The Heart Of Worship

"... [Shout] unto God with the voice of triumph" (Psalm 47:1, KJV).
"I WAS glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD" (Psalm 122:1, KJV).
"Blessed is the people who know the joyful sound..." (Psalm 89:15, KJV).
"Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with song of praise" (Psalm 95:2, ESV).
"Blessed are the people who know the festal shout [call to worship]" (Psalm 89:15, ESV).

The heart of the matter of worship is that it's a matter of the heart; it reflects the condition of your heart and the extent of its surrender and offering to God, not how much of the Spirit you have, but how much of you the Spirit has. When someone says that he didn't get much out of worship, it only reveals his ignorance of its purpose--to glorify, extol, and lift up the Lord--that your motives are wrong and your worship for the wrong reason. The reason we worship is that we are designed for it and it is only natural--we are called homo divinus, or homo religiosus, meaning we are fulfilled and meant for worship as religious beings--much more, we will worship someone or something, if not God for we are hard-wired for it; however, God is the only one worthy of our worship. "Worthy are you ... to receive glory..." (Rev. 4:11, ESV). That’s because worship is from the contraction worth-ship.

Worship is about having an encounter with the God who is there; in fact, Christianity is not about believing in God, but the God who is in there. Francis Schaeffer says, "He is there, and He is not silent." Indeed, God melts us, molds, fills us, and then uses us in worship as we recharge our spiritual batteries and get our checkup in the corporate worship experience of the local body of believers that we congregate and assemble with regularly. There is no one-size-fits-all for worship and that's probably why there are so many worship experiences; some are demonstrative, some stoical, but God sees the heart, while man looks on the outward appearance (cf. 1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Chron. 28:9) or “Your name is on their lips, but you are far from their hearts,” (cf. Jer. 12:2, NLT). Posture and gestures can be important, but mere lip service is vain and fruitless. We don't want to be like Israel: "... 'Is the LORD among us or not?'" (Ex. 17:7, ESV).

Worship is what church is all about, even in our giving we are doing it. And going to church should not be considered something on our to-do list or something we do perfunctorily, but something we gladly and willing do; you could say we "get to" worship God, not that we have to. Some say that they can worship God in the cornfield, so why attend church? Worship is more than music (Jubal invented in in Gen. 4), and some think they only go to church to hear a sermon, but we must realize that there is a purpose for each part of the service in our worship experience. They haven't discovered the power of corporate worship and that whenever two or three are gathered together in His name, Jesus promises to be present. Hebrews 10:25 exhorts us not to forsake the assembling together of ourselves--this is a command--God gives no advice, suggestions, or hints except in 1 Cor. 14:26 describing the gathering of believers.

Worship is important to us because we learn to connect with God and it changes us, not God--God invites us to join Him in His joy and gladness (cf. Neh. 8:10). The call to worship is to focus on who God is and what He has done as we thank Him for His actions, and praise Him for His being. We have the right attitude when we are in awe and humble ourselves before Him in Spirit and in truth. Remember, worship is about God, it's not about you! We learn to seek the presence of the Lord and His face and to be used by God in our surrender to bring Him joy, focusing on His presence on face.

We need to be reminded of the Spirit on a regular basis to keep in touch and not lose track of our fellowship--it's easy to drift off and backslide without regular fellowship and corporate worship--none of us is a rock or an island that needs nobody else--we all need each other for expression and mutual ministry Remember, worship is active and not passive, not something we listen to, but take part in and put all that we are able into it. Some have a form of godliness in so-called will worship, but deny the power thereof (cf. 2 Tim. 3:5).

Church, then is not a place for the goody-goodies to gather or those who think that it's a crutch for weak people or losers--indeed, no perfect people need apply, as God calls not the righteous, but sinners to repentance and church should be viewed as a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. They say that it's filled with hypocrites too, but we should tell them to join in because they'd feel right at home! We don't abandon church or Christ as believers, but we can drift away slowly and should know the warning signs, like our worship becoming routine and perfunctory and hypocritical. The church is our lifeblood and the means of our renewal because the body needs each member and we are all in it together to glorify God and fulfill the Great Commission. The church is not meant to be a comfortable place for sinners to feel at home, but where the gospel is preached and people are enjoined to come to a decision, and making no decision is making a "No!" decision.

