Living With Passion

Paul wrote Galatians to a group of churches in the area of Galatia to help them understand the freedom they have in Christ. There were false teachers who were coming into these churches telling them they needed something more than Jesus to be right with God. Paul shows clearly through this letter that all we need has been provided to us by the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

As you are finding Galatians 4, I want to talk a little about passion.

‌What is passion?

‌Passion is one of those words that we know when we see it, but it may be a little harder to give a clear definition for it. Back in the old days, when you wanted to know what a word meant, you would go to the dictionary. When you look to the dictionary to find the clear meaning of passion, you find they have a hard time summing it up as well. One of the best definitions that I came across was “an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.”

Passion is the word that has often been used to define the sufferings that Jesus went through from the Last Supper with His disciples to His death on the cross. I can’t think of a better word to describe those events. It was Jesus’ passion for God’s plan of salvation that carried Him through everything He endured. He knew that as difficult as it was, the end result (the only path back to God) was completely worth it.

Passion is not a bad thing necessarily. Passion is a drive the Lord has placed within each human being which draws them to something.

In our world, we see people all around us living out of a passion for something or someone. It doesn’t take long to find out what a person is passionate about. It will come up in almost every conversation you have with them. If you were to see a copy of their bank statements, you would be able to see what they are passionate about. If you were to examine a person’s free time, you would quickly find out what they are passionate about.

Jesus said in the middle of His famous Sermon on the Mount:​ “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21 CSB).

What are you passionate about?

‌If someone were writing your biography, what would they write about is your passion in life? It could be a number of things:

• ‌Your family
• A hobby
• Your job
• Your reputation

As I ask that question, you may be thinking, “I really am not sure as to what I am passionate about.” You may enjoy a lot of things, but you have trouble nailing down one particular thing that you would say you are passionate about.

I would share with you something that I’ve learned over my short years: If you don’t choose a passion for yourself, someone will choose one for you.

The culture that we live in today is filled with people and things that want to grab your passion. Billions of dollars are spent every year trying to grab someone’s devotion to them or their products. We are the ones who ultimately determine what our passions will be. We will either actively choose something to be passionate about, or we will hand that power to someone else.

In Galatians 4, Paul writes to the churches in Galatia about this very thing. He writes about how these false teachers were coming in and trying to move the churches’ passion away from where it should be.

¹⁷ They court you eagerly, but not for good. They want to exclude you from me, so that you would pursue them. ¹⁸ But it is always good to be pursued in a good manner—and not just when I am with you. ¹⁹ My children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you. ²⁰ I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.

Galatians 4:17–20 (CSB)

As Paul writes these words, he speaks about passion. In verses 17-18, he uses the word “pursue.” This word carries the same meaning as passion. In the first century, this word meant “to have a deep concern for or devotion to someone or something.” Do you see how it is tied to the idea of passion?

Paul writes about these false teachers who were coming into their churches and trying to move the people’s passion away from Jesus to other things. These false teachers would not leave Jesus out. They just wanted the people to put other things on the same level as Jesus — primarily the Law of Moses. That doesn’t go over well. Jesus is called the Holy One because there is no one or nothing like Him. He stands apart and above all other things.

As Paul writes to these Galatian churches that he cares about so much, I see two clear things that Paul points out for these Christians (and us, too) to be passionate about.

‌Be passionate about conforming to the image of Christ

‌In verse 19, Paul writes about suffering labor pains for them until Christ is formed in them. Paul is talking about a process that is called sanctification. A person experiences three stages in salvation.

• ‌Justification = When a person trusts in Jesus as Savior and Lord, they are made fully right with God. Their sins are forgiven, and they are brought into the family of God.

• Sanctification = The work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life to conform them to the image of Christ. This process is the changing of desires to align with what God wants and not our sinful flesh. This process takes the rest of our time here on earth.

• Glorification = When Christians take their last breath, they are ushered into the presence of Jesus in heaven. At that point, there is no more struggle with sin, sickness, or anything else that was an effect of the Fall in the Garden of Eden.

When Paul talks about being conformed to the image of Christ, he speaks about the process the Holy Spirit is working in the life of every Christian to make them more like Jesus. Paul writes about this topic on many occasions.

²⁸ We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 8:28–30 (CSB)

² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2 (CSB)

What is the message that God is trying to get to us through His word? Here’s one key point about the Bible: if something is repeated, you should pay special attention to it.

What Paul is saying to the Galatian Christians (and us) is we need to be passionate about seeing more of Christ in us than ourselves.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 (CSB)

With each passing day, we should look less and less like we used to before we trusted Christ and more like Jesus. A Christian is a disciple of Jesus. A disciple’s primary passion should be to look as much like their master as possible.

⁴⁰ A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

Luke 6:40 (CSB)

How to be passionate about conforming to the image of Christ

While it would be awesome to have a little checklist that we could mark off and be assured that we would be conformed to the image of Christ, the only checklist that we have been given is not so easy nor does it look exactly the same for all people.

