In View of God's Mercy....WORSHIP!

I love to worship God. That is the blessing for me, but the reality of it is that I am commanded to worship Him. Not because I feel like it, but because He is worthy of it. John 4:24 "God is spirit and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and truth." Yes, the time has come. I ...we MUST worship Him.

This past weekend I got hit by a two ton depression truck. Although I don't get hit with depression like I used to and when I do it doesn't last for long periods, when it does come, I become immobile. I saw it coming, I knew that the trigger was there and so I prepared as best I could, but when Saturday came, my body shut down. The pain of depression was deep in my bones and I was out of commission. I kinda felt like David when he cried out to God and said "I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint." That would be the biblical response yet as I pressed through Saturday, some of the whining that got through the filter of my brain sounded a bit more garbled.

These are the instances where I again thank the Lord for my husband who has walked along side me through so much, who knows just the right things to say. So he said "honey just rest today because tomorrow, you are going to get up out of that bed and do the things that you are suppose to do." He allowed a day of rest for my body and at the same time would not allow me to rest in my self and self pity. I praise God for a man like him. Here is a shout out to my husband, Bob..."I Love you!"

When I woke up Sunday morning, I barely made it out of bed and to church where I was to sing on the worship team. There was nothing in my flesh that felt like singing, there was nothing in my flesh that felt like leading people in worship, YET there I was hearing God say, "you worship me, not just when you feel like it, You worship me because I am worthy." And so, although my flesh was weak, my spirit responded by taking myself out of it and looking solely at His face, the face of my Lord.

Worship is not the few hours I give on Sunday, Worship that pleases the Lord is this..."In view of God's mercy, ..offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-THIS is your spiritual act of worship" ~Romans 12:1. Did I want to go early to church on Sunday, did I want to stand in front of the congregation tired and weary, did I want to muster up every last bit of energy that I had just to open my mouth and sing? Did I? Either way, crucifying self, offering my body to him in as a sacrifice is what pleases him. There are those days where the sacrifice burns a little more than others. Sunday was one of those days for me. I worship Him because He is worthy.

I heard on the radio yesterday Alistair Begg talking about worship and he quoted a Puritan writer who wrote something like this.....when we do receive or benefit anything as we worship Him who is worthy, It's like flowers being picked by a soldier along the road of duty. The soldier didn't set out to pick the flowers, he just benefited because He was following the orders of his fathers. That's how I feel so many times. I worship God because He is worth every ounce of my being, yet what a blessing I receive along the way, not because I am setting out for the blessing, but because my father whose orders I strive to follow sings and rejoices over me and blesses my heart with joy and peace.

I just have to say again how thankful I am for God's grace and mercy in my life, for continual forgiveness as I stumble through life, for His righteousness, His love, His peace and the sacrifice that His son Jesus Christ made on the cross which has saved me from eternal punishment. Thank You God for faith in Jesus Christ to cover all my sins through His death and resurrection.

And here I am this day, back, out of the sadness with my body and mind fully restored. My husband said to me yesterday "Welcome back, honey!" Good to be out of the pit, good to know that God is good even while I was in the pit. God is just good all the time!!

Holding Nothing Back

Acts 20: 36-38

"I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me" Acts 20:23~



Yet, Paul still goes. I think that my natural inclination would be that if the Spirit was warning me of great hardship and prison, I might interpret that as "DON'T GO!" But here is Paul saying that "He considers his life worth nothing" and his only value is in the goal to "finish the task that the Lord Jesus gave him, the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

I think of how greatly I fall short. I think of how many times I go out of my way to avoid hardship because "the Lord doesn't want me to feel pain, right?" But the truth is that He calls me to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Not suffer for the sake of my comfort, but suffer so that I might finish the task set be fore me which is to testify to the Gospel of God's grace.



2 Timothy 1:7-9 "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace."

I pray for myself and for you who read this that we might, that I might, take the call, the command so seriously and like Paul, hold nothing back for the sake and joy of the Gospel. May we dare to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.



1 Thessalonians 2:2
"We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition."

Toilets

Today, I thought that God would understand if I skipped devotions. I even thanked Him for understanding. Seriously, My parents are flying in today, I have to clean the house make new room sleeping arrangements, get to the store, pick up kids from baseball and school. God is understanding of all this.....Yet, as I got down on my knees, scrubbing the toilet, I remembered where He really wants me.....On my knees. Thank You Lord for stopping me.....off to devote my time to you, seriously He has given me 24 hours in each day, all the rest will get done.

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well"

Peace~Philippians 4:7

There is a peace that exceeds my understanding and His kind of peace keeps and guards my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.

That makes this soldier want to press on.

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