Tag Archives: worship

December 14

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Colossians 

I grew up singing and loving A.B. Simpson hymns. Yes, I know the melodies are often difficult to sing and, as a church organist, I also know chord progressions are tricky. But Dr. Simpson packed so much truth into those hymns.

One of those hymns is based on Colossians 1:27 where Paul is once again writing about the mystery that had been kept hidden for ages. The inclusion of Gentiles into what had been a Jewish religion was accomplished because of Jesus. And because Jesus lives, he lives inside believers of every nationality.

Do you believe Jesus is able to do that? Paul identifies Jesus as God in the flesh. Look at the first chapter of Colossians and meet Jesus. In 2:9 Paul tells us “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form”. Yes, Jesus is God and in 3:4 Paul calls Christ “your life”. Not just a part of my life. My life, my existence, my everything.

Here is what Dr. Simpson wrote in his hymn, “Christ in Me”:

This is my wonderful story – Christ to my heart has come;
Jesus, the King of glory, Finds in my heart a home.

I am so glad I received Him, Jesus, my heart’s dear King;
I who so often have grieved Him, All to His feet would bring.

Now in His bosom confiding, This my glad song shall be:
I am in Jesus abiding. Jesus abides in me.

Christ in me, Christ in me. Christ in me – Oh, wonderful story.
Christ in me, Christ in me. Christ in me, the hope of glory.

I am so grateful that the God of Creation lives in me. My prayer is that as one of his chosen, I will clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (3:12) I will forgive as the Lord forgave me. (3:13) And over all, put on love. (3:14)

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”. (3:17)

September 22

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Psalms 121, 122, 123, 128, 130, 134, 135, 136

These psalms remind us how good God is. They are psalms of praise to the One True God, maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 136 reminds us “His love endures forever”. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

But his love doesn’t cancel out his holiness.

Sometimes I think we in 2013 mistake God’s love for his forgiveness, his acceptance. Psalm 130:4 says:

But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.

It doesn’t say with you there is forgiveness, therefore I can live like I want to and you are ok with it because you love me so much. Not only do these psalms speak of God’s blessings, they also remind us God is to be feared.

123:2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hands of their masters…

128:1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.

1135:20 You who fear him, praise the Lord.

Do you fear the Lord? If you really did you might not have said what you said yesterday. You might not have gone where you did or laughed at what you laughed at. You might not think those impure thoughts or harbor hatred toward someone.

Do you fear the Lord? What does that look like in your life? God loved you so much he died for you to pay the penalty for the sins you commit. It’s because of him you can stand before him, wearing his righteousness, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. 

Are you afraid to dishonor him, to disappoint him? Do you recognize his holiness and fall on your knees before him? God loves you. God so loved the world. But don’t mistake his love for permission. Blessed are those who fear him, who obey him, who serve him.

Holy God, may we view sin as seriously as you do. May we recognize your holiness and tremble at the thought of disobeying you. Thank you for your great love that sent Jesus to Calvary. I want to live my life out of gratitude for your grace. Help me to never take your love for granted but to serve you, to fear you, to love you as you deserve to be loved.

September 1

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Ezekiel 47:1-48:35, 29:17-30:19

You remember the story of Moses and the Israelites who, when dying of thirst in the desert, were saved when water came rushing out of a rock. When Jesus met the woman at the well he told her that if she drank the Living Water she would never thirst again.

Here in Ezekiel’s vision we see water again as an example of God’s provision. The man who took Ezekiel through this vision told about the water that flows into the sea and makes the salt water fresh.

How has God’s Presence in your life – in mine- changed us? Do we still thirst for worldly pleasure and gain? Or have we allowed Jesus to fill and satisfy every longing?

Do we still hold on to the behaviors of our past or have we allowed God to transform us into something sweet and useful for the kingdom? God has the power to change even the saltiest among us.

As you go to church today, I pray you will go knowing you are worshiping the Living Water. May he fill you to overflowing and cause you to bear fruit. 

And may you never thirst again for anything other than more of him!

August 31

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Ezekiel 44-46

There was nothing casual about worship in the Old Testament. As I read more of Ezekiel’s vision I am struck by the lengths to which the priests were to go to ready themselves for doing their jobs.

Now I don’t want this to be an excuse for me to stand on a soap box and rant about worship styles (although I do have strong convictions). And I really don’t think this portion of scripture is evidence that women should wear skirts and men suits and ties when they go to church.

To be consistent with my belief that the flesh and blood, brick and mortar examples we read in the Old Testament parallel the spiritual truths we hold true after the cross, I have to ask myself what God would say to his church in 2013 through Ezekiel’s vision.

