23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:23-26, English Standard Version (ESV)
By Dr. Charles Stanley
In our culture, sin is no longer considered an issue. Although some people might admit to making mistakes or being wrong, few will actually say, "I have sinned." The Lord, however, takes sin very seriously. Until we learn to see transgression as He does, we will never understand what happened at Christ's crucifixion.
The cross was God's perfect answer to a terrible dilemma. Because the Lord is holy and just, He hates sin and must respond to it with punishment and wrath. Yet He also loves sinners and wants to be reconciled with them. The cross of Christ was the place where God's wrath and love collided. The only way to rescue fallen mankind from eternal punishment was to devise a plan whereby the Lord could forgive sins without compromising His holiness. There was no way to overlook transgressions; His wrath had to be poured out- either on us or a substitute. But there was only one possible substitute: the perfect Son of God.
So Jesus came to earth as a man and suffered the Lord's wrath for us as He hung on the cross. Sin was punished, divine justice was satisfied, and now God could forgive mankind without compromising His character. His wrath was poured out on His Son so that His love and forgiveness could be lavished upon us.
Because of human limitations, we'll never grasp all that happened while Jesus hung on the cross. We can begin to comprehend only the physical suffering He endured, but in the spiritual realm, Christ bore so much more - the very wrath of God. This costly redemption plan proves God's great love.
" But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. " John 4:23-24 ESV
By Kemi Olubiyi
For me, true worship indicates total surrender to the One who created me and has my life in His hands. The Source of all goodness and all things. The one true God!
What does true worship mean to you? Before we go further, let us see what the world defines "worship" to be.
Define "Worship"
According to the New Illustrated Webster's Dictionary, worship is defined as " The act or feeling of adoration or homage; the paying of religious reverence as in prayer, praise, etc. It is referred to as excessive or ardent admiration.
The highest purpose for which man was created was to worship the one true God who created us in His image and likeness. (friends we were created to worship God and find fulfillment in Him). However, when sin came into the world through our first parents, man's heart became corrupt; thereby, the strong desire to yearn for more caused human beings to seek other things to occupy the place in their hearts meant for the Almighty God alone. This eventually led man to begin to worship other gods, worship things & people, practice occultism, and directly or indirectly serving Satan, who desperately craves man's worship ( worshipping the creation instead of the Creator).
As we can see throughout biblical history, the Children of Israel were chastised by Jehovah God often because of their worship of Idols, thereby disobeying God's commandments in Deuteronomy 5:7-9, which states " You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not bow down to them or serve: for I the LORD your God am a jealous God". Deuteronomy 5:8-9 ESV
Worship is a fundamental purpose of the Church of God because we are God's chosen people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood 1 Peter 2:5,9, and as a result, He demands true worship from His people. When you, as His child worships Him wholeheartedly, you are saying that He is the only one you look unto for your dependency because you know that apart from Him, you are nothing and can do absolutely nothing.
True worship begins in the heart of a believer for as we recognize His awesomeness in our lives; it brings us peace, which surpasses all understanding, rest, and joy that only He can give. True worship reveals how much we love the Father, and as a result of that, we see God's move in our lives.
It is the ultimate intimate experience that is beyond human understanding because to worship the Father truly, the flesh has to be crucified, you can not genuinely worship Him with mere flesh, it is only through the spirit which you are also made up of that you and I can worship Him in the beauty of His Holiness. Psalm 29:2.
Worship changes the outcome of events in a believer's life quality time is spent in praise and adoration to Him. It becomes a lifestyle that everyone around you becomes quick to notice because you are often seen offering thanksgiving to the Lord, glorifying Him even in trials and difficulties. A True worshipper can effectively win souls for the kingdom merely through a lifestyle of worship and gratitude. Those around them see and recognize that indeed this is truly a son or daughter of the Almighty God. 1 Peter 3:1-2. Every believer should live a life of worship and thanksgiving, unto God for even in Heaven; He is continuously worshiped and adored by the Angels, etc. how much more we created for the sole purpose of worship. Rev 19:4-5, Isaiah 6:3-4.
True worship is about living a holy life, set apart for God alone. You cannot worship any other but the Father. It is alright to shower praises on Man for his good works and even give honor to whom honor is due, but as believers, "worship" belongs to the Almighty God alone. We are to worship the Creator and not the creation.
Satan, our adversary, knows the power of worship in a believer's life, and that is why he wages war against God's people day and night to destroy our relationship with the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. He seeks the worship and praise of man so much that we can see what he has done or brought about in the world, since the beginning of time to obtain it—i.e., false religion, murder, sexual perversion, deception, wars, etc.
