Journal for Christ

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Worship is corporate, private, a way of life

May 24, 2017

Worship: Standing On The Promises (Medley)as sung by Selah

Standing on the promises of Christ, my King
Through eternal ages let His praises ring
Glory in the highest I will shout and sing
I'm standing on the promises of God

Standing on the promises that cannot fail
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail
By the Living Word of God, I shall prevail
I'm standing on the promises of God

Standing, standing
Standing on the promises of God my Savior
Standing, standing
Standing on the promises of God

What a fellowship
What a joy divine
Leaning on the everlasting arms
What a blessedness
What a peace is mine
Leaning on the everlasting arms

I'm leaning, leaning
Safe and secure from all alarm
I'm leaning, I'm leaning
Leaning on the everlasting arms

Are you washed
In the Blood?
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb
Are your garments spotless?
Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Yes I'm standing, standing
Standing on the promises of God my Savior
I'm standing, standing
Standing on the promises of God

Yes I'm standing, standing
I'm standing on the promises of God

Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txAxJfFw7es

Video: https://youtu.be/txAxJfFw7es

Witness:

Anyone who has read my journal entries knows I struggle with time management, sleep deprivation, and bouts of melancholy- as the saints of the past have called it. In the last three days I have battled with various thoughts and feelings, and each day my faithful God whose “compassion never fails” and are “new every morning” (Lam 3:22-23), has come and comforted, rebuked, and reminded me of His never-ending grace towards me. He has spoken to me through songs, words I have written in the past, and words others have written. So I chose to worship my faithful Savior in whom I hope with a medley of old favorite hymns that remind me of the security I have in Him.

I did a little word search on the word “melancholy” and came across an entry by the venerable commentator Donald Grey Barnhouse.

Steadfast Joy You have no right to be anxious and fretful. You are wrong to be a hypochondriac and depressed, weary, and melancholy. True, many events in life bring sadness. True, Christian joy looks very gloomy to a worldly eye. But there are far more occasions which, if we were right, would make joy instinctive, and which, whether we are right or not, make it obligatory. If that hope were brighter than it commonly is with us and if it were more constantly present to our minds and hearts, we would sing with gladness: Come, we that love the Lord,And let our joys be known;Join in a song with sweet accord,And thus surround the throne. Let those refuse to singWho never knew our God;But children of the Heavenly KingMay speak their joys abroad. There we shall see His face,And never, never sin;There, from the rivers of His grace,Drink endless pleasures in. Yea, and before we riseTo that immortal state,The thoughts of such amazing blissShould constant joys create.
(from Romans: Expositions of Bible Doctrines © 1966 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

Therefore, I, as a human being and subject to many failures, do not have the right to wallow in a melancholy state. Yes, some have fallen into such a state, perhaps due to their genetic makeup. However, genetic design does not necessitate our destiny. Some may need help through medicine, but that will not cure the problem. Only a change in attitude towards the circumstances that are leading one down the path of depression, and faith in the God of wisdom, love, and all comfort, will bring deliverance.

Will I continue to fight this fight for faith? Of course I will. Case in point, I am writing this portion of my journal over a two-day period. I initially ended on the quote from Barnhouse above because I had to go to work. When I arrived at work and began my shift walk (which entails, among other things emptying the trash outside at the truck bays), I went into my usual mode of thinking about my life situation. This is the time I struggle most with my feelings. Yet, once again, God showed up and comforted me. As I was walking towards the second to last trash receptacle, I was feeling a sense of melancholy sweeping across me. As I turned to go to the last trash, receptacle the truck in the last bay started to move and stopped when the driver realized I needed to pass in front of him. He motioned me to go, but I let him go for some reason. I discovered the reason when he pulled out. He was not hauling anything at the time, so there was no trailer blocking the back of his cab. There in bold print were these words emblazoned on the cab:

Amazing Grace

Need I say anything more?

WORD:

Ps 26:8-27:1

8 I love the house where you live, O Lord,

the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,

my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,

whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But I lead a blameless life;

redeem me and be merciful to me.

12 My feet stand on level ground; in the great

assembly I will praise the Lord.

