Do You Belong?

Many believers or nominal believers attend or go to churches and think that is all there is.  God wants you to belong, not just attend, and there is more than a subtle difference!  Members, not just attendees (people committed to the body and having taken the leap of faith publicly).  You must realize first that the church is a family and must have committed members who need and rely on each other as a family who is there for each other.  Actually, our church family should be closer than our physical family, if they don't believe it.  I, myself, never felt that I belonged (though I did feel I belonged to my former church as the church greeter) until I was inducted into my church and went through the initiation process (accepting the authority of the leadership, even giving my personal testimony to the body. (I think of Paul telling Timothy that he gave a good testimony in the presence of  many witnesses).   I was given the "right hand of fellowship" and felt an acceptance that I couldn't express in those words before.

Many people go to a mega-church which is more of a "crowd" than a church--you can be invisible (not what is meant by the "invisible church")  in that kind of church and nobody knows you are there or not  (how can you make an impact like this?) if you don't make some extra effort to make friends, that is. It is more difficult, if not impossible to have the sort of "family orientation" or feelings that should represent the body of Christ.

Many mega-churches are that way because of the reputation of a preacher (ironic since Christ was more interested in quality than quantity)  and the church can be, but isn't always mind you, a personality cult, that will fade away after the preacher passes on.   The church I go is not dependent on the preacher to hold it together--it is the fourth or fifth oldest church in Minnesota and has withstood six church splits and has survived, even as a Baptist church, which has a lot of negative connotations to us Minnesotans--those legalists and backsliders!

You must ask yourself, "Do you just attend?" or "Do you belong?" because there is a difference.  The church is an organism, not an organization and that means it should be alive and interactive, and not just people following the leader or taking orders like in a corporation or military outfit.  The church is not a dictatorship but a union of believers who need each other and work together as a body with Christ as the head, not any one person (Christ is in all believers!).  Try to think of the progression as follows: believe, belong, become!  If you want to become what Christ wants you to be, you must first be a believer, then you must belong.

To sum it up in a sentence:  Only in a family can you have what the church aims to do:  Have accountability, intimacy, unity, common goals, growth, and bonding or fellowship.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Do You Love The World-system?

Note that "God so loved the world [its people]," but I'm talking about the evil world-system dominated and controlled by Satan and what it has to offer in competition with God, not a blessing of His, for all good things come from the Father.

Watchman Nee wrote a famous book Love Not the World, and he was right if you want to be spiritual and walk with Jesus if you do love the world, the love of Father is not in you!  John said, "Love not the world, neither the things of the world," in 1 John 2;15 (this is a command, not advice or a suggestion!).  What is he talking about? The big three:  the pride of life, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of life.   The world, or should I say, Satan, has a lot to offer to compete with what God has to offer.  Mainly, power, prestige, fame, fortune, entertainment, popularity, security, and many other things that a person may get (though not wrong in themselves, but can be misused).  If you love money, you will never have enough and that goes for any idol too, if you love it, you won't have enough.  When you've had too much of the devil's delicacies, you lose your appetite for the things of God!  The mindset on the flesh is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life!  (Cf. Rom. 8:6).

It's all right to watch TV, for example, if one has priorities (and one follows Paul's principles or standards laid down in Phil 4:8: "Whatever is true, noble, right...think on these things..." and doesn't let it rule or dominate his time or energy and become a god or what is really an idol, breaking the first of the Ten Commandments.  "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me!"  If you don't feel in the mood to pray after watching too much TV, perhaps the devil has done his damage and won over your heart, which should belong to God--He wants you, and to be number one in your life--God is a jealous God and will tolerate no rivals.  This doesn't mean other things don't have importance in your life, but that God is of first importance.  That's why Paul says a soldier doesn't get involved in civilian affairs, because of a conflict of interest.  The closer you walk with Jesus, the more perceptive you get to the devil trying to trip you up with what he has to offer and to get your attention--he knows your weaknesses too.

Now, let me make a point, that the more mature you get, the more responsible you are and God requires more of you.  He doesn't expect a child to be as discerning as an adult.  "Just a closer walk with Thee" should be our prayer.  The goal, according to Richard of Chichester, is to "love Christ more dearly, to know Him more clearly, and to walk more nearly!"  The more we feed our soul and spirit, the more sensitive it becomes--the nature that you feed (your carnal or your spiritual one) is the one that will dominate your thinking and behavior--the dog that gets fed the most usually wins the dogfight.

