Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Isaiah 40:8 ◄ What Does Isaiah 40:8 Mean? ► The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8(NASB) Verse Thoughts Comparisons, contrasts, metaphors, and similes are all used by God to get a point across to His listeners or to teach those, who are justified by faith, an important biblical fact. However, when the Lord God reiterates a truth, it is because He wants to emphasise a matter and we would do well to listen to the Word of the Lord and to read, mark, learn, inwardly digest, and take to heart all that He has to teach us and to apply it in our life. It was the Spirit of God that moved over the face of the earth, in the beginning, to bring light and life to a darkened world. God’s Holy Spirit breathed life into the empty shell of Adam, causing man to become a living soul, who was made in the image and likeness of God. And just as the Spirit of God caused the breath of life to trigger the creation into being and breathes new life into the one who is born from above, He is also the One Who causes flowers to fade and the grass to wither with a single blast of His nostrils. It was also the Holy Spirit of God who moved holy men of God to pen the Old Testament Scripture and cause the New Testament prophets and apostles to write the gospels and epistles, which are so necessary for our learning, if we are to grow in grace, mature in the faith and live a life that is honouring to the Lord, in thought, word and deed. Yes, the Holy Spirit uses willing people, different forms of grammar, repetition, and typology to get our attention – and we would do well to take heed. For 39 chapters Isaiah had been warning the people of Israel of forthcoming judgement and the need to repent of their sins, to turn back to God, and to hearken to His Word of truth. Judah would soon have to face years of captivity in Babylon as well as a long-term global dispersion because of their disobedience. But Israel would not harken to the Word of the Lord, and the prophet Isaiah used withering grasses and the fading flowers of the field to illustrate the transient nature of mans’ life, in an attempt to encourage Israel to repent of their sin, leave their apostate ways and turn back to the Lord. Isaiah used the familiar grasses and flowers that grew everywhere to show the contrast between with the permanence and stability of God’s eternal Word, with the fleeting nature of wayside grasses and fading flowers, “for the grass withers and the flowers fades; but the word of our God stands forever.” The stark comparison of the fleeting life of a frail little flower with the transient passage of human existence is intensified by the striking contrast of the permanently established and eternally enduring Word of God. How feeble and frail is the transitory, impermanence of all humanity and yet how steadfast and secure is the Word of the Lord – for God has even placed His Word above His holy Name. All human life is like grass, which appears as nothing more than evaporating vapour, which lasts for a little while but quickly vanishes away. Man’s glory is likened to both the grass of the field, which dries up in the noon-day sun and the short-lived flowers, which droop and drop and wither away when the breath of the Lord blows over them. The transitory nature of fallen man whose days are but as grass, is starkly contrasted with the permanence of the everlasting Word of our God, which stands forever and ever. The Word of the Lord not only refers to the God-breathed scriptures but also to the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ – the incarnate Word of the Father – the eternal Son of God, for He is the only eternally abiding reality in this world – and in the world to come, life everlasting. Let us read, mark, learn, inwardly digest and take to heart all that He is and all that He has to say – and let us apply all that he teaches us, into our lives. My Prayer Loving Father, thank You for Your Living Word and Your Written Word. I pray I would love Your Word more every day, and that I would understand the blessing of hiding Your Word in my heart. Thank You for Your everlasting grace and mercy toward foolish, frail humanity, and thank You that Your Word stands forever. In Jesus’ name, AMEN. ◄ Previous: Isaiah 40:5 Next: Isaiah 40:11 ► Choose a Verse from Isaiah 40 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Proverbs 31:28 1 Samuel 13:14 1 John 5:18 Lamentations 3:24 Follow us Isaiah 40:8 Further Study Isaiah 40:8 in the Parallel Bible Isaiah 40:8 in the Thematic Bible Isaiah 40:8 Cross References Isaiah 40:8 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Isaiah 40:8 Sermons Isaiah 40:8 Prayers Isaiah 40:8 Images Isaiah 40:8 Devotionals Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals The Removal of Self Matthew 12:20 Psalm 34:8 Chastening = Child-training What’s The Good Of Temptation What About Sanctification? The Death Sentence Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved ×
What Does Isaiah 40:8 Mean?
Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Isaiah 40:8 ◄ What Does Isaiah 40:8 Mean? ► The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8(NASB) Verse Thoughts Comparisons, contrasts, metaphors, and similes are all used by God to get a point across to His listeners or to teach those, who are justified by faith, an important biblical fact. However, when the Lord God reiterates a truth, it is because He wants to emphasise a matter and we would do well to listen to the Word of the Lord and to read, mark, learn, inwardly digest, and take to heart all that He has to teach us and to apply it in our life. It was the Spirit of God that moved over the face of the earth, in the beginning, to bring light and life to a darkened world. God’s Holy Spirit breathed life into the empty shell of Adam, causing man to become a living soul, who was made in the image and likeness of God. And just as the Spirit of God caused the breath of life to trigger the creation into being and breathes new life into the one who is born from above, He is also the One Who causes flowers to fade and the grass to wither with a single blast of His nostrils. It was also the Holy Spirit of God who moved holy men of God to pen the Old Testament Scripture and cause the New Testament prophets and apostles to write the gospels and epistles, which are so necessary for our learning, if we are to grow in grace, mature in the faith and live a life that is honouring to the Lord, in thought, word and deed. Yes, the Holy Spirit uses willing people, different forms of grammar, repetition, and typology to get our attention – and we would do well to take heed. For 39 chapters Isaiah had been warning the people of Israel of forthcoming judgement and the need to repent of their sins, to turn back to God, and to hearken to His Word of truth. Judah would soon have to face years of captivity in Babylon as well as a long-term global dispersion because of their disobedience. But Israel would not harken to the Word of the Lord, and the prophet Isaiah used withering grasses and the fading flowers of the field to illustrate the transient nature of mans’ life, in an attempt to encourage Israel to repent of their sin, leave their apostate ways and turn back to the Lord. Isaiah used the familiar grasses and flowers that grew everywhere to show the contrast between with the permanence and stability of God’s eternal Word, with the fleeting nature of wayside grasses and fading flowers, “for the grass withers and the flowers