Worship Is More Than A Word (Part 2)

All of humanity was created by God and was created to worship God.  Worship should not be approached with drudgery, but as a way of life that brings freedom.  Religion and tradition is a drudgery and brings bondage but it is true spiritual worship that sets us free.  In Part 2  of this series I want to bring out some aspects of worship that we don't often think about.  I want to share with you five truths about worship that will help you become more passionate in your worship of God.

1.  Worship Begins With Repentance

When a person truly repents and turns from the old way of life and embraces their "new life" in Christ the desire to worship our Savior grows more intense.  When we repent, our focus of worship changes from the "gods" of this world to the One true God of heaven.  In Exodus 20:3-5 God tells Israel that they are to have "no other god before Him" and when we repent, the Lord God will be the focus of our adoration and worship.

2.  Worship Is Not Optional

I realize that who and what we worship is a decision that each person makes.  But as a believer, worship should never be looked at as an "option."  We were created to worship and serve God. When Jesus was coming into Jerusalem many of His disciples were praising and worshiping him saying, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest" (Luke 19:38). When the Pharisees heard this they told Jesus to rebuke his disciples.  Jesus responded with "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40). Make no mistake about it, Jesus and the Father will be worshiped.  It's not an option.  If we don't worship God, the stones will or others of creation will, and the reason is that God is worthy of our worship and He will be worshiped!

3.  God Is Worthy Of Our Worship

There is no one nor anything that is as worthy of our worship as our heavenly Father!  The reasons to worship God are many.  God not only created us, but He saved us and He has promised to take care of us.  Those reason alone are adequate for us to worship Him.  If God did nothing else for His children the fact that He gives us eternal life is the only reason we need to worship and love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength!

4.  Worship Is A Relationship

A right relationship with God will release the right kind of worship.  As His children we are to offer our lives as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1).  Our worship of God blossoms out of an atmosphere of love.  Not that we loved Him first but He loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:1-12).  When we are in a relationship with God and worship Him we enter into His very presence and power.

5.  Worship Is Fellowship

How well we know God will be determined by how much time we spend with Him.  You can't know anyone without spending time with them.  If Christians spent as much time worshiping and confessing God’s Word as they spend complaining and repeating their problems to their friends, victory would appear much sooner.  Most answers to our questions and revelations from God will come out of a time of worship.

As believers our life should be a time of praise and worship of God.  We will never have the success God desires for us unless we are in a true relationship with Him.  Are you ready to surrender all to the Father?  Are you ready to worship Him in spirit and in truth?  That's the way God desires for us to worship Him and that's the worship He deserves.

-- Pastor Temple

Worship Is More Than A Word (Part 1)

God desires and deserves our worship.  As the title of this post indicates, worship, is more than just a word.  Worship is a way of life for everyone, because everyone is engaged in and worships something.  For the Christian the focus of our worship must be God!  And to worship God is to make Him the most important person in your life.  To love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and desires.  When we worship God we are bowing our hearts and will to Him.  Worship is not something we do because it is convenient.  It is something we do because we love God with all our being.  As His children, we were created to worship God and to do it continually.  I want to share with you five facts about worship.

1.  Worship Is Inseparable From Life

Worship is written on the heart of man by the hand of God.  It is an inherent drive, because man was mad to worship as surely as he was made to breathe and eat.  Worship has been paramount to every civilization.  Even the Apostle Paul encountered people who had an altar built and inscribed with the inscription "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD" (Acts 17:16-23).  People all over the world worship something.  It is a created instinct and is inseparable from life.

2.  Worship Flows Out Of Redemption

Paul told the Corinthians that they were "bought with a price."  Their redemption was purchased through the life and blood of Jesus.  Jesus is the message of the Bible.  In the Bible He is the creator, the deliverer, the King of kings, the Prince of Peace, our Substitute, the Head of the Church, our Mediator, the Healer, the Redeemer, our coming King.  We are to worship the King and not the kingdom.  And we are to worship God from our redemptive being!

3.  Worship Brings Manifestations

Worship is the blending of man with God. Worship is a love experience that blends two as though they were one.  The book of Revelation was written out of John's worship experience as he was "in the Spirit on the Lord's day" on the isle of Patmos. All of Daniel's dreams and visions came out of worship experiences.  Most revelations come out of worship.  People want to hear from God, but don't want to spend anytime worshiping Him.

4.  Worship Is A Celebration

Worship is not a drudgery.  It is a celebration and everyone enjoys a celebration.  To worship God is to enjoy God and to enjoy and bask in His presence and to celebrate who He is and what He has done for us.

5.  Worship Is Eternal

Just as praise is eternal, worship is eternal.  God will always have a people that will worship Him. Jesus declared to His disciples if the people held their peace and didn't praise and worship Him, the "rocks would cry out."  There will always be someone or something to praise and worship our Savior.

Don't allow worship to just be another "religious" word that you are familiar with.  Let it be a deep and abiding desire of your heart to worship your Savior!   What can you do today to make your worship more meaningful than ever?