NIV (’84)

Ps 26:8-27:1

8 I love your sanctuary, Lord,

the place where your glorious presence dwells.

9 Don't let me suffer the fate of sinners.

Don't condemn me along with murderers.

10 Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,

and they constantly take bribes.

11 But I am not like that; I live with integrity.

So redeem me and show me mercy.

12 Now I stand on solid ground,

and I will publicly praise the Lord.

Ps 26:8-27:1

8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.

KJV

Ps 26:8-12

8 O Lord, I love the habitation of your house

and the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,

nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 in whose hands are evil devices,

and whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

redeem me, and be gracious to me.

12 My foot stands on level ground;

in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

ESV

One more thought on verse 8 before I move on. David’s desire to worship the Lord in the Tabernacle was out of his love for God and the fact that God’s glory or presence dwelt there in a special way. The word “glory” used here is the same as that found in Psalm 24: 7-10. There it is used as part of a title with reference to the LORD. A title only found in that psalm alone. It is the title, “King of Glory.” Here in Psalm 26, the King of Glory is dwelling in His sanctuary, and by inference, seated on His throne above the ark of the covenant.

When we move to the New Testament, we see that the Church is seen as the temple of the Lord (1 Cor. 3:16-17, Eph. 2:19-22). Jesus referred to His body as being a temple (John 2:19-21). Therefore, it is easy to see why the Apostle could call the church a temple for elsewhere; he calls the church the “body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:27, Eph. 4:12). Since Jesus our Lord is the Son of God and the second person in the Trinity then, the church can rightly be called the “temple of God.” The Apostle Peter presents a slightly different picture but is, in essence, saying the same thing as the Apostle Paul. He says,

1 Peter 2:4-6 4 As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion,a chosen and precious cornerstone,and the one who trusts in himwill never be put to shame."
NIV

Thus, Jesus is the “living stone” and “ precious cornerstone” of the building or temple and we are the “living stones” being built into a “spiritual house” for the express purpose of “offering spiritual sacrifices.” Therefore, we learn that the church is an unfinished building project to be consummated at the second coming of Christ. Wherever true spiritual sacrifices are being offered, there the true church is. Does my local assembly reflect that? If the church is the temple of God, then His glory dwells there. When we gather together in worship, do we sense His presence? Do we come with a desire to worship and give thanks because the King of Glory resides in His church?

The church is being built by the Lord. Do we acknowledge that? If we don’t, then who is. If we in our pride or desire for personal pleasure based on our own sensual desires seek to build the church, then we are no better than those who attempted to build the tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). And like then, confusion will result and destruction of the work done by human hands.

Like my previous study, there is not only a corporate application but a personal one as well. For not only is the church seen as the temple but our very own bodies are seen as a temple. We find this truth in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. NIV

Paul makes this reference in light of the sexual immorality prevalent in the pagan society and worship practices of his day (is it really any different than from today’s society?). However, the broader context is the libertarian view many held in the church at Corinth – and I am convinced resides in much of the Christian church today. They took grace and ran with it to illogical and immoral conclusions. This is seen in 1 Corinthians 6:12, "Everything is permissible for me" NIV. Notice that it is in quotes. That’s because many see this a Paul quoting a popular saying in the Corinthian church. This attitude led to practices that, while permissible would cause weaker believers to stumble. It also led to immoral circumstances as found in 1 Cor. 5:1 in which a man was sleeping with his father’s wife. Something he said was not even practiced among the pagans!

Therefore, one reason we are to be careful about what we do in our bodies is that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and do not wish to profane the temple of our Holy God. Neither do we want to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30).

Finally, I want to mention one more reason to desire to worship in the presence and glory of God. It is the transformative power of worship. We see this in 1 Cor. 3:17-18.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NIV

In this context, it is the freedom to grow and be conformed into the image of Christ. Having been freed from the bondage of the letter of the law. Unlike Moses, who veiled his face to hide the fading glory, we with unveiled faces shine forth the glory of the Lord who dwells within us, and this transforming glory is “ever-increasing.”