Is God convicting me about my own casual approach to worship? How much time do I spend preparing myself for entering his house and hearing what he wants to say to me through his servant? I’m not talking about the time spent in front of the mirror, although I don’t apologize for wanting to present a respectful appearance.

I’m talking about the time I spend on my knees, confessing sin, preparing my heart. When I walk through those doors tomorrow I want to walk in there with a clear purpose, focus, with a circumcised heart, ready and eager to worship a holy God and learn what he wants me to know.

I can’t go to church with sin in my life and expect God to speak to me or accept my worship. So, tomorrow when I am putting on clean clothes and brushing mascara on my eyes, I want to be sure my heart is prepared, too. 

The Old Testament priests took time and effort to get ready to go into their worship services. Let that be a lesson for me, too.

Dear God, tomorrow is the day many of us will go to a gathering of believers to worship you. May we go with sins confessed, hearts that are yours, and an eagerness to hear what you would say to each of us. May our time spent within the walls of our churches draw us closer to you and strengthen us to do the work you have for us to do. I pray for your servants – pastors and teachers. May they share your Word in truth. Bless their times of preparation and speak to our hearts through them. Thank you for the privilege we still have in the United States to gather publicly. May our worship be pleasing to you.

July 21

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Isaiah 56-60

If you’ve ever been involved in the running of a church you know how complicated it can be. Sometimes a pastor displays unyielding power or an elder refuses to back down. Sometimes gossip causes ill will or opposition over worship causes division.

Hopefully, a worship service doesn’t end in a fist fight like Isaiah’s day of fasting in 58:3&4. But any time people try to work together there usually is a difference in opinion somewhere.

The other day I talked to a dear one whose father recently gave his heart to the Lord. The man wants to be a Christian but he doesn’t want to go to church because of the hypocrites there.

The thing is, Christians aren’t perfect even though we might want others to believe we are. If we’re honest we’d have to admit we sometimes stumble in our walk with the Lord.

What does God want to say to us through Isaiah today? God doesn’t want us just going through the motions. He wants us to humble ourselves, then get out there and make a difference. Feed the hungry. Clothe the poor. Be that light in a dark world.

As you worship today in that fellowship of believers, I pray you will lay aside the conflict and turn your eyes on Jesus. That’s where our focus should be anyway. Then get out there and live like you mean it so no one can point a finger and call you a hypocrite.

June 30

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Isaiah 7:1-10:4, 17:1-14

Isaiah has some bad news for the flesh and blood kingdom of Israel. Their days are numbered. They will acknowledge God and fear him once again but it will be under some pretty awful circumstances.

Then Isaiah introduces them to Jesus. 9:6&7 promise the King who will sit on David’s throne and reign forever. Isaiah continues to talk to them about God’s wrath which will come to them. But the seed has been planted. Jesus is coming.

As I look for a spiritual application from today’s scripture I am reminded that no matter how bad things get in this lifetime, we who live after the cross realize the precious Truth in the titles Isaiah gives the Savior. Wonderful Counselor! Mighty God! Everlasting Father! Prince of Peace! And he shall reign forever and ever. (Thank you Handel for the beautiful music running through my head this morning)

There is no one like Jesus. There is no God like our Heavenly Father. There is no peace like that which comes from knowing Him as Savior.

I hope you go to church today where Jesus is proclaimed as God in human form, Savior of the world. Let’s just stop and worship God today in all his holiness and splendor. Let’s praise Jesus!

June 27

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Amos 7:1-9:15; Hosea 1:1-3:5

When I read things authors like Amos and Hosea have written from the inspiration of God I am reminded that what God said to the material kingdom of Israel he is saying to the spiritual kingdom of his church in 2013. We are the adulteress he has taken to be his bride. We are the ones whose lives he bought to make his own. And we are the ones who should heed his warnings.

Because, like Hosea’s wife, we are inclined to revert back to our old ways. And like Amos warns, there will come a time when there will be a famine in the land. Not for food, but for the Word of the Lord. Men will search for it but they will not find it.

Many people look for signs in the Middle East for the Lord’s return. I think we need to look at ourselves. At the church. At how effective is our witness. How many people are coming to the Lord in Truth?

I think the signs announcing the Lord’s return are in the congregations where heresy is preached disguised as truth. Where people go to be entertained and come away with a feel-good message. Where the emphasis is on a worship “experience” (which is focused inward) instead of true worship which comes from the heart toward God. 

