Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for God the Father
Organizing the Inside – Day 327 An Invite To Worship God Freely
1Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. 3For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. 4He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. 5The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. 6Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, 7for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:1-7 (NLT)
Freedom to worship.
This particular Psalm seems to show a stark contrast between those who openly and freely praised God and those who were set on doing things their own way. When your heart is open to the loving will of God, worship comes easily. When you have been freed from the fear of punishment resulting from your rejection of God’s plan, you can lift your hands without hesitation. This signals to God that your true heart’s desire is toward Him. We’ve all seen children drop their most prized toy when Dad walks in the room as they abandon self interests; desiring more intimacy and closeness with him their hands naturally go up. As a child lifts her hands toward her Dad wanting him to lift her up, so worshippers everywhere whose heart safely trust God lift their hands in a spontaneous expression of love and desire toward their heavenly Father.
Is your heart free to worship?
If the answer is no, there could be many reasons why your praise is hindered. God will reveal the truth. In the last verses of Psalm 95 we read about how God wouldn’t allow the Israelites to enter the promise land because of the hardness of their hearts. If someone keeps rejecting God’s will and continuously decides to ignore His ways, eventually that person’s heart becomes so hard that it is useless. Whether it’s anger or fear or a mere unwillingness to trust God, these feelings are normal. Normal, but unacceptable just the same, because they hold you back and keep your heart from the freedom to worship and serve God. If you’re thinking you’ve told God “not yet” or “no” far too many times (if you’re reading this) there is still time to get it right. There’s always time to change. If you are still breathing, you can trade in all of those past mistakes and bad choices for the bright future God wants to give.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for worship. Please look at our hearts. Remove anything that would cause us to turn from you. May we find the peace that true obedience brings. May we abandon ourselves in exchange for a deeper and more meaningful relationship with you. Teach us to not allow our own selfish desires to interfere with our worship, because you alone are worthy of all praise, honor and glory. Forgive us Lord, and lift us up to where you are. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Organizing the Inside – Day 231 When I Don’t Feel Like Giving Thanks
15So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 20And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)
When I don’t feel like thanking God.
Paul encourages us to give thanks to God for everything. When I first read this, I thought, I could think of a few things that I had no desire to thank God for. I know God’s Word is 100% true, it is absolutely infallible, yet Paul seemed to have missed the mark on this one. Yet, I am reminded, And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 (NLT) In all things, the conclusion of the matter is that God will be glorified. Feelings do have a place, but our feelings cannot set the direction for our lives, nor regulate when or why we worship God.
Make the most of every opportunity.
God must be gloried. He is worthy to receive all honor and glory in every situation. We should have a sense of urgency to respond to everything in a way that acknowledges and yields to the power and purpose of God. When those around us are faced with difficult trials, our arrival on the scene should bring the power, the blessing, the love, the truth, the hope, the joy, and the wisdom of God. Whether it’s through prayer, encouragement or rebuke as children of God we bring God’s glory.
The world does not understand.
We however, do understand that there is a power resting within us that transcends the present circumstances. Apart from Christ we can do nothing and without Him we are nothing. The world cannot understand the calming comfort of the Lord you experience while in mourning. The world cannot comprehend the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Even in our suffering and pain the world will see that there is One who is greater than any sorrow.
So why should we give thanks to God for everything?
He alone is worthy of all honor, majesty, dominion and power. He is worthy of all GLORY!
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 