²³ Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 9:23 (CSB)

Being conformed to the image of Christ is about denying what our sinful selves want to do and doing what the Lord wants us to do. Any person who is doing this will tell you that it is not easy work. It takes complete dependence on the Holy Spirit who lives within us now for this to happen.

We learn what the Lord wants us to do by studying His Word, through prayer, and through obeying what He says.

Through the study of the Bible (both privately in devotions and together in the gathering with others), the Lord reveals His heart and plans to us. Nothing the Lord wants to do will ever contradict His Word.

Through the communication of prayer, we speak to God and hear from Him. Prayer is not a time for us to bring our wishlist to God and dump it on Him. It is the sweet time of fellowship where we get to spend time with the living God of the universe.

Through obedience, the Lord teaches and molds us into the image of Christ. There will be times when the full answer of what God wants to do in and through your life will come on the other side of obedience — just ask Abraham.

Paul desired for the Galatian Christians to be passionate about conforming to the image of Christ. I would ask this question of you and myself: is conforming to the image of Christ a passion in our lives, or is it just a side project? Can it be said of us that we long above all other things to be more like Christ, or do others see it as nothing more than a hobby in our lives that has no real impact?

If we do have a passion to be more Christlike, it will awaken within us another passion as well, and Paul shares this also in verse 19.

‌Be passionate about others knowing Christ

In verse 19, Paul talks about suffering for the Galatians to know Christ. He used the imagery of a woman going through labor pains. I’ve been told that may be the greatest pain a person can go through in this life. While I’ve never done it, I have seen it firsthand, and I don’t desire to experience that.

If we are becoming more like Christ, we will see a growing passion arise in our lives for others to come to know Him as well. Many people have used the saying before, “Evangelism is one beggar showing another beggar where the bread is.” This is true. The more our passion grows to be like our Savior, the more a passion for others to experience Him grows in our hearts.

One way that you can know that you are conforming to the image of Christ is by the passion you have to see others come to know Jesus. Does people’s state before a holy God bother you? You may feel bad or troubled by it, but that is not passion.

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”

Charles Spurgeon

Can that be said of us? Is there a burning passion within our hearts to see others come to know Jesus as He truly is? When was the last time that you prayed for someone to come to faith in Christ? When was the last time you took the time to share with someone the good news of Jesus? We may be tempted to offer excuses such as “I didn’t have time…” or “I didn’t want to come across as pushy.” What our silence communicates oftentimes is that we do not think it is that important.

‌Conclusion

Human beings are God’s greatest creations. There is no other creation that God has loved so much. It was for us that He gave His one and only Son as the atoning sacrifice so that we could be brought back to Him. Within each of us, God has placed a passion. We get to choose what that passion will be directed to. As I said before, if we do not do it, someone else will do it for us.

Today, my prayer is that each one of us would crave a passion to be more like Jesus. That starts by placing our faith and trust in Him. If you haven’t done that, I would encourage you to do that today. There is no other way for your sins to be forgiven and receive the abundant life He has for you. After that is done, we spend time with Him through Bible study, prayer, and obeying what He tells us to do. As we do that, we will begin to see a passion for His will in our lives above all else. Part of God’s will for every Christian is to share with others how they can experience this wonderful gift that you have.

May God give us one pure and holy passion for Him.

Read More

Free As the Children of God

I invite you to join me in the New Testament letter of Galatians as we continue our study through this letter. We will look at the last couple of verses in chapter 3 and go a little into chapter 4 today. 

As you find Galatians 3 in your copy of God’s word, I want to talk for a moment about a topic that is near and dear to some of your hearts: adoption. 

Adoption

Adoption is one of the most beautiful and challenging things a family can do on this earth. Some of you here today have walked the road of adoption before. You may have been adopted yourself, or your family may have adopted a child. I want to start by saying, “Thank you!” Thank you for opening your heart and homes to children in need. 

If you’ve walked the road of adoption, you know it is not an easy road. It costs a great deal in time, money, and tears (both good and bad). I have enjoyed hearing some of the stories of people who have walked through adoption, and while each story is unique, there has always been a common theme: it was worth it!

Adoption is a topic that is on the minds of many people today. I know that it comes across the conversations in our home every so often. It is something we have prayed about and are very open to. We are just waiting for the green light from the Lord on it. Some of you may even be praying about it yourselves. I would encourage you to do just that: pray and open your heart to the possibility of adoption. 

Why is adoption a topic that seems to be on so many hearts? 

Some may say that there is just no reason that a child should grow up without a loving family environment. I agree with that statement, but I think something even deeper is at play. Adoption has its roots in the heart of God. This is something that the apostle Paul addresses in the text we are looking at today.

²⁴ The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. ²⁵ But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. ²⁸ There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. ¹ Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner of everything. ² Instead, he is under guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. ³ In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world. ⁴ When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.