We must realize that "God inhabits the praises of His people" (cf. Psalm 22:3) and that we enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with joy (cf. Psalm 100:3) and that we should bless Him with all that is within us--all our being (cf. Psalm 103:1)--and be ourselves, not hypocritical. God thrives on worship and "The Lord takes pleasure in His people" (cf. Psalm 149:4a, CEV). We must worship God "in Spirit and in truth" (cf. John 4:24). The essence of worship is bringing joy and pleasure to God, and whenever we feel this joy in the Spirit, no matter what our endeavor--even working--it is worship and brings glory to God. "... [W]hatever you do, do to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31, ESV). When God smiles on you, or you feel His pleasure, you're worshiping.

You can go to church to worship God or you can go to the factory to worship Him, for authentic worship is the offering of ourselves (as a living sacrifice (cf. Rom. 12:1.) The way we are in our daily lives is worship or sacrifice--we live and breathe worship! We must see the whole world as His temple and fertile territory for worship. Wherever we sense awe, love, respect, and fear we have the right attitude to come before His presence in thanksgiving for what He's done and praise for who He is, and put ourselves in the frame of mind to worship. Our life is an offering to God as we present ourselves to Him in devotion and live to His glory as vessels of honor! Let all that is within us praise the Lord!

Just like prayer, worship should change us, not God, and one should say that they realize we have been in the presence of God or have been with the Lord, as your "cup overflows." Finally, we must realize our need for worship and that it is a litmus test of our spiritual growth and condition, and we cannot thrive or grow without it having its rightful place.

Surely the fear of the LORD is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!’” (cf. Gen. 28:16). Or worst-case scenario: As Abraham said, “Surely the fear of the LORD is not in this place.” (cf. Gen. 20:11). Worship is the serious business of God and heaven. Soli Deo Gloria!

Jesus, Who Is Called The Christ

"What's in a name?  Would Jesus by any other name, still be Jesus?" "His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins,"  (cf. Matt. 1:21). "A rose by any other name is still a rose"

Today we refer to a common man as the average Joe, even in WWII they referred to GI's as GI Joe's. We might  even compliment someone and say, "He's no ordinary Joe!"  Jesus wasn't a distinguished name back in the day and someone needed special epithets to go by.  In comparison, Jesus was a common name in NT times and they would call Jesus:  Jesus of Nazareth; Jesus, the Son of David; Jesus, who is called the Christ; Jesus called the Prophet (cf. Deut. 18:18); or even the Jesus, the Teacher of Israel.  They had found out that this Jesus is different and stands out from the crowd.  His disciples called Him Lord and Rabbi. 

Today, if we know someone is a genuine article and true blue, we call them the real McCoy.  This may be a warning not to mess with Him or to insult Him because He stands out from the crowd.  People might even say, "Which Jesus are you talking about?" Today, we distinguish Jesus as the Son of God and most cultures don't even call their children by that name out of respect or reverence.  Pontius Pilate offered the crowd:  "Whom do you prefer?  Jesus, who is called Barabbas (son of a father--your everyday, common man) or Jesus who is called the Christ (and believed Himself the Son of the Father)? It was clear to Pilate that the people rejected the summation of Jesus revealed as the one and only Son of God. The true Jesus isn't one of our fancy or agenda, but the one in truth.

Jesus is different things to different people and. even in context to their cultures, they may interpret Jesus to identify with their nation or people group.  They may enlist Him for their political cause and agenda, thus putting Him in a box or make Him one-dimensional.  Every religion has some concept of Jesus, and they are all good, though not accurate.  You can use the same vocabulary and a different dictionary like cults do to gain recognition and acceptance. You must get your Christology or doctrine of Christ correct to be a believer (cf. 2 John 9).  It's not as easy as in the game show, To Tell the Truth, when the host would say, "Will the real so and so [Jesus] stand up?"  We must do our homework, especially to read the Bible and to a Bible-teaching church to hear the truth and receive faith: "Faith comes by hearing and by hearing of the Word of God," (cf. Romans 10:17).

