Bible Ballistics: BBs #737. Making Worship For Me Or GOD?

 

I may lose some of you today, but I must share the burden on my heart.  I am so grieved with the worldly things that are called ‘worship’ today; there was a time when holy things came out of the church to the world, but it seems to me, that many times now and in many places, the world has been invited into the ‘church’ to attract a crowd!  Let’s draw a crowd is the new “mantra” of the church in many ways, rather than lifting up Jesus, and calling people to repentance and faith, then “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”!  (See Matthew 28:19-20). We spend way more time teaching people “books about The Word”, if we teach them anything, rather than teaching them “The Word of God” and how to apply it.

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see

the kingdom of God…

… 5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into

the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again…

…14  And as Moses

lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man

be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.”   Portions of John 3:3-15

As Jesus told the crowds shortly before His death—for HE knew HE would give HIS life for our salvation– HIS CROSS was, is and ever shall be the only way to God.  Jesus gave HIS life for yours/mine; knowingly, willingly, lovingly—yet we think we can come with our pretty words and claim HIS salvation without cost! Yes, salvation is the “gift of God”, but we can’t hold on to our way and cling to the cross at the same time!

“And I,

if I be lifted up from the earth,

will draw all men unto me.

33 This he said,

signifying what death he should die.”   John 12:32-33

Jesus had a lot to say about the “cost” of following HIM; but we seem to have neglected that part of Jesus’ message.

“I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish…

… 5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3 & 5

Repent means to make a 180-degree turn, from my sin into the arms of Jesus, trusting in His substitutionary (in my place), atoning (making up for wrong), sacrifice (payment for my sin)!  And there’s even more!

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If

any man

 will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life

for my sake

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give

in exchange

for his soul?”  Matthew 16:24-26

Yet the popular “t-shirt” philosophy of the day rules with total disregard for what Jesus said, I’ve seen several of late and it grieves my heart!  You fill in the blank, “I love Jesus, BUT_____”: I drink a little, I cuss a little, I fornicate a little, I lie a little, I steal a little, I disobey God a little (a lot really!)!  What kind of transformed life is this?  Jesus made it clear.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”    John 14:15

We have so compromised the message of Jesus, that we have a culture—a church—which believes and preaches the love of God apart from the holiness of God; or that God calls those who come to HIM to take up their own cross, denying themselves to follow Jesus—not in our own power but in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  And my friend, if you don’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit, you DON’T have Jesus! Ouch!  Hard but true according to GOD’s WORD!

“But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God

dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you,

the body is dead because of sin;

but the Spirit is life

because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus

from the dead

dwell in you,

he that raised up Christ

from the dead

shall also quicken your mortal bodies

by his Spirit

that dwelleth in you.”  Romans 8:9-11

Paul also goes on in Romans 12 to call us to a holy walk, a holy life before God and the world.

“11:36 For of him,

and through him,

and to him,

are all things:

to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies

a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God

hath dealt to every man

 the measure of faith.”   Romans 12:1-3

What are you thinking?  Who are you seeking?  God, others or simply self?  We seem to have made the message, the music and the ministry of the ‘Church’ about gratifying the flesh rather than calling men to repent and asking God to send real heaven-sent, Holy Ghost “RE”vival!  When our music makes people want to do the ‘boogaloo’ dance instead of breaking our hearts for our sin and neglect of our Lord, and falling down before God Almighty, what do we expect?  Well, if you’ll pardon my ‘French’, I think we have gotten exactly what we’ve asked for: crowds with no conviction—people with no power—followers with no fire!  Oh, precious Lord, please send the convicting power of YOUR HOLY SPIRIT upon our hearts, that our churches may fall down before you in repentance, restoration and renewal to the Bible and The CROSS!  “There Is Power In The Blood” (written by Lewis E. Jones) and nowhere else.  May we truly sing “Revive Us Again” (written by Willian Mackay), and not “I’m Satisfied With ME” (instead of asking “Is my Savior satisfied with me?” from “I Am Satisfied With Jesus”, Written by B.B McKinney).

“If I regard iniquity in my heart,

the Lord will not hear me:”  Psalm 66:18

James made it very clear that we will give an account.  So, those of us who claim the name of Jesus, and especially those of us in positions of leadership, I pray that we fall down before our God and ask HIS forgiveness as we repent and humbly seek HIS face!  May we truly take James’ advice and humble ourselves “in the sight of the Lord” asking that HE “shall lift you up”!  Oh, Jesus may it ever be so—today!

“From whence come wars and fightings

among you?

come they not hence,

even of your lusts

that war in your members?

2 Ye lust,

and have not:

ye kill,

and desire to have,

and cannot obtain:

ye fight and war,

yet ye have not,

because ye ask not.

3 Ye ask,

and receive not,

because ye ask amiss,

that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses,

know ye not

that the friendship of the world

is enmity with God?

whosoever therefore

will be a friend of the world

is the enemy of God.

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,

The spirit that dwelleth in us

lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace.

Wherefore he saith,

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands,

ye sinners;

and purify your hearts,

ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted,

and mourn,

and weep:

let your laughter

be turned to mourning,

and your joy

to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves

in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall lift you up.”  James 4:1-10

May we not be like Cain, bringing the fruit of our own hands, expecting to please God doing “our own thing”, building on the sand and not the “Rock”! Jesus still saves lives today!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;”   Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin

is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   Romans 6:23

Please Lord, have mercy on us today.  Amen and Amen!!!