Worship God In Spirit And Truth

Jesus told the woman at the well, “God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (Joh 4:24). God is seeking for true worshippers, who will worship Him in Spirit and truth.

What Is True Worship?

Most people think singing church songs is just letting your mouth do all the work. But it is clear in the scriptures that there is worship which God will not accept. God also rejects some sacrifices. God looks at the heart not works. In Genesis 4 God received Abel’s sacrifice of worship but rejected Cain’s. God also rejected the strange fire of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10). In calling His people Israel to repentance. God rejected their solemn assemblies, burnt and grain offerings, and the noise of their songs and instruments, and commanded them to walk in justice and righteousness so that their worship would be accepted (Amos 5:21-24; Luke 11:41; Micah 6:8).

The foundation of true worship comes from two things -the Spirit and truth. This foundation of which I speak is the solid unbreakable foundation of revelation. True worship is a response to revelation.

Without the Spirit, truth is dead -it is knowledge without the life.

Without truth, the spirit is in darkness -it is life without the Light.

Freedom is impossible without truth (8:31-32), and the truth is possible only through a revelatory act of God (Matthew 16:12; John 16;13), which requires the work of the Spirit. The effect and working of these two together is called revelation. Revelation comes when the spirit of God uncovers a truth of God. Revelation is more than information or knowledge because the realm of revelation is the human spirit, and not just the human mind (1 Corinthians 2). We can and do forget much of what we hear and learn. But we own what has been revealed to us, meaning it can never be taken away. This ownership causes us to obey what has been revealed to us (Matthew 7:24-27). Obedience then, is an act of sacrifice in which we offer to God what He and He alone has given go us. Nadab and Abihu’s fire was strange because it was not fire given by God, so God would not accept it. God will only receive what He has first given.

This is the law of the holy and the profane (Ezekiel 22:26; 44:23). So true worship requires a sacrifice, the offering to God of that which God has given to us and in response to revealed truth. This is why redemption requires sacrifice. All the sacrifices commanded by God in the scriptures foreshadowed the complete sacrifice of Jesus through whom and by which we have been redeemed (Hebrews 9;10). In the same way, true worship is the sacrificial response of those who have received the offering of Jesus’s redeeming death, and as such our worship just reflects His sacrifice.

What Makes A Person Unique

Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?

What makes a person unique? It would be someone who helps anyone they come in contact with, even if it is putting a smile on someone’s face with a kind gesture.

Someone who is kind but still stands up for their morals and values. Someone who shows love instead of hate.

Everyone’s personality is unique. But I think being able to love in a world filled with hate is pretty unique. No longer does society believe we can love someone and still disagree with them. Disagreeing is becoming more and more synonymous with hate.

Are Dreams And Visions Messages From God?

The place of dreams and visions in a believer’s life can cause debate and confusion among many people. The question is does God still speak to people through dreams and visions? Or had the time of these dreams and visions passed?

What are dreams and visions?

First, we need to clarify the difference between a dream and a vision. A vision happens when a person is awake and alert, a dream occurs when a person is asleep.

Peter was awake for his vision of the unclean foods in Acts 10:9-23. Joh. Was awake for his vision in Revelation 1:9-11. Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker were asleep when they had dreams that Joseph interpreted. (Genesis 40:5-9 ). Joseph, Mary’s husband was asleep when an angel spoke to him about Mary’s miracle pregnancy in Matthew 1:20-24.

Some people feel almost every dream is significant and they need to know the interpretation. Dreams and visions are important for many of us. Some people claim to receive messages from their ancestors through dreams. Perhaps they consult mediums (this is forbidden in the Bible) or pastors whom they believe have the gift of interpretation. Certain dreams have traditional patterns for interpretation, while others do not. In some cases the dreamer will remember the dream until something happens to which they attribute to the dream.

There are 3 types of dreams in the Bible.