fades; but the word of our God stands forever.” The stark comparison of the fleeting life of a frail little flower with the transient passage of human existence is intensified by the striking contrast of the permanently established and eternally enduring Word of God. How feeble and frail is the transitory, impermanence of all humanity and yet how steadfast and secure is the Word of the Lord – for God has even placed His Word above His holy Name. All human life is like grass, which appears as nothing more than evaporating vapour, which lasts for a little while but quickly vanishes away. Man’s glory is likened to both the grass of the field, which dries up in the noon-day sun and the short-lived flowers, which droop and drop and wither away when the breath of the Lord blows over them. The transitory nature of fallen man whose days are but as grass, is starkly contrasted with the permanence of the everlasting Word of our God, which stands forever and ever. The Word of the Lord not only refers to the God-breathed scriptures but also to the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ – the incarnate Word of the Father – the eternal Son of God, for He is the only eternally abiding reality in this world – and in the world to come, life everlasting. Let us read, mark, learn, inwardly digest and take to heart all that He is and all that He has to say – and let us apply all that he teaches us, into our lives. My Prayer Loving Father, thank You for Your Living Word and Your Written Word. I pray I would love Your Word more every day, and that I would understand the blessing of hiding Your Word in my heart. Thank You for Your everlasting grace and mercy toward foolish, frail humanity, and thank You that Your Word stands forever. In Jesus’ name, AMEN. ◄ Previous: Isaiah 40:5 Next: Isaiah 40:11 ► Choose a Verse from Isaiah 40 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Proverbs 31:28 1 Samuel 13:14 1 John 5:18 Lamentations 3:24 Follow us Isaiah 40:8 Further Study Isaiah 40:8 in the Parallel Bible Isaiah 40:8 in the Thematic Bible Isaiah 40:8 Cross References Isaiah 40:8 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Isaiah 40:8 Sermons Isaiah 40:8 Prayers Isaiah 40:8 Images Isaiah 40:8 Devotionals Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals The Removal of Self Matthew 12:20 Psalm 34:8 Chastening = Child-training What’s The Good Of Temptation What About Sanctification? The Death Sentence Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved ×
Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Isaiah 40:8 ◄ What Does Isaiah 40:8 Mean? ► The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8(NASB) Verse Thoughts Comparisons, contrasts, metaphors, and similes are all used by God to get a point across to His listeners or to teach those, who are justified by faith, an important biblical fact. However, when the Lord God reiterates a truth, it is because He wants to emphasise a matter and we would do well to listen to the Word of the Lord and to read, mark, learn, inwardly digest, and take to heart all that He has to teach us and to apply it in our life. It was the Spirit of God that moved over the face of the earth, in the beginning, to bring light and life to a darkened world. God’s Holy Spirit breathed life into the empty shell of Adam, causing man to become a living soul, who was made in the image and likeness of God. And just as the Spirit of God caused the breath of life to trigger the creation into being and breathes new life into the one who is born from above, He is also the One Who causes flowers to fade and the grass to wither with a single blast of His nostrils. It was also the Holy Spirit of God who moved holy men of God to pen the Old Testament Scripture and cause the New Testament prophets and apostles to write the gospels and epistles, which are so necessary for our learning, if we are to grow in grace, mature in the faith and live a life that is honouring to the Lord, in thought, word and deed. Yes, the Holy Spirit uses willing people, different forms of grammar, repetition, and typology to get our attention – and we would do well to take heed. For 39 chapters Isaiah had been warning the people of Israel of forthcoming judgement and the need to repent of their sins, to turn back to God, and to hearken to His Word of truth. Judah would soon have to face years of captivity in Babylon as well as a long-term global dispersion because of their disobedience. But Israel would not harken to the Word of the Lord, and the prophet Isaiah used withering grasses and the fading flowers of the field to illustrate the transient nature of mans’ life, in an attempt to encourage Israel to repent of their sin, leave their apostate ways and turn back to the Lord. Isaiah used the familiar grasses and flowers that grew everywhere to show the contrast between with the permanence and stability of God’s eternal Word, with the fleeting nature of wayside grasses and fading flowers, “for the grass withers and the flowers fades; but the word of our God stands forever.” The stark comparison of the fleeting life of a frail little flower with the transient passage of human existence is intensified by the striking contrast of the permanently established and eternally enduring Word of God. How feeble and frail is the transitory, impermanence of all humanity and yet how steadfast and secure is the Word of the Lord – for God has even placed His Word above His holy Name. All human life is like grass, which appears as nothing more than evaporating vapour, which lasts for a little while but quickly vanishes away. Man’s glory is likened to both the grass of the field, which dries up in the noon-day sun and the short-lived flowers, which droop and drop and wither away when the breath of the Lord blows over them. The transitory nature of fallen man whose days are but as grass, is starkly contrasted with the permanence of the everlasting Word of our God, which stands forever and ever. The Word of the Lord not only refers to the God-breathed scriptures but also to the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ – the incarnate Word of the Father – the eternal Son of God, for He is the only eternally abiding reality in this world – and in the world to come, life everlasting. Let us read, mark, learn, inwardly digest and take to heart all that He is and all that He has to say – and let us apply all that he teaches us, into our lives. My Prayer Loving Father, thank You for Your Living Word and Your Written Word. I pray I would love Your Word more every day, and that I would understand the blessing of hiding Your Word in my heart. Thank You for Your everlasting grace and mercy toward foolish, frail humanity, and thank You that Your Word stands forever. In Jesus’ name, AMEN. ◄ Previous: Isaiah 40:5 Next: Isaiah 40:11 ► Choose a Verse from Isaiah 40 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Proverbs 31:28 1 Samuel 13:14 1 John 5:18 Lamentations 3:24 Follow us Isaiah 40:8 Further Study Isaiah 40:8 in the Parallel Bible Isaiah 40:8 in the Thematic Bible Isaiah 40:8 Cross References Isaiah 40:8 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Isaiah 40:8 Sermons Isaiah 40:8 Prayers Isaiah 40:8 Images Isaiah 40:8 Devotionals Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals The Removal of Self Matthew 12:20 Psalm 34:8 Chastening = Child-training What’s The Good Of Temptation What About Sanctification? The Death Sentence Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved ×
Is Money Really the Root of All Evil?
