True Worship

 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:23-24

One reason why modern worship music is so distasteful to me sometimes is that is is neither in spirit or in truth. It seems to be mostly emotional music that strives to stir people's emotions in church. That music can touch us emotionally is well understood. All music, whether classical or pop or country works because it touches people in the seat of their emotions.

I want to go out on a limb right here. If you do not speak in tongues, how can you worship in the Spirit? God is Spirit and we worship God in the Spirit. Just saying.

Worshiping in truth simply means it is Bible based. Not romantic based. Not ChatGPT generated. I hate singing romantic love songs to Jesus. So I don't sing those songs. I can worship in spirit and in truth and feel nothing.

Just as the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets, so the spirit of the song is subject to the songwriters. If you are not saved and if you have never been born again and if you are not Spirit filled why do you think that you can write worship music?

I wonder what the Father would say about this so-called worship music that we sing in church. He is still seeking those who worship Him His way.

Be Not Deceived

"And I saw one of his heads as though it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and he was given authority to continue for forty two months." Rev.13:3-5

You may wonder how AI and the virtual world could play out in Bible prophecy. He is an example in which AI could easily pull off this stunt. The beast raised from the dead causing the whole world to marvel. And to worship. They will admire the beast and the dragon.

Note that there is a time limit on the beast's ability to speak. 42 months. During this time the beast speaks great things.

Our faith is the only defense against the onslaught of demonic AI power. Only those not in the Lamb's book of life will worship this blasphemer.

Note that people will worship both the fake image and the creator of that image. It matters who you worship.

Be not deceived by the wonders of high tech. 

 

Clearing Off My Desk

 Pastor shook my hand twice yesterday. It doesn't take much to keep me happy.

Brothers may be decent shade tree mechanics. But I hired professionals when I really need to get my vehicle fixed right.

The world around us has changed. We have not changed. On one hand we stay true to our faith. On the other hand we stand out as odd to the rest of society.

Visitors come to one of our services dressed casually. We wear our Sunday best every service. I used to think that people who dressed up for work might not want to dress up for church. No no one dresses up for anything. Except their wedding.

I see groups of girls talking at church. I see groups of guys talking at church. Unless they are engaged I rarely see couples talking at church.

We have bake sales to raise money for our boot camp. I make cookies for the bake sales. I have cookies in the freezer now. I do not have to make cookies this week.

The word for today is Psalm 37:25.

"I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread."

God bless all of you faithful people who visit my blog.

Life After Motherhood

 Pastor talked about mothers this morning. He focused on young mothers or mothers of young children. I wonder if the benefits of motherhood are so short lived that once we are grown we tend to forget. Mothers of young children are just starting out in life. Grandmothers have memories but little else. They spend a lot of time reminiscing about days past when being a mother mattered.

How can grandma find importance in life? I think that she needs to find it outside of her family. Find a place to serve others. Find a way to help others. Use what you learned to instruct others who have no mother to call on. Do something that gives you a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. But rocking the cradle only lasts a short time. Then what?

God Restores

 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God." Joel 2:25-26

God has promised to restore to us things that we have lost. Even though we lost them because of our own doing and even though we lost something because God sent His great army against us. In this verse God promises to restore years, and the good that those lost years would have produced.

Another thing that God promises to restore is joy.

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation..." Psalm 51:12

The Christian life is to be a life of joy unspeakable and the praise that joy produces.

Another thing God restores is what the Bible calls twice as much.

"And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." Job 42:10

God restored Job's health and wealth and family. There is hope that God can restore to us double what we have lost too.

God At Work

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Rom.8:28

First, all things are working. God is not idle even when we seem to be idle. He is always at work. AI and robots are not the only things that never stop or take a break. God never sleeps and He is always working.

Second, it's all about love. We love God because He first loved us. Our relationship with God is not just rules and laws. It's familial love that unites us with our heavenly Father.

Third, It's all about His work, not our ideas or plans. His kingdom, His plans, His will being done by us here on earth. Those who do God's will can rest assured that God will see them through.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2Cor. 4:17

Once again there is God at work. God is always working to take care of those who believe in Jesus Christ.

Even when I don't see it, He's working. Even when I don't feel it, He's working.

Enduring, Not Running

 "Old people don't get healthy. Old people die." So says the prophet Charles Barkley. We live in a world where until the day that we die we think that we can be healthier or fitter, or stronger. We diet and exercise like it makes a difference. The only way we stop trying is when a health crisis happens and then we are forced to stop. We cannot just say, enough of this, and stop as an act of your will.

Churches and their pastors always think, and often say, that there is a second wave of revival coming. That God will pour out His Spirit on us again. That we will once again see masses of new converts and signs and wonders in every service. And most pastors will not stop until they are dead or incapacitated.

Revival is exciting when it happens. Talk of revival when you are old is annoying. Some people mistake rattle or noise for revival. If our only concern is for the world outside our building we will not even try to minister to those inside the building. We seem to have adopted the seeker sensitive mandate which didn't work for most and doesn't work for the long run.

"But he who endure to the end shall be saved." Matt.24:13  Not he who runs across the finish line.