You’re Called To Ministry

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Every Christian is a minister and called to function as a priest, ministering to the Lord and to people wherever they are at. This privilege and responsibility is know as the doctrine of The Priesthood of All Believers. It is something which Martin Luther advocated during the Reformation, at a time when the role of the Catholic Priest was exalted and corrupted in many ways.
Two major verses that this biblical doctrine is extracted from are:
“you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:5, 9 ESV)
Christian, this means you’re a priest and apart a priesthood. You are chosen as God’s very own special people called out of darkness into His marvelous light for purpose of proclaiming God’s excellencies.
When you go to work remember that you are apart of “a royal priesthood” and you’re “called” to minister right there in your context. When you are gathered for corporate worship with the saints remember that you are a priest and minister. The “work of the ministry” is not just for the pastor or the worship leader. Many Christians think that full time Christian ministry is “where it’s at” but really the “work of the ministry” wherever you’re at is “where it’s at”. And the role of spiritual leaders is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12). Most of the of the Body of Christ is not in full time ministry, nor can be and God doesn’t call them to be. God wants His glory manifested throughout the whole earth, in every area of influence, through all kinds of vocational work.
So portray and proclaim the excellencies of God right where you’re at. Love and serve people right you’re at. Pray for and practice the one another commands of Scripture right where you’re at. May you live for God’s glory and the good of others in whatever God-ordained vocation (calling) He has you in. Be a priestly plumber, engineer, artist, janitor, carpenter, mother, doctor, nurse, salesman, manager, architect, landscaper, roofer, waitress, chef …or whatever vocation God has you in. Whatever you do, do it with all your might for the glory of God (Ecc. 9:10, 1 Corinthians 10:31).

Playing Basketball For The Glory Of God

Basketball for the GLory of God
As a follower of Christ we are to do to everything for the glory of God, even playing basketball (if you play). The Apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthians saying “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV) .This statement is a good description of what the Christian life should look like. Everything is to be done with aim of honoring God, pleasing God and bringing glory to His name. There are many ways that we can do this even in the very details of our life. Paul’s exhortation was that in everything, even in our eating and drinking we would glorify God. No area of our life should be an exception to this pursuit of glorifying God, but we ought to think deeply and reflect on ways that we can bring God glory in all that we do, even in playing sporting, exercise and recreation activities. Here are some ways to play basketball for the glory of God:

Enjoy the gift of playing basketball. Every good gift that we experience in life is a gift from the Father (James 1:17), who richly gives us all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17, Ecc. 3:13). Sports, exercise and fellowship with others are all gifts from God and He gets glory when His children enjoy good gifts that He gives. As a father I know how it delights my heart to see my son enjoy gifts that I have given to him. Some young men that I have seen play basketball are so displeased and frustrated with their own performance or the performance of their teammates that they totally miss out on the enjoyment of just playing the game.


Thank God for the gift of basketball
. We are to give thanks for everything (Ephesians 5:20) and when thanksgiving is directed towards God for the gifts He gives, then God is glorified (2 Cor. 4:15). It honors God when you pause to take the time to thank Him to be able to play basketball. Many people are not physically able to enjoy the exercise and fellowship of playing basketball with their friends. Too often we take for granted the simple things of life and don’t realize the blessings that we have until they are taken away. Be the most thankful person you can be for everything and in every circumstance. This is God’s will for your life (1 Tess. 5:16-18). I get together with a group of young men on Monday nights to play basketball and we usually come together for group prayer, giving thanks to God and pray that no one gets hurt (especially with the way we play).

Play basketball with integrity. No one likes to play ball with someone who cheats, manipulates, cusses is dishonest, or fouls the whole time. This does not glorify God nor is it doing any good to those who are playing. It’s interesting to me how playing basketball can bring out the real you, that is who you are on the inside. And this is not just with basketball but many other sports or board games can do this. I heard about a pastor who would take young men that were interested in becoming a part of his staff to play basketball. When he did this it helped see better what these young men were like in a different setting. When you do whatever you do with integrity it glorifies God!

Win with a good attitude. For many, there is a temptation to boast and become proud when they win. Boastful pride in no way glorifies God. The truth is God is disgusted with pride. It is the opposite of who He is and it is the very sin that led Satan to his fall from Heaven. The Apostle Paul exhorted the church at Philippi to “have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8 NLT)
. A humble attitude should mark the life of every person who names the name of Christ.

Lose with a good attitude. This may be the most difficult time for many to have the best attitude but it’s a way to give God glory. Actually, if someone has a bad attitude it reveals that something is out of order in their heart. It’s like a check engine light in the dashboard of a car that lets you know something is wrong under the hood. Respectfulness, kindness, and humility should mark every person who calls themselves a Christian. The fruits of the Spirit, which are: love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22), are displayed through those who are truly born of the Spirit and led by the Spirit. If a person significantly lacks these fruits they should really consider if they are a genuine Christian.

