Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Proper Attitude for Worship. Psalms 99-100; Philemon

May the mumbling commence!

Every day is a day to worship the Lord.  Every day, if we find the right attitude, is a day to enter the courts of the Lord with thanksgiving and praise.  That is why I adore Psalm One-hundred.  Read it below:

Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth! 
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name. 
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

What should our attitude of heart be to enter daily into the presence of the Lord?  Have an attitude of joy.  Be glad. 

How do we cultivate these attitudes?  Acknowledge that the Lord is God.  Take off your plate those things you cannot control.  Give them to the Lord.  They will be in good hands.  The Lord is good… all the time.

When we are joyful in all circumstances other attitudes will grow… attitudes of thankfulness and praise.  We are blessed by the Lord… and we want to pass these blessings to other people.  By blessing people around us, we bless the Lord.

Where will we see our Lord Jesus?  Keep your eyes peeled.  You will find Jesus in the people you know and in the people you don’t know who cross your path unexpectedly.

So be joyful and glad.  Be thankful and extend the blessing you have received to others.  These are the gates into the presence of the Lord.  Enter through these gates and discover how to worship the Lord every day.

And sometimes this worship will entail sacrifice for the benefit of other people.  That’s the kind of sacrifice the Apostle Paul was offering to Onesimus through his letter to Philemon.  Read a portion of that brief letter below:

Perhaps you could think of it this way: Onesimus ran away for a little while so you could have him back forever.  He is no longer just a slave; he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord. 
So if you consider me your partner, give him the same welcome you would give me if I were coming.  If he has harmed you in any way or stolen anything from you, charge me for it.  I, Paul, write this in my own handwriting: "I will repay it." (Verses 15-19 a)

Charge the errors of my beloved brother to me.  I will pay the debt… no matter how steep.  And in the case of a runaway slave, that price would've been steep.  The penalty would have been death. 

Joy and thankfulness and blessing can lead to the willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for the people you love.  That is the ultimate worship of the Lord God.  It’s patterned after the Way of Christ Jesus.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out


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