Galatians 3:24 – 4:7

In the first three chapters of Galatians, Paul talks a great deal about justification. Justification is a legal term that means, in the context of Galatians, a gracious act of God by which He declares a sinner righteous solely through faith in Jesus Christ. Martin Luther stated that the doctrine of justification by faith was the doctrine upon which the church stands or falls. John Calvin said, “It is the hinge around which everything turns.” 

Justification by faith is definitely an important doctrine of the Christian faith. This is one reason why Paul has highlighted this doctrine up to this point. At the end of chapter 3, Paul shifts the focus to a doctrine that might be even sweeter than justification.

The Doctrine of Adoption

I do not want to downplay the importance of justification by faith because it is the only means that we can stand before a holy God. The justification one experiences when one trusts in Jesus’ finished work on the cross is the fundamental and primary blessing of the gospel because it meets our greatest need. 

J.I. Packer, in his book Knowing God, shares that the doctrine of justification makes us right before God the judge, but in the doctrine of adoption, we are loved by God the Father. Justification is a legal term that means “not guilty.” As Packer illustrates in Knowing God, we stand before a judge who makes a pronouncement. But in adoption, the judge not only declares you “not guilty,” but He also gets up off the bench, comes down to where you are, takes your chains off of you, and says, “Come home with Me as My son.” 

Packer answers, “What is a Christian?” by saying, “The richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God as Father.” This is something that Paul wanted to remind the Galatians about. When they trusted in Jesus, not only were their sins forgiven, but they were adopted into the family of God. 

Do we realize that the gracious gift God extends to us through the cross and empty tomb is not just the forgiveness of sins but a complete change of who we are?

‌Why sons?

In verse 26, Paul says that we all become sons of God. He was not only talking to the males in the Galatian churches; He was also talking to the females. This is not a chauvinistic statement. Instead, it points to specific customs present in the first century.

Most of the known cultures of that day believed that sons were the heirs in the family. Daughters were not typically recognized as those who inherited anything from the family. Paul says that whether male or female, you become an heir to the whole inheritance as a child of God.

Paul’s insertion of this crucial doctrine of the Christian faith is a key point he makes to the Galatians. They were tempted to add things to the gospel. They were told you had to work to become part of the family. That doesn’t happen. A child does no work to become part of the family. The work is done by a parent or guardian to bring the child into the family.

I’m afraid many of us are also tempted to earn and keep our spot in the family. We are told by different sources that you have to do this or that, or you can’t do this or that and be part of the family.

God sent His one and only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins and bring those who trust Him into His family as adopted children. Because of that fact, God is the one who determines whether a person is a child or not. It’s not determined by a list of do’s and don’ts.

What should be our response?

‌David Platt shares this truth about the adoption of two of his children. He says, “Their status is based on what a judge in their country declared years ago, but their life is based on our relationship every day as we play cars and read books and run around the yard and go to Moe’s for dinner and sing songs on the way home.”

If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, then know that you were declared righteous through faith in Christ at that moment. But know this just as much you were given a new life in Him — a living relationship with the God you were separated from. You can talk with Him and hang out with Him at any moment. He is constantly pouring His love, affection, and strength upon you as a loving parent does for their child.

‌Baptism

Baptism has been an important part of the Christian life since the beginning of the church. While the waters of baptism do not wash away the sin of our lives — Jesus’ blood does that — it has been the sign of identification that you belong to God for the world to see. Paul talks about this in Galatians 3:27.

²⁷ For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.

Galatians 3:27 (CSB)

This is the picture of identifying that you are no longer the person you used to be. You have been made a new creation in Jesus. From the beginning of the church in the first century, baptism has been the public profession of a person’s faith in Christ.

Have you made that profession of faith? Have you let the world know that you have placed your faith in Jesus and are no longer your own but are now following Him as your Lord? If not, we would love to talk with you about doing that. It should be the first act of obedience to the One who saved you and brought you into His family.‌

A Life of Worship

In Galatians 4:6-7, Paul says…

⁶ And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.

​Galatians 4:6–7(CSB)

God places His Holy Spirit within the heart of every person who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives within us to guide and convict us of sin, but as Paul shares here — to enable us to call out to God as “Abba.”

If you didn’t know, “Abba” is the Aramaic form of “Daddy.” We don’t come before God as “the big guy upstairs” or some distant cosmic being. We come to Him as our heavenly Daddy, and we are His child.

When you are pushed into thinking that you have to earn your way into God’s good graces, you lose sight of the reality that because you trusted in Him, you already are there. You get to call out to Him as “Daddy.”

When was the last time you recognized God as “Daddy”? When we realize we have this new relationship with God, we can begin to live our lives not as a means to earn a position but as a thanksgiving offering to God for what He has given us.

‌Conclusion

‌Paul was greatly concerned that the Galatian believers were being led astray from the truth of the gospel. They were forgetting who they were in Christ and the wonderful gifts that God had granted to them. They did not need to try to earn God’s favor; they already had it!

