Marshall Mabry – Undignified Worshiper of Jesus Christ – Page 14 – Some worship thoughts for followers of Jesus Christ!

Grow Up!

On August 13, 2013

“I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.” 1 Corinthians 3:2
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,” 1 Peter 2:2

We live in an entitlement culture in America. I am sure that those who do not believe in God’s curse upon Adam in the book of Genesis are proponents of the entitlement mentality.

“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:19

Our children grow up in age where they perceive things that are privileges as rights. Cell phones are not a right! Cars are not a right! Parental guidance is not a convenient thought it is an ordinance from God! These are just a few examples that have develop this entitlement attitude among this generation of Americans.

Sadly, this mentality has founds its way into the mindset of the church. We develop strategies in a valiant attempt to reach the next generation, but in the course of developing these strategies we have neglected adhering to the rigid boundaries of our faith. To compromise the integrity of God’s direction on His church for the sake a few milk-sucking complainers is ridiculous. Those who want special treatment and/or special programs to meet their personal perception/preference of spiritual growth do not understand the basic principle of being a Christian — “servanthood.”

It doesn’t matter whether you are just turning into the age of accountability or you are knocking at death’s door at 119 years old, as a Christian you are called to be a servant. Not to be serve, but to serve others! There is no place for an entitlement attitude in a Christian. For we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, there is no amount of good work that will gain you entrance to God’s Kingdom, and no great amount of sin will keep you from entering. Faith in Christ grants you the only entitlement you will ever need.

Mercy and Grace

By Marshall Mabry

On July 25, 2013

In Praise and Worship

Definition of grace

We have life because of God’s mercy. We have eternal life because of His grace.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV) 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

John 3:16 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

We journey through life on borrowed time. God in His great faithfulness and unfailing love renews His mercy with each morning. He chose us from the beginning to have life. It is His gift to us. It is a gift for us to invest and multiply. But as with all things, our lives and everything we know and experience are His — everything. He is good, compassionate, and a giving God. He does not withhold His goodness from the ones He loves. The only thing He does not claim is our bad choices. We must take ownership of our sin. But even still, His unfailing love made a way for us. In His great mercy and love for us, God sacrifices His only Son to be the just payment for all unrighteousness. It is through God’s gift of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, we have the opportunity to receive His grace through faith in Jesus. It is a free gift. It is unearned. His grace affords us His unmerited favor and gives us eternal life.

The Purpose of Marriage

By Marshall Mabry

On July 18, 2013

In Praise and Worship

In the first chapter of Genesis, God creates “man and woman” in his image. In chapter two we get the details of how Adam and Eve were created. In this current generation, the image of God through man and wife (‘Marriage’) is diminishing. Just as Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew, our hearts are hardened and we look for any reason to get out of a bad situation. We run away and hide. Just like Adam and Eve did! Divorce is everywhere. You see road signs posted everywhere that you can get divorced for just $99.99.

In today’s culture, one of marriage’s most visible enemies is sex. Adultery and homosexuality is growing at an alarming rate. It has never been so easy for the innocence of our children to be corrupted by premature exposure to sex. The curse of Sodom and Gomorrah is evident.

How can a child grow to be a responsible, moral adult — adhering to good values and honorable ethics if his/her parents are not there to guide, lead, and show him/her the right way? How can mom and dad represent the image of God when their love only works during the good times? Can godliness exist without strong parents loving and honoring each other for better or worse? You will have troubles in your marriage. You will have tragedy. Death, illness, lies, deceit, betrayal, and lust will not be foreign adversaries to any marriage. However, it is through our personal sacrifices that we gain victory of over those enemies and our marriages evolve into the image of Christ.

We are the bride of Christ. There is a reason why God uses marriage as the picture of His relationship with us. Marriage is lifelong. Other than your commitment to God, it is the greatest covenant and commitment a man and a woman can have to each other and the world. The purpose for marriage is not for procreation. More importantly, it serves as a testament to the world that God is Holy, alive and beautiful.