Sin is addicting as well as alienating and it enslaves just as it estranges.  It is like smoking making people dislike you and you being addicted to something you cannot stop--nip it in the bud and you won't be tempted.  It is far easier to resist the initial temptation to sin than all the consequences and results that follow suit when it spirals out of control.  Don't let your habits become gods, but ask God to set you free--"If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).  What do you think Jesus was talking about when he said people would "die in their sin?"

Just don't neglect feeding your spiritual self, because the consequences of neglect are severe and tragic.  Note that "[God] who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" (1 Tim. 6:17) means there are blessings from God and every good gift comes from God (cf. James 1:17).   Every day the battle starts all over and we must die daily and rededicate the day to Him--Live one day at a time, as it is written, "This is the day that the LORD has made, let us be glad and live today" (Ps. 118:24).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Tough Act to Follow?

I know what it is like to have to speak after a great performance or Spirit-led testimony:  The question I ask myself is whether I can equal or even surpass his achievement; then I realize that we are on the same side and that God is in control--we both possess the same Spirit, but different gifts. The key is not to be competitive but be yourself and let them accept you.   Different manifestations of the Spirit for the common good, Paul elaborates in 1 Corinthians.  My pastor says that the body of Christ has many parts that are very diverse and we should celebrate our differences--viva la difference! Welcome diversity because a healthy body has it.  The lesson again is:  BE YOURSELF!  God accepts you, so accept yourself and have faith that others will too!

The eye cannot say to the ear that it has no use of it, for instance.   Paul warns us against commending ourselves with each other or comparing ourselves to one another--we are all unique in Christ and God has a different purpose for each one of us.  We should find our spiritual niche, as it were, and fervently and zealously serve God therein.  I cannot read like my pastor and never will be able to or be able to tell a story like he does, but I have a knack for writing (I did not judge this but have been told this) and I sense God with me doing that.

By way of example:  Some people are better with words than others, and some people are better at speaking to the average Joe on the street; note that the common people heard Christ gladly--He was not pompous or flamboyant in his words, but, nevertheless, articulate, fluent, eloquent, and glib I'm sure--saying what He means, and meaning what He says!  We all need each other and the happiest people in the body are those who realize their place and each other's importance, respecting authority, if need be.

My testimony is completely different from my brother's and God has other people I can reach that perhaps he can't with his.  "...But they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise"  (2 Cor. 10:12).  Let's not play the game "Let's compare!"  That's why I believe we should bloom where we are planted and that God doesn't plant us somewhere by accident--but has a purpose!  We all have our own sphere of influence, circle of friends and acquaintances, and the little world to call our own that we can greatly influence faithfully in God's service.  Soli Deo Gloria!

MY TESTIMONY ABRIDGED AS GIVEN

My Journey of Faith, by Karl W Broberg



This is a first-hand account of my spiritual pilgrimage without glorifying my sins.

I was baptized as an infant in a Lutheran church and the pastor was my sponsor--we corresponded for years.  Some of my earliest memories are of listening to my grandmother telling Bible stories.  My parents made sure I was confirmed.  I can remember as a youth making a scrapbook of Jesus' life and the pastor showing it to the church, teaching vacation Bible school, and inquiring whether I should go into the ministry.  I also went to Summer camp and believed I knew the Lord, because I was preoccupied with The book of Revelation and Billy Graham's book World Aflame.

I recall no particular moment of surrender or spiritual awakening, but my faith was very important to me and I loved the Bible--I recall the habit of underlining favorite verses.

I made the leap of faith, realizing my sin and Christ dying for me, and then dedicated my life to Christ during a Billy Graham crusade at age 15 and subsequently got involved in a Seventh-Day Adventist Church Bible study.  Being counseled by my pastor, he told me to study Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians.  I then wrote a paper debunking the study and defending the faith.

Later, at Augsburg College I was exposed to "liberal theology," and found out I didn't know all the answers!  Being disoriented in my faith, I dropped out,  did some soul searching, and tried to "find myself" as they said back then.