Toggle navigation Search Browse The Bible Toggle Dropdown Search The Bible Find it! Is Money Really the Root of All Evil? Bible / Bible Study / Topical Studies Share Tweet Save Meg Bucher Writer and Author Sunday, September 13, 2020 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). Paul warned Timothy of the correlation between money and evil. Expensive and flashy things naturally capture our human craving for more stuff, but no amount will ever satisfy our souls. Though we are free to enjoy God’s blessings on this earth, money can lead to jealousy, competition, stealing, cheating, lying, and all sorts of evil. “There is no kind of evil to which the love of money may not lead people, once it starts to control their lives,” says the Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Let’s take a moment to study what the Bible has to teach us about money and how it leads to evil. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Deagreez What Does This Verse Mean? “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). There are two schools of Biblical thinking about money. Some modern translations of Scripture suggest that only the love of money is evil, not money itself. However there are others who hold to the literal text. Regardless, anything we worship (or value, or focus on, etc.) more than God is an idol. John Piper writes that “It is possible that when Paul wrote these words, he was fully aware how challenging they would be, and that he left them just as he wrote them because he saw a sense in which the love of money is indeed the root of all evils- all evils! And he wanted Timothy (and us) to think down deep enough to see it.” God assures us His provision, yet we strive to earn a monetary living. No amount of wealth can satisfy our souls. No matter what earthly wealth or object we are looking for, we were made to crave more of our Creator. The love of money is evil because we are commanded to have no other gods besides the one, true God. The author of Hebrews wrote, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5). Love is all we need. God is love. He is our Provider, Sustainer, Healer, Creator, and our Abba Father. Photo credit: ©Sparrowstock Why Is It Significant That the Love of Money Is the Root of All Evil? Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” Scripture tells us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Jesus, Himself, said to give Caesar what is Caesar’s. God commands us to tithe as an issue of heart loyalty, not a number to religiously check off our to-do list. God knows the tendency of our hearts, and the temptation to hold onto our money. In giving it away, it keeps the love of money at bay, and God on the throne of our hearts. When we’re willing to let go of it, we learn to trust He provides for us, not our astute ability to earn money. “It is not money that is a root of all kinds of evil, but the ‘love of money,’” the Expositor’s Bible Commentary explains. What Does This Verse NOT Mean? “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possession and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). The man Jesus spoke to could not do what His Savior asked. Sadly, his possessions were seated above God on the throne of his heart. This is what God warns us of. He doesn’t hate wealth. He tells us His plans for us are abundantly more than we could ever ask for or imagine. His blessings are new every day. We are created in His image, and we are part of His family. Our Father has good plans for our lives – to prosper us! God hates anything we love more than Him. He is a jealous God! Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Happy Nati What Is the Context of 1 Timothy 6? “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be right fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:6-10). Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, one of his best friends and brothers in the faith, however he intended the church at Ephesus (left in Timothy’s care) to hear the contents of the letter, too. “In this passage, the apostle Paul tells us to desire God and all the things of God,” wrote Jamie Rohrbaugh for iBelieve.com. “He instructs us to pursue holy things with great passion, rather than setting our hearts and affections on wealth and riches.” The entirety of Chapter 6 addresses the church at Ephesus and their tendency to fall away from the true core of Christianity. Without a Bible to carry with them as we have today, they were swayed back and forth by different attributes of other faiths, Jewish law and their society. Paul writes of obedience to God, contentment being rooted in God, fighting the good fight of faith, God as our provider, and false knowledge. He builds up and then scales down to de-root them of the evil and lopsided love of money, reminding them it is in Christ we find true contentment, and God provides for us – not only what we need, but He blesses us above and beyond! “The modern reader who reads these 2300-year-old portraits of defective characters will find many familiar themes,” the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the New Testament explains, “and confirm Paul’s statement about money being at the root of broken friendships, shattered marriages, a bad reputation, and all kinds of evil.” Photo credit: Unsplash/Green Chameleon Are Wealthy People More at Risk of Leaving the Faith? “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys” (Luke 12:33). A person doesn’t have to be wealthy to give in to the temptation of the love of money. “The love of money works its destruction by luring the soul to forsake faith,” explains John Piper. “Faith is the contented trust in Christ that Paul referred to.” Those who are poor, orphaned and in need depend on those who have the resources to share to give them. Deuteronomy 15:7 reminds us that “If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.” Both time and money are important, for to reach those in need with the gospel their physical needs to survive must be met. Marshal Segal wrote for Desiring God: “A lust for more and more money and to buy more and more things is evil, and it ironically and tragically steals and murders the life and happiness it promises.” On the contrary, those who have very little may be the most content, because they know the secret to contentment is life within the love of Christ. Whether we are wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between, we are all faced with the temptation that money presents to us. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Tinnakorn Jorruang How Can We Guard Our Hearts from the Love of Money? “Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it” (Ecclesiastes 7:12). We can guard our hearts from the love of money by making sure God is sitting on the throne of our hearts at all times. Wake to spend time in prayer with Him, even if it’s brief. Align schedules and goals with the will of God through prayer and time in God’s Word. This CBN article explains that “Money has become so important that men will lie, cheat, bribe, defame, and kill to get it. The love of money becomes the ultimate idolatry.” His Truth and Love will guard our hearts from the love of money. And when we fall into temptation, we are never too far gone to turn back to God, who is always awaiting us with arms open to forgive and embrace us. For more verses on money, click here. Related articles 10 Signs You Actually Love Money Too Much Is the Bible Anti-Wealth? 5 Valuable Lessons from Paul on the Benefits of Giving Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Sigital Skillet Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ as an author, freelance writer, and blogger at Sunny&80. Her first book, “Friends with Everyone,” is available on amazon.com. She earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay at home and raise her two daughters. Besides writing, she leads a Bible Study for Women and serves as a Youth Ministry leader in her community. She lives in Northern Ohio with her husband, Jim, and two daughters. Share This Recently Featured Was Satan Really an Angel? Dale Chamberlain What Exactly Is Worship? Cindy Collier The Beautiful and Lasting Symbol of the Rainbow Pamela Palmer Is Money Really the Root of All Evil? Meg Bucher Popular Articles Was Satan Really an Angel? Dale Chamberlain What Exactly Is Worship? Cindy Collier The Beautiful and Lasting Symbol of the Rainbow Pamela Palmer Is Money Really the Root of All Evil? Meg Bucher What Does Christ Mean? Robert Hampshire How Are We to Be Transformed, not Conformed to the World? Clarence L. 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How Are We to Be Transformed, not Conformed to the World?