I understand that the context of this transformation is wider than worship as we might conceive it, and I am not limiting it to such. However, worship, in the final analysis, is much bigger than we imagine it to be. Worship is not only to be seen with reference to public gatherings or private rendezvous with the Lord, but it is also to be seen as what governs our entire life. Worship is what we do. Paul declares in 1 Cor. 10:31:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. NIV

The Lord indicates that worship is a way of life when he addressed the hypocritical teachers of the Law.

Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
"'These people honor me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"
Matt 15:3-9 NIV

Notice the context in which the Lord said this was not that of which we view as worship. The Pharisees and Scribes had come to Him and asked why His disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating. In response, He asked them why they broke the commandment of God by placing tradition above the Torah. He cited the practice which exposed their hypocrisy. He quoted from Isaiah 29:13 and used it to describe the real state of their heart when it came to honoring God’s word and their parents. In that quote, we find these words, “They worship me in vain.” Therefore, worship is a way of life and not just in church or our quiet times. It is the attitude in which we approach all of life. Worship informs and transforms us. It is a means of grace. It is one of the ways we “are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Monday, August 7, 2017

Worship the Father in spirit and in truth

May 13, 2017

Worship: Glorious Unfolding by Steven Curtis Chapman

Lay your head down tonight
Take a rest from the fight
Don't try to figure it out
Just listen to what I'm whispering to your heart
‘Cause I know this is not
Anything like you thought
The story of your life was gonna be
And it feels like the end has started closing in on you
But it's just not true
There's so much of the story that's still yet to unfold

And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and SEE, and you will be amazed
You've just got to believe the story is so far from over
So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding

God's plan from the start
For this world and your heart
Has been to show His glory and His grace
Forever revealing the depth and the beauty of
His unfailing Love
And the story has only begun

We were made to run through fields of forever
Singing songs to our Savior and King
So let us remember this life we're living
Is just the beginning of the beginning

Of this glorious unfolding
We will watch and SEE, and we will be amazed
If we just keep on believing the story is so far from over
And hold on to every promise God has made to us
We'll SEE the glorious unfolding

Just watch and SEE (unfolding)
This is just the beginning of the beginning (unfolding)

Publishing: © 2013 One Blue Petal Music / Primary Wave Brian (BMI) All rights admin. by Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Writer(s): Steven Curtis Chapman

Lyrics: http://www.klove.com/music/artists/steven-curtis-chapman/songs/glorious-unfolding-lyrics.aspx

Video: https://youtu.be/GKMjEvF2Fkw

Witness:

It has been about two weeks since I have sat down to journal. There are many reasons for this. The busyness of my schedule which is shortened by my lack of sleep which keeps me in bed longer and constantly fighting fatigue while I am awake. Then there is a Band of Brothers project, food shopping, picking up some of my grandkids, all which filled my waking day. Now getting ready to go to work looms ahead of me in less than an hour.

I heard this song earlier while I was cooking my dinner. Songs like these not only bring up my present state of being alone because my wife left me two years ago, they also remind me that God has not finished writing my story. I know in one sense my life has been written on God’s heart from eternity. Such a thought is too wonderful for me to comprehend. Therefore, I choose the metaphor of God of writing my story in the present tense. Perhaps it might be better to say that God is unfolding His plan for me every moment of my life. I can choose to wallow in sadness and be paralyzed by my present situation, or I can decide to trust the sovereign, steadfast love of my Savior. I can watch with amazement or apathy. I can see my future as boring or blessed.

I can serve the Lord with gladness or settle down with gloom. My desire is to walk with the Lord in whom I hope all the day long (Ps. 25:5). And when the fog of anxiety, boredom, depression, doubt, or sorrow seek to blur my vision and keep me from seeing His Story clearly, may I see through it all with the eyes of faith and the glorious light of God’s Word which cuts through the thickest of fogs! However, in the end, it is not me doing this by my own strength, but Christ’s (Gal. 2:20, Phil. 4:19).

WORD:

Ps 26:8-27:1

8 I love the house where you live, O Lord,

the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,

my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,

whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But I lead a blameless life;

redeem me and be merciful to me.

12 My feet stand on level ground; in the great

assembly I will praise the Lord.

NIV (’84)

Ps 26:8-27:1

8 I love your sanctuary, Lord,

the place where your glorious presence dwells.

