Some worship thoughts for followers of Jesus Christ!

Month: October 2012

Love God’s Word

What are good works?
Know God’s word! Delight in it! Walk in it! Live it out!
What Man knows as good is not God’s way!
His ways are higher! The finite cannot define infinity!
Micah 6:8 says all that is necessary; do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your Lord!
Know God’s word! Delight in it! Walk in it! Live it out!
God will measure faith and wisdom to each man!
It is the intensity of passion during the pursuit of God that determines your strength of faith and the depth of wisdom
How hard do you seek God?
If you love God, you obey His commands!
How can you obey what you do not know?
Know God’s word! Delight in it! Walk in it! Live it out!

Nothing Surprises God!

O How can I praise my awesome, amazing, holy God?
What can I say that hasn’t already been said?
Nothing I do is new to You!
I can build the tallest building and sculpt incredible detailed statues
I can compose and perform lengthy, complex literature, books, symphonies and songs
I can paint wondrous murals depicting the deep mysteries of my life’s journey
I can win spectacular athletic events demonstrate my physical strength and endurance
I can dance and run naked through the streets of my community passionately exposing all that I am
I could live my life in quiet obediance, seeking only Your provision and loving Your decrees
Trusting You and rejoicing at every hardship
Excited at the opportunities Your mercy will afford me each new day

Biblical Fasting

When Jesus spoke about fasting, he didn’t say if you fast, but “when you fast” (Matthew 6:16).

“Then the followers of John came to Jesus and said, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees often fast for a certain time, but your followers don’t?’ Jesus answered, ‘The friends of the bridegroom are not sad while he is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.'” (Matthew 9:14-15).

Fasting does not impress God with our spirituality to the point that he ignores our disobedience. On the contrary, genuine fasting will always cause us to examine our hearts to make sure everything is right with Him. (Isaiah 58)

Several years ago, during a fast, God told me fasting was about “denying my flesh to strengthen my spirit.”

It’s not about dieting, it’s not about looking religious (hypocrisy), and it’s not about trying to do something religious in order to manipulate God. (I have tried this — I accomplished nothing.)

When the Bible uses the term “fasting” it has spiritual goals in mind.

Biblical fasting is “not eating” with spiritual communication in mind. You can pray without fasting, but you cannot fast without praying. Biblical fasting is deliberately abstaining from food for a spiritual reason: communication and relationship with the Father.

Fasting is a physical discipline necessary at times for holiness. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is only as good as our communication with Him. Sometimes during our service to the Lord, the noise of sin in this world can dampen His voice. We are constantly bombarded with temptation and the desires of our flesh. Gluttony and Sex run rabid in our world. Not to mention, gluttony carries over into other areas of sin such as greed and materialism. God wants us to live in moderation – with temperance, restraint, and self-control. God wants us to live in peace. Pride and greed can not have a foothold in our lives physically or spiritually.

Fasting is a way for me to tell my flesh “No!” because I need a better relationship with my Father. I need to clearly hear Him. We must all realize there are something’s we can not accomplish by prayer alone. We need His divine direction, protection, healing, and revelation that can only be brought about through prayer and fasting.

We need to always be very aware of what we ask of Him — even in our songs and hymns: I surrender all (Do we really?) Just a closer walk (Are we ready for where that closeness will take us?)

By God’s Mercy, I will “offer my body up as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to the Lord.”

“When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you” (Jeremiah 29:13,14). Fasting is an expression of wholeheartedness. This is clear from Joel’s call to the nation of Israel: “Yet even now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting. . .” (Joel 2:12).

(Taken from a devotion written in October 2007, Marshall Mabry)

Wired for Pleasure

(from devotion published June 4, 2006)

God created the world for our pleasure. He created us for His pleasure. His Word says that He delights in us. Enjoying pleasure is part of how He wired us. It is not a sin to desire pleasure. It, like everything else, must be kept in balance. As long as it does not become an idol, as long as it does not take us out of worshiping Jesus Christ, as long as it does not make us disobedient, it is fine. God gave us the capacity to enjoy His creation as a gift. It is natural to desire pleasure.

King David said, “I will take pleasure in your laws and remember your words.” (Psalm 119:16) ‘I enjoy pleasing you. Your Law is in my heart.’ (Psalm 40:8) Pleasure is needed to refresh the soul, mind, and body. We need to take great pleasure in our worship and praise to Him. “I enjoy praising your name to the music of harps, because everything you do makes me happy, and I sing joyful songs.” (Psalm 92:3- 4)

We are to take pleasure in all the gifts that God blesses us with; especially in His creation. Our lives, our spouses, our children, our family, our church, our work, etc. are all good and perfect gifts from our loving, Father of Lights. Nonetheless, we must be careful not to worship the creations made with our own hands. Many people are lulled into idol worship by the creativity of Man. We must stay focused on the effects of eternal value not temporal. “Warn the rich people of this world not to be proud or to trust in wealth that is easily lost. Tell them to have faith in God, who is rich and blesses us with everything we need to enjoy life.” (1Timothy 6:17)

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