FOUNDATIONS OF WORSHIP PART 2

 

In Foundations of Worship Part 1, I introduced worship as a work of obedience, submission and a life of sacrifice. Let us expand on this some more from another angle which is very familiar to us-the association between praise and worship-. The link between the two is real as most people think about worship along with praise.

Praise and worship complement each other but there is a difference which I will explain. Praise is recognising God for who He is: "you are holy", "your name is worthy", "no one can compare to you", "you are Jehovah Jireh, our provider". 

Praise creates a space and purifies the atmosphere that allows holiness to exist within; "Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3). 

God dwells in our praises. But worship takes us a step further. Worship does not just recognise the characteristics or the acts of God, worship acknowledges that He is God. Praise can be given to humans but worship sets someone as being sovereign over you. 

Praise can set the mood or be used to focus on God. But as a mood you can be fooled and this is where most people are led astray. They have difficulty in understanding the relationship between praise and worship. 

Both praise and worship can be done in song. In fact, most people only know it as song. But worship songs are different to praise songs. Each has a function and sometimes, songs of worship and praise are a distraction. When we hear a song that we like we sing it and forget the subject matter is God. The purpose of the song is not about becoming emotional or to get caught up with the music. Saints be careful you must NOT worship the songs.

Many people worship on emotion. Emotion is still about self, indicating that only when I feel to worship or have a particular emotion, I can worship God. This is not worship. This is a false emotion. This is why God desires true worshippers. 

True worshippers are worshippers who worship truth. Our Father in heaven is the Father of Truth. What is the truth that we must accept? God is God all by Himself. He does not need us to be God. He is God with or without our emotion. God is not an emotion. Ha! He can raise up stones to worship Him!

A main scripture used to understand worship is:

“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will (proskuneo) worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You (proskuneo) worship what you do not know; we (proskuneo) worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. But a time is coming and has now come when the true (proskynetai from proskuneo) worshippers will (proskuneo) worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to (proskuneo) worship Him. God is Spirit, and His (proskynountas from proskuneo) worshippers must (proskuneo) worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:21-24).

We have to go beyond our emotions and worship God. Our emotions are in the soul. We must settle in our spirit that Jesus is God. Our faith is in Jesus as the Son of the Living God who is our Saviour, Lord and Master! This must be embedded deep inside our spirit. We worship Him in spirit and in truth. 

Worshipping God in spirit has different levels and worshipping Him in truth has different levels. I look forward to the continuation of this theme in more blogs to come.

END TIMES ALMOST OVER

Jordan's King Abdullah said that his country
had been attacked by Iranian made drones

    In the next few weeks I want to focus on the end of times and I hope that is okay with you. So many of us want to learn more about this time that we are in. We have been hearing about the end for almost 2,000 years. From what I can tell it is the end of time, sinful life and the kingdoms of the earth. 

Praise God for giving us this time to work out our salvation. For centuries we have heard, Jesus is coming! But do you know that the end begins with Jesus? He is the beginning of the end. He is the fulfilment of Adam 

And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45

This is how the New Testament started: 

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 1 Hebrews 1:1-2

Jesus brought a new administration or phase. He fulfils Messianic Judaism and he taught a gospel for the Gentiles. As He started His ministry, we are told that the end is coming. 

John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:2. Yes, he ushered in Jesus's ministry. He spoke of the Kingdom. The Kingdom as spoken of in Daniel 2:44

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

This prophesy has not happened as yet but it will soon. The Book of Revelation speaks of this kingdom. At the end of time after the tribulation the Kingdom of God will be fully established. Jesus's Lordship will no longer be in heaven only. His kingdom will not be simply on a personal level, it will be on a global scale.

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” Revelation 11:15

Before the kingdom of God can be established for eternity, there are several events that occur. Here are the key events that define the end of times:

• tribulations
• pre-tribulation war Ezekiel 38
• alliance against Israel
• rapture
• new order 
• anti-Christ tribulation
• apocalypse
• the Second Coming
• 1000 year reign
• devil loosed
• eternal judgement
• the third beast
• the second beast
• the first beast

It is important to understand the setting that pushes or catapults the sequence of events. The pre-tribulation war will be because of economics or innovation. It may or may not be because of chaos but it will add to the chaos. The build up for the anti-Christ is the chaos or problems overwhelming mankind. This will be the reason he is popular and looked on as the solution to the problems.

Can you name some contributions to a chaotic world? All over the world people are crying out for against pain, poverty, freedom, rights and justice. Protests for different reasons are occurring globally. Here are some of the scenes:

Military troops surround the Parliament in Tunisia
July 26, 2021, photo sourced from Behold Israel

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelations 20:7-15

There will be only one King and one kingdom. King Abdullah would not have to worry about Iran and Iranian drones. After the final judgement there will be no more sin and no more time, only eternity.

Please do not think that you can be saved after the rapture or during tribulation. There are skeptics who think that they have to see the tribulation before they can believe Jesus is the Saviour or God. While this is possible it will be a very difficult life. In fact, when the Anti-Christ declares he is God, you will have to decide to accept Jesus as Saviour upon death. This is where the mark of the Beast comes in.

A little reality here. If you find it hard to believe now, it will be harder when you are faced with a life and death situation. During the tribulation, the evil will be great. Today there is so much wickedness. During the tribulation it will be worse. 

Thank you Father for waiting for us and for the plan of salvation. I pray every reader can submit to God with their whole heart. I pray that none will see the tribulation but will have eternal life with Christ.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you may say this prayer;

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

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