A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Serve God With Fear

 

    Psalm 2:11

Serve The LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 

    Psalm 119:120

My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments.

    Psalm 89:7

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Hebrews 12:28

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Fear: reverent, godly caution

    To serve The LORD with fear is to revere Him, to honor Him, to adore Him above all. Above all kingdoms, above all thrones, above all other gods which try to distract us from The One God. For there is only One LORD God. His Name commands our attention. His Word demands our reverence. His presence is holy and by it demands that we are to be holy, too. 

    Having this godly fear within us makes us aware of just how much God really loves us. Having wrapped His Word in the frailty of flesh and bone, God sent Him to (1) Be born of a virgin; (2) Minister to the people; (3) Die on the cross (conquering sin); (4) Rise from the dead (conquering death, hell and the grave). 

    How can we not serve The LORD God with fear? How can we not come into His presence with rejoicing with trembling? We are so very thankful that He loves us so much! We are filled to overflowing with gratitude, so much so, that as God's holy people, worship exudes from our souls at all times. 

    Who is The LORD that we should give such fear and trembling to? Here is but a taste of Who The LORD our God is:

    Psalm 24:8

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

    Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

    Daniel 7:14

And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. 

    Revelation 19:16

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

    Come, let us worship The LORD our God. 

Serve God With Fear 

Learning To Be Loved By You - Melissa Helser/Cageless Birds

Glorious Day - Casting Crowns

LION - Elevation Worship

I Speak Jesus - Here Be Lions

Father, Son, Spirit - Jason Upton

Gratitude - Brandon Lake

Is He Worthy? - Chris Tomlin

One Thing Remains - Jesus Culture

Heart of Worship - Michael Bethany

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Worship The Lord

 

    Psalm 96:9

O Worship The LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before Him, all the earth.

    1 Chronicles 16:21

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.

    2 Chronicles 20:21

Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: "Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever."

    Psalm 95:6

O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 

    Matthew 2:2

Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.

    Adoration. Loving devotion. Worship. God wants our worship. He tells us His Name is Jealous (Exodus 34:14) and that what He desires is for us to choose to adore Him. He commands His people to worship Him above all other gods, for the gods of this world are nothing (Exodus 20:1-6). 

    Come, let us worship The LORD our God in the beauty of His holiness. Let us clap our hands and shout! to The Lord (Psalm 47:1). Let us kneel down (Psalm 95:6). Let us raise our hands (Psalm 28:2; 1 Timothy 2:8). Let us play our musical instruments for Him (Psalm 98:5,6). 

CALLED TO WORSHIP

Come Let Us Worship & Bow Down - Steffany Gretzinger

Forever I Run - Elevation Worship

Here I Am To Worship - Israel Houghton 

Let It Rise - William Murphy

Worthy of It All - CeCe Winans

Only You Are Holy/Agnus Dei - Donnie McClurkin

LION - Elevation Worship

In The Beauty of Holiness - Robin Mark

Because of Who You Are - Vicki Yohe

Revelation Song - Chris Tomlin & Kari Jobe

Holy Is The Lamb - Oleta Adams

Adoration - Newsboys

Guard Your Heart - - Guard Against Idolatry (An Undivided Heart)

 

1 John 5:21

Little children (believers, dear ones), guard yourselves from idols - [false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God's place in your heart].

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1497

Idols: an image for worship, a false god

From the Greek word ' eidólon' (pronounced i'-do-lon). 

    From the time God set up the law defining Who should be worshiped and who should not, God's people (and many others who do believe) know their ten commandments; somewhat. 

    Exodus 20:1-6 is very specific about Who gets our worship and why. 

1. And God spoke all these words, saying, 

2. I am The LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt, which delivered you out of the house of bondage,

3. You shall have no other gods before Me.

4. You shall not make for yourselves any graven images, or any likeness that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5. You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them: for I, The LORD, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the third and the fourth generation of them that hate Me;

6. And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.

    To break this commandment is to turn our hearts from God. It's to turn our backs on God, to disregard His Word as unimportant in our lives, when, in point of fact, God's Word should be have the highest regard in our hearts and our lives. Our hearts are more than His dwellingplace, His home: our hearts are God's throne room. If The LORD truly reigns in our hearts, then we live to serve Him. 

