King of Glory – So Now You Know

Worship…

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. ~ Isaiah 29:13

The Prophet Isaiah, moved by the Spirit of God, brings to our attention the deeper issues of our worship of God. As he points out, our fear or reverence for God often comes through the commandment of men which has been taught to us. It takes on the form of traditions and rituals that are learned by repetition without any regard as to the meaning. These forms become memorized and cemented into our theological constructs. Indeed, human rules and doctrines often direct how we worship God, but such worship is in vain if our hearts are far from Him.

Throughout Scripture we see a Holy God revealing Himself to us … His created beings. He manifests Himself as a Father who is devoted to His children through a covenantal relationship rooted in His holiness and deep love. The desire of His heart is for us to respond to Him in genuine love and reverence. Such a responsive, reciprocal love can only come from our inner beings (i.e. our own hearts) in order to be authentic … real … sincere…. God commands us to love Him alone; and His command emanates from His intrinsic love…. (Exodus 20:1-17)

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. (Deuteronomy 8:2) Indeed, the Lord our God tests us to find out whether we love Him with all our hearts and with all our souls. (Deuteronomy 13:3) King David also prayed, “Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. (Psalm 26:2-3)

We are informed by Scripture that God initiates how we are to worship Him. We are to hallow His Name. (Exodus 20:7, Matthew 6:9) We are to obey His commands. (Numbers 15:39-40) We are not to worship any other god or idol. We are to offer the sacrifices of a humble and contrite spirit and tremble at His Word. (Isaiah 66:2) As King David prophesied: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened— burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)

Worship is the will of God for His created ones. For by His will, we were created and have our being. Yes, and all the angels in heaven worship Him day and night without ceasing saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8-11) And let us consider the instruction of our Lord Jesus in this regard: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in Truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in Truth.” (John 4:23-24)

My friends, let us consider then how we worship YWHW through our beings. Is it heartfelt and intimate? Are we reverent of the holiness of God? Is our worship covenantal? Indeed, YWHW is a jealous God. (Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 4:24, Joshua 24:19) He will not permit us to worship another. And I pray that we will contemplate practices that will conform our hearts to the will of our Father. As Jesus affirmed: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40) And Paul exhorted: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. ~ Revelation 15:3-4

Have a Blessed Day!

Mighty…

The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage….” ~ Deuteronomy 7:7-8

Mighty! It means possessing great or overwhelming power and strength. The Lord revealed Himself to Abraham as El Shaddai – God Almighty. (Genesis 17:1) Yes, He is the all-powerful One who reigns over all creation! And it is this attribute of our God that comes into focus as He draws unto Himself a people for His treasured possession and inheritance….

With a mighty hand and outstretched arm, God manifested His power to bring salvation for His people. Indeed, “When the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses His servant.” (Exodus 14:31) As Moses attested: “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? (Deuteronomy 3:24)

King David, a man who sought the heart of God, would exclaim: “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” (Psalm 24:8) And, “My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.” (Psalm 62:7) Indeed, “Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” (Psalm 89:8) Isaiah resounded: “I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 60:16) Jeremiah reflected, “No one is like you, Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. (Jeremiah 10:6)

One of my favorite verses is Zephaniah 3:17 – which reads: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Oh, how I pray all people would see that our God is mighty to save! (Isaiah 63:1) Indeed, Jesus is not only mighty to redeem us, but He is mighty to preserve His people in sanctification and holiness. As Paul expressed it: “He who began a good work in you will carry it one to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms…. (Ephesians 1:18-20) Oh, my friends, let us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power! Amen.

Have a Blessed Day!