Toggle navigation Search Browse The Bible Toggle Dropdown Search The Bible Find it! How Are We to Be Transformed, not Conformed to the World? Bible / Bible Study / Topical Studies Clarence L. Haynes Jr. | Contributing Writer Saturday, September 12, 2020 Share Tweet Save If you have been in church for any length of time you have probably heard this verse before. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). These are powerful words coming from the Apostle Paul as he is writing to the Christians in Rome. The tone of these words lets us know there is something in here that God is desiring and urging you to do, and it cannot be missed. There is a very important meaning and context behind Romans 12:2. Do not be conformed to his world but be transformed will make all the difference in your Christian walk, so you must understand what this means. Yes, it is that important. Let’s uncover the truth in this verse and pray that it will challenge us to transformation. What Does It Mean to “Not Be Conformed to This World, but Be Transformed”? You know what it says, but to have a better understanding of the meaning and context of Romans 12:2, “do not be conformed to this world but be transformed,” you must know what it means. Let’s define two of the important words in this verse, conform and transform. The word conform can mean to pattern after, to be shaped by or to be pressed into a mold. When something is pressed into a mold it takes on the shape or look of whatever the mold is. My daughter likes to bake cookies around the holidays and she has cookie molds that she presses into the dough and the dough takes on the shape of the mold. (That’s only temporary however, because we usually eat them very quickly.) The point is when a person is conforming to the world they are being pressed or shaped into the pattern or ways of the world. By comparison the word transform comes from the Greek word metamorphoo, where we get the word metamorphosis from. This word in the Greek is actually a combination of two words, meta and morphoo. Meta – means change after being with. Morphoo – means changing form in keeping with an inner reality. To give metamorphoo a definition for our purposes, it is an outward change that reflects an inner reality after being with someone. The someone in our case is God. How Does the Transformation Happen? To understand this process of transformation let’s look again at this Greek word, because the answer is in the meta and the morphoo. Let me explain. There is an interesting observation in looking at the meaning and context of Romans 12:2. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed. This process actually begins in verse 1. Look at Romans 12:1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (NKJV). If the change begins after being with, which is the meta, how do you get to the meta or to the place of being with God? This happens when we offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. Sacrifices were made at altars. We don’t have Old Testament altars today but the altar we do have is the altar of worship and prayer. This is how you spend time with God, offering yourself as a living sacrifice. This is the place of meta. Therefore, the meta begins with you spending time with God at the altar in prayer and worship. The second part, the morphoo, happens with the renewing of your mind. The process of renewing your mind is an inner reality that eventually makes its way to the surface of your life. In other words, the outward change that people see first begins with an inward change that only God sees. Jesus referred to this inward outward reality in Luke 6:45. “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” As God works to transform the inside, eventually that will show up on the outside. This is where the morphoo happens. It actually reminds me of an old song. Jesus on the inside working on the outside Oh what a change in my life. Why Is This Transformation Even Necessary? When you look at the second part of Romans 12:2 you will see the reason why this transformation is necessary. Here is this part of the verse in two different translations. NIV – “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” NLT – “Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” The whole purpose of transformation, or metamorphosis, is so that you can begin to decipher and know what God’s will and desire is for your life. That’s why this process is so important. What you notice is that this road to transformation combines the sacrifice mentioned in Romans 12:1 and the renewing of your mind in Romans 12:2 to get to this place of knowing God’s will. The inverse of this is also true. If you don’t get to this place of sacrifice and transformation, you won’t discover God’s will. I hope you can see why this is so important to your walk. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Zbynek Pospisil Do You Want to be Conformed or Transformed? Every Christian is faced with a question they must answer in this life. What type of life do you want to live? Remember as I mentioned earlier Paul is writing this letter to the Christians in Rome. In essence, he is outlining for them two ways or choices in which they can live. I call them The Way of the Conformed or The Way of the Transformed. The Way of the Conformed The Conformed Christian has gotten caught up in the deceptions of this world. They have made a decision to pattern their life after the mold of the world. If you pattern yourself after the ways of the world what do you think will happen? You will discover that the pursuits of the conformed may look very similar to those of the world. Here’s how John frames it: “For everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16). The Way of the Conformed is all about experiencing the best this world has to offer at the expense of missing God’s best. The conformed Christian never gets to experience God’s best in this life because they settle for less. Their focus is on the things they see which are all temporary. In the eyes of the world, they may appear successful because they have defined their success according to the standards of the world. However, if sacrifice and transformation are necessary to get to God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will, sadly they never get there. I call this person a double loser. They lose out on God’s best in this life and they lose out on God’s best in eternity. This is the importance behind the meaning and context of Romans 12:2. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed is not just a nice idea – it will determine everything about your life here on earth and into eternity. The Way of the Transformed When you recognize that transformation leads to understanding of God’s will for your life, then the Transformed Christian’s life will be characterized by two words, good and pleasing. The truth is there is no true fulfillment and satisfaction in your life outside of the will of God. That’s why Christians on the Way of the Conformed can be some of the most unhappy people you ever meet. While those on the Way of the Transformed are filled with joy and contentment. There is nothing in this life that can substitute completing and finishing the course that God has laid out for your life. There is no greater joy. The challenges may be harder. The sacrifices may be greater. But in them are the joy and satisfaction that makes it all worth it. Imagine the joy on that day when you stand before the Lord and he says well done, good and faithful servant. You only get to that place through the necessary sacrifice and transformation that is required now. It won’t be the easiest road but it is the road worth traveling. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:10). Two Tips for Transformation We have established that one of the ways this transformation happens is by renewing your mind. Here are two things you can do to help you actually do this. 1. Guard What You Let In This means be careful about the conversations you allow yourself to be dragged into. This also means to be mindful of the influence the people you let into your life have over you. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” Be watchful over what you let into your mind and life. 2. Guard What You Put In This means you must be intentional in what you watch, listen to and read. All these things feed your mind and are either helping your transformation or they are hurting it. Again, Paul gives us some good advice as far as what we should put in. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). As you can see there is great importance in the meaning and context of Romans 12:2. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed is beyond something that is good to know. It is something that you and I must be diligent in doing. If we are ever going to be the people God wants us to be and accomplish what he wants us to accomplish, then this transformation is necessary. I pray that we would learn to let go of the patterns of this world and embrace the heart and plan of God. Not only will that change your life but it will impact the lives of everyone around you. Photo credit: © Getty Images/Gordon Images Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, author and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and has just released his first book, The Pursuit of Purpose. If you have ever struggled trying to find God’s will, this book will help you discover the different ways God leads you into his perfect will. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com. This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture’s context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God’s Word in relation to your life today. 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Haynes Jr. Featured Verse Topics Healing Bible Verses Worry and Anxiety Bible Verses Prayer Bible Verses Bible Verses for Overcoming Grief Comforting Bible Verses Bible Verses About Protection God’s Promises – Verses in the Bible Bible Verses For Faith in Hard Times Encouraging Bible Verses Hope Bible Verses Friendship Bible Verses Forgiveness Bible Verses Strength Bible Verses Love Bible Verses Inspirational Bible Verses About Online Bible Sitemap Link to Us Advertise with Us Feedback Proud member of Salem Media Group. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. All rights reserved. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Do Not Sell My Info (CA only)
What is Worship?
