Tag Archive: worship

This is How He Does It…

Written on November 26, 2012 by in The Family Workshop

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness…Genesis 1:26

God is our example in everything because we were created to be His image-bearers, to reflect His image, to Him and to the World. So from the beginning, we are designed to glorify God, to mirror Him.  He is to be our role model – not just because He is perfect and holy and marvelous, but also because it is our purpose, that we would be like Him.

As I mentioned in a post before the holiday week, it is sometimes hard to imagine that we, who are so imperfect, can ever reflect His image accurately; but it is what He has made us for, and so He has made a way for us.  The sacrifice of Jesus makes a way for us to be in relationship with the Father.  Believing that Christ died for our sins and that, because of Him we are forgiven, invites the Holy Spirit into our hearts so that we may commune with Jehovah God, worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:22-24).  Worship is to declare worth, or worthiness.  Again, nothing declares worth more than imitation.  So, when we model our lives after the LORD, we worship Him, declaring Him worthy of our imitation and acknowledging that His way is better than our own.

And what is His way?  He accomplishes everything by the power of His Word.  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:1-3).  From the beginning of creation, God’s Word has had Authority.  God speaks and it is accomplished.  Creation is forever hearing His Word and responding by doing it.  And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Genesis 1:3).  Immediate obedience!  No question.

In the same way, the foundation of a godly life, for us and for our families, is built on hearing and doing the Word.  Hearing and Doing is God’s plan for all of creation because His Word has power.  So shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).  So we can see that Hearing and Doing is a spiritual principle that has predictable consequences; like gravity, it is part of His design for the Universe.

The LORD built all that we see by the power of His Word.  As His Word is the foundation of our world, so it must be the foundation of our lives.  Earlier, we read that we were created in the image of the Triune God, by the power of His Word.  And the Word continues to be the authority by which we are conformed to the image of God.

In a recent post, I confessed that my mouth has a way of getting me into trouble sometimes because I tend to say just what I am thinking…and that is not always a good thing.  But I belong to the Holy God and I am created to reflect His image to others.  He used His Words to accomplish good – so I must do the same.  If His Word is in my mind and in my mouth, I can imitate Him and reflect His nature, instead of my own.  It is really this simple:

How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to Your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from Your commandments!
I have stored up Your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord;
    teach me Your statutes!
With my lips I declare
    all the rules of Your mouth.
In the way of Your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts
    and fix my eyes on Your ways.
I will delight in Your statutes;
    I will not forget Your word (Psalm 119:9-16).

First I must commit to hearing His word; I must study it and memorize it and dwell on it in my thoughts.  But just as importantly, I must move forward by doing His word; I must obey His commands and follow His leadership.  So here is the application of  His Word to my life: rather than speaking my own mind, I must allow His Word to inform my thinking, so I may respond by speaking it to others.  Does this work for me every time?  Sadly, no, just ask my poor husband!  But any gain, any positive change in me is because the Word is being woven into my heart, daily.  The Word is a part of me now and the Holy Spirit is wielding it like a sword; He is working to carve out and discard the old ways and make room for newer, better ways…His ways.  So be it – Amen.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in Your sight,
    O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:4).

justAgirl…just like you

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Journey to Joy: Week 5 Day 5

Written on December 2, 2011 by in Journey to Joy

Being at ease in uneasy times comes from a strong relationship with the Living God.  But in order to trust God to do what is best, we must really know Him well.  Yesterday we focused on knowing God’s goodness. Thinking about His goodness is so affirming; it just makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside, like cuddling a baby or holding a squirmy little puppy…we love that feeling!  He is wonderfully approachable: let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16).  We see Him as our loving Father: And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir (Gal 4:6-7); we are, in fact co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).  Speaking of Christ, we are friends of Jesus, how cool is that? No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you (John 15:15).  And Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to comfort and help us: And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:16-18).  As David said, such knowledge is too wonderful for me! (Ps 139:6).