Affirm good shots, passes & moves of others, even your opponents. I believe it is very honoring to God when you honor others. As matter of fact, the bible commands us to honor everyone and to outdo one another in showing honor (1 Peter 4:17, Romans 12:10). This certainly is countercultural in our day where words of affirmation and encouragement are not cool but verbally cutting others down is. The Bible says “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29 ESV).

Be a team player. Pass the ball and don’t be a ball hog. The Bible says “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (Philippians 2:3-4 NLT). Christians especially should have the mindset of being a team player because we function as the body of Christ and are interdependent upon one another.

Do the best you can and don’t give up. The Bible says “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 ESV). When you give our all in whatever you do, doing it as unto the Lord, God gets the glory. When we give our all and press through difficulties, perseverance, and endurance is developed in us, and this leads to the approved character in us (Romans 5:3-5). And this certainly honors God when we reflect the glorious character of Jesus Christ. Reflecting the image of Christ is what every Christian is called to be (Romans 8:29). Jesus endured the cross and persevered to do everything the Father had given Him to do. Jesus is the best example of endurance for us to follow (Hebrews 12:3-4). Use basketball as a means to develop relationships and share the gospel. Don’t value the game of basketball over people. Loving people is something that is very weighty and important to God and is His will for your life (Matthew 22:39). Basketball should be used as the means of loving people through developing relationships and sharing the gospel with them. The apostle Paul said “…I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them… I have become all things to all people by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 ESV) Paul made himself a “servant of all”. He used the glorious liberty that He found in Christ not for selfish living but for service. The aim of the Apostle Paul’s service to others was to win them to Christ, see them saved, and experience the blessings of the gospel. Paul sought to meet people where they were whether they were Jewish, under the law, outside of the law, or weak. He didn’t wait for them to come to where he was but he lived outside of his comfort zone and related to people on their turf in ways that would be relevant to them. This was all done for the gospel’s sake. This is partly what it looks like to do everything for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Don’t let basketball become an idol– Always keep God first in your priorities, time, thoughts, and affections. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37). Everything and everyone was created for God’s glory (Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 43:7) and when we allow anything or anyone to get 1st place in our hearts, then we have failed to give God the glory He alone is due. Those who allow idols to have God’s place in their hearts will find themselves dissatisfied and heartbroken (Psalm 16:4). God knows that He is the only one who can rightfully receive all of our love and devotion and not disappoint us or let us down. We are made for God’s glory and relationship with Him. The chief end of man is to glorify God and fully enjoy Him forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism). Often we allow good things that God gives us to become idols in our lives. These gifts from God should always send our heart’s affection back to the Giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). The greatest gift that God has given us is the gift of Himself. He should be our greatest joy and treasure. He should be the one we give all our strength, thoughts, and affections.

We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Each of us has fouled and failed to live by God’s rules and for God’s glory. We were made in the image of God to reflect the glory of God and instead of bringing Him glory we have all dishonored God through our rebellion and disobedience. Because of disobedience and transgression to God’s law, we deserve death. The Scripture says that the penalty for our sin is death (Romans 6:23) But the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ. Jesus became a man and brought glory to the Father while he was here on earth (John 17:4). Christ never sinned or fell short of the glory of God (Hebrews 4:15) but He perfectly reflected the glory of the Father (Hebrews 1:3, John 14:9). He not only displayed the glory of the Father here on earth and He did everything in perfect obedience to the will of the Father. Because of His finished work on the cross, you and I can be forgiven and made righteous through faith in Christ. If you want to live for the glory of God then you can start by repenting of your sin and placing your faith in Christ alone for salvation. And live each day by faith in Christ giving glory to God (Romans 1:17, 4:20).

Divine Appointments

20130318-010142.jpgGod is alive and at work in the lives of many people that you and I come across daily and we may not even recognize it. There are many opportunities that God gives us to participate with Him in reaching the lost with gospel. The work of evangelism is all about partnering with God, to speak the good news of what Christ has done for us at the cross and call people to repent and place their trust in Christ. Henry Blackaby said in his book Experiencing God “Find out where God is working and join Him there”. This is what the life of Jesus looked like when He walked the earth as a man. Jesus said that he only did what he saw the Father doing (John 5:19). He was always in step with the will of the Father and the work of the Father. The Father had ordered the steps of Christ while he was on the earth and Jesus followed everyone of them.