Toggle navigation Search Browse The Bible Toggle Dropdown Search The Bible Find it! What Exactly Is Worship? Bible / Bible Study / Topical Studies Share Tweet Save Cindy Collier Writer Monday, September 14, 2020 Worship can be defined as “the reverence or adoration that one shows toward something or someone; holding a person or object in high esteem; or giving a person or an object a place of importance or honor.” There are hundreds of scriptures in the Bible that speak about worship and provide guidance as to both who and how to worship. It is a Biblical mandate that we worship God and Him alone. It is an act that is designed not only to bring honor to Him who deserves honor, but also to bring a spirit of obedience and submission to the worshippers. But why do we worship, what exactly is worship and how do we worship on a day-to-day basis? Because this topic is important to God and is the reason that we were created, the Scripture provides us a great deal of information on the subject. Photo credit: Unsplash/Chris Malinao Burgett What Is Worship? The word worship comes from the Old English word “weorþscipe” or “worth-ship” which means “to give worth to.” In a secular context, the word can mean “to hold something in high esteem.” In a Biblical context, the Hebrew word for worship is shachah, which means to depress, to fall down, or to lay prostrate before a deity. It is to hold something up with such reverence, honor, and esteem that your only desire is to bow down before it. God specifically mandates that the focus of this type of worship be toward Him and Him alone. In its earliest context, man’s worship to God involved an act of sacrifice – the slaughter of an animal and the shedding of blood in order to bring atonement for sin. It was the looking ahead to the time when Messiah would come and become the ultimate sacrifice, giving the ultimate form of worship in obedience to God and love for us through the giving of himself in his death. But Paul reframes sacrifice as worship in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.” We are no longer under bondage to the law, with the burden of bringing animal blood to atone for sins and as our form of worship. Jesus has already paid a death price and made a blood sacrifice for our sins. Our form of worship, post-resurrection, is to bring ourselves, our own lives, as a living sacrifice to God. This is holy and pleasing to Him. In My Utmost for His Highest Oswald Chambers said, “Worship is giving God the best that He has given you.” We own nothing of worth to present to God in worship but ourselves. It is our ultimate sacrifice, giving God back the very life that He gave to us. It is our purpose and the reason we were created. 1 Peter 2:9 says that we are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” It is the reason that we exist, to bring adoration to Him who created us. Photo credit: Unsplash/Mark Pan4ratte 4 Biblical Commands about Worship The Bible speaks of worship from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible in its entirety is consistent and clear as to God’s plan for worship and clearly outlines a command, a focus, a reason, and a way to worship. Scripture is explicit in our worship in the following ways: 1. Commanded to Worship Our command is to worship because God created man for that purpose. Isaiah 43:7 tells us that we were created to worship Him: “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” The author of Psalm 95:6 tells us to “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” It is a command, something that is to be expected from the creation to the Creator. And if we do not? Luke 19:40 tells us that the stones will cry out in worship to God. Our worship is just that important to God. 2. Focus of Worship The focus of our worship is without a doubt to God and Him alone. In Luke 4:8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” Even during the time of animal sacrifice, pre-resurrection, God’s people were reminded of who He was, the mighty miracles that He had performed on their behalf, and the mandate to a monotheistic form of worship through sacrifice. 2 Kings 17:36 says that “the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To Him you shall bow down and to Him offer sacrifices.” There is no other option but to worship God. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Wenping-Zheng 3. The Reason We Worship The reason we worship? Because He alone is worthy. Who or what else is more worthy than the deity who created all heaven and earth? He holds time in His hand and sovereign watch over all of creation. Revelation 4:11 tells us that, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.” The prophets of the Old Testament also proclaimed the worthiness of God to those who followed Him. After being given a child in her barrenness, Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:2, declared to the Lord through her prayer of thanksgiving, “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides You; there is no Rock like our God.” 4. How We Worship Post resurrection, the Bible is not specific in describing the steps that we should use to worship Him, with one exception. John 4:23 tells us that “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” God is a spirit and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that we are filled with His spirit: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” We are also commanded to bring Him worship that is based in truth. God sees our heart and the reverence that He seeks is one that comes from a clean heart, one made holy through being forgiven, with a correct motive, and with one purpose – to honor Him. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Lordn Is Worship Just Singing? Our modern day church services typically hold times for both praise and worship. In fact the Bible places a great importance on the musical expression of our faith, love and adoration for God. Psalm 105:2 tells us to “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts” and God adores our praise through singing and music. Typically the praise time of a church service is usually the more up beat, lively part of the song service with the worship time being the more somber quiet reflective time. And there is a reason. The difference between praise and worship is in its focus. To praise is to thank God for things He has done for us. It is an outward showing of thanksgiving for an active showing of God. We praise God through music and singing for “all of his wonderful acts” that He has done for us. But worship, on the other hand is a time to revere, to adore, to honor, and pay homage to God, not for what He has done but for who He is. He is Jehovah, the great I Am (Exodus 3:14); He is El Shaddai, the Almighty (Genesis 17:1); He is the Exalted, who is transcendent far above the universe (Psalm 113:4-5); He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8). He is the only God, and apart from Him there is no other (Isaiah 45:5). He is worthy of our adoration, our reverence, and our worship. But the act of worship is much more than just singing. The Bible describes several different approaches to worship. The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 95:6 to bow down and kneel before the Lord; Job 1:20-21 describes Job worshipping by tearing his robe, shaving his head and falling prostrate on the ground. At times we are to bring an offering as a method to worship as in 1 Chronicles 16:29. We also worship God through prayer using our voice, our stillness, our thoughts, our motives, and our spirit. Even though Scripture does not outline specific methods that we are commanded to use in our worship, there are incorrect motives and attitudes to worship. It is an act of the heart and a reflection of the state of our heart. John 4:24 tells us that we “must worship in spirit and in truth.” We are to come to God, holy and acceptable with a clean heart free from impure motives, which is our “spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). We are to come to God, in true reverence and without pride because only He is worthy (Psalm 96:9). We come with reverence and with awe. This is our acceptable worship as is told in Hebrews 12:28: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Photo credit: ©Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages Why Does the Bible Warn against Worshipping the Wrong Things? The Bible contains several direct warnings about the focus of our worship. In the book of Exodus, Moses provided the children of Israel with the first commandment, and it deals with who should be the recipient of our worship. Exodus 34:14 tells us that we are “not to worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” The definition of an idol is “anything that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.” An idol can be a living being, or it can be an object. In our modern world it may show up as a hobby, an activity, money or even having a narcissistic view of ourselves, putting our own wants and needs in front of God. In Hosea chapter 4, the prophet describes idol worship as spiritual adultery to God. The unfaithfulness of worshipping something other than God will bring about divine anger and retribution. In Leviticus 26:1, the Lord commands the children of Israel, “not to make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.” Even in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 10:22 speaks of not arousing the jealousy of God by worshipping idols and involving yourselves in pagan worship. Even though God is not specific about the method to our worship and gives us the freedom we need to express our adoration, He is very direct about who we are not to worship. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Splash of Photography How Can We Worship God Throughout Our Week? Worship is not a one-time act that is to be done in a certain religious location on a designated religious day. It is a matter of the heart. It is a way of life. Charles Spurgeon said it best when he said, “All places are places of worship to a Christian. Wherever he is, he ought to be in a worshiping frame of mind.” We worship God all during the day for who He is, remembering His omnipotent, omniscient holiness. We have faith in His wisdom, His sovereign strength, power, and love. We walk out our worship with our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We wake up thinking about the goodness of God in allowing us another day to live, bringing honor to Him. We get on our knees in prayer, offering our day and ourselves to Him alone to do as He pleases. We are quick to turn to Him because we are walking beside Him in everything we do and with unceasing prayer. We give the only thing God wants: we give ourselves. The Privilege of Worship A.W. Tozer said, “The heart that knows God can find God anywhere … a person filled with the Spirit of God, a person who has met God in a living encounter, can know the joy of worshipping Him, whether in the silences of life or in the storms of life.” To God our worship brings the honor that is due to His name but to the worshipper, it brings joy through total obedience and submission to Him. It is not only a mandate and an expectation but it is also an honor and privilege to know that an all-powerful God wants nothing more that our adoration. Sources Chambers, O. (2005). My Utmost for His Highest. Discovery House Publishers. Spurgeon, C. H. (1988). “Spurgeon at His Best: Over 2200 Striking Quotations from the World’s Most Exhaustive and Widely-read Sermon Series”, Baker Publishing Group. Strong, J. (1890). Strong’s exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Abingdon Press. Tozer, A. W. (2012). Whatever Happened to Worship. Wingspread; New Edition. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages Dr. Cindy Collier has retired from a 30-year career in the public school system, having worked with students with disabilities as a teacher, psychologist and administrator. She is currently serving as an adjunct faculty member for the University of West Florida and as an autism consultant. She has published two popular educational books and several online articles. Her doctorate may be in education but her passion is encouraging other believers through her writing. Cindy is a survivor of a marriage controlled by addiction, pornography, abuse, and mental illness. It was a life lived with someone that she grew to fear filled with secrets and deception, but is now a life restored by God and His promises. She is presently the author of transparentwalk.com where she allows her testimony to guide her writing by being transparent in her walk with the Lord. Share This Recently Featured Was Satan Really an Angel? Dale Chamberlain What Exactly Is Worship? Cindy Collier The Beautiful and Lasting Symbol of the Rainbow Pamela Palmer Is Money Really the Root of All Evil? Meg Bucher Popular Articles Was Satan Really an Angel? Dale Chamberlain What Exactly Is Worship? Cindy Collier The Beautiful and Lasting Symbol of the Rainbow Pamela Palmer Is Money Really the Root of All Evil? Meg Bucher What Does Christ Mean? Robert Hampshire How Are We to Be Transformed, not Conformed to the World? Clarence L. Haynes Jr. Featured Verse Topics Healing Bible Verses Worry and Anxiety Bible Verses Prayer Bible Verses Bible Verses for Overcoming Grief Comforting Bible Verses Bible Verses About Protection God’s Promises – Verses in the Bible Bible Verses For Faith in Hard Times Encouraging Bible Verses Hope Bible Verses Friendship Bible Verses Forgiveness Bible Verses Strength Bible Verses Love Bible Verses Inspirational Bible Verses About Online Bible Sitemap Link to Us Advertise with Us Feedback Proud member of Salem Media Group. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. All rights reserved. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Do Not Sell My Info (CA only)
What is Worship?
