The Bible is very clear that there are times when we need to learn to submit ourselves to someone else. We can offer our lives by first submitting to God’s authority in everything that we do, but also by submitting to earthly authorities, even when we think we’re the ones in the right. Today we took a look at 1 Peter 2 to learn another way to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to our amazing God.
Continue Reading...Archives For How to be an Offering
I’ve been thinking. I’ve been thinking that I’m obviously behind on blogging. I’ve been thinking that I’m not devoting as much time into volunteer worship ministry that I’d like to. I’ve been thinking that I have this and that and the other thing to do.
But then I realized a few things. I’m not hiding in a basement because of what I believe. I’ve never gone to bed hungry because I don’t have enough food to eat. Even though I’m praying that I find a full time job soon, I have peace because my family wife has been smart with our finances and we have enough security that we don’t need to freak out…yet. (I’ll let you know in a few weeks if we need to 🙂
Do you realize the amazing blessings that you have in your life? Do you thank God for them or take them for granted as I have been?
Worship Him with your gratitude today, tomorrow and always.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
I did it. I did it without even really thinking and I didn’t really mean to cause a stir. I wrote a sentence about my thoughts on a popular blog and didn’t really think about the consequences. I didn’t mean it to be a personal attack – but how can it not be a personal attack when we say something even slightly negative about someone’s blog – the place where they poor out their lives for the world to see? But here’s the cool thing – even though I was negative (without really meaning to bash or criticize) – just share a thought – Los contacted me gently, asking me why I said what I said in all fairness. I think that was a big thing to do from a well established blog finding a blog rookie like myself mentioning a small note of criticism. I’m really thankful for his reaction and hope God can still be honored and glorified through my mistake. I added an edit to the original post as well.
Fred McKinnon just shared a link to his answers to five questions on worship he was asked by The Worship Journals and asked that we comment on his post with the answers to our questions. I thought this would make a better blog post than a comment so here we go:
Five Questions on Worship
1. What does Worship Mean to You?
Worship means exalting something greater than we currently or previously have exalted it in our own mind. We could worship a situation. We could worship an experience. We could worship a thing. To me, I try above all else to worship God. This means surrending myself, my thoughts, whatever I might be exalting at any given moment in time and exalting Him above it all. This means letting myself decrease and Him increase. This means letting God be the object of my worship every minute of each day.
2. What Causes You to Worship?
Ultimately – the Holy Spirit. I can’t worship without the power of God prompting me to do so. It’s impossible, so the Holy Spirit is what causes me to worship. But as far as what the Holy Spirit uses to prompt me to worship: music is a given for me. So many types of music are used to prompt me to worship. It helps immensely if the music directs my thoughts toward God and who He is, but I can also be prompted by the beauty and design of orchestral music or the spontaneity and skill of jazz music. I can see the Creator’s hand in the creativity and complexity of both of these types of music. I am also prompted by seeing people honor and glorify God in decisions they make and situations they’re in. Mountains also prompt me to worship. They show me how puny I am and how amazingly huge God is. If the mountains are that majestic – how much more the One who Created them!
3. How is Worship Displayed in Your Life?
I hope that it is displayed in the way I live it. I desire to live a life that exalts God every day and puts to death everything that doesn’t. I want to offer my life as a living sacrifice to Him. I hope that worship is displayed in my marriage, my relationship with my daughter, my relationship with my church and pastor, my relationship with my co-workers and through every interaction I have with people.
4. What is Your Favorite Song and Why?
Can it be the top 50? 🙂 I think at the moment the song that the Holy Spirit is using most to speak to me would be “Let Your Kingdom Come” by Sovereign Grace Music off of the Valley of Vision album. I keep coming back to it and it keeps replaying in my mind. It is such a good declaration to lift God’s cause higher than our own and to get my priorities out of the way and make my life about His priorites.
How would you answer these four questions? (You can be brief, if you like!)
Do you have an accurate picture of who you are and your abilities? Do you think you are the absolute best at something and no one can do it better? This is something that we will struggle with as Christians. We are naturally bent towards pride. Thankfully, though, when we trust and obey the Holy Spirit, we now have the ability to join in His nature and join in the fight against pride. It’s not an easy task, but we fight every day.
Worshiping God by Having a Correct Understanding of our Gifts
Part of learning to worship God is learning that God has stamped His nature on us through the Holy Spirit and beginning to realize when we do things that are contrary to His nature. How do we join in God’s nature, being able to fight our natural tendency for pride? Paul shares this in Romans 12:
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Romans 12:3-5
My Struggle
It’s interesting that I have been enjoying and living by verses one and two of this chapter but never really thought about these verses until recently. I’ve come to examine my heart and really think about the fact that yes, I might be a little prideful at times. It has required a shift in my thinking, constant dependence on God, and prayer for forgiveness and grace every time I realize that I’m being prideful.
How about you? Are you cultivating a heart of humility, thinking of yourself “with sober judgment” and putting others first? Let’s take the journey together.