In John 4:4 it says Jesus “had to pass through Samaria”. Going through Samaria may have been the most direct route to go where Jesus was headed but I don’t think that was the only reason Jesus “had to pass through Samaria”. I believe that the Father had a divine appointment set up for His Son to speak to a woman in Samaria. Jesus shared good news with this woman (John 4:14, 26) and she believed in Him. She then went and told many others in town about Jesus and they also believed (John 4:39). There was a domino effect upon this one woman coming to Christ. Jesus surely “had to pass though Samaria” for this reason, namely that these Samaritans would become believers in Him. After Jesus had this time of evangelism he told His disciples to lift up their eyes and look at the fields that are white for harvest (John 4:34-35). The harvest of souls was truly great and ready for reaping in that Jesus’ day and so it is in our day. All around us there are people who God has been working in and is drawing to Himself and we get the glorious privilege to partner with God by sharing His love and the truth of the gospel, that they might come to Christ.

20130318-010918.jpgThis past Spring Break of 2013 a group of students from Valley Creek Church came to Dallas for an inner-city mission trip. I took them out on the streets to do evangelism and invite people to a basketball tournament we were hosting. There were two young ladies who began to feel a bit discouraged after they had knocked on about 7 doors and got no answer. Then they had a divine appointment. The Lord directed them to this woman named Regina who was ready to come to Christ. Regina was weary, distressed and in despair. She had lost her children to CPS due to her drug addiction and had experienced some devastating events. The father of her children had committed suicide right in front of her children. She too had been contemplating suicide. But in her pit of despair God sent two of His daughters to share His love and the hope of the gospel. These two young ladies came and told me about her and I also was able to share the love of Christ and hope of the gospel with Regina. As we spoke words of life and hope over Regina tears were streaming down her cheeks. We prayed for her and we began to sing the song How He Loves Us over her. As we were ministering to Regina I was reminded that Jesus came not only to preach the gospel to the poor but to heal the broken hearted (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18). And this precious woman was brokenhearted and God brought healing and hope to her heart when she seemed to need it the most. That evening Regina showed up for the outreach event we were hosting and she got loved on by all the students from Valley Creek and heard a message about the blessedness of being being forgiven out of Psalm 32.

20130318-010956.jpgTwo days later on Sunday morning she showed up at City Church and we happened to be doing baptisms that morning. During the service when I asked for those who were getting baptized to come forward she came up to the front of the congregation. Now I took eight people through a baptism class a week prior to that and she was not one of those eight people. Nevertheless I felt great about baptizing her because it was obvious that God had drawn her heart and brought her to a place of dependence upon  Christ. Regina had heard the gospel and she responded publicly to declare her faith in Christ. So we baptized her there on the spot. It felt like something out of the book of Acts. Indeed God was at work in the early church as we see displayed in the book of Acts. And He is also at work in our day drawing people to Himself for salvation. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV). 20130318-011003.jpg

May our eyes be opened to see the great harvest that is all around us and to recognize every divine appointment God gives us. And may we be faithful stewards of every divine appointment that the Father brings our way.

Breaking the Ice

20130310-182005.jpgFor many Christians the hardest part of sharing their faith with others is breaking the ice and initiating a conversation. They feel intimidated & awkward going up to a stranger saying “do you know Jesus”. Well, there are many ways to overcome this intimidation & awkwardness of breaking the ice with strangers, in order to share the gospel with them. First of all, you don’t have to start with a statement about God, Jesus, the Bible, Heaven, Hell or sin. Actually a simple greeting, such as saying “hello” works just fine. Or “hello how are you doing today”, “Hi my name is…” or “Howdy”(if your in the south). I have made it a habit to greet strangers everywhere I go. I often make eye contact with strangers, giving a wave and a smile. And I’ve found that it is great way to break the ice and often lead to a conversation.

Greeting others is something that Christ expects us to do. In the context of Christ teaching His disciples to love even their enemies he made this statement “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matthew 5:46-47 ESV).

When you take time to greet strangers, making eye contact with them, giving them a smile, a nod or a hand shake it can be an expression of love. It can communicate to them that you care and that may be what leads to an open door for you to share the gospel with them. I have heard it said that “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”. There is some truth in that statement.

Another way that I break the ice with strangers is passing out gospel tracts. I always carry gospel tracts with me in my car or in my pocket. When I walk up to a stranger and hand them a gospel tract I usually say something like “excuse me sir did you get one of these?”. I don’t say “excuse me would you like one these” but rather “did you get one of these”. That is so they will feel as if they are missing out on something that others have and receive the gospel tract. The truth is if they don’t know Christ they truly are missing out on something that others have, namely eternal life (John 17:3). Gospel tracts are great because they can do the work of communicating the gospel for you and they can help start the conversation with a stranger. When you are in the check out line at the grocery store you usually don’t have time to present the gospel because there are people behind you and if you are holding up the line the cashier will not be able to focus for very long on what you are talking about. But with gospel tracts you can just pass them out and people can read them later on. And who knows how many people may end up reading them and coming to Christ.