9 Don't let me suffer the fate of sinners.

Don't condemn me along with murderers.

10 Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,

and they constantly take bribes.

11 But I am not like that; I live with integrity.

So redeem me and show me mercy.

12 Now I stand on solid ground,

and I will publicly praise the Lord.

Ps 26:8-27:1

8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.

KJV

Ps 26:8-12

8 O Lord, I love the habitation of your house

and the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,

nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 in whose hands are evil devices,

and whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

redeem me, and be gracious to me.

12 My foot stands on level ground;

in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

ESV

What drew David to worship? What was the fountain from which he purified himself and the desire that fueled his passion? What was the ground from which his purpose grew? I believe verse 8 furnishes the answer to these questions.

“O Lord, I love the habitation of your house” ESV

Love was the basis, the fuel, the ground, and the fountain from which a purified praise rose heavenwards. David’s affection was not so much in the building itself but in Him whose special presence dwelt there.

“and the place where your glory dwells.” ESV

William A. VanGemeren observes:

Our minds want to apply this verse immediately to church attendance, and that is an appropriate application. Certainly, it puts to shame those who attend worship every week out of a sense of duty. They go because it is the duty of all Christians to go to church. This attitude is less prevalent today than earlier times. Many opt out of regular attendance and go only on Easter and Christmas. Others go weekly for the show that is held there or because their friends are there and it affords a break from their busy schedules. Fill in the blank for the reasons we go to church. If it is anything less than love for God, which brings a desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be led by Him to worship and praise our living Savior who died for us and to give thanks to our Sovereign and loving God and Father, then it is an inferior reason to go. It is idolatry!

Robert Newton lists these reasons for Church attendance:

Psalms 26:8

I. REASONS FOR LOVING THE HOUSE AND WORSHIP OF GOD.

1. Because we love Him whose house it is.

2. Because of the exercises there performed: prayer, reading, and exposition of the Word, praise.

3. Because of the company we meet there: God's children, angels, God Himself.

4. Because of blessing received there: pardon, guidance, comfort, joy.

II. HOW THIS AFFECTION SHOULD BE SHOWN.

1. By regular attendance.

2. By entering heartily into the services.

3. By using our influence to bring others.

4. By contributing to maintain the house and worship of God.

However, we must not limit our application to the corporate meeting in a central place on Sunday each week. In David’s day, many lived too far away to attend the tabernacle services except on religious holidays as prescribed by the Law. We do not have that same excuse. Jesus told the Samaritan woman that there would come a time when all who love God will worship Him in spirit and truth.

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

John 4:21-24 NIV

Thus, a central place of worship and outward rituals become less of an issue (“neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem”) and the inward attitude, purity of devotion, and unhypocritical worship more of the issue (“in spirit and truth”). By this, I don’t mean to nullify the importance of corporate worship, but I do not want to limit to that either. Our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Therefore, whether in corporate worship- led by His Spirit (Ephesians 5:19-20) or in private devotion- led by the same Spirit, we worship the Father in spirit and truth.

The Unseen War

In a place where no one can see

War is waging inside of me

Between my flesh and spirit

Clamoring, but you can’t hear it

Bitterness which you can’t taste

Fills my soul and seeks to lay waste

Empowered by the sons of hell

It leaves behind a noxious smell

There’s pain that you can’t feel

But it is present, and it is real

Inside of me the battle is fought

Every day it engages my thought

The flesh lives by only five senses

Through them, it commits its offenses

But my spirit reduces it to a wraith

When it calls upon the Lord in faith

For not by sight but faith we walk

With words of hope and trust, we talk

To our gracious Savior who hears

And rescues, empowers, and cheers

Friday, August 4, 2017

David’s purpose in worship -and ours

It has been awhile since I have made any intro remarks to my blog entries. However, today's witness portion has mirrored almost exactly what I am feeling and experiencing at the moment. I am so grateful to my God who reminds me of things I so easily forget.