Among five religious faiths:  Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses deny the deity of Christ but think He's just "a god," not God Almighty Himself. Muslims believe that He was a great prophet but the records concerning Him have become corrupted (but they have no evidence to support this claim!). In Unitarianism, they believe Jesus is no more divine than we can be or attain to become.  Hindus see Him as some enlightened guru!  There is not one faith in the world that portrays Jesus as a bad guy, by the way, and many, even Islam, that He is sinless or faultless; they all have something good to say concerning Him. Most just see Him as a misunderstood man by His followers like the Jews, who believe He was mistakenly deified.  . 

Secularists see a great moral teacher and example or even some ground-breaking philosopher, radical reformer, or leader,  They may even believe that the disciples wrongly interpreted Jesus' intentions and deified Him unintentionally.  Secularists may see Jesus, not as a way to heaven, but as a path of ethics through earth and this life.  They may see Him as a historical figure and not doubt His impact on civilization and history, but always fail to acknowledge Him for who He is and claimed to be, even denying He claimed to be God..

In pop culture, He may seem to be enlisted for a political cause such as when some Christians even hijack the faith and claim He's one of us and even a Republican, the anointed one from God come to save our society and reclaim it for God.  Just like people say, "My party, right or wrong!" now they are saying, "My Jesus, right or wrong!" Truth must be paramount.  We must acknowledge Jesus for who He is and not who we want Him to be to suit our fancy.

Finally, there's the Jesus of the atheists who deny any deity or deification but even see Him as a charlatan and legend, some even deny His historicity without any evidence to support such a claim; they go so far as to be on the warpath against Him and to hate Him and His followers. What's wrong with all these false concepts of Jesus  They all put Jesus into their box for their convenience and suitability so that He can come to the aid of their agenda. They want to eradicate Christ from the open marketplace of ideas and public square of debate, even to the point of becoming anti-theists out to destroy Christians with a vengeance, eradicating His influence.

On the TV show, To Tell The Truth, they scrutinize a contestant to see who is lying and who is the genuine real McCoy telling the truth and who are the consummate liars and counterfeits.  Likewise, the only evidence and way to scrutinize the real Jesus is to search the Scriptures and to believe the testimony of the Evangelists who witnessed the glory of the Lord; that's because "Faith comes by the hearing and the hearing of the Word of God," (cf. Romans 10:17).

We can solve all these issues by knowing the real Jesus, and we shall be able to detect the counterfeit by knowing the real Jesus, the real McCoy, so to speak.  We must recognize imposters, frauds, and charlatans, but Jesus is for real and knowing Him protects us from error.   We must beware of another Jesus, another gospel, and another spirit, and test all things according to the Word of truth.  In the final analysis, we must come to grips with what kind of Jesus we are presenting to the world: what is the gospel according to you?

In sum, it doesn't really matter what your name is because that can be misleading in our culture but what kind of reputation and legacy you have and leave behind.   Amen!  (Someday, we will bow before the name which is above every name: the name of Jesus)  Soli Deo Gloria! 

Does The Resurrection Require Extraordinary Evidence?

 

What exactly do atheists mean by saying that "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" with regard to theism, and what are some reasonable insights of theistic philosophers or theologians in response to this statement?

Karl Broberg

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Updated September 12

De facto theologian in church

Many of them are referring to the so-called audacious claims of Christ that He is God, not believing there’s enough evidence. But this is proven fallacious reasoning because it can be demonstrated that if you won the lottery and just turned on the TV and heard your numbers, you would believe without any further confirmation, that it satisfied your requirements for assurance. If you won the lottery, you wouldn’t be skeptical until the CPA actually certified you ticket, you would celebrate before that! You would’ve trusted the TV as a reliable and credible source of news and info.

But Jesus did that to His disciples when He rose from the dead and appeared to them for 40 days to convince them that He was really risen and not some ghost or imposter. They were so convinced that they became martyrs because of it. This is important testimony in a court of law because people usually tell the truth when faced with death. If they had been consummate liars they probably wouldn’t have been willing to die for it. Most sincere or fanatical men will die for what they believe is true, but not for what they KNOW is false. The disciples had such character that we can count them as credible witnesses and the veracity of their claims.

