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| Worship II By Rabbi Esther Boucher |
We start our walk with the L-rd by calling on His Name.
Romans 10:13 says, "whosoever shall call upon the name of the
L-rd shall be saved." As believers we are called to continue
following the L-rd "with those who call on the L-rd from a pure
heart." II Tim. 2:22.
In Genesis 22:5 we find the first word "worship" in Scriptures.
Let's look carefully at what is going on. Gen. 22 1-9 What do we
see? This was a place of faith test. G-d was watching Abraham
and his heart. G-d made 3 statements about what Abraham did
in this meeting place: 1) now I know that you fear G-d 22:12; 2)
you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me 22:12; 3)
you have obeyed My voice 22:18. G-d tested Abraham's trust
and Abraham trusted G-d's test. It is the same in our day to day
walk of faith. G-d wants every place we walk to be a meeting
place with Him and a place of true worship. True worship means
walking in the fear of the L-rd with prompt, full obedience to His
Word, withholding nothing from Him. Each place of worship was
a place of an altar, a place to deal with sin and express
surrender to the L-rd. It was a place of calling on the name of
the L-rd and gratefully acknowledging His provision. G-d wants
His people to worship Him with a willing, surrendered heart.
At the mountain of G-d the L-rd gave His law. A major portion of
the Law concerned the Tabernacle. This Tabernacle would be
the tangible place of the L-rd, a place where He could dwell in
accord with His character, and His Holiness. The Tabernacle
was a "sanctuary" meaning " a set apart place." It is important to
understand that G-d does not dwell in a place according to
man's ideas and standards. The people obeyed the L-rd in
establishing this place of meeting and worship. Its pattern,
design and order of worship were G-d's. Worship of the living
G-d is by revelation from Him. G-d came as a cloud of
glory/pillar of fire and the Tabernacle was a place of
unconditional surrender. When G-d moved, the people moved.
Worship always involves submission, surrender and service to
the One you worship. So who or what is your G-d?
The Israelites used the Tabernacle for over 470 years before
the Temple of Solomon was used. At the dedication of the
Temple the L-rd revealed Himself in fire. Then the glory cloud
filled the Temple. We call this the Shekinah Glory. It is a visible
manifestation of G-d through cloud/fire or a bright light. The
people of Israel fell on their faces and worshiped and praised the
L-rd (II Chron. 7:3). I Chron. 5:24-26 King David added
musicians and singers tot the order of worship.
Today the cross is where we come to deal with our sin and
surrender and begin our new life in Yeshua. Yeshua said a vital
part of our walk with Him would involve His Holy Spirit. The
manifestation of G-d at the Tabernacle and the Temple was the
fiery glory cloud that rested on each of these places when all
was in place, when the people had done what G-d had told them
to do. In Acts 2, we read of tongues of fire representative of the
L-rd rested on each disciple as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Like
the glory cloud of old they glorified G-d, revealed who He is and
what He had done. His presence was being revealed in a new
way and G-d was at work. I Cor. 6:19 says, "Your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from
G-d." This means our lives and our relationships with others is
to be marked by holiness. We are to glorify or reveal what G-d
is like in and through our bodies, words and actions. A
Christian's daily walk should reflect how G-d would act in any
place or situation.
So how can we know if we are revealing G-d? Let's look at Isa.
57:15 and James 4:5-6. The place where G-d delights to meet
us is marked by an open, honest, contrite heart. G-d delights in
simple meeting places where He can be heard, understood,
followed and worshiped. II Cor. 6:14-18; and 7:1 tell us our lives
and worship are never to be a mixture of darkness and light. We
are not to partake or share in the unbelief of an unbeliever. Our
hearts are reserved for the one true and living G-d. We are
G-d's family and ought to act like it. He calls us to come out from
the world and be separated to Him and his purposes and
designs.
Let's stop and take a look at our temples. Your eyes - what do
you read? Watch on TV? How do you look at others? Do you
lust? Envy others? Do you covet what others have? Your ears
- What do you listen to? Does your music or conversation build
up or tear down? Do you listen to gossip or pointless criticism?
Your tongue - Do you speak right words? Do you tell others
about Jesus? Your eating - Are you grateful for the food you
have? Is there any gluttony or excessive dieting? Your thought
life - What do your thoughts dwell on? Your moral purity - is
your body surrendered to the L-rd? Your feet - Where do you
walk or drive? Your hands - Are they used for good or evil?
How can I walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, being the
Temple He wants me to be?
1.) Confess all sin to G-d.
2.) Present yourself to G-d to be filled and controlled by
His Spirit (Romans 12:1-2)
3.) Ask Him in faith to fill you with His Spirit.
