Tag: WORSHIP

ARE YOU WORSHIPPING GOD OR YOURSELF? 12-QUESTION SELF-CHECK…

wp-1491881047723.

Are you guilty of idolatry? It’s a sin that many of us think isn’t on our list of personal vices. Of course not! I don’t worship statues. I would never build an idol god.

We all know that worship is not just going to church, but to whom we give our dedication and devotion.

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

The enemy knows he can’t get you to make a golden calf. He knows he can’t get you to bow down to an idol…

But right here, smack dab in the 21st Century he’s cleverly found a way to trick well- meaning Christians into idolatry?

Notice what Colossians Chapter 3 says…

 Colossians 3:5 (NKJV)

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, AND COVETOUSNESS, WHICH IS IDOLATRY. 

The bible teaches us that covetousness (Greed. Greediness. An unquenchable desire for more) is equal to idolatry.

Why?

COVETOUSNESS IS BEING DRIVEN BY ONE’S DESIRES – WHICH IS PUTTING ONESELF BEFORE GOD.

God judges us not by WHAT we do, but WHY we do it…

Matthew 15:8 (NKJV)

 8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.

Here are 12 questions to ask yourself to determine if you actually worshipping yourself instead of God

ONE. Has the enemy tricked you into pleasing yourself?

TWO. Has our prosperous society become a stumbling block to you?

THREE. Are you driven by the pursuit of pleasing yourself and getting more material things?

FOUR. Is pleasing yourself your hidden agenda…even in your worship? Not hidden from God. Not necessarily hidden from everyone else. But, hidden from yourself.

FIVE. Did you accept Jesus because you love Him or because of what He can do for you? Yes, He can make our lives here better, but that should not be the primary reason that we come to Him…

John 6:26-27 (NKJV)

 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

SIX. Do you work hard and labor only for yourself every day only to sustain your life, or so you can be a blessing to others? Notice what Ephesians Chapter 4 says…

Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV)

 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with hi shands what is good, THAT HE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE TO HIM WHO HAS NEED.

SEVEN. Do you serve God and help others to draw attention to and get glory to yourself? Remember what Jesus said about many of the religious leaders of that day…

Matthew 23:5 (NKJV)

5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. 

EIGHT. Do you get upset when no one praises you or notices what you do ‘for God’?

NINE. Does your job prevent you from regular worship, provoke you to compromise your faith, values, ethics, morals or integrity?

TEN. Do you give in church only motivated by being blessed or being a blessing to His Kingdom? Some Christians treat giving as a ‘blessing bill’. They only give out of fear that God will cut off their blessings, much like their utility bill or mortgage. Giving must be out of love and a desire to fund Kingdom work – not just out of obedience, but with the right heart.

ELEVEN. Do you go to church motivated only by being blessed or to offer the sacrifice of praise and to be equipped for ministry? Many Christians go to church and leave with the attitude that they have done God a favor. We are only doing what we are supposed to do. Read Luke 14:12-14

TWELVE. What is on your mind and heart when you praise or pray? Yes it’s good to praise God…to pray regularly, but we must make sure we are doing it with the right heart. We must be careful we don’t have the mindset, “Thanks for what you’ve done for ME, now give me more!”

If we aren’t careful, we can be faithful in worship, working, giving, prayer, praise and service, but in our hearts we are only doing it for ourselves – not God.

We must be careful not to allow idolatry to sneak into our lives. Be very careful that when you are worshipping that you really aren’t worshipping yourself along with or instead of God.

1 Corinthians 10:14 (NKJV)

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

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SHOULD WE NOT ALLOW SOME EVENTS IN OUR CHURCHES?

https://youtu.be/ii2utuelGhQ

I’m sure most of you have either seen the video or heard of the parents brawling at the Arlington High School graduation in a suburb of Memphis TN. The fight was over saving seats. Not only was there fighting, but also profanity…in the sanctuary where the congregation worships.

It led me to a question with which I’ve been struggling…should we allow events or ceremonies in the sanctuary that aren’t dedicated to worshiping God?

I know some churches have multiple buildings and rooms…I’m talking about the particular building or room that’s been dedicated to worship.

Should we allow events where people won’t have an opportunity to hear the word of God?

When we have graduations, ceremonies honoring people and even weddings in church, we are potentially inviting people  who have no regard or respect for a house of worship dedicated to God, without giving them a word to possibly reach their hearts.

