...On Worship

Beware of seeing yourself through other people's eyes. It's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to discern what others think of you. Their views are variable, subject to spiritual, emotional, and physical conditions. This borders on idolatry. This turns into a priority to serve others. This dampens the desire we SHOULD have to please only God. It's much more real to see yourself through His eyes. His gaze is steady and sure, untainted by the world. Through God's eyes you can see yourself as one who is deeply loved and eternally treasured. Respond to God's loving presence by worshiping Him in spirit and truth!

It sounds so easy, right? Worshiping God in spirit and truth? NOT seeing yourself through the eyes of the world? Believing you're loved and treasured UNCONDITIONALLY by God?! It takes a lot of work to actually rest in the presence of the LORD; to not allow Satan to come in and turn your thoughts (your lovely thoughts) on a track that starts to spiral downward and never stops........but it is what God mostly desires for His people.

TRUE worshipers must worship in the power of God's spirit and in accordance with HIS truth. Not the world's. Romans 12 tells us to NOT conform to the ways of the world. In the book of John, truth is associated with Jesus strictly. We are to know and worship the One and ONLY God--and He is graciously revealed to us in the Bible, through Jesus. True worship is a matter of the HEART. It demands MORE than outward motions. It is a complete inner submission of yourself to God.

So how do we submit ourselves completely to God? We must intimately know God and accept His friend request! He wants to know us intimately! He wants to be our first love! He NEEDS to be our first love in order for us to submit. We need to commit daily to grow in Him through the many tools He provides to us. GROWTH IS NOT IMMEDIATE! It's a PAINSTAKING process that includes waiting, failing, losing, and being misunderstood by the world---but each of these things calls for extra doses of perseverance and armor against spiritual warfare, which God will provide. He equips those He calls! JOY EMERGES FROM THE ASHES OF ADVERSITY, THROUGH TRUST AND THANKFULNESS.

"Apply your heart to discipline and your ears to words of knowledge." -Proverbs 23:12