I wonder how many of us today fall into that same trap. We are told that we are not what we should be. While it is true that each of us is a work in progress, we are not outsiders trying to work our way in.

Jesus has brought each person who has placed their faith in Him into the family of God. We are heirs of the promise, and nothing can ever take that away. Because of that great promise, let us live each day not to earn God’s favor but to realize it already rests on those who are His!

Read More

Do Not Commit Adultery

As we continue our series looking at the Ten Commandments, it is interesting to notice that nowhere in the Ten Commandments does God give a commandment about worshipping Him in a particular building. The reason for this is that God intended to be worshipped by His people in the temple that He constructed: our bodies. There is nothing inherently wrong with a building, but Jesus didn’t lay down His life for buildings.

Do not commit adultery.

Exodus 20:14 (CSB)

The topic of infidelity in marriage is a sensitive subject, but it is sadly too present in our society. One study showed that over 90% of Americans consider infidelity immoral. That same study also showed that 30%-40% of Americans cheated on their partners. This travesty is not something that is linked to just one generation either. It was reported that of those polled, the same number of 18-29-year-olds were unfaithful to their partner as were those over the age of 65.^[1] https://comparecamp.com/cheating-statistics/

While God was looking to preserve and show the blessing of marriage in the 7th Commandment, He was also concerned in making sure that we had a temple that was prepared and ready to worship Him at any given moment.

What the Bible says about our body

When we look through the pages of the Bible, we will recognize some interesting words shared about our bodies.

Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (CSB)

When we were created, God had in mind for each one of us to be a temple in which He would dwell and we could worship Him from. Though sin has defiled our temples, God has offered us His grace through Jesus Christ. Anyone who hears the gospel and responds to it can have their sin forgiven and be made a new creation.

But to all who did receive [Jesus], he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name

John 1:12 (CSB)

Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and that is what you are.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (CSB)

This means that our bodies are the place that we meet and worship God. We must keep this temple that God has given to us for worship clean.

God takes our bodies very seriously. We should also take our bodies seriously. We would like to think that we can do whatever we want, whenever we want. The truth is, if we have given our lives to Christ, then it belongs to Him and He gets to call the shots.

How does marriage play into this?

The marriage relationship is a very special one that God has given to mankind. This relationship was given to us for several reasons.

Partnership

When God created man, He recognized that it was not good for him to be alone.

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”

Genesis 2:18 (CSB)

The marriage relationship is one like none other. Both husband and wife play an important role in the life of each other: one that completes the equation. It is no wonder the Bible tells us, “A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD”(Proverbs 18:22).

Intimacy

This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.

Genesis 2:24 (CSB)

This is talking about the intimacy that is between a husband and wife. It is not just physical but involves the whole person. It has to do with the emotional and spiritual aspects of the couple’s lives as well.

Safe place for children

The family is the first institution that God created. The family illustrates our relationship with God like no other. God wanted to create a safe environment where generations could be raised knowing His truth and following Him.

The Damage of Adultery

Sadly, God had to include in His list of commandments a warning against adultery that seeks to destroy what He is trying to do. Adultery is an ugly and harmful thing. It is like a vicious tornado leaving destruction in its wake. The problem with adultery is that those who partake do not realize all that it will affect.

The relationship with one’s spouse is based on one’s relationship with God

Since marriage is an institution created by God, it should not be a surprise that when the marriage relationship is hurt so is our relationship with God. We are to worship God with our whole being. When adultery takes place, there is a tear in the relationship, and you are not able to worship God with all that you are.

Your character is tarnished

Traditional marriage vows between a husband and wife contain a promise to be true to one another as long as you both shall live. When that promise is broken, the character of the person is tarnished. Trust in that person is broken, and trust is one thing that takes an extremely long time to build and an even longer time to regain.

The safe haven for children is fractured

Children are delicate creations. They require not just physical nourishment, but spiritual and emotional nourishment as well. When adultery takes place and the division happens between husband and wife, the safe haven that God intends for children is fractured, and they are left to look for that needed nourishment elsewhere.

Jesus’ Commentary

You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go to hell.

Matthew 5:27-30 (CSB)

Jesus shows us that adultery is a matter that begins in our hearts. We may think that there’s nothing wrong with glances and all as long as we do not act, but the truth is that what we allow to fill our hearts will be what directs our actions.

Jesus also uses the tool of hyperbole in stating that we should gouge out our eyes or cut off our hands if they lead us to sin. It is not that Jesus wants us to harm ourselves but to recognize the severity of sin. What a waste it would be to go through life with our bodies intact but then spend eternity in hell because we allowed our hearts to belong to someone other than our Savior.

Conclusion

The 7th Commandment is not just about keeping marriages together (though that is important); it deals with keeping the sanctuary as it should be. It is about being faithful to one’s spouse, children, and most importantly God.