Notice, that even weddings didn’t take place in the temple in the bible.

John 2:2-5 (ESV)

2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.

Notice how Jesus angrily and passionately removed those selling and exchanging money from the temple.

Matthew 21:12-13 (ESV)

12 And Jesus entered the temple[a] and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

How many times have you noticed people buying or selling in church?

This is a conversation that we should be having in our churches. There are plenty of venues to have events. Are we compromising the integrity of where we worship?

Yes, a wedding is a ‘religious’ ceremony, but it’s still not worship. Maybe that’s why weddings weren’t held in the temple in the bible.

I’m not an expert on this, but I wonder if other faiths allow events other than worship in their dedicated buildings or rooms?

What do you think?

BE BLESSTIFIED!

8

ARE YOU WORSHIPPING GOD OR YOURSELF? 12-QUESTION SELF-CHECK…

wp-1491881047723.

Are you guilty of idolatry? It’s a sin that many of us think isn’t on our list of personal vices. Of course not! I don’t worship statues. I would never build an idol god.

We all know that worship is not just going to church, but to whom we give our dedication and devotion.

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

The enemy knows he can’t get you to make a golden calf. He knows he can’t get you to bow down to an idol…

But right here, smack dab in the 21st Century he’s cleverly found a way to trick well- meaning Christians into idolatry?

Notice what Colossians Chapter 3 says…

 Colossians 3:5 (NKJV)

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, AND COVETOUSNESS, WHICH IS IDOLATRY. 

The bible teaches us that covetousness (Greed. Greediness. An unquenchable desire for more) is equal to idolatry.

Why?

COVETOUSNESS IS BEING DRIVEN BY ONE’S DESIRES – WHICH IS PUTTING ONESELF BEFORE GOD.

God judges us not by WHAT we do, but WHY we do it…

Matthew 15:8 (NKJV)

 8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.

Here are 12 questions to ask yourself to determine if you actually worshipping yourself instead of God

ONE. Has the enemy tricked you into pleasing yourself?

TWO. Has our prosperous society become a stumbling block to you?

THREE. Are you driven by the pursuit of pleasing yourself and getting more material things?

FOUR. Is pleasing yourself your hidden agenda…even in your worship? Not hidden from God. Not necessarily hidden from everyone else. But, hidden from yourself.

FIVE. Did you accept Jesus because you love Him or because of what He can do for you? Yes, He can make our lives here better, but that should not be the primary reason that we come to Him…

John 6:26-27 (NKJV)

 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

SIX. Do you work hard and labor only for yourself every day only to sustain your life, or so you can be a blessing to others? Notice what Ephesians Chapter 4 says…

Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV)

 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with hi shands what is good, THAT HE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE TO HIM WHO HAS NEED.

SEVEN. Do you serve God and help others to draw attention to and get glory to yourself? Remember what Jesus said about many of the religious leaders of that day…

Matthew 23:5 (NKJV)

5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. 

EIGHT. Do you get upset when no one praises you or notices what you do ‘for God’?

NINE. Does your job prevent you from regular worship, provoke you to compromise your faith, values, ethics, morals or integrity?

TEN. Do you give in church only motivated by being blessed or being a blessing to His Kingdom? Some Christians treat giving as a ‘blessing bill’. They only give out of fear that God will cut off their blessings, much like their utility bill or mortgage. Giving must be out of love and a desire to fund Kingdom work – not just out of obedience, but with the right heart.

ELEVEN. Do you go to church motivated only by being blessed or to offer the sacrifice of praise and to be equipped for ministry? Many Christians go to church and leave with the attitude that they have done God a favor. We are only doing what we are supposed to do. Read Luke 14:12-14

TWELVE. What is on your mind and heart when you praise or pray? Yes it’s good to praise God…to pray regularly, but we must make sure we are doing it with the right heart. We must be careful we don’t have the mindset, “Thanks for what you’ve done for ME, now give me more!”

If we aren’t careful, we can be faithful in worship, working, giving, prayer, praise and service, but in our hearts we are only doing it for ourselves – not God.

We must be careful not to allow idolatry to sneak into our lives. Be very careful that when you are worshipping that you really aren’t worshipping yourself along with or instead of God.

1 Corinthians 10:14 (NKJV)

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

2

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