If you want to start sharing your faith but you don’t know how to start then get you some gospel tracts and start passing them out. When people ask you “what is this” and you tell the “it’s a gospel tract” their response to hearing that its about God can often let you know if they are open to talking to you about the gospel. If they give you a sour face like they just drank some pickle juice then that may be an indicator that they are not open or interested in what you have to say. But if they say “you’re the 2nd person who has talked to me about God today…” then you may have discovered an open door to share the gospel. God uses gospel tracts and I believe we should also. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon stated, “When preaching and private talk are not available, you need to have a tract ready. . . Get good striking tracts, or none at all. But a touching gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Therefore, do not go out without your tracts.”

Why Should I Share the Gospel? Pt4

20130308-173103.jpgThe Love of Christ is another reason that every Christian should share the gospel with others. The Apostle Paul wrote “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV)

It was also love of Christ that gripped Paul and compelled him to tell others about the glorious truth of the gospel. It was the love of Christ that motivated Jesus to die on the cross and redeem His own special people for Himself (Romans 5:8). And that same love that Christ has for the His people God has downloaded or “poured out into our hearts” (Romans 5:5), that is those of us who have been born again (1 John 3:7-11). Jesus said that His disciples would be known by this love (John 13:34-35). Love for others should motivate every Christian to passionately share the gospel with the lost. Imagine if you had the cure for every form of Cancer. You could do much good in the world and be a blessing to so many. You would have a great obligation to share that cure with those who are diagnosed with Cancer. But if you neglected freely giving that cure away then how could you love those who are dying of Cancer. Christian you have been given something greater than the cure of Cancer. You have the given the gospel message that brings eternal salvation to those who believe and receive it. Every person has been diagnosed with the terrible disease of sin (Romans 3:23) and it will cause death, eternal death and separation from God, which the Bible calls Hell (Romans 6:23, Matthew 10:28). But Christ who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

20130308-173514.jpgMay we be those who are compelled by the love of Christ to reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. May the love of Christ move us out of apathy concerning the lost and into active evangelism.

Why Should I Share the Gospel? Pt3

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Another reason every Christian should share the gospel with others is the Fear of the Lord. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others (2 Corinthians 5:11 ESV). Like the Apostle Paul we fear God and know that every person will stand before God and give an 20130301-205948.jpgaccount. We know that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31 ESV). This holy reverence and fear of God moves the people of God to action, namely the action of persuading others of gospel truth. This was something that Jesus exhorted and commanded of His disciples before sending them out on a mission trip. “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:26-28 ESV). For many Christians it’s the fear of man that hinders them from proclaiming the gospel message but Jesus gives us the solution for the fear of man, namely the fear of God. The Fear of the Lord will counteract any fear of man. When you live with the awareness that God is everywhere, knows everything and is Almighty God, then you won’t be stifled by the fear of man. Then you will be able to say with David The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1 ESV)

May our view of God’s greatness and power break the stronghold of the fear of man and may the Fear of the Lord motivate us to persuade others with gospel truth.

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Why Should We Share the Gospel? Pt2

20130301-092232.jpgAnother reason Christians should share the gospel with others is simply that Jesus has commanded us to do it. “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15 ESV) Evangelism isn’t something that God has merely called some Christians to do. Every redeemed saint has the responsibility to share the good news of how they became forgiven, free and brought into right relationship with God. Simple obedience to this clear command must be put to practice by every person calls Jesus their Lord. Our obedience to Christ displays our love for Him and His lordship in our lives. Jesus said “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15 ESV). And he said “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. (Luke 6:46-48 ESV).

Also, God has chosen to save sinners through proclamation of the gospel and He has chosen you and I to be those who carry that 20130301-092118.jpggospel. …it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.(1 Corinthians 1:21 ESV) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14-17). It is a glorious privilege and responsibility that we have been given by God to be able to share a message that brings eternal salvation to those who believe and receive it. Let us not neglect faithful stewardship of the gospel message. Beware of getting weighed down and distracted by good activities while forgetting the God-given task of evangelism.

May you and I have beautiful feet that carry the gospel message into all parts of the world.

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Why Should We Share the Gospel?

