March 22, 2009

Revelations 19:10  

Worship

Revelations

Worship God!  For the essence of prophecy is to give clear witness for Jesus.

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Thoughts...

In Matthew 4:10, Jesus quoted scripture from Deut. 6:13 when he said, "You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him." 

In the growth of the church...'church' defined here as a body of believers rather than 'church' meaning one's self, perhaps I should better say 'religions', man's ideas entered in under the understood direction of God.  Many times I have wondered if all revelation is for the world or some for merely personal direction. 

I entered into a discussion recently with someone (about their divorce and I learned they were no longer attending church) and shared that a person should not let divorce, or any sin, or anthing else get in the way of, or be used as an excuse for, them having a personal relationship with Jesus, returning to the church* and becoming one with Christ Jesus in communion...the Lord's supper.  *(In this case I refer to a religious organization, not a person.)  I was concerned with their salvation.  Their spiritual well being.

I was met with an onslaught of garbage and partial scriptural verses.  References supporting divorce and church laws indicating they could not go to church.  An attack on scripture and a mock of my beliefs.  I was told I was wrong and that I didn't know anything and that 'all you preachers are all wrong' and 'all the same' and something to do about 'soap boxes' and 'street corners'.

SMACK!  Satan at it again.  It was as if I had been slapped in the face.  Then I attempted to remind them that their church gave 'spiritual divorces' called 'annulments', and, that perhaps they could pursue this step, go to God to ask forgiveness for all sins, return to the church, and communion, and return to spiritual rightness.  I have never seen anyone scramble so much so fast verbally and physically or laugh so like Satan in the end, as they walked off believing themselves victorious.  And then they came at me again offering to teach me more in class or session B or something.  Oh my goodness.  Frontal attack in public.  In the midst, they opened their desk drawer 'frantically' under the pretence of getting their Bible, so I could show them where it talks about divorce in the Bible.  They were terribly misquoting scripture in an effort to be right and 'know'.  And mandated I show them where it is discussed.  I told them I would be happy to bring them scripture references next time I was in the area.

The next time I was in the area, I was fully prepared.  I had gone into the computer and copied numerous references discussing divorce, and apostasy, and Jesus' welcoming love and atonement.  I even included a reference on apostasy by Billy Graham.  I was attacked for not having my Bible, the papers nearly tossed aside, until I showed the references from the Bible at the top of each page.  Then more verbal attack at me stating 'you don't know' and telling me that I was wrong.  As it was a place of business and I needed to work, I left them with the info. 

I was later approached and was told that the papers supported their statements, ie, that it was ok to sin and not go to church, or be right with Christ, I guess.  Those references did NOT support that.  The word does NOT go against itself.  BUT, if you are not filled with the Holy Spirit, that would not be clear.  Note:  1 John 2:27.  

A week went by and the following week there was a handshake before I was told on the way out the door that I was wrong, in front of many people I might add.  I just smiled with a little trill of a laugh and turned pointing at him and stated 'no you're wrong'.  Like it was a game.  But it is not a game.  My Lord did not die on a cross for the fun of it.  He did not give up his life to die for this person to be ignored and made to be beneath them, or allow sin to be used as an excuse to keep on sinning and not become one with the risen Lord.   GOD certainly did not make a law that said you can never go to church or be one with him, if you have divorced or sinned.  The Catholic Church did, at one time,  disallow communion for divorce, as sin.  And then Holy Spirit swept through and the church stood strong, but stood clarified.  They understood, as they always had, that all sins are to be forgiven except blasphemy, and clarified the doctrine.  But scriptures tell us that we are to toss out those who don't respect God and church rules.  Rules that merely define a Christian by a moral standard of what I might coin as 'ALOT'.  A...accept...God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.  L...love him, yourself and others.  O...obey him.  T...touch...lives with Jesus...go and do as he did...teach...tell....others  about who he is, that he is and how wonderful he is.

This chapter is not over.  For next I will go to this person with catholic rules...universal rules...those of the Catholic Church...and those of all other churches knowing all others subscribe the same...that pertain to this topic.  I will open the door on God's truth and diminish their self-serving choices.  I will not accept the statement, 'I hold to the old truths'.  'I worship the old way.'  This person worships self desires.  And uses misconstrued rules as excuse to continue to sin and self serve.  You cannot worship our Lord and be one with him with sin in the way.  He calls us to ask forgiveness.  Listen to the prayer as Jesus tells us to "Pray like this:  Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.  May your kingdom come soon.  May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.  Give us our food for today, and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.  And don't let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."  Matthew 6:9-13  Jesus says in John 15:9-10  "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.  Remain in my love.  When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love."  How can one remain if one cannot get to him to become one with him?

Make the right choice for yourself.  Ask God to forgive you of any sins you have committed. Ask him to come into your heart today.  It is not how we worship, but that we worship.  It is about having a relationship with a Savior...the Savior of the world...Jesus Christ.  Jesus told Martha, and us, when he said in John 1:25 "I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, will live again.  They are given eternal life for believeing in me and will never perish.  Do you believe this...?"  Soon we will celebrate his death and resurrection.  Go to him...receive his forgiveness and then...take communion...the Lord's supper.  Do it in remembrance of him, knowing that he said, "This is my body...this is my blood."  Become one with him today.

Pray for me, that I not weaken under the attacks and the tasks given me to carry out preaching the gospel, as I obey my Lord.  And that I am strengthened and protected by the love and blood of the Lamb.  But more importantly, pray for those who don't know him or run from him having known him.  Fear Satan and all we allow him to do in our lives that takes us further from God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.  Let us give God the fullness of our love.  Let us run to Jesus' arms for protection and with thanksgiving for his life, his death, his resurrection and his Holy Spirit. 

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Let Us Pray

God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, thank you for letting me know that divorce is a sin,  and that every sin can be forgiven, if I just ask.  You said it was granted due to hardness of hearts.  Heal the hearts of the people of the world, so that they may not be hard...or hurtful.  Forgive those who have sinned against me and who I have sinned against.  Heal my heart.  Make me right with you, Lord.  I want to be always one with you.  And Lord, if I cannot get to communion or the Lord's...your...supper today, I know you will honor my obedience in taking some bread and some water in memory of you today.  I believe that in honoring you, you will indeed, make it your body and your blood as it courses through my body, cleansing me and filling me.  I love you, Lord.  Keep me close.  Keep me safe.  Keep me one with you.   Help me always tell others about who you are, that you are and how wonderful you are.   Keep me strong.  May I forever worship you...and serve you...the one true God...my God.  How great thou' art.  In Jesus' name I pray, by and with the power of the Holy Spirit to dear Heavenly Father God.  Amen.     

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.  

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    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'

 "Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

  Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.

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 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

Scriptures may be taken from the New Living Translations website.

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