Any such conspiracy theory will not hold water in light of the truth, because it is unlikely that all the disciples would’ve died for a lost cause. The truth would’ve leaked out before that and the movement wouldn’t have gotten off the ground. The Jewish Pharisee Caiaphas predicted that, if the movement were of God, they couldn’t stop it (they would be fighting God); if not, it would go nowhere nd not get off the ground. Jesus is known as changing the course of history and not as a liar. Actually, the disciple Thomas said that he wouldn’t believe unless he could stick his hand in Jesus side and feel for himself; this was skepticism and doubt but not unreasonable—Jesus accommodated him.

The point is not what Jesus claimed (to be God or not) according to cults or sects but according to mainline Christianity, but the point is moot because it doesn’t affect the answer.

Why Is The Bible An Authority?

 

Why is the Bible a source of authority?

Karl Broberg

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Updated August 25

Blogger/Bible teacher (10+ yrs), researcher, life coach

This may seem like circular reasoning but it isn’t: The Bible says so. It claims to be the Word of God over 2,000 times: “Thus says the LORD.,” or its equivalent. Jesus believed in it as the Word of God. He verified the authority of Scripture and called it “truth.” The final source of authority is that it claims to be the “inspired” Word of God (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).

If the Bible appealed to some historian for verification or authority or to scientific advance, then historians or scientists would be the final arbiter of truth. Thus we say the Bible is “self-attesting.” The Bible unapologetically starts out “In the beginning God….” It does not offer proof but assumes its own authority.

There are several reasons we might reason it is authoritative: it has thousands of predictive prophecies that are fulfilled in great detail, not just a few lucky guesses. It is geographically, historically, and scientifically accurate with not anomalies.

The Bible isn’t a science text but it is accurate where it does make statements. In fact, in dozens of verses, it’s statements are ahead of what science could have known at the time and wasn’t common knowledge till much later. In fact, if you could dehistoricize it, you would discredit it fully and many have tried to no avail and become believers. In conclusion, the Bible is a historical document telling the story behind 10,000 events from creation to the story of the church or it is nothing; its historicity is the fulcrum to be unbalanced in order to devalue it.

What Is the Nature Of Salvation?

 

What is the nature of salvation?

Karl Broberg

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Updated Mon

Blogger/Bible teacher (10+ yrs), researcher, life coach

It is in three tenses: we are saved from the penalty of sin by the death of Christ; we are being saved from the power of sin by the living Christ; we will be saved from the presence of sin by the coming Christ. Salvation began in eternity past, is realized in time, and looks forward to completion in heaven. Salvation is completely by grace from beginning to end; we do not deserve it, cannot pay it back, and do not earn it. God initiated our salvation as the Hound of heaven; we never would have sought it on our own. The whole Trinity took part: the Father purposed it; the Son secured it; the Spirit applied it.

The nature of salvation itself is that it is more than forgiveness but also deliverance and regeneration or a new life: we are saved from sin, ourselves, hell, and God’s wrath. Our past is forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured. Salvation itself means a rescue from a threat and we are warned of the coming wrath. There are many perks such as knowing God as our Father; being a joint-heir of Christ as a child of God.

Salvation is a done deal, a work of God on our behalf whereby He regenerates our spirits and gives us a new slate and beginning by reviving us and quickening faith within us. God’s grace is the source, Christ is the means, and faith is the channel or instrument. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ. We are thus saved by grace alone without merit nor works but through an act of faith given by God. It is given not achieved! It is, therefore, not: Jesus plus good works but good works because of Jesus, or, Jesus, therefore, good works.

Why Is There Suffering If God Loves Us? ...