20130228-175639.jpgOne reason every Christian should evangelize is Jesus did it. He is our example of how each of us ought to live. After Jesus evangelized the woman at the well in John 4, his disciples urged him to eat some food, because they knew he hadn’t eaten anything. But Jesus told his disciples that He had food they didn’t know about. He said “my food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, to finish His work” (John 4:34). Jesus was nourished from doing the will of God and namely the work of evangelism. He found fulfillment, pleasure & satisfaction in doing the will of God just like one does in eating a delicious meal. Christ lived every day of His life pursing the will of the Father and pleasing Him. He knew what He was here for and didn’t waste any time. Before He died Jesus was able to say “I have finished the work you have given me to do” (John 14:4) Consider these passages:

… Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15 ESV)

And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” (Mark 1:38 ESV)

20130301-093900.jpg“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19 ESV)

 

Do you follow the example of Christ in this way? Are you hungry for the will of God to be accomplished in and through your life? Then start with praying for God’s will to be done in and through you. Pray that God would give you a passion to share the gospel and open up opportunities with people. Ask for divine appointments and boldness to seize the moment. You might be surprised how God answers your prayer request for His will to be done.

Reflections On Psalm 33

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Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. Psalm 33:1-3 ESV

The Psalmist calls the God’s people to exuberant expressions of worship using verbs like; shout for joy, praise, give thanks, make melody, sing and play skillfully. Loud shouts of joy accompanied by musical instruments are appropriate expressions of praise unto God. This describes the lively & enthusiastic expression of worship that you might see at some churches with modern worship music. Or you may see this kind of passion expressed at a football game. If people can shout joyfully & passionately at a sporting event for their team, then we ought to be able to get that excited & expressive about our great God. The Psalmist says it is fitting for the upright to praise the Lord in this way. When you go shopping for a new shirt or pair pants, you look for something that fits you well and if you find a good fit of you buy it and wear it. Like a well-fitting shirt, pair of pants, shoes or outfit, it is fitting for the saints who have been redeemed by God to praise & worship God extravagantly.

I heard of Christian man from Africa who was visiting a traditional church in the U.S. During the sermon this man would give a strong “amen” and “hallelujah” periodically. His expressions of worship were much more enthusiastic than the church that he was visiting. After a while one of the deacons in this church he was annoyed by his expressions and approached him in the pew where he was sitting, requesting that he quiet down. The man replied “sir I am just praising the Lord” and the deacons replied promptly with “we do not praise the Lord here”. Sadly this is true for many churches they “do not praise the Lord” in way that the bible exhorts God’s people to. Let’s look at how the psalmist exhorts us to praise and worship God.

How are we to worship?

· V1-Joyfully. Joy & rejoicing should be basic characteristics in our worship because we love & treasure God. Charles Spurgeon said “Joy is the soul of praise”. Our rejoicing in the Lord in worship reveals that He is our Treasure, He is our Hope & He is our God. A joyful worshipper brings glory to the God who has made the worshipper glad, by His mighty works (Psalm 92:4).
· Those who have been made righteous by faith in Christ ought to be the most joyful & extravagant worshippers on the planet.
· V1b-Praise God for who He is and what He has done20130225-010311.jpg
· V2a-Give thanks to God for what He has done
· V2b-Make melody to Him
· V3a-Sing to Him a new song
· V3b-Play skillfully for Him
· V3b-Shout loud & joyfully to Him
· V8-Fear the Lord & Stand in awe of Him

God’s Word is Right & True

For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. Psalm 33:4-9 ESV

The 1st reason that David gives to praise God for the Word of the Lord. “The word of the Lord is upright” and by it He made the heaven & the host of heaven. The very first thing we are told about God in Scripture is that He speaks and He made everything with His Word. His Word is powerful (Psalm 29, Hebrews 4:12) and by it God not only created all that is but currently sustains all that is by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). God spoke through the prophet Isaiah saying “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Is. 40:8 ESV) and “My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11 ESV). David who was a man after God’s own heart loved & treasured greatly the word of God. The longest Psalm and chapter in the bible is an expression is an expression of His love for the word of God (Psalm 119). Those who worship God in “spirit & truth” love God’s word and take heed to it. The word of God gives us many reasons to worship God and it fuels the passionate praise of the true worshipper. In the NT Paul exhorted the Colossians to “let the word of Christ dwell richly” in them teaching and admonishing one another in psalms hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16).