Never Too Old

By Marshall Mabry

On July 15, 2013

In Praise and Worship

18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come. Psalm 71:18

We have Kingdom work to do this side of Christ’s glory right up until He takes us home. You are never too old. You are never too young. God looks at all of us as His children.

Because of sin, we age outside Eden. We create walls of prejudice between children, adolescence, teenagers, young and old. We all have work to complete for His glory. It doesn’t stop because we get older. I believe David cries out to God in Psalm 71, because he knew the urgency of God’s purpose for his life and time was his enemy.

Never let your age hinder your passion for ministry. You are never too old. In this broken world everyone needs ministering too. While you have breath, you have purpose. As time passes, use God’s gift of age and wisdom to make your space a better place to live for Jesus.

The Mystery of God

By Marshall Mabry

On July 6, 2013

In Praise and Worship

We can know God’s will. It’s written throughout His Bible. We will never know His ways. He is too high. Jesus said that Eternal life was this one thing – to know the one true God. So we spend a lifetime on a journey to Him and an eternity with Him – to know Him.

Through faith, we call Him beautiful by a definition we can not see. Through faith, we hear Him in the silence and feel His presence in the stillness. Through faith, we love Him with feelings we don’t fully understand, yet, demonstrate our love through obedience to His will. His word says we live, move and have our being in Him. He surrounds us. He is in us. He is before and after us. But, most importantly He is with us.

I believe His will is simple to understand, yet it is so hard to live out. “Love me and one another.” On our journey through life we miss His mark so many times. We have formidable enemies battling for control over our complete submission to His will. We battle our self (flesh), the world, and Satan. Without Christ, we have lost, and we are lost. He alone was, is, and will always be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Jesus was perfect in obedience to His Father’s will – perfect even to death on the cross.

ADD: Busyness

By Marshall Mabry

On July 4, 2013

In Praise and Worship

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” ~ Psalms 46:10

We are living in a generation of distraction. Satan does not have to work hard at taking your time and attention from God, he just allows our fascination with technology do it. How many times have you seen a group of people together and at least one of them was distracted by their cell phone (social media)? We have the ability to become more connected through technology, but it appears at the expense of social interaction. We are beginning to text, facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat, etc., etc. more than we are actually speak to one another – person to person! It’s easier to text and control a one-sided message than make a phone call and actually have to carry on a conversation where reflective listening and spontaneous, heartfelt responses are necessary. What affect do you think this has on our relationship with Christ? If we can’t keep a focused conversation with the people we love around us, how can we personally relate to our awesome, holy God?

Our world is loud with distractions. Our Enemy uses them to keep us from doing the most important thing for our lives temporally and eternally – “seek and know God.” Self-control is the listed last in the fruit of the Holy Spirit, but I believe it is desperately needed for this generation to come unto themselves, focus, and know He is God.

Give Generously, Receive Graciously!

By Marshall Mabry

On May 28, 2013

In Praise and Worship

Luke 6:38 (NIV) “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Here in Luke, Jesus is telling us how to live. A generous life of giving is a life full of fruit. Touch one person, impacting another then another. It goes on and on and on. Your gifts are not limited to your money or treasure. We have been indoctrinated into a culture and society that believes money is the only gift of worth. I believe it is the only gift that has temporary value. It may cost you something – but not part of your life. Your time is the precious commodity that may not have a great gratuitous response, but it will have a lasting impact on its recipient. It’s a precious slice of your life sacrificed in obedience to the One who commands us to deny ourselves. Remember, Jesus said “He who loses his life for my sake will find it.”

“Guard Your Heart!”

By Marshall Mabry

On May 13, 2013

In Praise and Worship

We all should have boundaries, fence lines, guardrails that we set up for ourselves. They protect our lives, but more importantly, our souls. These guardrails direct our life’s journey to “a narrow path” which leads to righteousness and peace.

Guardrails are specific to each person’s walk with Christ. Though there may be similar guardrails from one person to another, each person’s journey with Christ travels along an individual path. Our personal boundaries or guardrails should not be shared, coerced, or forced upon others.