    The person who does not live to serve The Almighty God is serving another god and has consigned themselves to His judgment and wrath. But there's hope (v 6). God shows mercy to the people who love Him and diligently keep His commandments, who guard His commandments in their hearts. 

    It's okay to say, "No" when someone invites you somewhere where the temptation to give in to sin will be hard to overcome. Pressure to disobey God is from the devil; escape from temptation is from God (1 Corinthians 10:13, 14). And we are to flee from idolatry. 

    It is both difficult at times and obvious at other times who is serving God with a sincere heart and who is not. This is why the believer needs spiritual discernment that only comes with being filled with God's Holy Spirit. He is the voice of caution, that sense of "I'm not sure I trust" feeling when we interact with some people. 

    In 1 Corinthians 5:11 Paul is writing to the believers, the church, to be careful of those in their congregation who claim to be brothers in Christ but whose actions prove otherwise. And that these are the idolaters that they are to avoid associating with. The same holds true for us today. To you who say we are not to judge one another, the Word says, "For what is it to me to judge those outside? Do you not judge those within? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12, 13. 

    We must rid our churches of wolves in sheep's clothing: people who pretend to be brothers and sisters in Christ whose only object is to divide the church and overthrow it. But in order to do so effectively, we must fill ourselves with The Word of God and be filled with His Holy Spirit that we may discern the truth and rise up against that which is unholy in our midst. 

    The wedding garments of the bride of Christ must be unblemished and unstained; she must be pure and holy. Idolatry and idolaters are spots and blemishes on her garments. We must surrender our hearts fully to God and we must do so with loving hearts: hearts that desire to worship and serve God the way He wants to be loved and worshiped. 

    When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness to worship Satan, He replied with The Word of God, "It is written". The verses of Scripture to which Christ was referring are in Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20. James reminds us here in chapter 4 verse 7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." 

    We who desire to serve God faithfully, who love Him with all of our hearts, and our minds, and our souls have turned from idol worship to God worship. We have repented of the wickedness of our hearts in serving other gods and surrendered our hearts to God: we want Him to rule over us. 

    You think you haven't been serving other gods? When you could take time out of your busy day to read and pray over God's Word but don't, what are you doing instead? When you could go to a church that preaches the full gospel of God's Word and not some sprinkled down, nit-picking preaching, where are you? When you could be spending time in your prayer closet, your war room, so to speak, but you aren't, to whom are you voicing your complaints, your desires, your drama? 

    Idols are everywhere. Saints cannot answer prayer. Statues cannot answer prayer. Social media cannot give you wise answers in response to your seekings. Church, we need to come to God and come quickly, to rid ourselves of the idols we have set up. We need to tear them down and burn them to ashes. As they who obeyed God in the Old Testament did. It is time to fall down before God with humble hearts and rise up against wickedness in high places in the church.

    Many churches are splitting from their global parent because they are choosing to follow God's Word faithfully. And are being come against for their conservative stance in this unhealthy, sinful world. They are removing the blemishes and stains from their garments, their congregations. I would hope they/we are doing so with love and mercy, as well as integrity and faithfulness to the Word of God. 

    Psalm 86:9-11

9. All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.

10.   For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.

11. each me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.

HEART OF WORSHIP MEDLEY

    

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Gifts For The Gift

 

Matthew 2:11

On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1435

Gifts: present, sacrifice {offered to God}, something not coerced, spontaneous, offering

 From the Greek word 'dóron' (pronounced do'-ron). 

(cf) Matthew 5:42 "leave your offering at the altar"; Luke 21:1-4 "the widow's mite" (sacrificial offering).

THE FIRST GIFT

The first gift given was their time. They used their time in their homeland to research the birthplace of the King they had come to know in their studies of old manuscripts and they watched the night skies for the star that would rise in His honor.

THE SECOND GIFT

The second gift the wise men gave the Christ was their worship. They fell down, kneeled, prostrated themselves before him (face to the ground) and worshiped Him. Not His mother. She was the vessel of honor by which He came into this world, but worship is given to her Son Jesus Christ. Worship is an act of humility, it is humbling ourselves before the King of kings and giving Him our all: our hearts, our lives, our bodies; for His service, for His glory, for His honor. Out of their hearts the wise men gave. Out of their treasuries they gave. So, too, should we be prepared to come into the presence of God with our worship. Before we ever get to church our hearts need to be ready to receive what God has to give. And we need to be ready to give what God desires of us.

