Colossians 3:8-10 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
A cellphone goes off in the auditorium, a baby cries in the back. Someone's clothing "flashes" like a New York neon sign. Why can't these people have things under control like me. Don't they realize how they distract me from worshiping God?
The first truth about this is no one can disturb us from worshiping God. The Apostle Paul say to the Romans that nothing not even supernatural nonhuman influences can separate us from the love of God. God has allowed us miraculous access to His very Throne for personal time and no one has the power to influence that unless we allow it.
The second truth is consistent faithful worship is hard, very hard. If it were easy everybody would be doing it. Jesus told us that we are to worship God in spirit and truth in a continuous and growing action. But it just seems like the environment we are in is bent on messing with it. Too hot, too cold, too sleepy, too restless, too noisy, too quiet, it never seems to end. Which leads us to...
the third truth is God has provided the put off put on principle to solve this endeavor. Along with the privilege of glorifying God, He gives us prescription the most effective worship. When get distracted by our own sinful natures but through Jesus we can put off anger, jealous etc.. just as if it were a sportscoat to put on a royal robe of pure white.
The next time a pet peeve happens at church what will be your response? Anger, wrath, or love, and compassion.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Worship vs. Practice
1Corinthians 14:19-20 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
We like to believe are believe and practice the best way possible to worship God. Particularly in our public church services. The best illustration of this is what we believe to be unchangeable in our methods. The songs have to be performed with piano accompaniment, or we must be dress in our "Sunday Best"(which can only mean a suit and tie for men, and a dress or skirt for women).
I was listening to an older preacher on Thanksgiving. I admired his bible knowledge and his lifetime service to the work of God in foreign missions. However, I could not help but notice is desire to reach back to a more innocent time in his career. Back then spirituality was measured by large and long revival campaigns and crusades. He pine for the good old days where people came to meetings, souls getting saved was the be all end all. He thought that revival meant society returning to those methods as being the only way to true worship.
As much as I would love to see that also, I have to admit that that method does not communicate to our modern society. We can bemoan, cry and complain about how times were better then (which in many ways is true), it does us no good to deny the reality. These are different times, and we are called by God to serve our generation in the most biblical, and effective ways. The following are three impediments to this goal:
1. To give into our desire to stay the same and make people conform to "our" man made standards of conduct. Believe it or not Godly worship can come from more casual clothes and a non-piano or organ. Not everything labeled worldly really is worldly, we need to be more discerning and flexible to change.
2. To give up and just cut ourselves off directly or indirectly from society. There are places and practices that we are to change from in order to grow in Christ, but to just out of an act of frustration or pride cut ourselves off from sinners in unbiblical.
3. To give credence to the belief that because we change from older methods that are no longer effective believe that the old methods were somehow wrong. The King James Version Bible is the Word of God and has a great history and heritage. But the method of language in this version does not communicate well to this society. That does not mean the KJV was a bad version from the beginning, it just means that the unchangeable message of the Word of God needs to be retooled to communicate better to this society. Music and other elements of worship are the same the message of these elements do not change but the methods do by the priority of what best communicates effectively.
We like to believe are believe and practice the best way possible to worship God. Particularly in our public church services. The best illustration of this is what we believe to be unchangeable in our methods. The songs have to be performed with piano accompaniment, or we must be dress in our "Sunday Best"(which can only mean a suit and tie for men, and a dress or skirt for women).
I was listening to an older preacher on Thanksgiving. I admired his bible knowledge and his lifetime service to the work of God in foreign missions. However, I could not help but notice is desire to reach back to a more innocent time in his career. Back then spirituality was measured by large and long revival campaigns and crusades. He pine for the good old days where people came to meetings, souls getting saved was the be all end all. He thought that revival meant society returning to those methods as being the only way to true worship.
As much as I would love to see that also, I have to admit that that method does not communicate to our modern society. We can bemoan, cry and complain about how times were better then (which in many ways is true), it does us no good to deny the reality. These are different times, and we are called by God to serve our generation in the most biblical, and effective ways. The following are three impediments to this goal:
1. To give into our desire to stay the same and make people conform to "our" man made standards of conduct. Believe it or not Godly worship can come from more casual clothes and a non-piano or organ. Not everything labeled worldly really is worldly, we need to be more discerning and flexible to change.
2. To give up and just cut ourselves off directly or indirectly from society. There are places and practices that we are to change from in order to grow in Christ, but to just out of an act of frustration or pride cut ourselves off from sinners in unbiblical.
3. To give credence to the belief that because we change from older methods that are no longer effective believe that the old methods were somehow wrong. The King James Version Bible is the Word of God and has a great history and heritage. But the method of language in this version does not communicate well to this society. That does not mean the KJV was a bad version from the beginning, it just means that the unchangeable message of the Word of God needs to be retooled to communicate better to this society. Music and other elements of worship are the same the message of these elements do not change but the methods do by the priority of what best communicates effectively.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Worship vs. Preference
Romans 14:2-3 One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him.
Why is it that we get distracted from the very thing we say love the most? We all probably have the same goal of wanting to please God. We even have most of the same elements of prayer, bible, singing, and preaching. And yet there are still divisions, distrust, and disappointment in our efforts to unite in real worship towards God.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us to lighten up a little when it comes to the differences in bible versions, song style, and pray content. When the temptation to criticize, look down on, or just plain stew over someone's different preference, remember God is more likely to side with the variety than the dissent.
Why is it that we get distracted from the very thing we say love the most? We all probably have the same goal of wanting to please God. We even have most of the same elements of prayer, bible, singing, and preaching. And yet there are still divisions, distrust, and disappointment in our efforts to unite in real worship towards God.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us to lighten up a little when it comes to the differences in bible versions, song style, and pray content. When the temptation to criticize, look down on, or just plain stew over someone's different preference, remember God is more likely to side with the variety than the dissent.
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