Romans 10:13 says, "whosoever shall call upon the name of the
L-rd shall be saved." As believers we are called to continue
following the L-rd "with those who call on the L-rd from a pure
heart." II Tim. 2:22.
In Genesis 22:5 we find the first word "worship" in Scriptures.
Let's look carefully at what is going on. Gen. 22 1-9 What do we
see? This was a place of faith test. G-d was watching Abraham
and his heart. G-d made 3 statements about what Abraham did
in this meeting place: 1) now I know that you fear G-d 22:12; 2)
you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me 22:12; 3)
you have obeyed My voice 22:18. G-d tested Abraham's trust
and Abraham trusted G-d's test. It is the same in our day to day
walk of faith. G-d wants every place we walk to be a meeting
place with Him and a place of true worship. True worship means
walking in the fear of the L-rd with prompt, full obedience to His
Word, withholding nothing from Him. Each place of worship was
a place of an altar, a place to deal with sin and express
surrender to the L-rd. It was a place of calling on the name of
the L-rd and gratefully acknowledging His provision. G-d wants
His people to worship Him with a willing, surrendered heart.
At the mountain of G-d the L-rd gave His law. A major portion of
the Law concerned the Tabernacle. This Tabernacle would be
the tangible place of the L-rd, a place where He could dwell in
accord with His character, and His Holiness. The Tabernacle
was a "sanctuary" meaning " a set apart place." It is important to
understand that G-d does not dwell in a place according to
man's ideas and standards. The people obeyed the L-rd in
establishing this place of meeting and worship. Its pattern,
design and order of worship were G-d's. Worship of the living
G-d is by revelation from Him. G-d came as a cloud of
glory/pillar of fire and the Tabernacle was a place of
unconditional surrender. When G-d moved, the people moved.
Worship always involves submission, surrender and service to
the One you worship. So who or what is your G-d?
The Israelites used the Tabernacle for over 470 years before
the Temple of Solomon was used. At the dedication of the
Temple the L-rd revealed Himself in fire. Then the glory cloud
filled the Temple. We call this the Shekinah Glory. It is a visible
manifestation of G-d through cloud/fire or a bright light. The
people of Israel fell on their faces and worshiped and praised the
L-rd (II Chron. 7:3). I Chron. 5:24-26 King David added
musicians and singers tot the order of worship.
Today the cross is where we come to deal with our sin and
surrender and begin our new life in Yeshua. Yeshua said a vital
part of our walk with Him would involve His Holy Spirit. The
manifestation of G-d at the Tabernacle and the Temple was the
fiery glory cloud that rested on each of these places when all
was in place, when the people had done what G-d had told them
to do. In Acts 2, we read of tongues of fire representative of the
L-rd rested on each disciple as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Like
the glory cloud of old they glorified G-d, revealed who He is and
what He had done. His presence was being revealed in a new
way and G-d was at work. I Cor. 6:19 says, "Your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from
G-d." This means our lives and our relationships with others is
to be marked by holiness. We are to glorify or reveal what G-d
is like in and through our bodies, words and actions. A
Christian's daily walk should reflect how G-d would act in any
place or situation.
So how can we know if we are revealing G-d? Let's look at Isa.
57:15 and James 4:5-6. The place where G-d delights to meet
us is marked by an open, honest, contrite heart. G-d delights in
simple meeting places where He can be heard, understood,
followed and worshiped. II Cor. 6:14-18; and 7:1 tell us our lives
and worship are never to be a mixture of darkness and light. We
are not to partake or share in the unbelief of an unbeliever. Our
hearts are reserved for the one true and living G-d. We are
G-d's family and ought to act like it. He calls us to come out from
the world and be separated to Him and his purposes and
designs.
Let's stop and take a look at our temples. Your eyes - what do
you read? Watch on TV? How do you look at others? Do you
lust? Envy others? Do you covet what others have? Your ears
- What do you listen to? Does your music or conversation build
up or tear down? Do you listen to gossip or pointless criticism?
Your tongue - Do you speak right words? Do you tell others
about Jesus? Your eating - Are you grateful for the food you
have? Is there any gluttony or excessive dieting? Your thought
life - What do your thoughts dwell on? Your moral purity - is
your body surrendered to the L-rd? Your feet - Where do you
walk or drive? Your hands - Are they used for good or evil?
How can I walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, being the
Temple He wants me to be?
1.) Confess all sin to G-d.
2.) Present yourself to G-d to be filled and controlled by
His Spirit (Romans 12:1-2)
3.) Ask Him in faith to fill you with His Spirit.
| Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. © Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007/2008 |