Friday, October 14, 2016, 10:11 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “For Our Nation.” Speak, Lord, your
words to my heart. I read Psalm 50:7-15,
23 (ESV).
Is God Pleased?
(vv. 7-13)
“Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I
will testify against you.
I am God,
your God.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
your burnt
offerings are continually before me.
I will not accept a bull from your house
or goats
from your folds.
For every beast of the forest is mine,
the cattle
on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the hills,
and all that
moves in the field is mine.
“If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the
world and its fullness are mine.
Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the
blood of goats?”
What is our idea of what we
believe is acceptable worship of God? If someone were to ask us if we believe
God is pleased with us, or with our worship of him, what would we say? And
then, if they asked us why we believe that is true, what would then be our
response? In other words, on what basis do we place that belief? What is it about
our lives or our worship of God that we think brings him pleasure?
Do we regularly attend Sunday
morning worship services in a building called “church,” which is governed by a
particular church denomination? Do we sing the worship songs, and listen
intently as the preacher preaches, and put some money in the offering plate,
and shake hands with people during greeting time? Do we serve in some official
position within this church, such as deacon, elder, Sunday school teacher,
small group leader, or are we on the worship team or the social committee? Or,
do we help with church bazars and community outreach? Does God find pleasure in
all of these?
What would you think if I
told you that you could do all these things, and that God would still not be
pleased with you and your worship of him? Would you believe me? Why or why not?
Do you believe this (the above) is truly what God requires or desires of us? Or,
do you think maybe there is something more to worship of God than just this?
Or, in place of this?
The point of what the
psalmist is writing about here is that we can do all kinds of good things, or
seemingly good things for God, and even in obedience to what we believe are the
commands of God for our lives, and still not be offering a sacrifice to God
acceptable to him. So, why is that true? It is because there is a difference
between doing FOR God what we think is pleasing to him, but on our own terms,
and according to our own schedule and ways, and that of living holy lives,
pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service of worship of him (See: Ro.
12:1-2).
For instance, do we believe
that God is pleased with us participating in service and worship with the
institutional church, i.e. the church under the authority of the US government
(in the USA) and church denominations? This is a question we all have to answer
between us and God, but let me share some thoughts here with you on this
subject.
The church is not an
institution of men, nor is it a corporation under any federal government of any
nation, nor is it a business of human making to be marketed just like any other
business. It is a living organism made up of people who have put their faith and
trust in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives, and with Christ
Jesus as her head. We, the people of God, are his church. So, if the church
willingly brings itself under another head, other than Christ, it is living in
spiritual adultery against God, for Christ is to be her only head. Also, by the
church incorporating as a business under the federal government, she has become
a state church, which is not to be confused with the body of Christ, which is a
spiritual entity. We serve a jealous God who will not give his glory to another,
so it is not God’s will that we should have any head other than Christ himself.
As well, much of today’s
institutional church has also gone the way of the world, and they are replacing
the teachings of Christ with the teachings of men, and they are using the flesh
of men to allure people to their meetings, and they use gimmicks and tricks and
manipulations to keep people coming back for more. Entertainment has replaced
true worship, and books written by mere men are replacing the Word of God. Feel-good
messages are taking the place of Spirit-filled, God-inspired messages which
confront sin in sinful humans, which call for repentance, and which teach
obedience to Christ and to his commandments (his instructions to us). With
this, God is not pleased. So, he is calling his body, his followers, to come
out from her (Babylon), so that we do not share in her sins and in her
punishment, for her sins are piled high to heaven, and God has remembered her
iniquities (See: Rev. 18).
Perform Your Vows (vv. 14-15, 23)
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform
your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will
deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice
glorifies me;
to one who
orders his way rightly
I will show
the salvation of God!”
So, with what is God pleased?
We read in Romans 12 that, in light of what Jesus Christ did for us in dying on
a cross for our sins, so that we could be set free from sin, that we should
offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him. We
should no longer conform to the ways of this sinful world, but we must be
transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God away from living for sin and
self, and to walking in the Spirit in Christ’s righteousness and holiness. Then,
by our lifestyles we can demonstrate what is the good, pleasing and acceptable
will of God for our lives.
We read, as well, in other
scriptures, that Jesus died for us on a cross, not just so we could escape hell
and have the hope of heaven when we die, but that we might die to sin and live
to righteousness. He died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for
him who gave his life up for us. His grace to us is not a free license to
continue in sin without guilt and without remorse. His grace, which brings
salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to
live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return.
As well, if we say we have fellowship with God, but we continue to walk
(conduct our lives) in darkness (sin), then he says we are liars, and the truth
is not in us. And, if we walk according to the flesh, we will die (without
Christ), but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh,
we will live (with Christ for eternity).
So, if we are truly thankful
for Jesus’ blood sacrifice for our sins, then it should be evident by how we
live our lives. A sacrifice of thanksgiving, in other words, is not just words
we say, but it is actions. If we submit our lives to our Lord in full surrender
to his will for our lives, and daily we die to sin and self and we follow
(obey) our Lord wherever he leads us, then this, too, is a sacrifice of
thanksgiving for all that he has done for us in setting us free from slavery to
sin.
So, when we believe in Jesus
Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, do we take any vows? If so, what
vows to God must we perform? I believe that faith, itself, is a vow to God/Jesus
Christ of fidelity and faithfulness to walk in his holiness and righteousness
and to no longer conduct our lives according to our sinful flesh. For, when we
believe in Jesus, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are
resurrected with Christ to newness of life, “created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). Our lives are no longer our own, to be
lived how we want, for we were bought back for God with the blood of Jesus
Christ, shed on a cross for our sins. We, thus, have an obligation, but it is not
to the sinful nature, to live according to it, but it is to putting to death,
by the Spirit, the misdeeds of the body so that we might live with Christ for
eternity.
So, when trouble comes, we
can call upon God in purity of heart and mind, and he will deliver us, not
necessarily out from under the trial, but through the trial we will learn to
put our faith and trust in him and to rest in him even more. And, as a result
of what he does in our lives, in maturing us through our times of difficulty, the
changes he produces in our lives, through our suffering, will bring glory,
honor and praise to God. Amen!
For Our Nation
/ An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is
falling.
Jesus Christ is gently
calling
You to follow Him in all
ways.
Trust Him with your life
today.
Make Him your Lord and your
Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow
Jesus.
He will forgive you of your
sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new
within.
Men betraying: Our trust
fraying.
On our knees to God we’re
praying,
Seeking God to give us
answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all
things.
Nothing from His mind
escaping.
He has all things under His
command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently
calling
You to follow Him in all
ways.
Men deceiving: we’re
believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our
future.
For our wounds He offers
suture.
He is all we need for this
life.
Trust Him with your life
today.
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