But, as they say, familiarity breeds contempt.  Did you ever admire someone from a distance and then begin to find fault with them as you got to know them better?  Before marrying, we have an easier time following this advice:  Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is [her ;) ] glory to overlook an offense (Prov 19:11).  Later, if we are not careful, we might find that we are modeling ourselves after this Proverb instead: A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm (Prov. 27:15).  What happens?  I think it is pride and an ungrateful heart that creeps up on us.  Typically, the person has not changed, but our perspective about them has.  Our attitude has become corrupted.

So we must be very careful about having a one-sided perspective of God; while He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24), sometimes we forget we are dealing with the awesome Creator of the Universe.  When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Ps 8:3-4).  When we think of Him as our close friend, sometimes we forget that He is not like us: God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind (Num 23:19).  He does not think like us: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Is 55:8-9).  He is our Holy God.  See Isaiah’s response to encountering the presence of the Living God: And one called to another and said “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Is 6:3-5).  In fact, God’s holiness requires a response from us:  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16).  God is our judge and Jesus, is the Word of God: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12-13). Yes, we are accountable to God.  He has given us a great gift and it should initiate a response from us: Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:28-29).

To be in close relationship with God, we must know both His goodness and His greatness.  Sometimes I dwell on God’s goodness and His love for me and this allows me to feel close to Him and trust in His decisions for me.  Sometimes I dwell on God’s greatness and remember that it is not my place to question Him; this also allows me to feel close to Him and trust in His decisions for me.  Trusting in God brings us to a place of rest and allows the peace that passes understanding to guard our hearts and minds (Phil 4:7).  The more I know the LORD, the more I cannot see how people can live without Him!

JustaGirl…just like you.

 

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Lord I Want to Know You: Day 16

Written on July 15, 2011 by in Lord I Want to Know You

Jehovah-jireh – The Lord will provide!  KA is such a great teacher in this study – on this day she shows us how the meaning of Jehovah (the Self-existent One) adds to the many names that we will study in this book:

As the Self-Existent One, He desires to meet the needs of those He created in His own image. Thus He becomes Jehovah our provider, Jehovah our shepherd, Jehovah that sanctifies us, and so on.  He reaches beyond Himself because it is part of His character to do so.  As you and I take on His character more and more, we will reach beyond ourselves to manifest to others what He is to us. (p. 59)

So today we had to read through Genesis 22:1-19, the passage where Abraham is asked to offer his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering to God.  This is a really rich biblical passage with so many lessons.  But at times reading this account has grieved me so – thinking of what it meant to Abraham to be asked to do this.  In the end, it really demonstrates the need for us to trust God because Abraham would never have seen how wonderfully God provides for us if he had not been obedient.  How many times have I missed out on God’s provision because of my disobedience?  Oh this is what really grieves me now!  Following His way goes against our nature, but to do so allows us to adopt His nature instead – and that’s a pretty good trade.

At the end of the lesson today KA asks us to think and write about what we have learned about the words Love, Obeyed, and Worship.  These words repeat throughout the verses.  Repetition serves to emphasize meaning.  What meaning did you find in these words?

JustaGirl…just like you!

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Called to Prayer…

Written on March 29, 2011 by in called

I’ve told my kids that prayer is just talking to God.  Obviously I am no theologian!  I know there is so much more and yet, at the same time it really is that simple.  The Creator of the Universe wants to be in intimate fellowship, in close personal relationship with you and me.  He has sought us out and bought us back from the slavery of sin at a terrible price, the death of His Son.  His pursuit of us demonstrates His great love for us and His desire to bring us close to Him.  But relationships are a two-way street.  I love the saying “you’ve got to be a friend to have a friend”.  That one has convicted me on more than one occasion in my relationships with other people and, sadly at times, in my relationship with the Lord.