THE THIRD GIFT

The third gift they gave was gold. A precious commodity no matter what age you live in. It acknowledged His Kingship and Authority to rule. This gold was an offering, a sacrifice, a parting of their wealth to render unto the King what was due Him. We, too, need to render a monetary offering unto God. We call it tithing and love offerings. Because we love Him, we want to give Him everything, even our monies, which, while God does not need our money, He still requires us to be obedient in giving to Him. 

 

THE FOURTH GIFT 

The fourth gift given was frankincense. A costly fragrance used in the making of incense. The incense God instructed Moses to make included frankincense. It was laid before the the Most Holy Place before the priest could enter.

Exodus 30:34-37

34. The LORD also said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—in equal measures,

35. and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.

36. Grind some of it into fine powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.

37. You are never to use this formula to make incense for yourselves; you shall regard it as holy to the LORD.

THE FIFTH GIFT

The fifth gift they gave Him was myrrh. This was common spice used to anoint the dead, that their bodies would not stink while decaying. 

(cf) Mark 16:1 "When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus." 

Also, myrrh was a fragrant perfume used to anoint the king's wife (Esther 2:12), or the king himself (Song of Solomon 3:6). A precious oil reserved for precious beloved people. 

All the gifts given to Jesus not only acknowledged who He is, but foretold what would happen in His life. 

Time: He only had a short amount of time to make the biggest impact during His three year ministry. John 12:35 "Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going."

Worship: John 4:23, 24 Worship God: "But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

Gold: In heaven pure, unadulterated gold is used for  pavement and building material in the new city which God has prepared for His people. Revelation 21:18, 21. 

Gold is also the crown which Christ wears: Revelation 14:14 "And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand."

Frankincense: A bitter, pungent fragrance used primarily for incense. 

It was placed on the table of gold near the showbread in the temple of the Lord (Leviticus 24:7) as a memorial portion, an offering to the Lord. 

Myrrh: Used as an ointment (to heal wounds), a burial spice and a burnt offering (releasing a sweet odor/aroma). John 19:39 "Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds." In their love for Him, Joseph and Nicodemus received permission to remove His body from the cross to bury Him properly. Even though they believed He would rise again, the nearness of that rising was hid from them. Therefore, Jesus needed to be buried in a clean place and anointed with fragrances that would keep Him pure for awhile. 

In today's market value that much myrrh is estimated to cost $150k. Whoof. Pricey. And yet worth every penny. Yet these gifts do not even compare with the Gift which God has given to mankind.

THE BEST GIFT

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

John 6:40

"For it is My Father's will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Romans 5:8

But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:8-10

8. But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

9. that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

THE GIFT OF GRACE

Now is the time to receive God's gift. Now is the time to open your heart and believe. Now is now, later may be too late. 

Many say we are living in the last days. So, too, did the disciples of Christ in their day in the beginning of the age of the church. Do not delay your day of salvation according to your timetable. Until Christ returns, every day is the last day. Only God knows the hour in which He will send His Son to gather up His bride, the church (Matthew 24:36; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). 

This is not manana time. There is no tomorrow to plan for. Today is your day of salvation. Today is the day you should open God's gift of salvation through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, the Messiah. 
We beg you to reconsider your decision and not walk away. We implore you to come to the altar now. To humble yourselves  and kneel before God in repentance, to receive His forgiveness and grace. 

Ephesians 2:6-9

6. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

7. in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9. not by works, so that no one can boast.

COME WORSHIP THE KING by Michael W. Smith, Shane & Shane

REFINER'S FIRE (Purify My Heart) by Vineyard Wordship

I GIVE YOU MY HEART by Hillsong 

 

Thanks Be To God - - For His Songs

 

Psalm 42:8

Yet the LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7893

His Song: worship song, lyrics with musical instruments

From the Hebrew word 'shiyr' (pronounced sheer)

Used 90 times in the Old Testament

There are many styles of music making, even in the hearts of God's people. Music is from God and music given back to God glorifies God when it comes from deep within a worshipful heart. Who defines what a worshipful heart is? God, of course. For only God can see a person's heart; therefore, only God can determine whether or not the song being sung belongs to Him. Who are we to judge which songs are worthy to sing or write; which instruments can be used to make music?

