True Worship

Behind every false god is a lie. What's the biggest lie you've ever believed? Oh, we could have some fun with this and I'd love to hear a story of something that someone got over on you, because I have a bunch (it's how God keeps me humble). I am amazed at some things that I have believed because someone was a real good story teller…how about you?

Just like the lizard, we can be seduced by what we surely believe is truth only to find ourselves with our head in a can, at best looking foolish, at worst, well, dead…

Kelly led us to Paul's second letter to Timothy. I have to say it is one of my favorite books because it talks so much about God's Word, what it is to us, how we handle it and apply it. And Paul offers stern warnings also. In fact, he points out to us that we as women are particularly vulnerable to deceit.

You may think Paul is a woman basher. He does, after all, call women "weak-willed". But Paul is not bashing us – he is teaching us… I happen to believe that Paul is a great supporter of women, but that's a post for a different day.

This is why I love the word of God and it is also where we can get into so much trouble. So let me share a couple of things that we need to be mindful of. There is one interpretation of scripture but many applications to our lives. That means that we can't take a position and then look for a scripture to back us up…it should be the other way around. Scripture teaches and guides us, then our position lines up to His Word. Secondly, be sure you know who's doing the talking. Check what the scripture says. Look at it in context; get a good lexicon or commentary to help you understand the meaning of the words (a keyword Bible is great). Just a change from "the" to "a" can take us from gospel truth to a cult. Read your Bible.

So, how come Paul says we're weak willed? Paul is saying that we are emotion driven. It's how God wired us; we are fearfully and wonderfully made, just the way the LORD wanted. We are touchy, feely creatures, but Paul says we need to be careful. Emotions (2 Timothy 3:7) can keep us always seeking but never coming to truth. We can look godly on the exterior but it hasn't sunk through to the heart.

"The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God. They look for a feeling, and if it happens, they conclude that they have worshiped. Wrong! In fact, God often removes our feelings so we won't depend on them. Seeking a feeling, even the feeling of closeness to Christ, is not worship." Dr. Joe B. Brown

Oh, sisters, we can get really turned around on this very thing and make our worship all about us and not about Jesus. Worship isn't about the music; it isn't about the feeling or being comfortable at all. Worship is about Jesus and for Jesus. And if Jesus isn't our focus then we aren't worshipping. JESUS IS LORD!

Kelly makes a great point about the little things that "creep" into our lives from the media, movies, and magazines and even on our iPods; we live in a culture that keeps our senses stimulated. But do we need all that? Are we just conditioning ourselves for more of the same and when we feel devoid of stimulation, we seek to create it? I see a golden calf popping out of the fire…

Paul says, "for a time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from truth, and will turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4

It is time that we stop wanting to have our ears tickled and stop and look for the face of Jesus. Jesus said, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray.

This week, take a look at all the stimuli around you. What are you watching, reading, and listening to? Is there something that God might want to purify (or purge) in your life?

Page 69, Kelly asks: are you routinely putting yourself in front of things that compromise the good the Lord wants to accomplish in you?

Check out page 70 and ask yourself, "am I willing to seek the truth or I am still looking for a loophole?"

The enemy is real. He is prowling. Watch and pray. Know what Jesus says. Apply it to your life and we'll give no space in worship to anyone or anything but JESUS!

Donna