When God told the Israelites in the Old Testament how to consecrate the Tabernacle and the Temple, He showed them that it must be set apart for Him. This was done by applying the blood of a sacrifice to it.

For our lives, we may recognize that our temples are not as they should be. It might be that we have allowed sin to enter in and defile our temple. We need to allow the Lamb of God, Jesus, to apply His cleansing blood to our lives. This blood can bring healing to the deepest wounds.

References[+]

References

↑1	https://comparecamp.com/cheating-statistics/

Read More

The Barometer of Worship

The topic of worship has been a hot-button issue for some time now.  There have been many thoughts as to what is proper in worship through the years.

There are several reasons for opposing it.  One, it’s too new.  Two, it’s often worldly, even blasphemous.  The new Christian music is not as pleasant as the more established style.  Because there are so many songs, you can’t learn them all.  It puts too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than Godly lyrics.  This new music creates disturbances making people act indecently and disorderly.  The preceding generation got along without it.  It’s a money-making scene and some of these new music upstarts are lewd and loose.

The quote above was from a pastor to a local newspaper in 1723.  It was attacking Isaac Watts, the writer of some of the Christian faith’s greatest hymns.  Sound familiar?

The problem far too many times is that the focus of much worship is on what is pleasing to us rather than what is pleasing to God. We all may have different preferences (that’s not a bad thing or a sin), but when it comes to worship, it is really not for us.  As Big Daddy Weave reminds us, we are singing to an “Audience of One.”

What does God require from our worship?

In Amos 5, we see an instance when God addresses the worship that was being done by His people.  It is not a pretty scene.

I hate, I despise, your feasts!  I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.  Even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them;  I will have no regard for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.  Take away from me the noise of your songs!  I will not listen to the music of your harps.  (Amos 5:21-23 CSB)

We can see clearly from these verses that God was not pleased with the worship that was going on from His people.  Is it because they were doing the wrong things?  Were they singing the wrong songs?  Were the wrong instruments being used?

No.  Each of the things that were mentioned in these verses had been called for by God in the Old Testament book of Leviticus.

In Amos 5:21, God said that He hated and despised their feasts.  Because Israel had refused to hate what was evil in their everyday lives, God hated their religious feasts.  God also shows that He is sickened by their solemn assemblies.  These were moments when God’s people gathered before Him in a sweet time of worship and devotion to God. The Bible stated on many occasions that these times would rise to God like a “pleasing aroma”. Because of their hypocrisy, these moments were actually producing a stench to God.

In Amos 5:22, we see that God ignored their fellowship offerings.  These were offerings that signified peace between two parties. When it is ignore, it shows that there was not peace between the people and God.

If you look at these verses carefully, you will notice something important. As God refers to each of these worship activities, He uses a particular pronoun – “you” or “your.” He never says anything about “My”. This is a revelation that what was taking place was not what God had prescribed. It was simply motions that the people wanted to do. This is one big reason that God was not pleased with it and would not accept it.

The Issue Then and Now

Could it be that God is still not pleased with nor accepting the worship of His people at times?  I believe that the answer to that question lies in what is behind our worship.

The truth is that a person can go through the motions of worship and still completely miss God.

• Religion = do certain things to earn from or appease God.
• Relationship = do certain things because you love God and are loved by Him.

How people worship has always been a clear indication of how they view God. If people see God as an angry tyrant, then they will seek to appease Him somehow. If they see God as a gracious Father, then they will come before Him in adoration longing to express their love to Him.

What is the Purpose Behind Worship?

One problem that we see from these verses in Amos is that the Israelites were going through the religious motions during worship, but it was not affecting their lives outside of these moments.

What was missing in their worship was authenticity manifested in a lifestyle of obedience.

If we are not careful, we can see the same thing in our experiences. We can check off our “religious to-do lists”, but if it does not cause us to live a different way than those who do not follow Christ during the rest of the week, then we will find our worship unacceptable to God.

Worship is not supposed to be something that we just experience for a few minutes once or twice a week. It is something that comes from a work already done, and it causes us to do more.

Our worship of the One, true God is an important part of our lives. It is something that God uses to mold us, instruct us, and give us encouragement for whatever may be ahead.

If our worship of God does not bring about a change in our lives, we must ask ourselves a couple of key questions.

• Who is my worship really aimed at?

• Is God accepting my worship.

The worship that God accepts from His people is the kind that is backed up by a lifestyle of obedience to His commands.

May the worship we bring before God today and each following day be acceptable and pleasing in His sight.

Read More

Spy Wednesday 2017

As we come closer and closer to the celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, we find ourselves on a very interesting day in history.  This day of “Holy Week” has been called various things throughout the centuries.  The one name that has always struck me as unique is “Spy Wednesday.”

When I think of spies, I think of James Bond and others like him.  Those who go undercover to find out some information.  This seems a little strange to think that there might have been some 007 action going on around Jesus, but we see from the Bible that is exactly what happened.