-- Pastor Temple

Turning A Crisis Into An Opportunity

At some point in time, everyone will face a crisis.  That's just the way life is.  The test for us comes in how we respond to the adversity or crisis.  Our response will determine if the crisis destroys us or if we grow from it and become a better person.  I want to share with you the story of Joseph and the crisis's he faced.  Then I want to show you how to turn your crisis into an opportunity.

Seven Crisis's In The Life Of Joseph (Genesis 37-50)

• He was hated by his brothers.  Most of us would agree, that if all our siblings "hated" us it would be a definite adversity.  Yet this is the situation that Joseph found himself in.  It didn't help matters any that he told them they would one day "bow" down to him.
  
• He was thrown into a pit.  Angry with Joseph, his brothers threw him into a pit and left him to die.  They were going to leave him there with no food or water.  For most of us, our crisis seems like a "pit of despair." No way out.  But through it all Joseph was confident that God would deliver him because of the future God had promised.
• He was sold into slavery by his brothers.  While waiting for their older brother Reuben to return and deciding what to do with Joseph, his brothers saw a band of Ishmeelite slave traders and they sold Joseph into slavery and he ended up in Egypt.
• Forced to work as a slave for Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard.  As a slave Joseph learned many valuable skills while working for Potiphar.  Even in a crisis, you can learn new things and your character can be developed.
• Targeted for seduction by Potiphar's wife.  This was a critical point in Joseph's life.  Many would have given in to the advances of Potiphar's wife.  But Joseph stayed true to himself and to God and overcame  this crisis.
• He was sent to prison unjustly.  Potiphar's wife lied about Joseph and as a result Joseph was sent to prison.  But even in prison, Joseph found favor with the jail keeper and he was shown mercy and given charge over all the other prisoners.
• He was asked to interpret Pharaoh's dream.  Because Joseph had an ability to interpret dreams he was asked to interpret one of Pharaoh's dreams.  Joseph told him that his dream meant there would be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.  He advise Pharaoh to put back grain during the years of abundance so there would be plenty in the years of famine.  Pharaoh was so impressed, that he put Joseph second in command!

How To Turn A Crisis Into An Opportunity

There are fifteen strategies you need to follow if you want to turn your current crisis into an opportunity.

1. Trust that God is working everything in your life for good. (Romans 8:28).
2. Believe that the Heavenly Father is in control.
3. Accept that the Lord's ways are higher than yours (Isaiah 55:8-9).
4. Refuse to make quick judgments during the crisis.  Don't have a knee jerk reaction.
5. Focus on the Father instead of the circumstances and meditate on the Scriptures.
6. Avoid dwelling on the pain.
7. Recall past crisis and the opportunities that followed.
8. Let go of anger immediately (Ephesians 4:26).
9. Submit to God's will.
10. Demonstrate a spirit of gratitude.
11. Determine to view the trial as a chance to see God at work.
12. Refuse to listen to unscriptural interpretations of the situation.
13. Remain in constant prayer listening to the Father for instructions.
14. Don't give in to fluctuating emotions.
15. Obey God and leave all the consequences up to Him.

What crisis are you facing today.  Be of good courage, your Heavenly Father has it all in control. Lean on Him for understanding and He will deliver you.

--Pastor Temple 

The Battle For Truth

Truth is one of the most powerful weapons we possess when dealing with the enemy. Unfortunately, in many cases, the truth has been replaced by lies from the devil.  Our culture is inundated with lies and falsehoods and those who refute the lies and falsehoods, by sharing the truth, are mocked and ridiculed as "extremists" and those who stand for the Bible and it's sound doctrine are labeled as legalistic.  The absence of truth has given the devil a real stronghold over people.  The Bible is full of scriptures that speak of the strong deception that will come upon the world in the last days and that it will even cause many to depart from the faith.

There are two areas God wants His truth securely established.  Those areas are in our own personal lives and in the church or Body of Christ.

1.  The Battle For Truth As A Weapon In Our Personal Life

If we are to stand we must gird ourselves with the truth and walk in the uncompromising truth of God's Word because Satan is sure to attack us with lies.  Ephesians 6:13 tells us: "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."  Walking in the truth of God's Word is one of the most powerful weapons we have against the enemy and his schemes.  Satan has nowhere to stand when he is confronted with the Truth of God's Word.

2.  The Battle For Truth In The Church

God has chosen the church to be the place from which His truth flows.  The church of Jesus Christ has been guilty of compromising and watering down the truth of God's Word to make it more acceptable to society.  As a result there is a battle that is raging in the church today over truth.  This battle includes whether or not the Scripture is divinely inspired and whether Jesus was really God manifest in the flesh.  There are others, but these two are of utmost importance.  What does the church have to do in order to live free from Satan's deceptions and lies?  I believe there are "truths" that we must embrace if we are to win this battle.