Toggle navigation Search Browse The Bible Toggle Dropdown Search The Bible Find it! What Exactly Is Worship? Bible / Bible Study / Topical Studies Share Tweet Save Cindy Collier Writer Monday, September 14, 2020 Worship can be defined as “the reverence or adoration that one shows toward something or someone; holding a person or object in high esteem; or giving a person or an object a place of importance or honor.” There are hundreds of scriptures in the Bible that speak about worship and provide guidance as to both who and how to worship. It is a Biblical mandate that we worship God and Him alone. It is an act that is designed not only to bring honor to Him who deserves honor, but also to bring a spirit of obedience and submission to the worshippers. But why do we worship, what exactly is worship and how do we worship on a day-to-day basis? Because this topic is important to God and is the reason that we were created, the Scripture provides us a great deal of information on the subject. Photo credit: Unsplash/Chris Malinao Burgett What Is Worship? The word worship comes from the Old English word “weorþscipe” or “worth-ship” which means “to give worth to.” In a secular context, the word can mean “to hold something in high esteem.” In a Biblical context, the Hebrew word for worship is shachah, which means to depress, to fall down, or to lay prostrate before a deity. It is to hold something up with such reverence, honor, and esteem that your only desire is to bow down before it. God specifically mandates that the focus of this type of worship be toward Him and Him alone. In its earliest context, man’s worship to God involved an act of sacrifice – the slaughter of an animal and the shedding of blood in order to bring atonement for sin. It was the looking ahead to the time when Messiah would come and become the ultimate sacrifice, giving the ultimate form of worship in obedience to God and love for us through the giving of himself in his death. But Paul reframes sacrifice as worship in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.” We are no longer under bondage to the law, with the burden of bringing animal blood to atone for sins and as our form of worship. Jesus has already paid a death price and made a blood sacrifice for our sins. Our form of worship, post-resurrection, is to bring ourselves, our own lives, as a living sacrifice to God. This is holy and pleasing to Him. In My Utmost for His Highest Oswald Chambers said, “Worship is giving God the best that He has given you.” We own nothing of worth to present to God in worship but ourselves. It is our ultimate sacrifice, giving God back the very life that He gave to us. It is our purpose and the reason we were created. 1 Peter 2:9 says that we are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” It is the reason that we exist, to bring adoration to Him who created us. Photo credit: Unsplash/Mark Pan4ratte 4 Biblical Commands about Worship The Bible speaks of worship from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible in its entirety is consistent and clear as to God’s plan for worship and clearly outlines a command, a focus, a reason, and a way to worship. Scripture is explicit in our worship in the following ways: 1. Commanded to Worship Our command is to worship because God created man for that purpose. Isaiah 43:7 tells us that we were created to worship Him: “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” The author of Psalm 95:6 tells us to “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” It is a command, something that is to be expected from the creation to the Creator. And if we do not? Luke 19:40 tells us that the stones will cry out in worship to God. Our worship is just that important to God. 2. Focus of Worship The focus of our worship is without a doubt to God and Him alone. In Luke 4:8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” Even during the time of animal sacrifice, pre-resurrection, God’s people were reminded of who He was, the mighty miracles that He had performed on their behalf, and the mandate to a monotheistic form of worship through sacrifice. 2 Kings 17:36 says that “the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To Him you shall bow down and to Him offer sacrifices.” There is no other option but to worship God. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Wenping-Zheng 3. The Reason We Worship The reason we worship? Because He alone is worthy. Who or what else is more worthy than the deity who created all heaven and earth? He holds time in His hand and sovereign watch over all of creation. Revelation 4:11 tells us that, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.” The prophets of the Old Testament also proclaimed the worthiness of God to those who followed Him. After being given a child in her barrenness, Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:2, declared to the Lord through her prayer of thanksgiving, “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides You; there is no Rock like our God.” 4. How We Worship Post resurrection, the Bible is not specific in describing the steps that we should use to worship Him, with one exception. John 4:23 tells us that “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” God is a spirit and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that we are filled with His spirit: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” We are also commanded to bring Him worship that is based in truth. God sees our heart and the reverence that He seeks is one that comes from a clean heart, one made holy through being forgiven, with a correct motive, and with one purpose – to honor Him. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Lordn Is Worship Just Singing? Our modern day church services typically hold times for both praise and worship. In fact the Bible places a great importance on the musical expression of our faith, love and adoration for God. Psalm 105:2 tells us to “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts” and God adores our praise through singing and music. Typically the praise time of a church service is usually the more up beat, lively part of the song service with the worship time being the more somber quiet reflective time. And there is a reason. The difference between praise and worship is in its focus. To praise is to thank God for things He has done for us. It is an outward showing of thanksgiving for an active showing of God. We praise God through music and singing for “all of his wonderful acts” that He has done for us. But worship, on the other hand is a time to revere, to adore, to honor, and pay homage to God, not for what He has done but for who He is. He is Jehovah, the great I Am (Exodus 3:14); He is El Shaddai, the Almighty (Genesis 17:1); He is the Exalted, who is transcendent far above the universe (Psalm 113:4-5); He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8). He is the only God, and apart from Him there is no other (Isaiah 45:5). He is worthy of our adoration, our reverence, and our worship. But the act of worship is much more than just singing. The Bible describes several different approaches to worship. The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 95:6 to bow down and kneel before the Lord; Job 1:20-21 describes Job worshipping by tearing his robe, shaving his head and falling prostrate on the ground. At times we are to bring an offering as a method to worship as in 1 Chronicles 16:29. We also worship God through prayer using our voice, our stillness, our thoughts, our motives, and our spirit. Even though Scripture does not outline specific methods that we are commanded to use in our worship, there are incorrect motives and attitudes to worship. It is an act of the heart and a reflection of the state of our heart. John 4:24 tells us that we “must worship in spirit and in truth.” We are to come to God, holy and acceptable with a clean heart free from impure motives, which is our “spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). We are to come to God, in true reverence and without pride because only He is worthy (Psalm 96:9). We come with reverence and with awe. This is our acceptable worship as is told in Hebrews 