Based on biblical teaching, dreams can be classified into three categories:

1. Subconscious Processing

Some dreams are a result of what has been on a person’s mind or stored in their subconscious. These can be memories, past events repressed desires, or unfulfilled hopes. Isaiah says, a hungry person dreams of eating but wakes up still hungry” (Isaiah 29;8). And Solomon writes, “Too much activity gives you restless dreams” (Ecclesiastes 5;3).

2. Spiritual Attacks

Some dreams may be false messages from our spiritual enemies (Deuteronomy 13:2-5; Jude 1:8). Through Jeremiah, God said this about the “smooth-tongued” false prophets: “Their are imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for my people” (Jeremiah 23:32).

3, Important Messages

God sometimes gives special dreams, such as the two Pharoh received in Genesis 41:1-7, those experienced by Joseph (Genesis 37:5-10, Solomon (1 Kings 3:5, and Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:28) and the dreams accompanied the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1 & 2). These dreams give important messages that God’s servants need to understand.

Dreams, Discernment and Scripture

Since there is no indication in the Bible that God has stopped using dreams, the simple answer to whether God still speaks through dreams and vision is “Yes.” But we must be careful how we apply this. Remember that God’s special revelation -the Bible -has been completed, and it covers all things we must know about God, his work, and his purposes. We should not look for or except new revelations that expand our knowledge of God, doctrine, and the Bible. New information from any source. Including dreams and visions, must agree with scripture.

If God chooses to speak to a person in a dream, the message of that dream will be consistent with, and not contradict, the teachings of the Bible. The Bible is inspired by God and is sufficient for instruction (2 Timothy 3:16).

What we do in response to our dream must be in agreement with the teachings of the Bible. Also, the dreams and visions of God’s servants like Daniel, Paul, and John show us that special messages are usually very rare. If on is given, it might only occur once in an entire lifetime. These great leaders in the Bible received messages only a few times in their lives. People who receive dreams or visions should be viewed with some skepticism.

Don’t allow yourself to be manipulated by someone who says, “I received this word from you in a dream.” Godly dreams glorify God and help encourage people to proclaim the gospel. They are not given to bring acclaim or glory to an individual. We should listen, pray, and test the message for ourselves to confirm if it is from God.

If God speaks to you through dreams rejoice and follow God’s instructions. If God does not speak to you through dreams, you are no worse or less spiritual than the one who receives dreams.

Having Something Named After Me

If you could have something named after you, what would it be?

I have no desire to have anything named after me. That is not me at all. I would rather have something named after God I serve. Everything I’ve done or will in life has been because of Him. I am just a messenger, God should get the glory.

Church People vs Kingdom People

I woke up with a jolt in my spirit this morning. This is how God jars me when I haven’t been paying attention. I got an utter voice in my head that told me I better get busy because there wasn’t much time. Not for the world but for me personally.

Too many followers of Jesus put the work of God into a box called the church with its services and programs.

There’s an old myth that claims that a goldfish will only grow to the size of it’s tank. What may not apply to goldfish definitely applied to people? People will only grow to the size of the vision that frames their lives.

The Kingdom is bigger than the church

Jesus was the first person to utter the word “church.” Yet, He framed His ministry in terms of God’d Kingdom breaking into the world, not into a church building. Mark 1:14-15 shows us how Jesus introduced His ministry. Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel, and saying.

“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus framed His ministry in terms of the Kingdom of God, not the church. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not dismissing the church I think we need the church to connect as a group with God, and it helps us stay accountable as believers. The church is the Bride of Jesus and we should love her (Ephesians 5:25), the church is the body of Christ and we should build it up. Yet, it was Jesus who framed the gospel as good news about a new reality which is God’s Kingdom their the presence of Jesus.

The church and its activities can fit into the Kingdom, but we cannot squeeze the Kingdom into the church. When we try to fit the Kingdom into out church box, we create church people, instead of Kingdom people. There is a huge difference between the two:

  • Church people – have a reduced ministry vision and can’t see past the church-bound categories of ministry. Church-bound ministries are ushers, greeters, children’s workers, and inviters of lost friends.
  • Kingdom people – have Kingdom vision to think/act/dream outside the box. They want to heal the wounds of people and do what Jesus gave authority to His disciples to do.
  • Church people – see the gospel in terms of good news about the afterlife. It’s how you can be sure you’re going to heaven after you die.
  • Kingdom people – see the gospel in terms of good news about the Kingdom life. It’s about life in God and with God, both now and forever.
  • Church people – understand discipleship as primarily about enjoying a closer relationship with God that grow “me” to spiritual maturity.
  • Kingdom people – understand discipleship as the call to live their lives for Christ’s sake so they can participate in His family for His mission.

