Sunday, January 31, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
Defining Worship, Part 1: What's It All About?
Defining Worship, Part 1: What's It All About?
While the worship of God may refer to the highest privilege given to humans, the actual word "worship" is subject to the same weakness as any other word -- the more we use it, the less it usually means. We all think we know what others mean when they speak of "worship," but the truth is we can't be quite sure.
"Worship" might be the word someone chooses when trying to describe a particular sound or style of music. Depending on the speaker it can be anything from guitar-driven pop songs to boomer-friendly light rock to classic hymns. Many churches call a Sunday morning service, or perhaps a portion of that meeting, "worship."
Another way we use the word "worship" is in describing someone who is unusually expressive when singing praise to God. We might say, "She's a real worshiper." In that instance, "worship" refers to degrees of bodily movement or expressiveness. With the "worship explosion" of the past decade, marketers have realized that including "worship" in the title of a project is an effective marketing tool that often boosts sales. Others recoil at that thought, believing that "worship" really means intimacy with God.
Another way we use the word "worship" is in describing someone who is unusually expressive when singing praise to God. We might say, "She's a real worshiper." In that instance, "worship" refers to degrees of bodily movement or expressiveness. With the "worship explosion" of the past decade, marketers have realized that including "worship" in the title of a project is an effective marketing tool that often boosts sales. Others recoil at that thought, believing that "worship" really means intimacy with God.
Obviously, we need to take time to sort through these very different views of what worship really is. After all, worship is God's idea. It's what He created us to do. Theologian David Peterson comments, "We have enough how-to-do-it books and not enough reflection on worship as a total biblical idea. Worship is a subject that should dominate our lives seven days a week. (Engaging with God - A Biblical Theology of Worship, p. 21)
In my study of Scripture, I've found at least five distinct concepts that Scripture attaches to worship: exaltation, expression, encounter, event, and everyday.
Each one reflects a unique way in which God intends for us to use and understand the reality behind this word. While not exhaustive, this list gives us a basic foundation for how we should view worship. Not every passage we'll look at in this series includes the word "worship," but that's simply because the Bible employs a variety of ways to refer to it.
Worship is first and foremost exaltation. The Hebrew and Greek words in the Bible that we translate as "worship" most often communicate an attitude of reverence, submission, and homage. In the act of worship, we are by definition acknowledging that someone or something else is above us and worthy of our affection, attention and adoration.
Biblical worship, then, involves exalting God above all other objects. This can be done directly, as in Exodus 15:2, where the Israelites declared, "The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father's God, and I will exalt him" (ESV). We see here, as in many other passages, that worship is about proclaiming the greatness of God's attributes, the splendor of His works, and His absolute claim on our lives.
Other times, our non-verbal actions and responses exalt God and reflect the essence of worship. We're told that Job fell to the ground and worshiped God when he heard that his home, possessions, and family had been destroyed (Job 1:21) By his actions he was exalting God's sovereignty and wisdom above his own understanding. When Mary anointed Jesus' feet with costly perfume in John 12 she modeled worship by exalting her love for the Savior above the world's monetary value system.
At its heart, worship involves the exaltation of all that God is and does. Next time we'll explore worship as expression.
Defining Worship, Part 2: Worship as Expression
Defining Worship, Part 2: Worship as Expression By: Bob Kauflin Director of Worship Development, PDI Ministries
Last time, we began our series on different aspects of biblical worship. We saw that worship is first and foremost exalting God - His works, His character, and His nature.
One way we do this is by declaring truths about God that He has revealed to us in His Word. But the Bible makes it clear that worship involves more than acknowledging facts about who God is. We must respond to what He has shown us.
Therefore, another aspect of worship is expression. In his book, Reflections on the Psalms, C.S. Lewis explains how he came to see that we naturally respond to what we value. "The most obvious fact about praise - whether of God or anything - strangely escaped me.... I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise...lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside...My whole, more general, difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what indeed we cannot help doing, about everything else we value. I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment." (John Piper, quoting C.S. Lewis, The Dangerous Duty of Delight, pp. 23-24)
In other words, to truly enjoy God, to truly worship Him, we must express what is in our hearts towards Him. Psalm 62:8 commands us, "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." Expression in worship is an act of faith that God hears us and that he delights in our response to His self-revelation.
Expression can be both physical and verbal. Physical responses include singing, clapping, kneeling, bowing, shouting, and lifting hands. (We took a more detailed looked at these in my previous series on Physical Expressiveness in Worship). Along with exaltation, verbal expression involves communicating to God our love and desire for Him, our need of His grace, our gratefulness for His mercy, or our fear of His holiness. Sitting quietly in God's presence is also an appropriate way to express true worship before God.
