze. But I do know that planet earth is the only planet that sustains life and it does so because of how God has designed the universe.

But nature does not reveal all the nature of God. So, you will need to keep on reading your Bible. The Bible tells of a God who created the universe; of a God who chose the Hebrews as the race from which Christ would come; as the God who is the Father and who loves His children enough to send His Son for our salvation.

The highest revelation then of God is in Jesus. For, Jesus was also a person who gave us His Gospel. And, He is truth, love, beauty and strength! And, as we go through this life and study more about Jesus, we get better acquainted with God.

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Accident

An Accident Going Somewhere to Happen

Your life is not an accident.

Your life is not an accident.

Let no one think this is a blanket condemnation of motorcycles. It is not. Illustrations from life and personal experiences, however, sometimes can be helpful in understanding principles. When I was seven or eight years old, my oldest sister married a long, tall, thin drink of water named “Jack.” Jack loved motorcycles. He owned the biggest Harley available in west Texas in the early 1950s. My Momma said, “That is just an accident going somewhere to happen.” Sure enough, before my sister’s first anniversary, Jack took a bad spill. Scab from head to toe he laid unconscious on a bed in our house for a long time. That scared me as a little boy. Since that time I have found no joy but rather terror in the use of motorcycles. Don’t misunderstand. I’m no coward about this. I have not only ridden with others on cycles, I have ridden alone. Never comfortable. Other folks are afraid of other things. Some just can’t fly, but I love flying. Some people can’t go near water but I love water and swimming. Because public places are inundated with practical nudity, I don’t swim much any more.

I don’t believe in “spiritual accidents.” Unlike happenings in the physical realm where, an attempt to do something or merely being an “innocent bystander” can result in accidents that can either maim or kill, in the spiritual realm, when an individual commits a sin, it is no accident. James, the half brother of Jesus said in 1:13-16, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away buy his own lust. and enticed. Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death. Be not deceived, my beloved brethren.”

Not only is sin no accident, but salvation is no accident. One of this scribe’s favorite Old Testament passages is Isaiah 35:8-10 in which God said, “…the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein.” When I was a boy listening to Gospel preachers I often heard them use this as proof of the simplicity of the Gospel. The follow up statement was usually, “Anyone, even fools, can understand the Gospel.” However, I am sure, now, that this passages teaches that no one enters this way as a matter of accident. Jesus said, in Luke 13:24, “Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” No one strives to accomplish an accident. In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus said, “Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.” No individual becomes a Christian by accident nor does one remain in the faithful category by accident. “Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful, 1 Cor. 4:2. Salvation comes to those who “obey” Jesus, Heb. 5:8-9. We are to “observe all things whatsoever I (Jesus) commanded you” Matt. 28:20. The apostle Paul was inspired to put it this way, “Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness,” Rom. 6:16.

I don’t like accidents in the physical realm. No innocent victim is blameworthy in a genuine accident. God will not accept an excuse proffered under the disguise that sin is an accident. No wonder Jesus said, “If any man willeth to do his will…” John 7:17. Thank God that when we do sin (no accident) He has provided conditions for forgiveness both for the alien sinner and for the saint who falls. Eschewing an excuse, no accident, learn what Jesus requires in His last will and Testament to become an heir and to remain in that eternally beneficial position.

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