 

1. We are not called to live for the “here and now.”
2. We are to grow in faith through adversity, knowing there is an Adversary.
3. Even Jesus learned obedience through suffering (cf. Heb. 5:8).
4. God tests our motives by withdrawing temporarily from us (cf. 2 Chron. 32:31).
5. God gets our attention via suffering and adversity (cf. Job 36:15).
6. Adversity, not prosperity, builds character; it either makes us bitter or better.
7. God has not promised a rose garden or a bed of roses to anyone.
8. God blesses everyone in some ways, but is not obliged to bless equally; inequity isn’t necessarily injustice (cf. Psalm 145:9).
9. God is unjust to no one; He will have mercy on whom He will (cf. Romans 9:15).
10. Man ruined his own world by introducing sin into it.
11. Jesus suffered in all ways as us yet without sin (cf. Heb. 2:18; 4:15).
12. Our faith is no Pollyanna or without problems (cf. Romans 5:5).
13. Our reward is in heaven, not on earth.
14. God is just and His justice will not sleep.
15. Justice delayed is not justice denied.
16. God will make up to us for all our suffering which isn’t worthy of our reward (cf. Romans 8:18).
17. It is an honor to suffer for the sake of the Name and counted worthy (cf. Acts 5:41).
18. Jesus doesn’t call us to suffer anything He didn’t (cf. Heb. 4:15).
19. Jesus truly understands and feels our pains (“was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”—cf. Isaiah 53:3).
20. We can know the “fellowship of suffering” filling up Christ’s  sufferings (cf. Phil. 3:10)

Why Is There Only One Religion?

 
Scientifically, why would one religion be more right than the other?

1. The effect on the course of history and on Western Civilization itself.
2. Christianity is the “mother of modern science,” due to its worldview, with no scientific absurdities in the Bible.
3. The Bible tells us that nature is governed by laws (cf. Job 38:33); dozens of scientific facts are in the Bible which were not known by science at the time.
4. Most early modern scientists were Christians.
5. The abundant evidence of witnesses and martyrs with similar experiences.
6. The laws of evidence must be considered and evidence weighed, without bias.
7. The laws of cause and effect and noncontradiction. eliminate contradiction as acceptable.
8. Harmonizing the conflicting faiths is impossible with so many diverse and contradictory claims of who God is.
9. The subjective evidence of experiencing God; evidenced even by martyrdom.
10. The fact of the resurrection of Christ is pivotal to changing history.
11. The objective evidence of history, documents, and records; the Bible itself.
12. The fact that truth by its very nature is exclusive: Jesus said He is the Way.
13. The value of God’s challenge to “Taste and see that the LORD is good.”
14. The proof of the pudding is in the eating; put God to the test; take the leap! God invites you to Him in an open invitation.
15. God invites you by faith; science is by faith also; both involve people of faith.
16. You need not kiss your brains goodbye to understand, there are answers from the Answerer.
17. The fact that it’s not faith versus reason but faith versus faith; both sides use facts and evidence and come to different conclusions because of confirmation bias; neither is wholly impartial.
18. You cannot demonstrate or measure God by experiment or laboratory conditions but you can see His effects just like you don’t see the wind but know its effects.
19. God is not audible, visible, nor tangible, thus He is outside the parameters of science and one must have faith to find the true God; but God has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ and also in the Old Testament to prophets.
20. God is a metaphysical concept and not shown, observed, or tested by the physical, which science demands, thus complicating the issue.

There is no reason a Christian cannot be a good scientist or a scientist cannot be a good Christian. The fact that false religions are not wholly wrong but have an element of truth or just enough to inoculate or immunize one from the real thing. Christianity claims to be the truth and only way to God as Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except by Me,.” One must reckon that no other religious founder made such audacious and bold claims of being God and the only truth; this must be taken into account and reckoned with.

Is God A Myth Or A Hypothesis?

 

Is God a myth or a hypothesis?

Karl Broberg

·

August 30

Blogger/Bible teacher (10+ yrs), researcher, life coach

People who deny God also must deny we are in God’s image and have no inherent dignity, purpose, or meaning in life. We are thus animals in heat, seeking pleasure and avoiding pain—that’s all. If we are animals, it must be okay to act like them. Thus, atheism, or the denial of God in the equation, is a crutch to lean on for immoral living as an excuse for sin, because they have no hell to shun or Judgement Day to fear—how convenient with no restraint on evil or motive to do good.