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…all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord

Psalm 33:4-5 ESV

God’s creative work & governing work are faithful. He didn’t just wind up the world like a clock and let it go. God has been faithfully governing and caring for His creation as a Faithful Creator. And the work that he has begun in us He certainly will be faithful to complete (Philippians 1:6) and he is currently working in His people to will and to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). God is working to bring about His will on the earth. “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed” (Psalm 103:6). God loves righteousness & justice which are also the foundation of His throne. Everything God does is right, just & good. Never has God comprised His righteousness or justice. The earth is filled with the goodness of God. God’s goodness is displayed in the even the little details of life on earth. Through the sunrise with birds chirping, through the rain that nourishes the ground, plants and animals. David said “For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.”(Psalm 92:4). He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful. (Psalm 111:4 ESV)

God’s Will Prevails

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! 33:10-12 ESV
God frustrates & nullifies the plans of the peoples but His plans stand firm. Why do the nations rage & plot in vain? The Lord sits in the Heavens and laughs (Psalm 2). This is what the Apostles quoted in reference to the Jewish rulers plotting against Jesus and having Him crucified. (Acts 4) If you want to read more on glorious biblical truth see Isaiah 40-46. Isaiah 40:8 says that God’s words stand forever. What God has said will come to pass. This is a humbling & comforting truth. It is humbling because it directs us to align our wills & plans with what he has revealed in His word and trust in what He has in store for our lives. Our times are in his hand (Psalm 31:15). This is why James exhorts us to have say “if the Lord wills” over our plans (James 4:13-14), because we can make plans but ultimately we are not in control. God is! He is the Alpha & Omega, Beginning & the End and knows the future holds. This should be comforting for us because God’s plans are very good (Jeremiah 29:11). God is worshipped in Heaven for this very reason. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Rev. 4:11 (ESV). The book of Revelation does a glorious job of revealing Jesus as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is Sovereign over human history.

God Watches Over His People

The Lord looks down from heaven;20130225-002116.jpg
he sees all the children of man;
from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine. Psalm 33:13-19 ESV

Nothing gets past God; He sees all and knows all. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the good and the evil“(Proverbs 15:3). One day he repay those who practice evil and in righteousness He will judge the earth (Acts 17:31). His eyes are on the righteous and His ears are open to hear their prayers (Psalm 34:16). Everything the child of God faces in this life is Father-filtered. Nothing comes our way unless it is first permitted by God. Saints we can rest assured that our God is mighty to save, He is able save and he will deliver us but even if he doesn’t we will not worship any other god (Daniel 3:17-18).
Charles Spurgeon unpacked verse 19 well saying “The Lord’s hand goes with his eye; he sovereignly preserves those whom he graciously observes. Rescues and restorations hedge about the lives of the saints; death cannot touch them till the King signs his warrant and gives him leave, and even then his touch is not so much mortal as immortal; he doth not so much kill us as kill our mortality.”

One great delight I have as a father is taking my son Carson to the playground. I get much 20130225-002628.jpgdelight from seeing him enjoy the playground and unleash his boyhood. Because my son is about 18 months old I keep a close watch on him and filter what he is doing and where he is at. I do my best to protect him from harm and give him my help when needed. I do lovely watch over my son but my watching over him is imperfect because I’m imperfect and limited to what I can do. The Almighty God our Father keeps a perfect watch over you and me and He knows what is best for us and filters everything that comes our way. God is sovereign over creation, in history and in your life. You can trust Him at all times and rest assured that He is in control.

Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:20-22 ESV

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Here is the link to the sermon I preached on Psalm 33:

http://citychurchintl.org/connect-with-cci/english-sermons/

Here is a new song titled Sovereign by Chris Tomlin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4y5tJp6IgU

Reflections on Psalm 145

Psalm 145 is a chapter that I have found myself going back to over and over. What is it about this Psalm that has kept me coming back time and time again? This Psalm has been fuel to my worship of God. And I think I know why. The Psalm describes who God is, what He does & how we should respond in worship. The focus of worship is God & when a worship song or portion of Scripture magnifies the person & work of God it moves the heart of the worshipper to sing to & delight in God. As a worship leader I found myself stirred to praise & worship God from this passage of Scripture. As a preacher I’ve wanted to preach & teach on this passage but I’ve had difficulty ordering an outline of the Psalm until recently. This is what I came up with and I hope it is helpful to you:

Who God is:20130223-014745.jpg
He is God-V1
He is King-V1
He is great-V3
He is gracious-V8
He is merciful-V8
He is slow to anger-V8
He is loving-8
He is good-V9
He is faithful-V13
He is kind-V13
He is righteous-V17
He is near-V18

What God does:
He upholds all who are falling-V14
He raises up those who are bowed down-V14
He gives food-V15
He satisfies the desire of every living thing-V16
He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him-V19
He hears their cry-V19
He saves those who fear Him-V19
He preserves those who love Him-V20
He destroys the wicked-V20