12:28: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Photo credit: ©Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages Why Does the Bible Warn against Worshipping the Wrong Things? The Bible contains several direct warnings about the focus of our worship. In the book of Exodus, Moses provided the children of Israel with the first commandment, and it deals with who should be the recipient of our worship. Exodus 34:14 tells us that we are “not to worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” The definition of an idol is “anything that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.” An idol can be a living being, or it can be an object. In our modern world it may show up as a hobby, an activity, money or even having a narcissistic view of ourselves, putting our own wants and needs in front of God. In Hosea chapter 4, the prophet describes idol worship as spiritual adultery to God. The unfaithfulness of worshipping something other than God will bring about divine anger and retribution. In Leviticus 26:1, the Lord commands the children of Israel, “not to make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.” Even in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 10:22 speaks of not arousing the jealousy of God by worshipping idols and involving yourselves in pagan worship. Even though God is not specific about the method to our worship and gives us the freedom we need to express our adoration, He is very direct about who we are not to worship. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Splash of Photography How Can We Worship God Throughout Our Week? Worship is not a one-time act that is to be done in a certain religious location on a designated religious day. It is a matter of the heart. It is a way of life. Charles Spurgeon said it best when he said, “All places are places of worship to a Christian. Wherever he is, he ought to be in a worshiping frame of mind.” We worship God all during the day for who He is, remembering His omnipotent, omniscient holiness. We have faith in His wisdom, His sovereign strength, power, and love. We walk out our worship with our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We wake up thinking about the goodness of God in allowing us another day to live, bringing honor to Him. We get on our knees in prayer, offering our day and ourselves to Him alone to do as He pleases. We are quick to turn to Him because we are walking beside Him in everything we do and with unceasing prayer. We give the only thing God wants: we give ourselves. The Privilege of Worship A.W. Tozer said, “The heart that knows God can find God anywhere … a person filled with the Spirit of God, a person who has met God in a living encounter, can know the joy of worshipping Him, whether in the silences of life or in the storms of life.” To God our worship brings the honor that is due to His name but to the worshipper, it brings joy through total obedience and submission to Him. It is not only a mandate and an expectation but it is also an honor and privilege to know that an all-powerful God wants nothing more that our adoration. Sources Chambers, O. (2005). My Utmost for His Highest. Discovery House Publishers. Spurgeon, C. H. (1988). “Spurgeon at His Best: Over 2200 Striking Quotations from the World’s Most Exhaustive and Widely-read Sermon Series”, Baker Publishing Group. Strong, J. (1890). Strong’s exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Abingdon Press. Tozer, A. W. (2012). Whatever Happened to Worship. Wingspread; New Edition. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages Dr. Cindy Collier has retired from a 30-year career in the public school system, having worked with students with disabilities as a teacher, psychologist and administrator. She is currently serving as an adjunct faculty member for the University of West Florida and as an autism consultant. She has published two popular educational books and several online articles. Her doctorate may be in education but her passion is encouraging other believers through her writing. Cindy is a survivor of a marriage controlled by addiction, pornography, abuse, and mental illness. It was a life lived with someone that she grew to fear filled with secrets and deception, but is now a life restored by God and His promises. She is presently the author of transparentwalk.com where she allows her testimony to guide her writing by being transparent in her walk with the Lord. Share This Recently Featured Was Satan Really an Angel? Dale Chamberlain What Exactly Is Worship? Cindy Collier The Beautiful and Lasting Symbol of the Rainbow Pamela Palmer Is Money Really the Root of All Evil? Meg Bucher Popular Articles Was Satan Really an Angel? Dale Chamberlain What Exactly Is Worship? Cindy Collier The Beautiful and Lasting Symbol of the Rainbow Pamela Palmer Is Money Really the Root of All Evil? Meg Bucher What Does Christ Mean? Robert Hampshire How Are We to Be Transformed, not Conformed to the World? Clarence L. Haynes Jr. Featured Verse Topics Healing Bible Verses Worry and Anxiety Bible Verses Prayer Bible Verses Bible Verses for Overcoming Grief Comforting Bible Verses Bible Verses About Protection God’s Promises – Verses in the Bible Bible Verses For Faith in Hard Times Encouraging Bible Verses Hope Bible Verses Friendship Bible Verses Forgiveness Bible Verses Strength Bible Verses Love Bible Verses Inspirational Bible Verses About Online Bible Sitemap Link to Us Advertise with Us Feedback Proud member of Salem Media Group. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. All rights reserved. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Do Not Sell My Info (CA only)
What Does Psalm 59:16
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◄ What Does Psalm 59:16 Mean? ►
But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.
Psalm 59:16(NASB)
Verse Thoughts
Like so many of the psalms that mean so much to God’s children, this is one that outlines the many problems, mountainous difficulties, troublous times, and numerous enemies that were surrounding David on every side. He wrote this psalm when Saul’s hatred of him began to be openly displayed, and the bitter-hearted king sought out ways to murder David – who had to flee the country to save his life.
David opened up his heart to the Lord, and his urgent prayer for help and deliverance poured forth unabated. David felt that enemies trampled over him all day long and many more sought to kill him. Opposition from without and fears from within were the keynotes of this psalm, just as the external anxieties and internal struggles we face today, can similarly blight our own lives.
But after a catalogue of calamities and a long list of laments, the glories of God started to stream into view as the psalmist changes direction and continues by casting all his cares upon the Lord, and laying all of his burdens down at His Master’s feet. “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You,” he wrote. And as his prayer moved into a crescendo of praise he continued, “I will trust in God, whose word I praise. In God I have put my trust and I shall not be afraid.”
David chose to call to mind the faithfulness of God and reflect on the strength of his powerful Lord, Whose loving-kindness lasts for a thousand generations and Whose great goodness and mercy will follow all who trust in Him. His enemies may still seek his life, but David knew in Whom he believed and was convinced that the Lord was able to keep him, deliver him, protect him, and fulfil the promises He had made to His servant.
David took time to recall the many mercies of God and the tenderness of his Good Shepherd. “You have taken account of my wanderings,” he wrote, “You have collected all my tears and put them in Your bottle.” David knew the God of his salvation and was comforted to know that the Lord had scheduled every day of his life and that his name was written in God’s precious book.
We see David’s fearful attitude changing as his heart turned heavenward. His cries for help turned into a song of rejoicing as he recalled God’s faithfulness. And he sang out, “But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength. Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress.”