There was a time when I did not pray much.  Now, I couldn’t get through more than a couple hours (if that long) without praying.  Mostly, I am in constant conversation with the Lord.  He is my very best friend, the strongest advocate, a staunch defender, an amazing teacher and a consistent disciplinarian. And I know He loves me, I can just feel it.  Closeness with God is a result of prayer.  Staying in close intimacy with the Lord surely brings a lot more peace than I have ever known, but this is in keeping with the Word of God:

  • You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 
  • Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7)
  • Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. Thessalonians 5:16-18

There are so many worries in this life, sometimes it is easy to get distracted from the Truth.  God is good and He is in charge of everything, period.  That is rule number one.  Rule number two is: see rule number one.  When we know God’s character, we can rely on Him.  His ways are better than ours (Is 55:8) and all that He does is working for our good (Rom 8:28), to accomplish to His purposes.  His plan may not always feel good to us personally, but we cannot deny His sovereign right to carry out His will.  If we trust Him to make the best choice and we accept that nothing can happen outside of His will for us, then we can submit to His plan, rather than asking Him to accept ours.  Prayer helps us to know God so that we can trust Him and this is what truly gives us peace in any circumstance.

Just a Girl…just like you!

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Called to Worship…

Written on March 25, 2011 by in called

Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy. Ps 99:9

Throughout the Bible we are called to worship.  But what is worship?  ”Worship is an act of religious devotion…The word is derived from the Old_English ‘worthscipe’, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship”. (Don’t you just LOVE Wikipedia?)  So in worship, we acknowledge the value and the worthiness of the object of worship – we highly esteem the object; it deserves our honor and recognition.  The Psalms are all about worship – such a great place to find inspiration.  They were the first “praise music”.  Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods (Ps 96:1-4).  We should note that, though I said we are “called” to worship, in truth, we are commanded to: Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness (1 Chron 16:29).

I love more modern songs about worship too…aren’t the lyrics of Casting Crowns’ song, Lifesong, great?

May the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day

Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You

We see here that worship is not just for church. We worship God in how we live our life, how we think our thoughts, how we speak to our families, how we spend our time and even our money. In Matthew 6 Jesus teaches about how to live your life as an act of worship. Please take some time and read this chapter today. Here are the main lessons:

  • “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matt 6:1)
  • Do good for the sake of doing good and pleasing God, for His glory, not for your own glory. When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. (Matt 6:3-4).  Here again He wants us to give because we want to help others and to glorify and bring Him honor, not ourselves.
  • And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. (Matt 6:5) Starting to see the theme here?  Do the right thing for the right reasons – we are to pray to be in relationship with God, not to turn the focus on ourselves. In Matt 6:16-18 He says that if you fast, do not make it obvious to others that you are fasting, only do it for your Father who will see what you do in secret.
  • Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt 6:19-21).  This is such an important verse here at the end.  Where you spend your time and your money shows what you value the most – so shopping online can really get us into trouble in both of those areas!
  • Finally, He tells us to be at peace…He commands us not to worry.  Did you ever think about how much time you spend worrying about things?  Your kids, your health, your weight, your clothes, your bad-hair-day, your dirty floor, your schedule, your future, your finances…(whew! And that is just before you have had breakfast!)  Worrying takes our mind off of God and puts it on ourselves and on our circumstances (which God can take care of very well, thank you very much!).  Worry interferes with true worship – the acknowledgement of God’s worth, His awesome ability to take care of us and how He does all things well (Mark 7:37).

There is so much more that can be said about worship but I just wanted us to be thinking this week about how we could worship Him with the way we speak to our husbands and children, the way we drive in busy traffic, the way we spend our time (the “free” time as well as the scheduled time), the way we talk to ourselves when no one can hear, the way we live our everyday, ordinary lives.  God has a purpose for each one of us – and I don’t mean the part where you could discover the cure to some dreaded disease or save people from a burning building – I mean each of us has the same purpose: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).  He has chosen us to declare His worth to this world, to glorify Him with our lives.  May He give us all the close walk with Him this week that will help us to bring honor to His name and to worship Him with our lives.

Just a Girl…just like you!

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