What should we do:
We should extol Him-V120130223-015358.jpg
We should daily bless His name-V2
We should daily praise Him-V2
We should greatly praise Him-V3
We should commend His works to the next generation-V4
We should declare His mighty acts to the next generationV4
We should meditate on the splendor of His majesty-V5
We should meditate on His wonderful works-V5
We should speak of the might of His awesome deeds-V6
We should declare His greatness-V6
We should pour for the the fame of His abundant goodness-V7
We should sing aloud of His righteousness-V7
We should give thanks to Him-V10
We should speak of the glory of His Kingdom-V11
We should tell of His power-V11
We should make known the His mighty deeds-V12
We should make known Glorious splendor of His Kingdom-V12
We should speak the praise of The Lord-V21
We should bless His name forever-V21

 

Reflections on Psalm 8

20130223-004921.jpgO Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1-9 ESV)

When we consider the greatness & glory of God in creation it is baffling that He would think of us. And think of us some much that we couldn’t keep count of the number of thoughts He has for us (Psalm 139:17-18). Great is God’s majesty & splendor and great are the number of His thoughts toward us and great is His love towards us. Though God is holy and dwells on high yet He is humble and stoops down to meet us where we are at with His loving care & guidance.
Our God is glorious & gracious, holy & humble, powerful & personal, mighty & merciful, great & gentle, majestic & meek…
Behold Him, stand in awe of who He is and worship Him in spirit and in truth.

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Why I love the Psalms

20130223-001524.jpgSince I have become a Christian I have found great comfort & encouragement in the book of Psalms, just as many other saints have over the centuries. Often I have felt like the psalmists have articulated in words what I’ve felt when facing adversity. There are many prayers I’ve used that have seemed to be just right for me in my circumstance. The book of Psalms has helped teach me how to praise & worship God, by magnifying who God is and what He does, which has been fuel to my passion for worshipping God. Not only have the psalms taught me to worship God in the difficult times but they have taught me to trust God always. David was a mighty warrior who fought & won many battles in hand to hand combat but he also fought the fight of faith, trusting God when it was hard to see past his trials. This what he said kept him going “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13,NKJV). Great expressions of trust in God are saturated throughout the pages of the Psalms & I have been greatly helped in my fight of faith by the influence of the Psalms. I have also been taught a great deal about repentance & how fight sin in my own life. Psalm 51 & 32 God has used in my life to teach me how to repent when I have found myself with a guilty conscience. The book of Psalms is the most quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament. For some reason the Holy Spirit chose use the psalms more than any other Old Testament book to communicate His message. Certainly the Holy Spirit still uses these previous passages of Scripture to strengthen faith of the saints, comfort them in their trials & lead them into sweet communion with the Father.

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The Glorious Gospel

What makes the gospel so glorious?20130222-234958.jpg

There are many reasons that the gospel of Jesus Christ is glorious. One of the reasons is that Christ brings FREEDOM to those who are in bondage to sin. The Apostle Paul wrote “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2 ESV) Christ gives His people freedom from the penalty of sin (Romans 6:23, 5:1), which would mean condemnation, death, & judgment for the sinner. He gives freedom from the power of sin so that His people are no longer dominated & slaves to sin (Romans 6). Many people including myself have experienced freedom from drug & alcohol addiction through believing in Christ. I have seen some seemingly hopeless addicts & alcoholics delivered by the power of the gospel. Christians have been freed from the penalty & power of sin and brought into a glorious liberty to serve the living God. The penalty of sin which is death has been taken care for the believer in Christ (Romans 6:23). He now possesses the free gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. The power of sin has been broken in Christ. We are free from law of sin and death. Freedom comes from knowing the truth and namely the One who embodies truth Jesus Christ (John 8:31-32, 14:6).The Spirit gives us life and freedom! Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17)! The Holy Spirit leads us into the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by helping us know the truth and believe the truth we are set free, and no longer slaves to sin (John 8:31-32). He who the Son sets free is free indeed. One day Christ will deliver His people from the very presence of sin. One day “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 ESV) …But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27 ESV)

Another thing that makes the gospel glorious is the FELLOWSHIP with God that believers experience. We are now brought into relationship with the Father and the Son, which Jesus called eternal life (John 17:3). Either you know him or you don’t. You either have the Spirit of God in you or you don’t. This fellowship with God that we experience is through the presence of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. We have become the Spirit of God’s dwelling place, the very temple of God.