C. S. Lewis called Christianity the myth that had become true … it’s not what we would’ve imagined. God is neither of the above—that’s a false dichotomy. God is a fact of history and has given plenty of evidence to understand that, even in science. The fact is that God invites you to find out if He is real for yourself: “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” The proof of the pudding is in the eating. People who know God love Him as the response. God is love, and if you’ve experienced love, thank God.

Jesus claimed to be God, to deny this is to call Him a liar, and He is a historical figure, not a myth or legend—even secular attestation and corroboration. So the real issue is whether He is who He claimed to be. He proved it by rising from the dead: what more proof would one want? Jesus alone should be proof of God.

God is able to convince people He exists and loves us without making it so obvious that it’s beyond a shadow of a doubt or with “smoking gun” evidence God doesn’t need to prove Himself because there is ample evidence for the willing and open-minded, those willing to do His will.

There is manifold philosophical, logical, and scientific proof, argument or evidence for God, of which I will not venture to detail here. The Bible says that “they have no excuse,” because God has made it plain unto them (cf. Romans 1:20).

Can You Believe In Science If Science Contradicts The Bible?

 

Can you believe in science if it contradicts God and scripture?

Karl Broberg

·

September 9

Blogger on worldview

1. There is no final conflict—apparent difficulties have been reconciled, the Bible proving right after all.
2. Science takes things apart; religion puts them together; many questions cannot be answered by science, but need religion; i..e., the Anthropic Principle.
3. Science is the know-how, while religion is the know-why; science deals in the physical while religion the metaphysical.
4. Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.
5. He who thinks there is a contradiction between science and religion understands neither.
6. Christianity is considered the “mother of modern science.”
7. There are dozens of scientific facts in the Bible with no scientific anomalies or contradictions; these facts were before science knew of them and were ahead of their time.
8. Science makes the mistake of ruling out the possibility of the supernatural and believes everything can be explained with natural causes and has an explanation without God in the equation.
9. Virtually all the early modern scientists were professing Christians and founded it upon the Christian worldview that definite laws govern nature (cf. Job 38:33).
10. There is no reason a Christian cannot be a good scientist and a scientist a good Christian—both exist.

NB: Augustine said that “all truth is God’s truth,” and Aquinas added that “all truth meets at the top.” John Locke described reality as that which corresponds with the truth. There can be a contradiction between truth and the God of truth.

Can You Believe In Jesus As A Non-Christian?

 

Can you believe in Jesus as a non-Christian?

Karl Broberg

·

Updated September 11

Blogger/Bible teacher (10+ yrs), researcher, life coach

You can affirm His deity, His crucifixion for sins, and His resurrection even and not be saved—that’s only knowing history. Believing mere facts concerning Jesus doesn’t make one a Christian but a transformed heart from Him does due to repentance and faith in Him. You must not just know about Him, but know Him. Having a direct, personal knowledge due to a loving, growing relationship and fellowship of walking by faith in Him.

Even the demons believe in Jesus and tremble, in the strict sense of the word—they knew who He was (the Holy One of God), but their knowledge didn’t save them. You must put your knowledge into action and practice your faith without hypocrisy. God doesn’t expect perfect faith but sincere, unfeigned faith. You must not just believe in Jesus but believe Jesus. Jesus isn’t looking for admirers or fans, but fully devoted followers and worshipers.

You will be known by your works or fruit and judged by them, not your confession or creed “I’m of Apollos, I’m of Paul, I’m of Peter, I’m of Christ,” sort of sectarianism). Creeds don’t save, Jesus does. We’re not asking faith in a creed but in a Person. Faith doesn’t save, Jesus does. Faith must have the right object to be valid. You can have misdirected faith that cannot save. Jesus expects us to put all our faith in Him, and not to add Him to our life as in Jesus plus TM or Jesus plus yoga and so forth; we must believe in Jesus alone and trust only in Him for our salvation. Jesus is the only Savior. He demands a substituted, exchanged, relinquished, inhabited, and surrendered life.

The only test of our faith is obedience and Jesus said if we love Him we will obey His commands. “He became the author of salvation unto all of them who obey Him,” (cf. Heb. 5:9). Faith must be accompanied by repentance, that’s why theologians refer to penitent faith or believing repentance—they go hand in hand. (cf. Acts 20:21; Heb. 6:1).