But His Song, His Song is the song we sing when we declare His Name, when we proclaim His deliverance; when we testify of His saving Grace. His Song is the song we write when the Spirit comes upon us and moves us to write words which come from our hearts and not just our minds. Sometimes His Songs are written by one person, sometimes His Songs  are created on a collaborative basis. I've done both. 

This word 'shiyr' could refer to both His Song and His Singers, His Choir of Worshippers. God pours Himself into us (Romans 5:5) through His Holy Spirit and we shout out, cry out, sing aloud with everything within us back to Him. 

What a mighty God we serve! A God who looked on us and had compassion towards us, so much so that He took His Word, as only God can do, and wrapped it in flesh and bone; and called It "Jesus" because this Word is the Word of Salvation: 

Matthew 1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

This HOLY JESUS is why we sing the songs we write about Him. This HOLY GOD is why we sing the songs we write for Him. This HOLY SPIRIT is why we welcome the presence of the LORD into our hearts, our lives, our churches, our sanctuaries. 

I love to sing. I love to write. But it is God who creates His Songs in me. It is God who receives glory and honor and praise from me. There is no other Name worth worshiping. 

No other Name died for us. No other Name took our sins upon Himself and became sin for us. No other Name could ever love us as much as God loves us. No other Name has God honored by raising Him up and setting this JESUS on high! His Songs resound throughout the whole world, though many have tried, and still try, to silence His Songs. But His Name will prevail and overcome. 

Dear God,

Thank You for the gift of music. Thank You for creating it and giving it to us. Thank You for giving us Your only begotten Son Jesus Christ, for washing my sins away through the blood of Your Lamb, as John stated. Thank You for forgiving me and making me holy by the power of Your Holy Spirit. 

You are eternal, God. You are my God forever and ever. I am Your child, Your servant, Your friend. Continue to guide me and lead me through Your Word. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I might overflow and bless those around me. 

May they see this Name, JESUS, when they see me and know that You are near. Open the eyes of the blind that they may see You. Tender the hardened hearts and break them open for You. Whatever it takes. 

In Jesus' Priceless Name, I pray,

Amen

Name Above All Names by Eddie James

Thanks Be To God -- Thanks & Worship Forever

 

Revelation 4:9-11

And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2169

Thanks: from the Greek word eucharistia (pronounced yoo-khar-is-tee'-ah), which means "thankfulness, giving of thanks, gratitude, thanksgiving; the giving of thanks for God's grace"

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4352

Worship: from the Greek word proskuneó (pronounced pros-koo-neh'-o), which means "to do reverence to; properly, to kiss the ground when prostrating before a superior; to worship, ready "to fall down/prostrate oneself to adore on one's knees" 

THANKS TO THE ONE SEATED ON THE THRONE

2 Corinthians 9:11, 12

(11) You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, so that through us your giving will produce thanksgiving to God.

(12) For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 47:8

God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.

Isaiah 6:1

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple.

Ezekiel 1:26, 27

(26) And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 

(27)  And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

WORSHIP HIM WHO LIVES FOREVER

Matthew 2:1, 2

(1) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

(2) Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.

Matthew 4:9, 10

(9) "All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me."

(10) “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ ”

FOREVER

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 165

Forever: from the Greek word aión, (pronounced ahee-ohn') which means "an age, a cycle (of time), especially of the present age as contrasted with the future age, and of one of a series of ages stretching to infinity. Further study tells us: Example: Christians today live in the newer age (165 /aiṓn) of the covenant – the time-period called the NT. It is characterized by Christ baptizing all believers in the Holy Spirit, i.e. engrafting all believers (OT, NT) into His mystical body (1 Cor 12:12,13,14) with all the marvelous privileges that go with that (Gal 3:23-25; 1 Pet 2:5,9). 