Corporate worship is not unlike a conversation in which God speaks to us and we respond. Of course, God can speak to us at any time, and we can walk into a meeting overflowing with a desire to express our love for God. But many times, God will give us a fresh view or impression of His character while we are singing to Him, and in that moment the most natural thing for us to do is communicate our response. That's why the best songs and services allow room for both objective truth and subjective response - exaltation and expression. Psalm 95 is one example of that kind of progression.
The forms expression takes in worship vary from culture to culture, denomination to denomination, church to church, and even from person to person. How do we know that what we're doing is pleasing God? Here are some important questions to ask: Is the focus of my expression God as He has revealed Himself in Scripture? Does my expression have biblical precedent and support? Am I offering this expression through faith in the finished work of Christ? Answering "yes" to these three questions assures us that our expression is bringing glory to God.
When God is truly exalted, when hearts are fully engaged in expressing devotion to Him, it typically leads to a third characteristic of biblical worship, encounter. We'll take a look at that next time.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Love Others the Way God Loves You
Love Others the Way God Loves You
BY RICK WARREN
“Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.” (1 Corinthians 13:7 GW)
The same love that God gives to you, you are to offer to everybody else that you come in contact with. It’s not an option or a suggestion. It’s a command: “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34 NLT).
If you are a follower of Christ, you must love everybody — whether you like them or not — in the same way that Christ loved you. That means you are to accept them completely, love them unconditionally, forgive them totally, and consider them extremely valuable.
Loving others in this way will transform your relationships!
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up” (GW).
This is how God loves you. God never stops being patient with you. God never stops believing in you. God never stops hoping for the best in your life. God never gives up on you. That’s what God expects you to do with everybody else.
“Love never stops being patient.” That means love extends grace. You need to offer grace to others.
“Love never stops believing.” That means it expresses faith. You tell someone, “Even though we’re having a tough time, I will never stop believing in you.”
“Love never stops hoping.” That means love expects the best. Are you expecting the best in your marriage, or have you settled for less than the best?
“Love never gives up.” That means love endures the worst. It means you can look at the other person and say, “You can throw everything at me, but I’m going to keep loving you, no matter what.”
Prayer
If you want to start transforming your relationships today, then I invite you to read this prayer to God: “Dear God, I admit that I have made a mess in my relationships. They’re complicated and broken, and I’ve often settled for less than the best. They need a transformation! I’d like you to begin by changing me. Deliver me from my fears, because I can see how they make me distant and defensive and even demanding. Today and every day from now on, I want to surrender my heart to you. I want to learn to live my life in your love and be filled with your love.
“Help me to accept others, just as you’ve accepted me. Help me to love others unconditionally, just as you have loved me. Help me to forgive others totally, just as you’ve forgiven me. And help me to value others as much as you value me. Help me to extend grace to and express faith in the people around me. Help me to expect the best in others, and help me to endure the worst when it happens. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself: 7 Practical Tips
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself: 7 Practical Tips
In order to really focus on loving others, we have to constantly be aware of how much Jesus loves us by how He laid His life down for us on the cross. When we are thankful for Him, we can really express the love needed to plant the seed into an unbeliever’s heart.
Seek Out Your Neighbor
In Ezekiel 34:16a, God says, I will seek out the lost, and I will bring back the strayed. God does this so many times through his flock. Jesus did not spend His time around the saved, but the unsaved. We should model our lives after His. Seek out someone that God has placed on your heart. Seek them and love them for who they are, not for who you want them to be. Jesus ate with tax collectors, he talked with prostitutes and spent time with the sick. His reputation was not even a factor. He spent time with them because He loved them unconditionally. We have to put pride and our reputations down at the cross if we want to truly love others.
Bless Those Who Persecute You
Yes, the ones who persecute you need Jesus more than ever. Romans 12:14 says, bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. This is a reflection on Jesus’s words in Matthew 5:44 when He says, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. God has never stopped seeking the hearts of man, even in the “self-fulfilling” world we live in. He is always knocking, hoping that the unsaved will answer. We should be the same. We need to pray throughout the day for those who persecute us. And in all circumstances, show them love no matter what. It is the very least we can do considering the grace and mercy God has given us through Christ’s death.
