The causes of separation between God's people in worship
Greetings in the name of Jesus
In many ways we can ask the question "does it matter what the format of our worship is?" But people today are clamoring for an answer to a way to worship God effectively. They want to be able to express themselves to him. They want to feel safe again but people in general are ignorant of how to worship, and in most cases why they should worship God. The fact of the matter is that in worship we should not need to feel that we are in control or that we have all the answers for our belief in God before we can worship him. ACTS 17:23 describes some of these same concepts to people who were searching for truth about worship. That verse says "neither is worshiped with man's hands, as though he needs anything seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things". We've talked a little bit about ancestry ill worship places and the emphasis that has been put on tradition and generation after generation of worship in the same place the same manner not because it is correct or scriptural but because it is comfortable.
What is it that causes this separation between God's people? There are three main areas that I can see right away, and each one of these deals in some way with our own human ego and desire to control. First is our desire to be right at all costs. I have seen people defend their doctrines of belief in a church far beyond their defense of the truth of Scripture. Second is the desire to be special above all other people. I have known people who actually thought that being peculiar as it says in the Scripture mend that they should be different from any other church. We are a peculiar people not because of our difference from one another, even though there are many diversities spiritually, but because we show forth the light of truth in living out God's word. We show this truth to the world around us, and to this world we become peculiar or different than the rest of the world. It is just one of the many ways that we have of being a witness to Christ dwelling within us. There is a third reason that I see in the separation of God's people, and that is the desire to be separated from everyone else in the eyes of the world. While at first glance that may seem to be a good thing, in the end it is a trick that is used against Christians to be seen as "BETTER THAN OTHERS" because of our status with Christ. The attitude of Mr. "GOODY TWO SHOES" is one which is thrown in the face of most Christians who would dare to try to witness to others around them. Each one of these attitudes and desires come from the same place... It is from the influence of Satan. The basic desire that Satan has is to interrupt us from worshiping God.
I am going to give you several Scriptures here that I hope you will look up for yourselves both to read and to meditate on. I am calling these reasons why Satan wants to interrupt us from worshiping God.
HE TEMPTS US TO LIE Acts 5:3. Satan is the father of lies, it is his nature to not be truthful in any way. SATAN ACCUSES AND SLANDERS Christians Revelations 12:10. HE HINDERS OUR WORK 1 Thessalonians 2:18. HE EMPLOYEES DEMONS TO HELP DEFEAT US Ephesians 6:11-12. HE TEMPTS US TO BE IMMORAL 1 Corinthians 7:5.HE SOWS TARES AMONG THE BELIEVERS Matthew 13: 38-39. HE INCITES PERSECUTIONS AMONG CHRISTIANS Revelations 2:10. In short there is an ancient military strategy involved that says divide and conquer.
While all of this is good for our study there still remains the question "is there a right way to worship God?" I hope that we can get closer to an answer to this question in the next blog on worship. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
In many ways we can ask the question "does it matter what the format of our worship is?" But people today are clamoring for an answer to a way to worship God effectively. They want to be able to express themselves to him. They want to feel safe again but people in general are ignorant of how to worship, and in most cases why they should worship God. The fact of the matter is that in worship we should not need to feel that we are in control or that we have all the answers for our belief in God before we can worship him. ACTS 17:23 describes some of these same concepts to people who were searching for truth about worship. That verse says "neither is worshiped with man's hands, as though he needs anything seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things". We've talked a little bit about ancestry ill worship places and the emphasis that has been put on tradition and generation after generation of worship in the same place the same manner not because it is correct or scriptural but because it is comfortable.
What is it that causes this separation between God's people? There are three main areas that I can see right away, and each one of these deals in some way with our own human ego and desire to control. First is our desire to be right at all costs. I have seen people defend their doctrines of belief in a church far beyond their defense of the truth of Scripture. Second is the desire to be special above all other people. I have known people who actually thought that being peculiar as it says in the Scripture mend that they should be different from any other church. We are a peculiar people not because of our difference from one another, even though there are many diversities spiritually, but because we show forth the light of truth in living out God's word. We show this truth to the world around us, and to this world we become peculiar or different than the rest of the world. It is just one of the many ways that we have of being a witness to Christ dwelling within us. There is a third reason that I see in the separation of God's people, and that is the desire to be separated from everyone else in the eyes of the world. While at first glance that may seem to be a good thing, in the end it is a trick that is used against Christians to be seen as "BETTER THAN OTHERS" because of our status with Christ. The attitude of Mr. "GOODY TWO SHOES" is one which is thrown in the face of most Christians who would dare to try to witness to others around them. Each one of these attitudes and desires come from the same place... It is from the influence of Satan. The basic desire that Satan has is to interrupt us from worshiping God.
I am going to give you several Scriptures here that I hope you will look up for yourselves both to read and to meditate on. I am calling these reasons why Satan wants to interrupt us from worshiping God.
HE TEMPTS US TO LIE Acts 5:3. Satan is the father of lies, it is his nature to not be truthful in any way. SATAN ACCUSES AND SLANDERS Christians Revelations 12:10. HE HINDERS OUR WORK 1 Thessalonians 2:18. HE EMPLOYEES DEMONS TO HELP DEFEAT US Ephesians 6:11-12. HE TEMPTS US TO BE IMMORAL 1 Corinthians 7:5.HE SOWS TARES AMONG THE BELIEVERS Matthew 13: 38-39. HE INCITES PERSECUTIONS AMONG CHRISTIANS Revelations 2:10. In short there is an ancient military strategy involved that says divide and conquer.
While all of this is good for our study there still remains the question "is there a right way to worship God?" I hope that we can get closer to an answer to this question in the next blog on worship. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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