It’s in the idea that we need to disguise the church (heaven forbid our church building have a steeple or that our name identifies our denominational theology), not put pressure on people, be casual in our worship and make everyone feel welcome. Sinners should not feel welcome in our pews. If they do, there just might be a famine in the land.

Holy God, I pray for your church today. May we read and understand your Word throughout the pages of the Bible. May we heed your warnings. May we stand for the Truth, lead our neighbors and friends to the Lord, and may our Sunday worship services glorify you, convict us, and prepare us to lead our neighbors and friends to the Lord. I pray that your Holy Spirit will still find hearts open to you, that you will hold off the famine that is to come, that you will find us who know you faithful in the work you have for us to do.

June 17

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I Kings 21:1-29, 22:51-53, 1-35; 2 Chronicles 18:2-34

I don’t think Ahab ever grew up. When Naboth wouldn’t give the king the vineyard, Ahab locked himself up in his room and pouted. Impressive behavior for a nation’s leader.

Then when the king of Judah wanted to combine military forces with Israel, they decided to ask God first. But when Jehoshaphat suggested they go to the prophet Micaiah, the king of Israel (I presume was Ahab) said no, “I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad.” Very mature.

I think God is asking me to measure my spiritual maturity level. Do I see Ahab’s behavior in me when I face disappointment or correction? Are there times when I find myself pouting or complaining because God didn’t answer a prayer like I wanted or times when I avoid someone who sees through my act and calls me on sin in my life?

I wonder if the decline in some churches’ attendance isn’t a reflection of this kind of immaturity. It seems many people would rather be entertained on Sunday morning, told how great they are and how much God loves them. But if they hear the truth, that there is no one righteous, not even one, that all have sinned, that they need Jesus’ blood to be acceptable to God, that Christianity is not a ticket to health and wealth, then they stay home and pout. Or they find another church that will tickle their fancies.

I don’t know. But I think God would have us all ask ourselves… have I grown up spiritually? If not, maybe it’s time.

Lord, I pray for maturity today when faced with disappointment or hearing the truth about sin in my life. May my reactions honor you. Forgive my times of pouting or self-pity. Forgive my tendancy to turn a deaf ear on things I need to hear but don’t like. May I put aside childish things and enjoy a mature relationship with you today.

June 12

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I Kings 14:1-18, 22-28; 2 Chronicles 11:5-10, 18-23, 12:1-12; Psalm 89

Judah, under King Rehoboam, began living like the ungodly people God had driven out of the Promised Land. So when the king of Egypt attacked, God removed his protection over Judah and the Israelites were defeated.

The enemy invaded the temple and took the beautiful gold pieces Solomon had commissioned. What Solomon intended to serve the temple for generations were lost because of his own son.

Rehoboam probably didn’t have the resources his dad had. Or maybe he didn’t think temple utensils were all that important. Whatever the reason, he hired craftsmen to make replacement shields. The ones that were stolen were gold. Rehoboam’s replacements were bronze. Polished up, they probably looked like gold from a distance. But closer inspection couldn’t hide the fact they were not the original. They just couldn’t compare.

I might be grasping at straws here, but I wonder if some of our churches have replaced the gold of the Bible for the bronze of a politically correct, feel-good replacement. It still looks like a church, but upon close inspection you can tell it isn’t the original.

God’s holiness, his demands for our holiness, his law and the consequences for breaking those laws don’t always leave us feeling good about ourselves. Proclaiming Jesus as the only way to the Father doesn’t always sit well with non-believers. Holding the Bible up as the standard for living upsets people who think they have a better idea.

But any other gospel is no gospel at all. It’s a poor imitation. And, in the end, it cannot stand up to closer inspection. 

What is your church made of? I pray you are involved in a solid gold fellowship where Jesus is honored and God is worshiped in all his holiness. I pray, like Paul, you stand united, not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it alone has the power to save. 

Let’s toss out the bronze and hold on to the gold.

May 16

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I Chronicles 25:1-31, 6:31-53, 26:1-32

It always amazes me how many people were involved in the caring of the temple, even before it was built in Jerusalem. Hundreds of people were assigned duties, from teachers and musicians to priests and guards. Young and old alike, teacher as well as student worked side by side to get the job done.

They didn’t throw out the old way of doing things. In fact, they were careful to obey what God had told Moses hundreds of years before. They didn’t go to a research firm to find out what non-Jews liked in a worship service. They went to Scripture to find out what God said, then they worked together to honor him.

I think that is a recipe for a healthy church no matter what century we’re talking about.