#631 Worship – Pharisees of Today?

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We as Christians would never want to be called “Pharisees.”  Yet, every one of us could easily fall into the routine of religion if not careful, and thus become hypocrites.  Hypocrites are those who pretend to be something they are not and have no intention of being.  When we attend church regularly, let others know how faithful we are in church attendance, yet fail to worship God genuinely, we are hypocrites just as the people of Isaiah’s day and the Pharisees of Jesus’ day were.  God wants our worship to be from our hearts, honest and sincere, giving Him our love and devotion, and when that is not the case, our worship means nothing to Him.  God knows our hearts, and the attitude of our hearts speaks louder to Him than our acting religious without sincerity.

Protect your heart from being “holier-than-thou,” and being considered by God as a hypocrite!

“Which say, ‘Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou.’  These are a smoke in My nose, a fire that burneth all the day.”  (Isaiah 65:5)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#630 Worship – Holier-Than-Thou Attitude

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The people of Isaiah’s day were not the only hypocrites when it came to going through the motions of religion; in Jesus’ day the Pharisees were the same way.  They were the religious leaders of New Testament times, and they had no hesitancy in placing religion before true worship of God.  In fact, their attitude of “holier-than-thou” indicated they felt they were holier than Jesus Christ Himself.  Constantly studying religion, as well as the Old Testament, they knew a lot about God, but they did not know God personally or respond to Him.  Jesus Christ, though, had an answer for them:  He told them about themselves when He quoted Isaiah to them.[1]  Hypocrites, whether religious leaders or others claiming to know God, are going to face God’s wrath someday.  Tomorrow, let’s                       apply God’s definition of hypocrisy to ourselves.

Do you only know a lot about God, or do you also know God personally?

“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying…” (Matthew 15:7)

May God Richly Bless You Today

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[1] Matthew 15:8-9

#629 Worship – Routine Religion

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we have recently been writing concerning worship, the context has primarily been associated with the local congregation, how church leadership is approaching worship in the regular church services.  Although it is church leadership that sets the tone for worship, either emphasizing it properly or placing emphasis elsewhere, it is us as Christian individuals that either worship our God or go through the motions.  In Scripture we see instances where individuals or groups of individuals went through the motions without truly worshipping God, even though they claimed to be close to God.  They were the epitome of hypocrisy as they were disobedient to God in the worship He desired of them, instead allowing the routine of religion to replace real worship.  God’s answer?  Judgment!

Be careful of religion becoming routine instead of obedient worship as God desires!

“Wherefore the Lord said, ‘Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men; Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder:  for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.’”   (Isaiah 29:13-14)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#628 Worship – A Total Experience

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A total worship experience in a local congregation revolves around God and reflects both His love for us and our love for Him.  This total experience will also include our love and care for fellow believers as well as our love and burden for unbelievers to have a personal relationship with God.  These three ministries should feed off of each other, not being emphasized separately.  A church may emphasize and do a great job of worship primarily, or ministering to the needs of its church family primarily, or emphasizing, promoting, and leading all other local churches in missions and evangelization ministries; however, over emphasis in any of these ministries will probably result in the other two suffering through neglect.  God is honored and glorified when there is balance, showing genuine worship of Him, properly and adequately providing for the needs of the congregation, and reaching out in a concerted effort to bring the lost to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Examine your local church:  is it fulfilling all three ministries to the best of its ability, or is there too much emphasis on one area?

“You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”   (I Peter 2:5 – ESV)

May God Richly Bless You Today

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[1] Based on:  Allen, Ronald and Gordon Borror, Worship, Rediscovering the Missing Jewel,Portland: Multnomah Press, 1982.

#627 Worship – sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ

 Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

An individual and church-wide commitment of genuine worship to God serves as a catalyst for the church showing their love for one another by being dedicated to edifying, encouraging, educating, and meeting the needs of the body of believers.  This same Godly love then extends to having such a love for unbelievers that we have a burden to see them come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, thus joining us in a love relationship with God as we worship together.  Our witness to unbelievers about the Good News of Jesus Christ should be to any that attend our worship services as well as to those in our community, city, and region.  In fact, this urgency will extend to each of us individually, as well as the church, being more mission-minded, looking to reach unbelievers in other cities, states, and countries.  What a wonderful joy it is to have a deep love for God, a godly love for our fellow believers, and an urgent love for unbelievers to come to salvation.

Demonstrate your love for unbelievers by always being ready to share your faith with them!

“Therefore said He unto them, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few:  pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into His harvest.’”   (Luke 10:2)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#626 Worship – Edification of Body of Believers

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We have been emphasizing the importance of being fully committed to worship and our services being genuine worship services that respond to the worthiness of God.  Some may question whether a church service is only about worshipping God when there is also the necessity for the body of believers to be edified in their faith and unbelievers to hear of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that may lead them to accept Christ as Savior.  Our worship of God is based on a personal relationship with Him through acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Savior, thus resulting in our focus in worship services being God.  Because God first loved us, it is His desire that we not only worship Him but that we also see to the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.  As the local congregation seeks to worship God in the love relationship, this love should extend to the edification and meeting the needs of the congregation by both church leadership and fellow Christians, all the while without over emphasizing either one.    

As a part of your worship of God, join with your church leadership in ministering to the needs of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ!

“And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”   (Acts 2:44-45)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#625 Worship – A Love Relationship

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Another aspect of worship that we need to explore is that of worship being a relationship.  When we are active in responding to a loving God, everything we do will give glory to Him and be a part of our worship of Him.  God desires our fellowship and love, and our worshipping Him with everything we have demonstrates that fellowship and love as we share our life and our love with Him.  Unless we tend to selfishly feel our worship is a one-way street, never forget the love God showed for us in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross to give us eternal life.  As this is a sharing of love from both directions we can without hesitation say that worship is an active response to God that is a love relationship.   This love relationship implies that one must have a personal relationship with God to worship Him, and the personal relationship can only come from accepting by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord.  He is waiting for us to welcome Him into a worshipping love relationship with Him.

If you are a Christian you have a personal relationship with the Lord that should demand you maintain a love relationship with Him in your genuine worship!

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:  if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me.”   (Revelation 3:20)

May God Richly Bless You Today

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[1] Adapted from:  McMinn, Don, The Practice of Praise, Word Music, 1992.