April 29, 2017

Worship: Can’t Live Without You, by Bebo Norman

You found me here

I'm barely breathing

You picked me up

But I'm still wanting more

You're the ocean deep

I'm in up to my knees

Wanting desperately to drown

You're the one bright part

Of my languid heart

You're the love

I cannot live without

Please hold me close

I can't stop shaking

It's not for fear

My walls are breaking down

You're the ocean deep

I'm in up to my knees

Wanting desperately to drown

You're the one bright part

Of my languid heart

You're the love

I cannot live without

I can't live without

I can't live without You

And I cannot live without You, oh

Can You hold on?

Can You hold on to me?

Because You hold everything, yeah

You're the ocean deep

I'm in up to my knees

Wanting desperately to drown

You're the one bright part

Of my languid heart

You're the love

I cannot live without

I can't live without You

Writer(s): Jason David Ingram, Jeffrey Stephen Norman
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

Lyrics: http://www.songlyrics.com/bebo-norman/can-t-live-without-you-lyrics/

Video: https://youtu.be/OSyqFWaGKVI

Witness:

It’s been overcast these last few days. Rain has been heavy on and off during this time, and the sky has put on its fireworks display from time to time with its corresponding echo of thunder. During these days, my lack of sleep has cast its own pall on my spirit and physical vitality. I will sit here at my desk trying to get into Worship, Witness, and the WORD but then after reviewing a previous entry and putting it on my blog, I will be so tired that I go and lie down and try to take a nap until it is time to go to work.

Stress over debt has also taken its toll on me. My daughter (daughter No. 2) has not been able to cover her bills which means dipping into the emergency funds as well. This has been rapidly decreasing to the point that I worry it will be depleted to the point where I will not be able to pay the mortgage on time. Even as I write this my mind is racing with thoughts of how I can handle this. What will I say to my daughter about this? What will I do if this happens? Money has always been a stressor for me. God is still working on this with me.

What is the bottom line in all this? Should I pack it in? Live a life of despair? Try to sleep my life away? After all my wife is gone, money is slipping away, and sleep is in short supply. Yet the song above is my answer. The bottom line to all this is the fact God is my life. I can’t live without Him. All else may fail me, but He will never leave me nor forsake me. There is a necessary purpose in the storms here on earth- they replenish, refresh, restore, and wash away dirt and pollution- and there is a necessary purpose in the storms I experience in my life as well. They replenish, refresh, and restore my soul. They warn, witness, and wash away the sin in my life. They flood my life and cause me to cry out for rescue. They teach me to trust in the God who brings the storm and the stillness. He is with me in the sunny and the sad. In mirth and misery. Why? Because He “holds everything” and because He is “the love I cannot live without.”

WORD:

Ps 26:4-8

4 I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites;

5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O Lord,

7 proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

NIV (’84)

Ps 26:4-8

4 I do not spend time with liars

or go along with hypocrites.

5 I hate the gatherings of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands to declare my innocence.

I come to your altar, O Lord,

7 singing a song of thanksgiving

and telling of all your wonders.

Ps 26:4-8

4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.

6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:

7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

KJV

Ps 26:4-7

4 I do not sit with men of falsehood,

nor do I consort with hypocrites.

5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,

and I will not sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence

and go around your altar, O Lord,

7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,

and telling all your wondrous deeds.

ESV

I have looked at the character of David’s worship. Now I will look at the content of his worship. As I reflect on this portion of the Psalm, it yields a threefold outline.

I. David’s purity in worship – v. 4 - 6a

II. David’s passion in worship – v. 6b

III. David’s purpose in worship – v. 7

I have looked at the first two, purity and passion. Now I will look at David’s purpose which will yield, at least in this instance, the content of his worship and as well as the object of his worship.

The purpose is to give voice to his heart of thanksgiving. The content and cause of this thanksgiving are God’s wondrous deeds. The object is, of course, God himself. David directs his praise and thanksgiving to the LORD for all He has done. But this is not done silently in his heart but publicly as he proclaims or sings or shouts his thanksgiving. So, David’s thanksgiving is directed to God, but it is also a means of testifying or witnessing to God’s people and causing worship to rise corporately to God. Let us go and do likewise!

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Worship is corporate, private, a way of life

Monday, August 7, 2017

Worship the Father in spirit and in truth

Friday, August 4, 2017

David’s purpose in worship -and ours

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