Do you ever leave a worship service and completely forget being there...or at least take nothing away or not be changed in any way? It's taken me a lot of years and lot of Spirit-guiding for me to realize that the quality of my worship depends on my view of the LORD. I particularly love this verse because it reminds me who is great...and it's not me or anything I worship besides Him.
The dictionary definition of worship is "the act of showing respect and love for a god...excessive admiration for someone or something". The Biblical definition says that God alone is the only person or thing worthy of worship. I don't have to give a list of the things the world is in awe of...those are the things they worship. Frankly, those are the things that exhaust us. The Bible says in Deu. 6:5: "Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart...soul...strength". What are the things that are stealing your heart...your soul...your strength"?
Tim Keller says: "Only through worship are we restored to vigor from the exhaustion and burnout of seeking our own glory". It is the Spirit of God that renews and fills...anything else we fill our hearts and minds with depletes. I know that...I am reminded daily that the world is changing, God is not. His word, which also doesn't change, tells us that we will find rest in Him alone.
What is depleting you today? What is restoring you? Lysa TerKeurst says: "Whatever we worship, we obey." Who are you obeying today?
For further study: Deu. 32:3, 1 Chron. 16:25, Psalm 89:1 Psalm 111:10, Matthew 19:17, John 4:24, Hebrews 13:15, 1 Peter 4:10-11, James 5:13
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
August 26, 2016
August 10, 2016
THY WILL BE DONE - Matt. 6:10
I know you see me
I know you hear me, Lord
Your plans are for me
Goodness you have in store
So, thy will be done
THY WILL by Hillary Scott
Nothing gives me more hope than knowing God has a plan for my life and it is a good one. Nothing discourages me more than to think I am in charge of my life. Hillary Scott has it right to say that life is confusing but not hopeless. Broken hearts may come into our lives, but as Louie Giglio says, "In ALL things, God works..." (Rom. 8:28).
Jesus, fully human and fully God, knew God's plans were the right plans. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before He was crucified, He knew that submitting to His Father's will was necessary - oh so hard, but necessary. We were never intended to live our lives without submitting to the One who created us...who knew us before we were born and does know what is best for us. He has spoken to us in His word..what a treasure we have before us to listen to. I love the new "Dare to Listen" campaign...a very necessary step for us to take to begin to communicate to each other about what we are feeling. But there is One who has been beckoning us for ages...One who is worthy of listening to...worthy of honoring and obeying.
Isaiah 55:6 says "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near". I fear He will stop speaking to us if we do not respond in faith to His call upon our lives. Whose will will you do today?
For further study: Psalm 40:8, 143:10; Isaiah 53:10, Jeremiah 10:12, Matt. 26:39, John 7:17-18, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Cor. 8:12, Eph. 5:17, James 4:15.
Be blessed in the understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
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