Remembering His past mercies is indeed a wonderful way to remove all the enemies of doubt and fear that trouble our minds and linger in our hearts, and recalling His many precious promises, help to strengthen our faith in God. Like so many of the psalms of David that mean so much to us all, this is a reminder to glorify God in our darkest days as well as our times of joy. It is a reminder not to allow fear to take root in our heart but to speedily turn the eyes of our heart to Him.
The joy of the Lord strengthens our hearts and David was learning the benefit of lifting up his voice to the Lord in the morning hours. He was learning to remember God’s former mercies – to recall that the Lord had been his stronghold in the past and had never failed him during his days of distress. Instead of dwelling on his problems, David quickly turned to prayer and praise – with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. And we should follow his example for it helps to bolster our faith and lighten the load.
Let us, with joyful abandon, sing of God’s power and make music in our hearts to Him, as we lift up holy hands to our faithful God and join our voices together in grateful hymns of praise, for His mercies are new every morning and His grace is sufficient, no matter what we are going through. Let us sing aloud of His mercy in the morning and reflect on His goodness and grace all day long.
Let us rejoice and be glad for God is our Defence and our Defender. He is our Refuge in the day of my trouble and our Stronghold from the storms of life. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, may we worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and bow down before Him, for His name is greatly to be praised.
My Prayer
Thank You, Father, for the book of Psalms that so often comforts my soul in difficult times and refreshes my heart in distressing circumstances. Help me not to focus on life’s external problems nor the internal doubts that can enter my mind and cause me to fear. Help me, Lord, to bring to mind Your precious promises of refreshment and supply, and to cast all my burdens on You. Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise Your glorious name. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.
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What Does 2ndCorinthians 4:17 Mean?
Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day 2 Corinthians 4:17 ◄ What Does 2 Corinthians 4:17 Mean? ► For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians 4:17(NASB) Verse Thoughts None of us want to invite pain and suffering into our lives and Paul is an example of a man who went through much suffering in this world for being a Christian. At times he despaired even of life, and yet despite his terrible persecution and many imprisonments, Paul willingly endured his suffering with godly grace, patient endurance and an unspeakable joy. Indeed he considered the sufferings he endured as a light affliction, which would one day produce in him an exceedingly great and eternal weight of glory, in the ages to come. Paul did not enjoy his suffering at all, but he knew that the pathway of affliction was the same path that the Lord Jesus Christ had to take on our behalf, when He set his face as a flint towards Jerusalem and the cross, and Paul was simply following in the path of his Master. He knew that Jesus suffered and died for our sake so that we could be redeemed from the sentence of death that is over every sinful man. He knew that as Christ’s disciples we are to follow the same path of humility and humiliation, but he also knew that the sufferings of this time, were by comparison with our eternal future, very small and would soon pass. Paul knew that the afflictions of this age are preparing us for a great glory that has no limits – and it is ours in the eternity of eternities. There were times when Paul longed to be away from this world, for to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord. And yet this was the simple secret that Paul openly shared in many of his writings – that the evils of this life will one day be lifted like a silken shroud, which will quickly pass away like a melting mist, which evaporates into the first golden rays of the early morning sunlight. However great and burdensome the afflictions of this life may be…the magnificent rewards of the eternal glories that are ours by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, are by comparison very small, very insignificant, fleeting and momentary. It is by bearing the cross for the Lord Jesus through the threads of time that a glorious crown is woven into the master-tapestry of our future, in the eternity of eternities. It is by enduring the sorrows of the night for the sake of Christ, that the bright morning joy will explode into everlasting glory. My Prayer Praise Your Holy Name O Lord my God, for the glory without limit that awaits all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. May I face the afflictions and difficulties that are inevitable in this world system with the same eternal perspective, godly grace, patient endurance and unspeakable joy that I see in Paul. Help me not to look at the circumstances of life with dread and fear, but rather may I view them as part of the eternal tapestry of my life that You are woven together for good. I pray that I may look forward with joy to the limitless glories that You have prepared for those that love You, no matter what difficulties and dangers I may be called upon to face, in Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN. ◄ Previous: 2 Corinthians 4:16 Next: 2-Corinthians 5:1 ► Choose a Verse from 2 Corinthians 4 123456789101112131415161718 Ezekiel 12:11 Hosea 6:6 Philippians 2:21 1 Peter 4:1 Follow us 2 Corinthians 4:17 Further Study 2 Corinthians 4:17 in the Parallel Bible 2 Corinthians 4:17 in the Thematic Bible 2 Corinthians 4:17 Cross References 2 Corinthians 4:17 Treasury of Scripture Knowing 2 Corinthians 4:17 Sermons 2 Corinthians 4:17 Prayers 2 Corinthians 4:17 Images 2 Corinthians 4:17 Devotionals Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals Flame of Love Romans 12:2 Psalm 104:23 Reception And Resistance Missionary Munitions The Deity of Christ – Perfect MAN Eternal SON (25) Your “Blesseds” Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved
The Commonality Between 2nd Chronicles 16:9 and Proverbs 15:3
The Commonality Between Two Bible Verses!! 2nd Chronicles 16:9 and Proverbs 15:3 By Anthony Joseph Hopkins September 10, 2020
Good Day Everyone!! How are all of you doing today? Fine, I hope. I am typing a comparison and contrast paper regarding the commonality between two Bible verses. The first Bible verse is 2nd Chronicles 16:9 and the second is Proverbs 15:3; Initially, 2nd Chronicles 16:9 says for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth. To show Himself strong on the behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. This means that God is checking us out everyday of our lives. Whereas Proverbs 15:3 says; The eyes of the Lord are in everywhere keeping watch on the evil and the good.
Next, I want to inform all of you that God is watching all of us 24 hours per day. He is making sure that we are behaving properly. When it comes to the Bible, God is making sure that we are doing the right things to satisfy Him. You know something, God is making sure that we are worthy to be in His Kingdom. I know for me personally, I have to monitor and watch all of my activities for the rest of my life. I know that I have to read the Bible every single day of the week. I also have to pray as well. Pray without ceasing is important.
Further, I want to say that both Bible verses indicate that God is watching us. I know that I have to make certain that I am doing the best that I possibly can to make it to Heaven. I know that it is based on conduct. It is also based on what we say out of our mouths as well as our actions.
I have to make sure that I am attending Church on a regular basis. I need to make sure that I am serving Him in all capacities of the faith. When it comes to both of these Bible verses, it is a common-sense thing that God is watching all of us. I remember when I was a child growing up in the Dayton, Ohio Area. I used to attend Church with my parents. They used to tell me that God is watching me all of the time. I know that God is giving all of us a chance at life. I know that it is very important to act and be the best person you can be for the Lord.
Finally, I want to inform everyone that God is giving all of us a chance to conduct ourselves in a civilized manner. I really love the Lord with my mind, soul, and spirit. I know that my life has been filled with ups and downs in my personal life.
I want to inform everyone that I used to be very mischevious just like Jacob in the Bible. I used to be a deceiver just like him. I know that God wants me to be the be at my best behavior for Him.