Our genuine worship of God has the power to bring about tremendous changes in a believer's life. The deeper you worship, the greater the difference you encounter. I can testify of such changes at different periods in my life. When I spend quality time in His presence, at times, I all of a sudden feel the need to worship Him, ignoring the human desire to "ask" for something I want or need. I begin with songs of praises, which eventually lead to worship. Because praise produces worship, it automatically invokes God's presence, and you begin to feel the Holy Spirit taking over. At that point, I am usually helpless. By the time, I am back to myself; there is this assurance I get in my spirit that all is well, I feel this overwhelming peace and joy that comes over me, and it's like the Lord is telling me that He has taken care of everything and I should just say " Thank you." It does not happen to me all the time, but things begin to work for my good when it does. I begin to see prayers answered to situations that have been pending for a long while.
Even in a church gathering or fellowship, you will see God's hand at work, especially during times of praise and worship. I have witnessed and heard of many cases where instant healing and deliverance takes place once the congregation begins to worship the Lord. The pastors or speakers cannot preach anymore; it's like he or she becomes speechless. Friends that is the Holy Spirit at work is why it's essential to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's move because if you hinder Him, He will not be free to do what He wants to do at that moment in time. The Ministry of Music is also critical in the body of Christ. God's presence comes down so much during times of praise and worship, and so even without the laying of hands, you begin to see miracles taking place in the lives of people and many also giving their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ during times of worship and praise.
Just for clarification purposes, worship is not just about singing to God, and it is not about a public display of your affection for him; it goes deeper than that. True worship has to do with everything concerning your life. I mean by this that it involves the total surrender of all that you are and all that you have. Recognizing that everything you have, your children, spouses, material things, job, business, education, etc. all belong to Him. Surrendering all that you have and are to Him is the act of daily worship. The late Dr. Myles Munroe put it this way" true worship means to ascribe credit of all things to Him (GOD). That means your talents, gifts, skills, and everything else (as mentioned earlier) must be accredited to the One who gave it all to you.
True worship has the power also to bring about victory in a believer's life. It brings about the victory from bondage, from the hands of their enemy, from sin. II Chronicles 20 is one of my favorite examples in scripture of how God works on His people's behalf when we worship and adore Him. King Jehoshaphat and all the people of Judah knew that they would not be able to defeat their enemies without God's intervention. The king cried out to Jehovah God for help, and He assured them that they would be victorious and instructed them accordingly.
In addition to obeying the Lord's instruction, King Jehoshaphat felt the desire to show gratitude to the Lord for what He was going to do and what the king did. Along with the people of Judah and Jerusalem, the king immediately bowed down and worshiped the Lord God and continue to do so even until the next day. The Lord approved their praise and worship and instantly gave them victory over their enemies. It was recorded in biblical history that Jehoshaphat was a good king who did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight. How many Kings did the Lord give such a favorable report about? Very few! May the Lord remember us for good in Jesus' name.
Beloved, I admonish you today to worship the Lord with all your heart because He seeks true worshippers that will worship Him in spirit and truth. John 4:24. God wants us to live a life of holiness to enjoy being called His Sons and Daughters. The time will come when all the ends of the earth i.e, the whole world shall remember and turn back to the Lord, and all the families of nations shall worship before Him. Psalm 22:27-28. ESV
Why don't we, who are already chosen and called to be His children, show the world first that we are indeed true worshippers of God, fulfilling the purpose for which He created all humankind?
Let us, therefore, examine our hearts today. Are you worshiping the Lord like you are supposed to i.e., in spirit and truth? If your answer is no or I am not sure, it is time to repent and decide today to spend quality time in His presence, offering continuous thanksgiving and praises to Him. He will take you to a deeper level in your Christian walk when you do so.
Beloved, A heart of worship will surely transform your life!
Arise, Shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. "The Lord shall be thy everlasting light and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.Isaiah 60:1:20b KJV
by. Kemi Olubiyi
When we look all around us today, especially at the body of Christ, which we can relate to as believers; we see so much depression, frustration, sadness, anger, distress, and so on. There is so much evil in our society today that it takes the grace of God for us not to get caught up in the affairs of this world. We, as Christian women, try to put our faith in the Lord, daily trusting Him to be the best wives, mothers, daughters, and workers that we can be, and I am here to tell you today that the Lord sees all your hard work and also sees the stress of everyday life that weighs you down. And so, therefore, He is reminding us today in His word, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11: 28 KJV.
Is not our God awesome? He knew there would be times when we will be down and distressed, and we would need His word to lift us right back up. The above verse is one of those words He has provided to comfort us in times of trouble. The Lord has assured us in His word that He will give us rest and ease our pain when we look unto Him, the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Sisters, arise and shine this day, for your light has come; who or what is this light? It is our Lord Jesus Christ; He is our everlasting light. In Him, there is no darkness, no more pain, hurt, or distress. Allow the glory of the Lord this day to shine in your lives. Let the Lord take away your cares and burdens that weigh you down and let Him be unto you this day an everlasting light.
The Light of the Lord shall overshadow every darkness in your life as long as you permit Him to do so. I am not saying trying times will not come; they surely will; Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself experienced it while on earth, but He is assuring us this day that He will see us through and our days of mourning, of sorrow shall be over because He shall be our everlasting light that outshines the darkness and destroys everything that tries to steal our joy.
By Dr. Charles Stanley