I enlisted in the Army and heard another Billy Graham crusade.  The missing link--I needed to repent (my church never mentioned this!)  I was under grave conviction and rededicated my life--it was then that I felt I "found Christ."  I called my mom and told her she would like the "new me," but she said she liked the "old me."  It seemed like I had done this before, but this time it was for real.  I guess I had to get to the end of my rope!

Back at the base, I hooked up with the Navigators and was mentored or "discipled," as they term it.  "Once you've experienced it, you want to pass it on," and so I got the bug to witness.  Gradually I matured doctrinally, and I got interested in eternal security or "Once saved, always saved"--even writing Billy Graham to get his stand.

Upon discharge I became convinced of "believer baptism," and was officially "dunked"--the pastor knew me personally and didn't give me a hard time--it was then that I first took my stand for Jesus in church.

Later I became concerned about my beliefs and "keeping the main thing the main thing."  I didn't want to "major on the minors."  I had to learn grace toward those I disagreed with without splitting hairs.  I've learned when not to be dogmatic--and never to be divisive or quarrelsome--we can disagree without being disagreeable or contentious!

Now I have a rewarding relationship with the Lord that manifests itself in many ways, including:  Having inner peace, purpose for living, being on the same page as other believers, understanding the Word, seeing the Light, and assurance of salvation.

In conclusion, I am not what I ought to be, but thank God, I am not what I used to be!  I don't believe in perfectionism--God isn't finished with me yet!  When I see  lost sinner, I say, "There,  but for the grace of God, go I."

My assurance is simply this:  "God said it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, and that settles it in my mind."

My favorite verse is:  "The LORD knows the way that I take, when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold."

[Note that part of my problem was that I was never exposed to sound doctrine in a church that answered all my problems,  I knew something was awry, so I heard I should repent, raise my hand, come forward,  receive Christ, commit my life to Christ, be baptized, or this or that, ad infinitum.  You can be born again without assurance of salvation (it's not an automatic fruit of salvation--no one's faith is perfect, but it must be sincere) or have doubts and insecurities--my journey took me a long way to where I am now understanding the assurance of salvation and the eternal security of the believer in Christ.]

Are You a Success?

"If you haven't made a mistake, you haven't made anything!"
"If you haven't failed, you haven't tried!"

Mother Teresa of Calcutta wisely said, "We are not called to success, but to faithfulness."  She also said that  "true holiness consists in doing the will of God with a smile."  Everyone fails at something sometimes and you haven't lived until you find out that you're human and have limitations.  King George III said that you shouldn't try so hard to do what you enjoy, but enjoy what you do.  One of my bros. tells me that if you do what you're good at, you may have the opportunity to do what you want to do.

What's a success in your book?  [Before we proceed, let me define "success":  I do not mean making a certain amount of money, or landing that dream job or getting fame or power,  but God making your way prosperous as it says in Ps. 1 for those who are godly; in other words, having God's approval, glory, and blessing in your endeavors.]   Furthermore,  John wishes that "all may go well with you" in 3 John 2--but we must "never boast, except in the Lord" because 1 Cor. 4:7 says:  "Who makes you different from anyone else?   What do you have that you didn't receive?" Think of what George Whitefield said of a man going to the gallows:  "There but for the grace of God, go I."

"I am confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" (Ps. 27:13).  It's not about achieving the so-called American dream or cashing in your spiritual lottery ticket and thinking that godliness is a means of financial gain (all false doctrines), but finding fulfillment and meaning in Christ and making an impact in His kingdom, while we influence others to His glory.

Success in the eyes of the world is no sign of God's favor ("For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked," says Ps. 72:3), because the rain falls on the unjust as well as the just and for "those in this world whose reward is in this life" (Ps. 17":14) some people's "portion is in this life," it is written in the Psalms.  God blesses all people but some people in all ways and some in some, but all are blessed in some way because God is good--no one can deny that!

The more accurate questions would be:  "Are you in the will of God?"  If you are, then you are really successful, regardless of what the world thinks.  Many people give themselves a pat on the back and congratulate themselves for the success:  We deserve no accolades--God gets the glory!  (E.g., the self-made Englishman who worships his creator doesn't praise God!)   Psa. 100:4 says that "He has made us, and not we ourselves." We seem to be the product of our genes, our environment, our family and friends, and many other factors, but we are not the slave to them by the grace of God--Providence must be put into the equation.  The old debate, nature vs. nurture thinks everything can be explained.  God must be reckoned with and given the glory--Soli Deo Gloria!