Then one of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you? ” So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him. 16 And from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14-16 CSB)

What would cause one of the men who had traveled with Jesus for so long turn on Him?  Judas Iscariot saw Jesus do the same miracles that the other disciples saw.  He saw the healings… the dead brought back to life… the blind receive sight… the lame walk… Yet, he still was willing to sell Jesus out.  Why?

The answer to that question is found in the verses preceding those mentioned earlier.  In Matthew 26:6-13, one will see where a woman comes and anoints Jesus.  She was preparing Him for what was to come in just a few short days.  This woman’s worship was misunderstood by many around her.  They thought it was a waste.  The perfume could have been sold and the money used to help those in need.  It sounds good, but it was not what God wanted with that offering.

How quick are we to just rush into what sounds right?  Do we take the time to ask God what His desires are with our gifts?  We may just find out that His desires are not ours.  We may find out that what God wants doesn’t make the best sense at the time.

Judas Iscariot had been the disciple that was in charge of overseeing the finances for the team (John 13:29).  When one reads of this anointing account from John’s gospel, it is revealed that not only did Judas oversee the finances, but he frequently helped himself to some of the goods (John 12:4-6).  By this we see that one thing that led to Judas’ betrayal was the fact that Jesus had affected his pocketbook.

What areas in your life are there that if Jesus were to mess with would give you problems?

The Bible tells us that the saying of the Christian’s heart is “Jesus is Lord!” This means that He has complete control of everything… even the areas that we really don’t want Him messing with. Let us examine our lives today and make sure that there are no corners of our lives that we have said “no trespassing” to Jesus with.

As we bring every area of our lives under the Lordship of Jesus, we begin to see all the little moments like a “waste of perfume” as the beautiful moments God intends them to be.

Read More

Holy Monday 2017

Today is what has been commonly called the “Holy Monday” of the passion week.  It refers to the Monday that follows Palm Sunday where Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the final time before going to the cross.

One of the biggest events that took place on that Monday was a visit that Jesus made to the Temple that day.  Here is what happened:

Jesus went into the temple and threw out all those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves! ” (Matthew 21:12-13 CSB)

Not your typical visit to church, eh?  Jesus didn’t go into the Temple for the ordinary worship.  He was on a mission.  Sadly, the worship of that day had become somewhat of a show.  There were those who were buying and selling materials that were used in the worship services, but these people many times took advantage of the worshippers by inflating prices and such.Jesus was not pleased with what was going on in the house of worship.  It was to be a place that was for people to come and draw nearer to God not be taken advantage of.

I often wonder if Jesus were to come into the doors of our churches today, would there be some “overturning of things”?  Would Jesus find what He intended to be there?  I certainly hope so.  I also hope that if He didn’t like what He would see that He would do the necessary “rearranging” that was needed.

As we draw nearer to the celebration of the resurrection, let us do an inventory of what is present not only in our churches but our own lives.  It may be time for some spring cleaning to take place.

 

Read More

2015 Dominican Republic Trip Day 2

Today was the first real day of work on this trip to the Dominican Republic.  We began our teaching and discussion times as we covered a couple of topics.  The first pastor introduced the idea of how we are to study the Bible by offering some really good tools for study.  The people seemed to get most of it.  The second pastor began sharing about the Sermon on the Mount.  There is no way that we could cover Matthew 5-7 on this trip, so this pastor is taking a key passage from each chapter and doing a study through it.  Both of these men did a fantastic job (as did the translators).

I had the privilege of teaching on what the Gospel truly is and what role does baptism play.  Any time you want to talk about the Gospel, you can just bank on some things coming up.  There will be things that try to take the focus off and confusion to set in.  I am grateful that the Holy Spirit filtered a lot of the junk out so that we could clearly see what was important: the Gospel.  We had a really good discussion about whether baptism was necessary and when it should happen.

I believe that the highlight of the day (besides being able to FaceTime with my wife and boys) was the worship experience that we had at the beginning of the conference time.  Two guys who are helping out with HMM led in worship (see picture below).  They did a fantastic job.  God has given these young men talents beyond measure and a heart for worship.

One moment felt like the curtain was pulled back and we were actually worshipping at the feet of the King.  We were singing the song "I Surrender All".  In the room, we had Dominican Republic folks who speak Spanish... we had Haitians who speak a Creole type language... we had 4 Americans who spoke English... For a moment, you had all three groups singing the same song in their native tongue at the same time.  On the surface, you would think chaos... what took place was a thing of beauty.

Oh, what a day that will be when people from every tribe and nation come to the feet of Jesus and sing His praise together...

Read More

Tunes for Thursday 01.16.14

This song has been on my mind the past couple of days.  Hope that the Holy Spirit uses it today to encourage your heart today.

Read More

Song Stuck In My Head

For some reason, I have had this song playing over and over in my mind today.  Maybe someone else is supposed to hear the message contained within, so here you go...

