To What Extent Should You Forgive Someone Else?
Colossians 3:13 (NET) “bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.” As we have been discussing the articles of spiritual clothing that we are to “put on” each day, this article called forgiveness seems […]
What does God want Me to Clothe Myself With?
It is important to note that when the Bible tells us to clothe ourselves with something, it is because we do not already have it on! We are not naturally clothed with humility or kindness, mercy or gentleness, or patience. Instead, we must daily choose to put these characteristics “on” every morning by calling upon the Holy Spirit in recognition of the reality that without Him we will not be walking in these attributes! We must not try to “dress ourselves” with articles of our own choosing (e.g. judgement, rudeness, pride, bitterness, selfishness, etc.), but we must choose to put on the articles God has instructed us to wear.
Are You Putting on the Right Clothes?
As I have stated in previous blog posts (see http://worshipeyes.com/enslaved-to-righteousness/), the idea of Lord is one of Master, or Ruler. If we are the chosen of God and are now under His Lordship, then we must consider how it is that He wants us to operate in this life to bring Him the most glory. In the next few posts I will elaborate upon the truths of Colossians chapter 3. In todays post we will look at the articles of clothing that our Heavenly Father lays out for us each morning to wear. Let’s take a look!
Are You Seeing Your Job as a Means of Enjoying Life?
See, for us who know God as our personal Savior and Provider, we are able to see beyond the cares and concerns of our day and see the bigger picture of what we do and why we do it. We sense the bigger purpose behind our labor. We work as unto the Lord. We work with purity and honesty, along with integrity. We work because we know that we have a strong opportunity to witness to a lost world around us through our efforts in our job. So, we are able to do our best and then leave it there while we trust God to work things out for us. Trusting in God makes all things better. Remember that Proverbs 3:15-16 tells us to rely upon Him and He will make our paths straight. Maybe that is applicable to our job too??
Do You Worry about Provision?
Jesus Christ is the picture of God’s ultimate and complete act of provision! He provided protection and salvation from the wrath of God upon us. We were in need of a deliverer (even if we didn’t realize it), and God supplied his Son to provide the forgiveness, love, and intercession that we all needed. That is the best act of provision that He has ever accomplished in my humble opinion, and I will be forever grateful!
Refusal to Conform!
To the issues listed above (Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, debt, status, politics, abortion, gender identification, marriage, legislation, masks, religion, etc.), we need to look at each of these issues through a Biblical, and eternal perspective in order to approach these issues from a transformed and informed (Biblically) mindset. When we do this, we will find it easier to resist the worldly patterns and stay strongly planted on the Biblical pattern of godliness as we make decisions. Be careful not to be driven by your feelings, always be driven by faith and facts, and it will be very difficult for you to conform yourself to anything that is worldly and ungodly. We are of God’s kingdom and our “agenda’s” in life need to reflect that truth!
How to be Pleasing to God in Our Worship!
Our bodies are reflective of our minds and hearts in worship. We offer up our bodies once we learn what is true of God, and so my question to you is: What is our body saying we believe to be true as we conduct ourself in the exercise of worship? When we sing are we engaged? When our Pastor preaches do we take notes or listen and follow along intently? When there are opportunities to serve, do we get involved? Are we praying? Are we tithing when it’s time to give? Do we understand that what we believe about God is what should compel these acts of sacrificial service? These are the things that we should consider when we look at Romans 12:1.
Is Your Worship Spirited and True? (Part 3)
Just think, right now in Heaven there is a worship service happening. Within that worship service, truth is being proclaimed about who God is and what He has done. Whenever that happens, there is a response that takes place that causes all of those around the throne to fall before Him and throw their crowns saying, “You are worthy..”. This is going to be so awesome to experience in the future, but I am here to say that we can, and should, be experiencing that sort of a worship service right now!! This is a great picture of worshiping in Spirit and Truth!
Is Your Worship Spirited and True? (Part 2)
There is an old term called, “True North”, and it is the internal compass that guides you successfully through life. The old timers used to use the North Star in navigating the ocean because it was stationary and didn’t move with the waves and wind, it kept them on a straight path to their destination. In much the same way, there is a “True North” in our times of worship, and that is the Word of God. The Bible is the “compass” that informs and instructs our worship. In it we find all that God has revealed about His nature, character, and covenant with us. All of the thoughts we think, the songs we sing, the prayers we pray, and the ideals we hold to be true must be rooted in the truths of God’s Word. The most powerful force to unlock freedom is truth (see John 8:31-32) . So, if we want to be free in our worship, then it must be rooted in truth!
Is Your Worship Spirited and True? (Part 1)
In the Old Testament we see that worship was primarily an act of adherence to the prescribed methods and instructions of the law. It was very ritualistic and needed to be carried out with precision or else it was not accepted. The emphasis was not necessarily placed on the inward expression of worship from a changed heart and spirit that was completely submitted to God (although that was God’s intention), but was very much about the external conformity to rituals and traditions. The Jews missed the point! They were focused on the wrong things, and I believe that we can be trapped into the same things today – missing the whole point of worship.