The Kingdom is not a means to a bigger church; the church is a means to demonstrate the Kingdom.

So let’s get out of the box and into the kingdom.

“It is clear that Jesus as Kingdom Bringer has been screened out of the church’s dogmatic tradition. Again and again, the church manages to talk about Jesus while forgetting the thing the Gospel kept on saying, and He was inaugurating God’s Kingdom.” – NT Wright

What Makes Me Laugh

What makes you laugh?

Laughing is good for the soul. My husband is a teaser, he teases everyone. Sometimes he’s just silly. I really like relatable humor.

I like listening to the stand up comedians such as Jeff Allen and Steve Trevino. They have a knack for turning bad situations into laughable ones.

Laughter can help lesson your stress, depression and anxiety and helps us to feel better. It’s something we all need in this crazy world. Even the Bible mentions in Proverbs 17:22, “a joyful heart is good medicine. But a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

God Does Not Want You Passive

Believers can be good at making lanes sound spiritual.

  • “I’m waiting on the Lord.”
  • “I’m learning to rest in the Lord.”
  • “I don’t want to get ahead of God.”

These statements are meant to end the conversation. They are not meant for debate. How do you counter what someone feels that God has told them in their personal times with Him. But, are they really from God or just excuses.

Excuses make us feel better about ourselves when we know that there must be more there we are not experiencing.

What is a believers rest?

For the Israelites rest was the promised land (Joshua 1:13). The ones that came out of Egypt were not allowed to rest due to disobedience (Psalm 95:8-11). Two-thirds of the tribes of Israel were given rest (land), and had to help fight for the other’s rest (Joshua 1:14-15). Rest was not a lazy activity. It had to be fought for and was only attained by the promise of God.

Rest is also God’s presence -for the promise of the Gospel is the gospel I am invited to enter God’s presence (1 John 3:19; Psalm 62:1; Psalm 91:1; Hebrews 4:16; Exodus 33:14). This is the secret of not getting ahead of God. When His presence moves, we move. When it carries, we set up camp (Numbers 9:15-23). But in order to do this we must keep a watchful eye on His presence.

Passivity is not a fruit of the spirit. It is not a synonym for patience. It is a deadening of your heart. It’s a sign of giving up and not caring.

My pastor always says he doesn’t believe in silent prayer. Even at home alone we should be praying aloud to God.

Most believers (me included) can be passive about God’s plan for their lives. This should not be. God doesn’t want me to kill my heart, instead, He is doing all He can to call it to my life. He wants to give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). Out of the heart flows springs of life (Proverbs 4:23).

Does this mean we can never be unsure of God’s leading? I hope not because that is what I experience sometimes. But it is not a time to be passive when I experience it.

We are not called to be passive. We are to passionately pursue God (James 4:8). Find those areas of your life where God’s presence stirs within you. Fan those flames and watch how you come to life like never before.

Forgiveness Of Sins And Physical Healing Are Connected

Some things just seem to go together. Peanut butter and Jelly, milk and cookies. When things go together they usually make the other better. The is nothing better than a crisp chocolate chip cookie dunked in a big glass of cold milk.

At my weekly Monday prayer meeting this morning we were praying for some people in our community who have been sick for a long time. We were talking about how throughout the Old and New Testaments in the Bible forgiveness of sins and healing of the body. Where you see one, you always see the other. They go together better than cookies and milk and are a part of our redemption in Christ.

Matthew 5:24 tells us to “leave your gift there before the altar and go your way. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” We cannot expect to be healed of anything if we have forgiveness in our hearts. We can’t expect God to give us a gift if we have bitterness in our hearts.