While this word "Forever" is defined differently within the context of verses in which it appears, the basic definition remains the same: eternal, without end, without the confines of time, continual, perpetual, always.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 166

Forever: from the Greek word aiónios, pronounced ahee-o'-nee-os), which means: age-long, and therefore: practically eternal, unending; partaking of the character of that which lasts for an age, as contrasted with that which is brief and fleeting. 

aiṓnios (an adjective, derived from 165 /aiṓn ("an age, having a particular character and quality") – properly, "age-like" ("like-an-age"), i.e. an "age-characteristic" (the quality describing a particular age); (figuratively) the unique quality (reality) of God's life at work in the believer, i.e. as the Lord manifests His self-existent life (as it is in His sinless abode of heaven). " Eternal (166 /aiṓnios) life operates simultaneously outside of time, inside of time, and beyond time – i.e. what gives time its everlasting meaning for the believer through faith, yet is also time-independent. 

does not focus on the future per se, but rather on the quality of the age  it relates to. Believers live in this eternal life right now, as a present tense of having eternal life.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5769

Forever: from the Hebrew word 'olam' (pronounced o-lawm'), which means: antiquity, long duration, futurity; everlasting, forevermore permanently

Psalm 52:9

I will praise (yadah) You forever, because You have done it. I will wait on Your name—for it is good—in the presence of Your saints.

Psalm 136:26

Oh, give thanks (yadah) to the God of heaven! For His mercy (loving devotion) endures forever.

Psalm 146:5, 6

Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keeps truth for ever. 

Dear God,

I worship You and adore You, for You are a holy God. Had You given me only life, I would still praise You. But You have given me not only life, but the provisions of life required to sustain me, cover me and protect me. 

You have given me freedom from the chains of sin by the sacrifice of Your perfect Lamb, Your only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who was tortured and crucified for my benefit: to wash away my sins and make me clean. He who rose from the dead and walked out of the grave is now my Savior and my Friend. You did that and You did it for me, because I believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord of All, even me.

You have given me Your Holy Spirit, who sanctifies me internally that I might shine like silver and be purified like gold: in the flame until You see Yourself in me. Be glorified, O God, by my thoughts, my words and my actions. 

Help me to truly know You and ever draw closer to You. 

In Jesus' Beautiful Name, I pray,

Amen

Isaiah 6 by Todd Agnew

Forever by Michael W. Smith

Intelligent Worship -- Submit to God

 Intelligent Worship brings us into the presence of God through Submission to God. 

Part 12.

And now we come to the final installment of this series. That part which seems to keep a lot of folks from fully surrendering to God's will for their lives: letting go of self-will and submitting to God's will. But, really, once we have placed ourselves at His feet and received His mercy, there truly is no better place to be than in God's perfect will. 

It is a life that is lived in internal peace. Though the world fractures around us, though the enemies of the cross are many and threaten our lives, this peace that passes understanding can only be obtained through daily submission to the Word of God. 

You've heard the phrase, "It's my way or the highway"? Same concept applies here. In order to worship God and be in His presence, we must walk the narrow road, the old path, in order to walk with God and commune with Him. In other words, it's "His Way or the highway". Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

Submission to God leads to a thwarting of the devil's plans.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Submission to God renders us His humble servants. 

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

Submission to God means complete and absolute surrender to God's will for our lives.

Romans 12:1

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.

Submission to God is an intentional recognition that we do not belong to ourselves any more; now we belong to God.

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 glorify God with your body.

Submission to God begins when we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Romans 10:9

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him out from the dead, you will be saved. 

Submission to God removes anxiety and worry from a believer's heart. 

Matthew 6:25

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

James 4:14

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Every act of worship requires the worshiper to be a born-again believer. There's no getting around that one focal point. All I can say is, if you aren't, what are you waiting for? Hebrews 3 speaks over and over again on the urgency of the day, of to day, being our day of salvation. For tomorrow is not promised to anyone. To day could be your day of salvation. Why not make it so? 

Intelligent Worship -- Surrender To God -- Part 11

 Intelligent Worship brings us into the presence of God when we Surrender to God. Part 11.

This surrendering to God thing has to be done (1) Intentionally and (2) Daily. The flesh wants to be comfy, but the Spirit calls and the flesh must surrender what it wants in order to hear what God is saying, especially when the body is beyond tired and just wants to rest. 

Deuteronomy 10:16

Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.