Scripture gives us many examples of guardrails; Job made a covenant with his eyes not look lustfully upon a young woman. (Job 31:1) When we marry we create a major boundary restricting our fidelity to our spouses. Proverb 4:23-27 lists several guardrails for acquiring wisdom and prosperity spoken from the perspective of a father to his son;
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Other than God, we are the only ones that know our hearts. Where and when they stray, their strengths and their weaknesses, and their joys and pains, and how they react to liberty and restriction.

In the beginning, God had only one commandment of restriction “do not eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” I believe God also gave us a commandment of provision and blessing. When he created man and woman he said “be fruitful and multiply.” I would consider this a great deal of freedom. Discipline your diet and curiosity and fill the world with children for my glory! Incredible freedom! Unbelievable liberty! Nonetheless, we know how Adam and Eve handled that freedom. Bummer!

“Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is found there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17) Jesus Christ represents a new covenant that gives us freedom from the old covenant of laws, rules, regulations, and condemnation. A new, glorious, everlasting covenant that makes us right with God through the shedding of Christ’s blood. Through Christ we have been set free from sin, but have become slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:18). We can no longer continue in selfishness and sin. You either do God’s will or your will, God things or selfish things. The guardrails you set up will help keep you focused on Kingdom work and eternal matters.

Paul says in Phillipians 4:4-7:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Indescribable

By Marshall Mabry

On May 6, 2013

In Praise and Worship

(from a personal devotional July 9, 2009)
Isaiah 55:9 says “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV)

In Psalm 139 David says Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (NIV)

Our passion, our heart’s desire should be to know Him more. But, we are vapor in the midst of Him that is Eternal. How can we that have finite sinful thoughts even begin to grasp His pure and holy infinite mind? How can we that are His creation touch Him that is holy, uncreated? Even our speech and our senses are limited to operate in this physical world. He created the heavens and lives in the secret, holy place beyond them. He is Holy! Even the essence of His name we are not worthy or capable to understand or utter.

We serve an awesome God! He is love. He is faithful. He is true. He is gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.

David cried out to be purified by our Holy God. He wanted the trials to come. He wanted God to put Him through the refining fire so that He would be made worthy in the sight of God. Even without the testimony of Christ (as we have today), David had intimate knowledge of God’s infinite way and feared Him above all things.

I believe one of the great mysteries of our growing faith is that we love and desire to draw close to He that we fear the most. Scripture says “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18) As we seek Him, I believe we are constantly growing in our faith and the perfection of our love for Him. This love will drive out all doubt and reliance on human intelligence and instinct. O Death! Where is your sting?

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandment, for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13

O Great God lead us in the way everlasting! Blessed be You Name. You are the Lord! There is none like You! You are good!

Empty Glasses

By Marshall Mabry

On April 15, 2013

In Praise and Worship

(Taken from a personal devotional written on May 12, 2008)

Are you empty or full of yourself? Do you want to be used by God? Do you want to experience His movement and be filled with His Love?

His ways are mysterious! His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He can use sinner or saint, the lost or found, believer or nonbeliever for His glory and purpose. He used a donkey to speak to and direct a misguided prophet. He can use anything or anyone. However, I believe He chooses to use those who are empty of themselves.

I have personally experienced Him using my efforts when I was faithless and worked out of worldly confidence, but even more so when I was helpless — yet faithful. His Word shows us that He prefers to use the selfless instead of the haughty. God has intervened in my life when the greater good (His purpose) was more important than my lack of faith. As He leads me through His gift of life, I have come to understand that trusting in my own strength is not faith. It is when we do not know how things are going to turn out, yet we still trust in His control over our lives that demonstrate the measure of our faith. As we let go of our perceptions, our rationalizing, our analyzing, and our questioning and let Him be “Lord God Almighty!” — we move closer to who He wants us to be. It is our own desire to control, manipulate, predict, and solve that creates the distance between us and Him. “It is impossible to please God without faith.” All of us need to let go, empty ourselves, surrender all, and give Him complete control over our lives.

When a church is full of empty glasses, it is full of His spirit. His children come to assemble knowing that He is there, He is alive and moving. He is pouring His love into empty glasses.