Today we have a hard time believing in healing because we rarely see it. Or figure the doctors did it. Not too many people believe in healing. I’ve seen too many people around me die because of a disease they though wasn’t curable. But God is the great physician. He can heal any ailment at anytime.

Jesus binds together forgiveness and healing. Both are easy, because both include Jesus and His desire to heal us. When this connection is made, and it goes from knowledge to belief, healing comes easy.

When we have no Unforgiveness or bitterness in our hearts we can become forgiven and physical healing comes.

“As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years; and if men should be in strength, eighty years; and the greater part of them would be labor and trouble; for weakness overtakes us, and we shall be chastened”

This means God promises us 70-80 years of good life, if we obey Him.

Jesus Jesus Jesus

He received 39 stripes because 40 was known to kill a man. They wanted Him alive. They held handfuls of His beard, and hair and pulled it out by the roots. They wanted Him alive. They kicked, punched, and spit on Him for hours. Until there wasn’t a single spot on His body not covered in blood. They wanted Him alive.

They shoved a crown of thorns down on His head as harshly as it stuck in His skin. They wanted Him alive. After hours of being beaten, mocked, whipped, flogged, and tortured they made Him walk with a cross. They made Him carry it. A rough piece of wood with splinters digging into His flesh wounds. They wanted Him alive.

They wanted Him to feel every ounce if pain they could bring. He had to feel it in order to heal us. Crucifixion was and still it one of the cruelest most tortured deaths a human could face. Hours upon hours of torture. Torture most of us cannot mentally comprehend.

We celebrate Easter with pastel colors, happy children hunting eggs and chocolate. The truth is there was absolutely nothing happy about the way Jesus died. It was cruel, bloody, and nasty.

He could have stopped all of it. He could have called every angel in heaven to demolish every person standing and shouting “Crucify Him! He didn’t. He knew in order to have a Sunday you have to have a Friday. He knew in order to have joy you have to carry your cross. He felt everything that day. He felt how your heart broke wide open when you had to watch your baby die. He felt how heavy your life was when hot were staring down the barrel of a gun wondering if the man you called husband was going to shoot you. He carried the weight of the burden you have felt since your spouse died and life just doesn’t seem right since.

On that cross, He held the rapist and the murderers, the sinner and the Saint. He leveled every playing field and said all of you are with it. He knew He had to carry the cross. He never promised the cross you had to carry in this life would not be heavy. His wasn’t. He promised that Sunday is coming.

No matter how heavy Friday is. Financially, emotionally, mentally or physically. Friday is heavy. That cross is weighing you down and you are about go crumble under its weight. His promise was simply this. He won’t make you carry it alone. What kind of King would step down from His throne for this?

Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God did it for you.

Be did every bit of it for you and me. Yes. It is heavy. So heavy sometimes you do not think you can take one more step. But look up, because Sunday is coming.

I ask that if you have children, please tell them about Jesus and what He did for all who walk this earth. Then you can celebrate that Sunday is coming.

God’s Major Objective

Our world has become a large, impersonal, busy institutions.

We are alienated from each other. Although crowded, we are lonely. Pushed together but were uninvolved. No longer do most neighbors visit across the backyard fence. The well-manicured front lawns are a modern most that keeps barbarians at bay. Hoarding and flaunting have replaced sharing and caring. It’s like we are occupying a common space but have no common interests as if we’re on an elevator with rules such as “no talking, smiling, or eye contact allowed without the written consent of the management.

Painful though it may be for us to admit, we’re losing touch with one another. The motivation to help, encourage, and yes serve our fellow human beings is waning. People observed crimes in progress but refused to help so they wouldn’t be involved. Our fundamental values are getting lost in these confusing days. And yet, it is these things that form the essentials of a happy and fulfilled life.

Our grand declaration of biblical assurance is etched in the rock-like truth of Romans 8 says,

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren” – Romans 8:28-29

Maybe you’ve never stopped to consider that God is committed to one major objective in the lives of all His people to conform to the image of His son.