Jeremiah 4:4

“Circumcise (dedicate, sanctify) yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskin [sins] of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire [consuming all that gets in its way] And burn and there will be no one to quench it, Because of the evil of your acts.”

Romans 2:28-29

A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

It is the Spirit of God Who calls us into the presence of God, who keeps us there when we choose to honor God by being obedient to the call of Surrender.

You may wonder why these verses since none of them use the word 'surrender' but these are the verses the Spirit gave me when I first wrote the outline for this series. 

Deuteronomy, for instance, talks to us about not being so set in our ways, not being stubborn and not being rebellious. Jeremiah tells us to dedicate ourselves to the Lord; dedicate our services. Romans 12:1-2 speaks of 'presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord'. In other words, Surrender to God. 

Romans reminds us that we cannot save ourselves, we cannot wash away our own sins: only the Spirit of God can forgive sins and wash them away through the blood of His precious Holy Lamb, Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. 

Physical circumcision is painful and the anguish fades beyond memory for most who receive it. Spiritual circumcision is sacrificial but this sacrifice should not become a memory for the believer. This sacrifice is a daily offering we give to God when we completely, willingly, obediently set aside what we want to do and do what God wants us to do. 

Yes, I'd rather be asleep. But unless God brings me there it ain't happenin'. He has a work for me to do and getting today's study done is a big part of it. 

We sing this hymn at church, as I'm sure many of you do, called 'I Surrender All'. We'd better mean what we say because we will be held accountable. If we can't mean what we say in a song, then we'd better not be singing it. 

I SURRENDER ALL

--by Judson Van De Venter, 1896

1. All to Jesus I surrender,

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

Refrain:

I surrender all, I surrender all;

All to Thee, my blessed Savior,

I surrender all.

2. All to Jesus I surrender,

Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;

Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,

Truly know that Thou art mine. [Refrain]

3. All to Jesus I surrender,

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power,

Let Thy blessing fall on me. [Refrain]

ALL TO YOU/I SURRENDER ALL by Don Moen

Intelligent Worship -- Love God -- Part 10

 Intelligent Worship brings us into the presence of God through Loving God. Part 10.

 Mark 12:28-30

Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 

Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment."

Joshua 22:5

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave (cling, stick like glue) unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

1 John 4:21

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

LOVE: agapao (pronounced ag-ap-ah'-o) which means 'to love', 'to prefer'

For us who believe it means we choose to live through Christ, we prefer to live in Him and allow Him to live through us (1 John 4:9-10). 

While most of us know John 3:16, few remember to read the next few verses, as well. 

John 3:16-18

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

God loves us so much He sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay the penalty once and for all for all sinners everywhere. That's how much God loves us. And He wants us to love Him and each other with this same love: unconditional, no strings attached, all-encompassing love. That kind of love is Agape: divine love. Loving God and Loving each other through the power of God. See? It's not a love that we can accomplish under our own power: it's only available through Christ. It's an Active Love, an Obedient Love. 

We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19. 

Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

How do we Love God?

By loving each other with His love. 

It would be very beneficial to us to read and re-read 1 John 4. And to study it out.  

Intelligent Worship -- Serve God -- Part 9

 Intelligent Worship brings us into the presence of God through service to God. Part 9.

Re-reading through today's subject verses and digging just a little more deeper into what the Word says about service is interesting. 

Psalm 2:11 

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Hebrews 12:28-29

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. “For our God is a consuming fire.” (quoted from Deuteronomy 4:24 "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.")

Psalm 100:2

Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.

Both Psalm references mean "to work", while the verse in Hebrews means "I work". One is a generalization and the other is personal. One is instructional, the other is accountability. Both apply to us. For we must always be ready to receive instruction from our Lord and we must take responsibility for our actions towards our Lord. 

But this word 'serve' has many definitions in the Word. In Genesis alone it is translated 'cultivate' or 'till'; 'enslaved, enslavement, servitude', depending upon whom the verse is speaking of. 

In both the Old and the New Testament this word 'serve' can also mean 'worship'. When we serve God the way God wants to be served, we are worshiping God with our hearts, our actions, our words. We are blessing God by surrendering ourselves to His service. We no longer submit to our natural desires but we submit ourselves to God's desire, God's will, for us. We truly do "Serve the Lord with gladness".