Ambition is not sinful, if to the glory of God and not selfish (Jer. 45:5:  "Do you have great plans for yourself?")  Isa. 26:12 says, "All that we have accomplished, [God has] done."  The Jews were reprimanded by Amos in chapter 6 verse 13:  "You who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar [nothing] and say, "Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?"  Success is not so much a matter of self-confidence, as God-confidence.  We are only responsible for the gifts and opportunities we have.  Isa. 45:7 says that God brings prosperity.  Deut. 8:18 says that God brings the power to get wealth

If you give yourself the credit or think that it was your hard work that brought you success, it isn't the kind of success God calls us to.   "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God"  (2 Cor. 3:5).  We are merely vessels of honor that God has used:   Providence is at work:   "He who is faithful in little, shall be faithful in much."   Give God the glory for what He has wrought in you and be like Paul:  "I venture not to speak, but of what the Lord has accomplished through me" (Rom. 15:18).   To use a cliché, our success is more a matter of trusting, than trying and being a faithful steward of what God gives us, rather than our abilities--"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong"  (Eccl. 9:11).  Sin is usually the downfall, not ability or effort.

Many people are hard workers and never get anywhere, and others just seem to inherit or fall into prosperity by fate or destiny, but it is Providence in reality and they are giving God the credit.  The book of Eccl. says "Luck and chance happen to all.," which means that there are not explainable events that are attributed to forces other than God--but we know that there is no such thing as an accident or fortuitous event with God, but a time and purpose for everything--there are no maverick molecules!

 A note on the will of God:

We have the power and ability to thwart God's preceptive will but not the right--we are culpable for sin, which is the violation of God's revealed will.  God's decreed will is none of our business and we are not to seek it.  Evil is simply not His plan.   Now can you see why necromancy, seances, and fortune-telling are taboo or off-limits?   Soli Deo Gloria!

Are You Inspired?

I don't want to sound flaky (I do not mean theopneustos or "God-breathed" like Scripture claims), but all Christians have the anointing per 1 John 2:20, and I am not just using that word carelessly or loosely.  Note that Christians don't have a monopoly on definitions.  God can put His words into our mouth and we can prophesy (even Caiaphas did)--there is still the ability to prophesy in the body of Christ--but inspiration applies to more than that.  Do you ever feel moved and influenced by God?  I don't mean the ability to speak ex-cathedra like the Pope when he pontificates and claims to have the infallibility or inerrancy like Scripture.

I believe Shakespeare was "inspired" to use the term loosely--he wasn't just an intellectual giant but possessed a divine gift and calling from God (he claimed to be a Christian, mind you). I've heard people say that they wondered where the Beatles got their "anointing" to have such an impact on a generation.   Poets who write love sonnets must really feel in love and have a passion for what they are writing.  They usually pen these sonnets while in the mood and take advantage of the "spirit" whenever or wherever it might hit them.  To be inspired you must be ready to go with the flow, so to speak, and make the sacrifices.  Many great poets have been bipolar or manic-depressive in their personality type and go through moods of euphoria when they feel especially creative.

"My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king;  my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer"  (Psalm 45:1).  We all have the anointing as believers according to 1 John 2:20).

You wouldn't believe the love poems I wrote when I was in love and really just had to express it.  I believe inspiration is for all believers if they find their niche and pursue it with all their passion.  Poetry is not just an intellectual thing, but a matter of the spirit of the man and is his connection with God being expressed verbally.  I know of a preacher who said he knew the Bible was inspired because it inspired him.  Many a husband will honestly say that their wives inspire them--for this is the word of love.  Martin Luther claimed that he never prayed or preached better than when he was inspired by anger, his biggest flaw.

Biblical examples of being inspired are David being "moved" by Satan to number Israel in 1 Chron. 21:1; Cyrus the Great being "moved" to liberate the Jews;  and the people being inspired ("having a mind to work") to work in Neh. 4:6 and Jesus telling his disciples not to worry about what to say when they were delivered up to the authorities (Luke 12:12) because the Spirit will give them the words to say at the time.

The Word, according to the Psalms, is supposed to be inspiring to us:   "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path;"   "The entrance of thy Word gives light, it gives understanding unto the simple;"  "For with you is the fountain of life, in your light we see light;"  Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me." Hosea understood what it was to be persecuted for claiming inspiration: "The prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac"  (Hos. 9:7).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Celebrating Failure?