• We Must Accept The Entirety Of God's Word As His Truth.  We can't pick and chose what parts of the Bible we want to believe as truth.  It is all truth!  2 Timothy 3:16 validates this: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
• We Must Rightly Divide The Word Of Truth.  2 Timothy 2:15 gives us instruction that we are to approach the interpretation of God's Word without personal preferences. Unfortunately there are those who twist the scriptures to make them say anything they want to say.  When reading and interpreting the Bible it must be taken in context!  As one person stated "A text without a context is a pretext for a proof text." All scripture must be examined in light of the whole and we should allow the scripture to interpret itself.
• The Word Of Truth Must Take Precedence Over Experience.  One of the disturbing trends I see happening in the church today, is that there is more of a focus on experiences than sound doctrine. This is especially evident in the Charismatic churches.  Don't misunderstand me, relating experiences is fine, but they must be based on "sound doctrine" as taught in the Word of God.  God's Word must be the final authority.
• We Must Have A Love For The Truth Of God's Word.  David walked in faith and victory throughout most of his life because he had a genuine love and appreciation for God's Word. David declared that "I rejoice at thy Word as one that findeth great spoil."  Do you have a genuine love for the truth of God's Word?"

Being a part of a local church that is Bible centered and adheres to God's Word of Truth give us a strong foundation to walk in the truth that God so desires for us.  We must all take personal responsibility for walking in the truth of God's Word.  Are you ready to take up the "battle for the truth?"

--Pastor Temple

Spiritual Baggage

If you have ever traveled on an airplane, you know the hassle of having to deal with baggage!  It can be very frustrating and taxing on your patience.  However, have you ever stopped to consider how the intangible baggage of past experiences or personal sin hinders your journey with Christ? Hebrews 12:1-3 compares the Christian life to a race and encourages us to "lay aside" those things that block our progress.

Hebrews 12:1 uses two different words to describe those things that slow us down and create obstacles in our lives.  These two words are "hindrances" and "sins."  The first one I want to deal with is hindrances.

Hindrances

A hindrance is anything that keeps us from effectively living the Christian life.  A hindrance doesn't necessarily have to be a sin.  It can even be something that is "good."  Although hindrances come in many forms here is a list of some of the most common ones that people have to deal with.

• A poor self-image.  Negative comments can cause us to doubt our value.  When we listen to what the world says about us rather than what God (the One who made us) says about us it will lead to a poor self-image.
• An attitude of defeatism.  If we think we are beaten by our circumstances, we will never try!
• Feelings of rejection.  Being devalued by others is painful and leaves us feeling unworthy.
• A fear of failure.  When we allow fear to hinder us, we miss out on many wonderful opportunities that God has for us.
• A lack of self-control.  If we can't control our impulses, we are easily persuaded and led off track.
• A negative attitude.  Pessimism has a negative impact on our work and our relationships.
• Indecision.  An inability to make decisions prevents us from progressing.

Sin

The other word used in Hebrews 12:1 is sin.  The writer speaks of the "sin which so easily entangles us."  The Bible informs us that a man who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Hebrews 12:1 is referring to a specific sin, one that is a primary area of weakness in our life that we must continually guard against.  It is the sin that ensnares us and divides our mind and hinders our relationship with others and with God.

Sins That Can Weigh Us Down

Here are some of the sins that will weigh us down:

• Unforgiveness.  When we can't let go of past hurts, it damages us and hinders our relationships with God.
• A critical spirit.  If all we do is criticize, we can hurt others and ourselves.
• A jealous spirit.  If we always desire what others have, we are never happy with ourselves.
• Greed.  A desire for more causes us to hurt others to get what we want.
• Pride.  God hates it when we are conceited about our social standing, possessions, or looks.
• Lust.  When love is replaced by lust, our desire is out of control.
• Unbelief.  Although we may claim to believe the Bible, too often we are unwilling to trust in God to provide for our needs.
• Anger.  Perpetual anger robs us of happiness.
• Bitterness.  This is a poison that prevents us from giving and receiving love.
• Idolatry.  Whatever we place before God is an idol.

What Sins And Hindrances Will Do

Like runners in a race, we must remove anything that slows us down.  If we refuse, we'll find that those things will:

• Distract us.
• Divide our minds and send us off track.
• Drain our energy.
• Slow our pace.
• Cause us to stumble.

The Solution

There are eight actions we can take to rid ourselves of spiritual baggage.

1. Admit to the Lord that we have a hindrance in our life.
2. Acknowledge the sin that so easily besets us.
3. Take responsibility for the baggage, no matter where it come from.
4. Make a definite decision to deal with it.
5. Lay it aside because it doesn't fit us as Christ's followers.
6. Rely on Christ's strength to put it down and walk away (Philippians 4:13).  God knows its hindering us, and He doesn't want it in our lives.
7. Know the Lord will enable us to lay it aside.
8. Understand it is discipline that determines the outcome of our decisions and destiny.

The Lord has planned the best race for each of us.  However, we can't win and fulfill His plan until every hindrance is laid aside.  We don't have to carry baggage and continue failing in our efforts to overcome the sins in our lives.  God will set us free if we'll believe Him and by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, make a conscious choice to do away with whatever is displeasing to Him.

What are the hindrances or sin in your life that you need to turn over to God?

--Pastor Temple