Be Real
We have all received gifts or honors because “it was the right thing to do.” You just can’t feel love from someone when they are doing something good for you because “it is the right thing to do”. People feel love when it is really expressed. “I love you,” is a very common phrase. Many times it just feels like it should be said. Really, though, it needs to come from the heart. Sometimes it is better to do something that says, “I love you” than saying it. For instance, a woman always feels a need to be cherished. As men, we need to show them that by taking them to do things that they like to do, or by stopping what we are doing to talk with them or to dance with them. The interaction is really where true love is expressed. With interaction comes connection. With connection comes a bond.
Sacrifice
With sacrifice comes remembrance. This is why Jesus instituted the “Lord’s Supper”. Luke 22:19 says, and He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them (the 12 disciples), saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” The wonderful gift and sacrifice of Jesus’ shed blood on the cross covering our multitude of sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness is what we remember each time we partake in communion. I had a flat tire on the highway once, which was so old that it literally fused itself to my truck. My friend drove by and saw me. We both tried to pull it off with no avail. I ended up calling another friend, whose dad runs a body shop, and his dad picked my truck up, got the tire off, and replaced it all for free. I felt much compassion and love from him that day, especially because I knew that his love came from Christ. His sacrifice made such an impression on me that I will never forget it. I will always love and respect him for his act of compassion on me.
Be a Good Listener
We all know what it is like when we try to talk with someone and they interrupt us or ask, “What did you say again?” It feels like they don’t even care and they honestly may not. You will always feel like someone cares for you when they genuinely listen to you. Listening is a conscious choice you have to make. James 1:19 says, be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. Following this model, we will show our neighbor love even if they don’t recognize it.
Respect The Boundaries
You will not be seen as loving if you break into a person’s home. You have not respected their boundaries. The same goes for the peripheral boundaries that each person has set for themselves. It is important that we as Christians can read the signs. To love like Christ is to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Salt adds flavor and seasoning to food. We are to be like salt. People want flavor. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” When we answer our neighbor like we “ought” to, they will be drawn to us. They will notice something different about us if they are not already a believer, and that is what attracts them. While respecting someone’s boundaries, they will be more inclined to converse and they will be much more receptive to what we have to say.
Feed The Good Wolf
There is an old Indian proverb about two wolves. It says that there are 2 wolves inside every person. One is full of evil wanting to kill, destroy and devour anything it can. The other is full of love wanting to look after the weak and take care of the less fortunate. The one that grows is the one you feed. The Christian’s “good wolf” is the Holy Spirit. When we are feeding it by reading the Word, spending time in prayer and worshipping our Father, we will be fully equipped to let His light shine into the darkness and to love our fellow man in all circumstances.
Conclusion
In order to really focus on loving others, we have to constantly be aware of how much Jesus loves us by how He laid His life down for us on the cross. When we are thankful for Him, we can really express the love needed to plant the seed into an unbeliever’s heart. I pray that we all can learn daily how to love even more then yesterday
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Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/love-your-neighbor-as-yourself-7-practical-tips/#ixzz3wAUACgAu
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Love God! Love One Another!
He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Luke 10:27
Loving Others
Loving other people doesn't mean being "in love" with everyone. "Warm-fuzzy" love is easy -- until the emotion starts to fade, that is. But the human love the Bible talks about isn't just a passing emotional state. It's something based on choice. We choose to care about another person's welfare, even if that person has hurt us, called us names, ignored us.
Parents understand this kind of love, for they keep loving their children even when the children don't seem to love them back. It is similar -- but not as steadfast -- as God's love for us. He loves us when we aren't at all lovable and then commands us to return the favor -- that is, love other people as he loves us, and make giving, not getting, the goal of our love.
Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love covers all offenses. Proverbs 10:12
A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.Proverbs 17:17
"Do for others as you would like them to do for you.
"Do you think you deserve credit merely for loving those who love you? Even the sinners do that! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, is that so wonderful? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, what good is that? Even sinners will lend to their own kind for a full return.
"Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." Luke 6:31-36
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: "Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?"
Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?"
The man answered, "`You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, `Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!" Luke 10:25-28
Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God's law. For the commandments against adultery and murder and stealing and coveting -- and any other commandment -- are all summed up in this one commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God's requirements. Romans 13:8-10
If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in tongues and special knowledge will all disappear. For even our special knowledge is incomplete, and our prophecy is incomplete. But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear.
It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.
There are three things that will endure -- faith, hope, and love -- and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God's children if we love God and obey his commandments. 1 John 5:1-2
The Book of God's Promises -- Copyright, 1999 by J. Stephen Lang. All rights reserved, used with permission.
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