I am glad that there is not anyone that is perfect in the Bible except Jesus, our only Exemplar and whom we should emulate as we see Him in the Word and other believers. King David, for example, was a great man of God and the only one in the Bible that was a "man after God's own heart," but his success on the battlefield and with the pen and harp didn't translate into paternal success, as his children took after him in the worst way--seeing his failures, rather than his successes.  For instance, they saw disregard for human life in his murder of Uriah the Hittite, and lack of control over his lust in his many wives and concubines.

Cases in point:  The Bible is a place where we can see many godly fathers, (e.g., Samuel and Eli who also failed as fathers, and even great kings failed to have sons who were chips off the old block! The godly King Hezekiah's son Manasseh was the evilest of all Judah's kings.

When we go through failure ourselves, we sympathize with others in our shoes and when we say, "Been there and done that" we understand what they are going through. The cliché goes, "Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in his moccasins!"  To be specific, I have a lot of grace and patience toward backsliders because I have been that route myself and a bone that is broken heals all the stronger.  People who have had drinking problems also have more tolerance toward this fault; they have learned to support each other in times of need.

I have been divorced and was a failure as a husband, but that doesn't mean I can't be a success at something else and find God's will for my life.  Success is doing God's will with a smile and enjoying the toil and task God has given us, leaving the results to God, who gives the increase, as we plant, water, and reap.

I am patient with divorcees and realize that Christians aren't perfect.  After all, being a friend is accepting someone despite their failures and even when we know their weakness and mistakes we still like them as a person who deserves our respect because of the dignity God has given a man, in the image of God.  The bumper sticker is right-on:  Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven.

It is worth mentioning that God tells it like it is and doesn't sugarcoat the truth in the Bible not sparing the details, if is edifying, by either positive or negative examples.  We need to see that King David isn't perfect, even though Jesus is called "the Son of David."  What we have to realize is that God can use even us in our weaknesses and vulnerabilities, if we surrender to God's ownership of our life.  However, note that we all have "feet of clay" (according to Chuck Swindoll) or shortcomings that are not readily visible to others--a dark side that only God sees, like the moon that has a dark side we don't ever see.

 A contemporary news personage is Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings who last year was the MVP and won national acclaim on the gridiron, only to manage national disgrace and shame the year after, ruining his career because he was a failure as a father when he was supposed to be a role model.

This begs the question:  Who is a failure?  The answer is that we are not to judge or condemn someone, but to have an attitude of grace, as the great preacher/revivalist George Whitefield said about the condemned prisoner:  "There but for the grace of God, go I."   Some people are just held to a higher standard, because to whom much is given, much is required.

To sum it up in a sentence:  We are given examples of failure and shortcoming in the Scriptures so that we wouldn't give up, but hang in there and not be discouraged, but there's hope for all of us to have a chance at having an impact for the Lord at something.  Soli Deo Gloria!

What Are You Aiming For?

An old motto of the Air Force was "Aim High."  This is very good and practical advice because you can't achieve higher than your goals.  God has a plan for us but we are also to make plans and allow God to fulfill them.  To be specific, if you want to be the president, don't aim to be a state senator--you're aiming too low to ever get there--aim for what you want and if you fall short (for instance, only become governor), you will not be considered a failure even in your own eyes, but if you aim for nothing, that's what you will get--we don't accidentally become someone, as if it was our fate (destiny is different and requires our input and faithfulness as well as God's providence--if it's your destiny to be a piano virtuoso, you must practice!

There are those who don't want much from God:  achieving the American dream, for instance, or getting the mate of their dreams and don't realize that God has opened the door to limitless opportunities.   "Now to Him, who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think..." (Eph. 3:20).  "Rom. 8:32 says likewise:  "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

 Indeed, there is no limit (the sky's the limit!) to what God will give us if we have the faith:  "Be it done unto you according to your faith."(Cf. Matt. 9:29)   How big can you think?  How big is your God?  Don't you realize that we will be of a higher rank than angels in the kingdom of  God and be part of the family of God and not just creatures like the angels who will be our servants and we will judge them?  God never gave such promises to angels!