Read More

Free Chris Sligh Download

I just got my copy of this former American Idol's new worship album. The great thing is that you can have a copy of it too! Just click the link below and get your free download.

Chris Sligh Download.

Enjoy!

Read More

Reflections from Worship Today

I thought I'd share a little of what God spoke to me about during the worship service that we were a part of this morning at Hillcrest Baptist Church. We have been going thru a series which is the vision the church feels is what God wants them to do this year. It hinges on four words: love, lead, liberate, and launch.

In today's message, the pastor made a statement that has been rolling in my head since it was made. He said,

"If you're not willing to spend the time in the prayer closet, don't expect to see God do the miracles through you."

This statement was in response to Mark 9:14-29. A concerned father had brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus' disciples for healing. They weren't able to cast the demon out and didn't know why. Jesus said that these kind come out only by prayer and fasting.



There are many who want to see and experience the great things of God. There are few that are willing to do what it takes to experience the great movements of God: intense time in the prayer closet.

Be encouraged as I was this morning. God is inviting us to join Him in great things, but it starts in the prayer closet.

Read More

The Charismatic Experience

This past Sunday morning, I attended a worship service at a local charismatic church in the area where we are currently living. From previous experiences, I knew a little of what to expect. Here are some of my experiences at this particular church.

A warm, welcoming environment.
From the moment that I pulled into the parking lot, I was welcomed with open arms. There was a gentleman at the entrance that was friendly and helpful in finding a place. I was warmly greeted at the door by a few people who helped me find my way around. This was something that made the experience start off very well.

Vibrant worship through songs.
This was a part of the experience that I assumed would be there. There was a praise band that led in songs with high energy. There was clapping, jumping, and hands lifted high. There seemed to be a joy and excitement present that was amazing. Contrary to what many may think, there was no "jumping of pews and speaking in weird languages." The scene was very similar to what might be seen in any typical youth worship service.

Creativity.
From the stage decorations to the videos shown to the presentation of the sermon, creativity was at every corner. A great deal of time, effort, and money had been put into creating an environment that pushed the message of the day. I thought this was well done and that mission was accomplished.

Conflicting message in the sermon.
I know that this "denomination" has been labelled as one that is weak in theology, especially in sermons. As stated in my previous post, it is impossible to lump all charismatic churches into one fold by this experience. But this particular time, from the onset of the sermon, they walked a very fine line theologically. During the sermon, the pastor was talking about renewing our minds through the Word. He made it a point to say that it was not just "positive thinking", but many times, he made it out to be just that. Also I felt that while the service was warm, it put limiting qualities on God and made it more about "us."

This experience, for the most part, was a good one. It did remind me that there needs to be an intentional focus on the Word of God and to make sure that it is presented correctly and clearly. It's not enough to have neat sets and warm environments. If the truth of God's Word isn't clearly presented and celebrated, then we've missed the boat.

Read More

The Catholic Experience

This past Saturday was my first experience with a Roman Catholic mass. It was a different experience, but it was an insightful experience. I want to preface this post by saying that I realize that it is almost impossible to lump all congregations of a certain denomination into one little mold from one experience at one place. If it could be done, the Roman Catholic church would probably be the one that could because of the strict liturgy, but that's another thought for another time.

Here are some of my observations from my first mass...

Prayer plays a big part.
One of the first things I thought about as I left the service was the amount of time spent in prayer. Of the hour-long service, I would say that half of it was spent in prayer either corporately or individually. This made me ask why don't we as Protestants spend more time on prayer in our services?

The stoic mood was strangely refreshing.
At first, it was strange not seeing screens with words to songs or showing points to the sermon. As it went along, I found myself drawn not to the theatrics but simply meditation on the Word and spending time in prayer to God.

Though I disagreed with some points, I was introduced to some brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sadly, the Church has a reputation of hating each other if you're not in the same denomination. Where did we come to think that just because we don't agree 100% then we aren't family? I know that my earthly family does not see eye to eye on everything, but we're still family. I know that there are still some issues that I will not agree on with my Catholic brothers and sisters, but just because they attend a mass instead of a Baptist church does not mean that we aren't family.

I walked away from this experience with a greater appreciation for prayer, my brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic church, and the work of the Holy Spirit in our world today. I would encourage every follower of Jesus Christ to not get stuck in a rut but to see how our awesome God is moving in the lives of His children throughout the world... even if they see things a little different than we do.

Read More

A Different View

This week I plan to blog a little about my experiences with a recent assignment that I had in my Worship Leadership class for seminary. We were told to go and visit three worship experiences. There were only a few stipulations:

Each experience has to be a different denomination than you are a part of.

There has to be one that is more aesthetic in nature. This means that it is more liturgical and dealing more with reverence and awe.

There has to be one that is more kinesthetic or moving in nature.