Here are some of the graces of being in fellowship with God:

  1. Instruction-8:14 (He leads us, guides us and instructs us)
  2. Intimacy -8:15 (We come to God and call Him Father. We are not orphans)
  3. Identity -8:16 (We are God’s children and we belong to God’s family. This is our identity.)
  4. Inheritance -8:17 (We have been given everything we need & more; Ephesians 1:3, 2 Peter 1:3)
  5. Intercession-8:26 (He intercedes for us and helps us in our weaknesses)

The last reason that I will give for the gospel being glorious is the FUTURE that God the Father has graciously planned & secured for His children (Romans 8:18-37). The Father has glory & good in store for His children. We will see the glory of God (Romans 8:18), we will have glorified bodies (Romans 8:23), and we will be glorified with the Lord (Romans 8:30). God will work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), He is for us & always will be (Romans 8:31), He will freely give us all things (Romans 8:32) and nothing will separate us form His love (Romans 8:37-39)

http://citychurchintl.org/connect-with-cci/english-sermons/

The Gospel & Our Worship

How does or should the gospel influence our worship?

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The gospel powerfully transforms selfish broken sinners into passionate worshippers of the living God. The forgiveness that a person experiences through the gospel leads to a deep gratitude & affection towards the God of all grace . This certainly is true of the sinful woman in Luke 7. This woman has been forgiven by the Lord of much sinfulness and she loved much in return. The gospel’s impact on her lead her to an extravagant expression of worship. She affectionately & unreservedly poured out her life savings on Jesus. She valued Jesus more than any earthly treasure and her actions displayed that.
Through the gospel of Jesus Christ people experience not only forgiveness of sins but a removal of the guilt of that sin. God deeply cleanses the guilt of sin through the powerful blood of Jesus “so that we can worship the living God” (Hebrews 9:14 NLT). Oh what a privilege & joy it is to be forgiven and cleaned
so that we might worship God. This is what David expressed in Psalm 32 after experiencing the forgiveness from God. David was celebrating gospel truth that fueled his worship of God. The Apostle Paul in explaining the gospel in the book of Romans quotes David from Psalm 32, to highlight the gospel truth of forgiveness of sin through faith. David is one of the greatest worshippers of the Old Testament and the gospel truth which fueled his worship ought to fuel our worship much more. Much more has been revealed and given to us through the new covenant. We have a new and living way to approach God, through the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:20). We can come to God boldly with a clear conscience because of the blood of Christ (Hebrews 4:16, 10:19, 22).
This is one way the gospel influences our worship.

Good News of Great Joy

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…”Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10, 11 ESV)

What is the good news?
I bring you good news of great joy! This news will eclipse despair and bring a living hope. This good news will cause great joy to spring forth from those who believe it. What is the good news? Jesus Messiah has come, our Savior has been born. This Savior would not be like a politician who promises much but delivers little. He would sacrificially give His life away to rescue us and fulfill all that he has promised. He came to save us from our sins, death & destruction.
This was not just any baby that was born in Bethlehem. This was the Son of God. God became man, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Father gave the world the greatest gift, namely His son (John 3:16). This would change everything!!! Jesus is the good news of great joy! His person & character, His perfect sinless life, His sacrificial death, His victory over death, His return to earth and His restoration of all things.

What difference this good news make?
Peace with God is the result of receiving and believing the good news. No longer does one have to be tormented by the guilt of a defiled conscience and fear the horrors of punishment. “God and sinners are reconciled” through this good news, Charles Wesley wrote in his great hymn Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Fear not the angel said. Why, because he had good news. The good news is the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15) which calms our fears. Through coming to Jesus and believing the gospel we find rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30). Those living rebellious lives can get many hours of sleep and still be weary and tired in their souls because only Christ give rest for the soul. Christ is the Prince of Peace and if he isn’t reigning in your heart then you will not experience His peace. St. Augustine wrote “You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You”. Oh how true this has been in my own life. It wasn’t until I bowed my knee to Christ that a massive weight of guilt, hurt, fear, anger, confusion and emptiness left me. And oh how glorious that hour was for me.
Not only did the peace of God fill my soul the moment I was born again but the joy of God overflowed with an abundance of tears. The good news is that of “great joy”! The bible speaks of the “joy of salvation” and that is what the gospel brings. There is joy knowing that all your sins are forgiven and forgotten by God. You are no longer an enemy of God but His friend and child.
Righteousness in the life of a believer is the effect of the gospel. God reveals His righteousness through

the gospel and imputes His righteousness as a gift through faith in Christ. The gospel is mankind’s only way to get right with God. Once a person gets right with God they begin to live a life of righteousness. Right relationship with God leads to right relationships with others. Many desire peace and joy but lack a hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God. The gospel makes a man righteous before God and the result is peace and joy. Paul wrote in Romans that “the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Roman 14:17). Notice the order: righteousness, peace and then joy. Isaiah wrote that “the effect of righteousness will be peace” (Isaiah 32:17).
May you experience every grace that comes from believing the gospel. May the Kingdom of God come and the will of God be done in your life.