Abraham was rich in this life and will be greatly rewarded in the next because God gave him a special promise that also applies to us!  "I am thy shield, and exceeding great reward" (Gen. 15:1).  Jesus is ours and there can be no greater reward but to share in His reign, as we rule over the kingdom of God with Him.  God rewards some people in all ways and all people in some ways, but God is good to all according to Ps. 145:9:  ("The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.")   No one will ever testify that God is not good!   Soli Deo Gloria!

How Important is Knowledge?

Note that I am referring to the average Joe believer and not the one called into the ministry who must utilize all the tools of the trade and prepare himself by studying.  Knowledge is usually a byproduct and not a goal to see how smart one can become; there is little correlation between education and spiritual maturity or growth.  If there was I would certainly be rated a great believer, simply by virtue of my knowledge.  Knowledge must be accompanied by wisdom and understanding.  "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction--because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty (Mal. 2:7).

Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and in increasing knowledge results in increased pain"  (Eccl. 1:18).  The meaning of what Jesus said, "To whom much is given, much is required" applies in that the more we know, the more responsible we are, especially in our sinning and ministry.  The goal, Hosea says, is to "go on to know the LORD"  It is better to know the Author than to know the Bible, no matter how vital this is.  But don't get the fallacious impression that ignorance is bliss!  "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Ps. 111:10).

1 Cor. 8:1 says that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." God hates arrogance and conceit.  We overestimate our place in the body and our importance when we know a lot and don't relate to the less informed.  We may think of them as a poor specimen because they aren't as clued in as we are and it may be a source of pride.  We are not to reject knowledge per se, but it is not the goal, it is the means to an end, and not the end itself.  We must always ask ourselves, "Why do I need to know this?"  For instance, I don't learn Greek, because I can't justify it, even though it would be a source of pride and I could brag.  I asked a friend of mine why he was taking this course and he really hadn't thought about it--it seemed to satisfy idle curiosity it seemed.

Hos. 4:6 warns the priest that has rejected knowledge (it comes with the territory). And "since they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD" God will not answer their prayers and let Himself be found by them.  For some brethren, it is more pleasing to God that they serve in a soup kitchen or charity than take a theology course to think they are "educated" and "informed" (i.e., a person should know his gift and how  God uses him in the body).  People erroneously think that "knowledge is power" and this only applies to the right kind used wisely and of spiritual knowledge, otherwise it puffs up (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1).

The man of God knows who God wants him to hearken to and submit to.  There are many courses over the internet, for instance, and one must exercise caution and discretion.   I like the prayer warrior who replied that he didn't have theology on prayer, he just prayed!  Another teacher said, "I don't need another book on prayer, I just need to pray, and I won't find the time, I must make time!  Most of us know enough, we just aren't applying enough.  The proverb that "curiosity killed the cat" has some validity, in that one may get too enamored with the intellectual side of Christianity and lose its main focus, which is seeking God and doing His will which will glorify Him.

Some people are converted to the program and not to Christ--and this is another danger.  If one is too intellectual and not practical, he may be in love with the idea of God, rather than God.  God is not looking for some genius to discover His truths (I have been told that I'm the brains behind the program and I don't take this as a compliment, because God is looking for a man after His own heart--it is no accolade to be smart in some one's eyes, but to be able to be a spiritual or spiritual leader is another thing)--He's looking for an open mind, willing spirit, and needy heart to search the Scriptures ("Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life," according to Prov. 4:23; cf. Prov. 23:7)  The question is whether a person's heart is in the right place, not how smart he is.

We want to know what God showed you in the Scriptures, not what the experts say:  Jesus was contrasted to the Pharisees who quoted the authorities and never footnoted His sermons, but said, " You have heard it said, but I say unto you."  "No man ever spoke like Jesus," cf. Matt. 7:29.  To be called a scholar is more of an insult than a compliment because he doesn't have first-hand knowledge of the Lord, but only knows what he has read in books.  "Of making many books, there is no end, and much study wearies the body" (Eccl. 12:12).

It is so refreshing to talk to a believer who doesn't read any book but the Bible,  in contrast to him.  We need believers with more than a second-hand knowledge of the Lord.  There is knowledge we all can commend: the knowledge of the Lord, which must be contrasted with knowledge about the Lord.  This comes from our daily walk in the Spirit.  Experience, indeed, is the best teacher, and we should always need someone who has been there and done that or has gone through the school of hard knocks, as it were.

