You will worship. You can't not worship. And those who discover the incomparable joy of worshiping the only One we were created and authorised to worship, also discover something else. Those who worship undeserved objects of their devotion can never make this same joyous discovery. While Who is worshiped is the single biggest difference between Christianity and any other 'religion', and what happens to the worshiper is the joyous discovery for the Christ-adorer, it is how this ongoing transformation happens that makes supernatural Christianity utterly unique.Those who are now children of God (as distinct from those Jesus Christ described as "sons of the devil" - John 8:44; also 1John 3:10) are led by the Spirit. And where does the Spirit begin to lead the new child of God? Into God's Word? Into God's House? Into prayer? Into sharing the Gospel? Each of these are true because they point to the first act of transformation that the Spirit of God leads His child into: Worship of the One True God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This first act of the believer's transformation becomes the means by which further necessary transformation occurs. Are you being transformed?For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit."
Romans 8:5
Supernatural Christianity inspires melodic worship. "Melody", as J.S. Bach showed the world, is a reflection of the Ultimate melody and harmony: the Triune God. As we combine our different voices, with different musical instruments to produce melodic and harmonious praise, we are adoring the Sovereign God who created, redeemed, and adopted us. Because we worship the One and True God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, Christianity is a musical/singing expression of worship. And when we worship, we are transformed. Here's how.And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Second Corinthians 3:18
Worship Causes Us To Forget.
It is true that everything the child of God does should be an act of worship. If you get this revelation it will transform the way you wash your dinner dishes! It will transform the way you view your "miserable" job! Worship causes us to forget the drudgery of the mundane as it transforms it into an act of worship. "Father, I wash these pots, these pans, these dishes, these cups, these knives, these forks, these spoons, as an act of my worship to You. I do this for Your glory!" "Lord, I go to this job today even though I don't enjoy it, but I go to give you glory and as an act of my worship to You." Worship transforms us because it causes us to forget our drudgeries.
Yet, there is something very special about setting time aside each Lord's day to come together to worship God in a more intentional fashion. We approach the House of God to worship with all kinds of things swirling through our minds. They weigh on us. Worship transforms us by causing us to forget these distractions.
Worship Causes Us To Remember.
Thankfulness is major ingredient of right worship. Thankfulness requires remembering God's blessings. Wise parents teach their children to worship at their family dinner table by showing them how to remember God's blessings. It's difficult to get down when you are worshiping God by remembering His good blessings. When we recall God's provision, His protection, His guidance, and His peace in times of turmoil, and thank Him, we are being transformed by our worship of Him.
Worship Causes Us To Be Distracted.
You approach corporate worship unable to forget your pressing concerns or even remember God's good provisions - but as you worship, God's greatness is positively distracting! Right worship transforms us because it causes us to be rightly distracted by what really matters: God and His glory. Get distracted this Sunday!
Worship Causes Us To Be Focused.
Worship transforms us by causing us to forget what grips our minds. It causes us to remember God's goodness to us. Worship distracts us from those illegitimate attention seekers. And worship transforms us by bringing our vision back into focus. Eugene Peterson (the translator of the MESSAGE Bible) says that when we assemble to worship Jesus it is like we "calibrate" our focal lens. So much of what the world does to us causes our clear vision of Christ to get out of focus.
When a child of God worships they undergo transformation. What they say is transformed. What they do is transformed. What they think is transformed. Who they are is transformed. Are you being transformed? Have you surrendered to Christ? Have you worshiped Him by laying down your agenda, your dreams, your wants, your life? It's easy to tell the ones who have. These are the ones who are being transformed by their worship of Christ.¶ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe
Hebrews 12:28Andrew
Pastoral reflections on things that matter.
Friday, 1 March 2013
TRANSFORMING WORSHIP
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You talk about homosexuality as if it is a choose... did you just wake up one day and decide that you wanted to have sex with women and not men? NO! You didn't. Using a book to put down a group of people is MORALLY WRONG, not being born. If people like you weren't on god's green Earth the world would be a better place.
ReplyDeleteLuke, I have no idea where in this article you are citing. Secondly, you seem to be trying to establish a straw-man argument by creating an argument I do not make. Thirdly, you are committing a grievous error of logic by seeming to assert that if something feels natural it must be morally acceptable. Fourthly, you have then committed an ad hominem error by being grossly intolerant of another person. Fifthly, you have utterly misrepresented the "Book" (which I presume you are referring to the Bible) which you claim puts down 'a group of people'. The Bible actually reveals that we all share in a common problem and each participate in rebellion and treason against our Creator. This is why Jesus, the most loving man who has ever walked the planet, said in Matthew 15:9 that certain things which we all most naturally love to do, would actually "defile" us (keep us out of right standing with God so that we could not qualify for Heaven). Jesus went on to say that these things deserved the eternal death penalty, but that He was going to die in our place. He now makes available to us each the benefit of His substitutionary death so that we can saved, cleansed from sin, forgiven, and given true peace with God.
ReplyDeleteLuke, judging from your anger, it sounds like you are searching for true peace with and forgiveness from God. You are just one prayer away from finding that peace and lasting joy where Jesus Christ can be your Saviour and Lord.