I must say that I was looking forward to this assignment because I enjoy seeing people and how they worship the Lord. I will be sharing about my experiences with a Roman Catholic church, charismatic church, an a Wesleyan church.

Stay tuned...

Read More

Great Video About What Worship Is Not

I came across this video from FBC Orlando, FL.  Sadly, this may look all too familiar in some "churches".

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJp98hoqy5I?rel=0]

Read More

Nice Intro

I came across this little video on YouTube and was like... "Wow!" Steve Harvey, a comedian who has been known for not necessarily being the cleanest out there, does an intro for Jesus Christ. What I saw was amazing. Take a look and I'll say something on the other side.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pB-BHW8Rhw&w=480&h=390]

What would our churches, communities, families look like if we as the church would give Jesus that kind of honor? I hear that Steve Harvey is touring or will be with Kirk Franklin. That would be a show. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Steve Harvey is a "Christian" comedian. But does it take someone who has the reputation of a foul mouth to give Jesus the intro/praise He deserves?

How do you intro Jesus to others around you on a daily basis?

Read More

When Youth Grow Up

There are times that come that let you know that you're getting older. Sunday night was one of those times for me. I had contacted a student that was in a former student ministry of mine. She is a freshman at a local university. I had lunch with her and invited her to come to my current student ministry and share about what God was doing in her life. I knew that this young lady was strong in her faith and greatly looked forward to this night.

As Michala began the night leading in worship, I was floored by what I was witnessing. The young teen that I knew from long ago was all grown up. I knew that she was learning guitar when I was her youth pastor but never had the opportunity to hear her play. She was amazing! I had no idea. I found myself sitting there thinking, "where was this when I was her youth pastor?" If that wasn't enough, Michala broke out the Bible and brought a great study on grace and how we are to express the love God had shown us to those around us.

The night closed out as Michala picked up her guitar and led in some great worship. I sat there just in awe. There's many times as a youth pastor when I wonder if I made an impact on students in former ministries. Sadly, I don't get to keep up with every student from previous ministries. When I do get to see how they are doing, it is so humbling and encouraging to see when they are being used by God in a great way and they let you know that you did make an impact.

If you would like to see what God is doing through this amazing young lady, check out her radio show at Ablaze every Thursday this spring semester from 3:30-5pm CST.

Read More

Great Resource for Worship Needs

Last night in our student ministry, we did not have anyone available to lead worship for our student worship service.  This is not a good situation to be in.  I was glad that a friend of mine let me know about a great resource for just such situations.  It is LifeChurch.tv's open resources.  I have been amazed at the heart of LifeChurch.tv.  They truly want to help out fellow believers around the world.  They have created many great tools that are free for churches who might not be able to get those resources if they were charged the normal value.  This open resource page of LifeChurch.tv has so many tools that you can use: messages (for kids, youth, and adults), small group studies, worship sets, and more.

As I was saying, last night we had no one to lead our group in musical worship.  We actually used one of the worship sets (which you can download as a .mov or .wmv file) and just played it on the screen.  It was like a live simulcast of a worship service.  The leaders made it seem as if our group was right there in the room with them.  Not to mention that the talent of these worship leaders is off the charts.

Next time you get in a bind and need a little help, check out LifeChurch.tv's open resources that are available to churches around the globe... for free!

Read More

The Crossroads Recap

We started a new series about the purposes of the church with our student ministry.  It was a series that I had gotten from Simply Youth Ministry a while back called "Welcome to the Planet - What on Earth Am I Here For?" This has been a great series in showing students the reasons that God has created us and what He has in store for us.

Message: "Planned for God's Pleasure".  We talked about worship - what it is, how to know what you worship, etc.

Music: "Our Love is Loud" by David Crowder* Band; "Made to Worship" by Chris Tomlin; "Hosanna" by Brooke Fraser.

Good Points: The whole night fit together well with everything pointing to worship.  The music and message blending into one very well.  Our college worship leader was back to get the year started and had recruited a couple to help make a small praise band.

Weak Points: Many students were out.  Didn't have time to get the PowerPoint game together and going for the night.  That was okay though because we were out of time with the music and message.  It will be good when our time change takes place and we don't have to worry about time constraints.

Read More

The Crossroads Review

This past Wednesday, we started getting back into the groove of the school year starting.  Two of our school systems that our church reaches had begun classes.  One is still waiting for that first bell to ring.  There was still a good atmosphere among the group.

Music: "There's No Greater Love"; "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus"; "The Potter's Hand"

Message: "The Crossroads"  Deuteronomy 30:11-20.  With the beginning of a new year in the student ministry, we went back to where we got our student ministry name and our theme verse.  We also talked about the power of choices.

Thumbs Up: I was proud to hear that a few of our students had worn their new student ministry t-shirts with the new logo to school already.

Thumbs Down:  The sound system went crazy on us with the wireless mic making all kinds of crazy noises.  Therefore, there was no podcast of that message (and I thought it was a good one, too.)

Read More