To sum up in a sentence:  the gift of knowledge is a gift and we should try to be like them who have been filled with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, not emphasizing and elevating knowledge, but not despising or rejecting it either--it has a place--we are to love God with all our mind, too.  Soli Deo Gloria!

What is the Essence of Worship?

Caveat:  Only worship the LORD your God, for He alone is worthy, that even goes for angels who stand in the presence of God and represent or speak for Him.  "At that time a gift of homage will be brought to the LORD of hosts."  Worship is called that because of His "worth-ship."  We worship God for who He is and what He has wrought.

The typical believer thinks that he simply goes to church to "worship" God and hopes to get something out of it.  This couldn't be further from the truth, biblically speaking, that is.  We don't go to worship we are to worship with our bodies, our time, our talents, our resources, our opportunities, our money, our speech or testimony, our demeanor or attitude, our relationships, our vocations and vacations or witness.  Our whole life is a devotion to God.  "Present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God...."  Worship is a prostration of ourselves unto God, valuing and recognizing his "worth-ship" (the origin of the English word).  We "bow" to God ("worship and bow down," says Ps. 95:6). Whenever we give God His "due" we are worshiping and humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord--"God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Worship must be lively or "in the Spirit" and not "lukewarm, nonchalant, disinterested, or casual  (this refers to Mark 7, Matt. 15 and Isa. 29:13 which says, "Because these people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote." Jesus said, "But in vain do they worship me.")--we take God seriously and not treat Him in a flippant or frivolous manner.  Don't be a fraud at worship, but sincere.

Indeed, some are more demonstrative and some are by nature stoical or inhibited, but God wants us to learn to worship God, nevertheless--feelings are not wrong, but worship is more than emotionalism, just as much it is more than intellectualism.   "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name, worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness"  (Ps. 29:2).  ("Bless the LORD, O my soul, all that is within me bless His holy name, says Ps. 103:1.  Jesus said that those who worship God must "worship in spirit and in truth," according to John 4:24.  

That means that accuracy and right teaching are important to God as well as how excited we get. Speaking of excitement:  Ps. 100:4 says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, enter his courts with joy."  Ps. 47:1 says: "Clap your hands all ye peoples, shout to God with the voice of triumph."  Likewise Ps. 89:15 says:  "Blessed are the people who hear the festal shout," or "Blessed are the people who hear the joyful call to worship!"  or "Blessed are the people who have learned to acclaim You."

Worship is a celebration and meant to be happy and a "sacrifice of thanksgiving."  "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me," says Ps. 50:23.  All worship glorifies God and whenever we do something to the glory of God it is a sacrifice to God, in fact, "whatever you do, do to the glory of God,"  1 Cor. 10:31.  God hates "solemn assemblies" and "religious feasts" (Amos 5:21).

 We offer our daily activities to glorify and honor our Maker and they are the worship we are called to do, just as the pastor giving his sermon is doing what God has called him to do in life (another example is the bricklayer seeing himself as building a temple for God, not just making money or laying bricks).  I've heard it said that we don't "go to church, we are the church."  It is the same in worship, there is corporate worship as the body assembles and we are not to neglect this, but we are to worship God individually (our private walk with the Lord), too and I don't mean like the farmer who says he can give God His due in the cornfield.

 The biggest misconception concerning worship is that one can listen to someone sing and that is worship per se.  "Sing to the LORD a new song {not listen]."   Worship is not passive, au contraire, it is very active and so active you would call it a sacrifice unto God.  Yes, it's sacrificial and going to cost you (you might have to give up something, and I don't mean for Lent)   We don't receive, we give--only God is worthy of worship and in today's society there are many idols people worship, such as fame, fortune, power, success,  and money even though we don't worship "idols" like the Israelites did.

There is no "one-size-fits-all" worship and some are traditionalists by nature and don't like new, untried activity.   God wants us to always give Him the credit and not think it ours.  The motto of the Reformation was Sola Deo Gloria or to God alone be the glory! The more we exalt God the better and we should be like John who said, "He must increase, I must decrease."  The whole idea is to get our eyes off ourselves and on our triune God.   As we get older we get set in our ways, but this is not ideal--we should be young at heart and relate to the youth, even then, and reach out to them--the older are to mentor the younger in the Lord.  Soli Deo Gloria!