Tag: gfj

The Position, Posture and Place of our Worship Part 1 – The Position of our Worship

In the book of Mark is a story of a woman’s act of love, service and devotion to the Lord. Her story is lost to time, not even her name is given in this passage. We don’t know her life story, we don’t know her past but we do see a glimpse of her heart. It is a story that shows us the position, posture and place of our worship.

Mark 14:3-9 ESV

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Part 1 – The Position of our Worship

  1. THE POSITION OF WORSHIP.

We must know who we are in Christ when we worship! If we have repented, we are no longer that man or woman who we once was. He has forgiven you! “Our sins are as far as from the east is from the west.” Psalms 103:12

That’s why we can come into His presence boldly!

HEBREWS 4:16 “LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.”

THIS WOMAN WHO COULDV’E HAD A HORRIBLE PAST, LABELED IN SOCIETY AS AN OUTSIDER, TALKED ABOUT, MOCKED AT, POINTED AT BUT SHE CAME BOLDLY. SHE WASN’T THINKING THAT HER PAST WAS TOO BAD.

When we worship the Lord He Doesn’t see who we used to be, He sees our position in Christ.

Let’s look at verse 4 “There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?

THIS WOMAN WHO IS SEEN POURING HER MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION ON JESUS HEAD GETS MOCKED BY THE VALUE OF THE PERFUME, THEY WERE MORE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR POSITION IN SOCIETY MORE THAN THEIR POSITION IN CHRIST. WHILE GIVING MONEY TO THE CHURCH AND TITHING IS BIBLICAL OR GIVING TO THE NEEDY; IT’S ONLY IF WE ARE “IN CHRIST” THAT MATTERS.

They were more worried about their position in society more than their position in Christ.

ONCE THE VESSEL THAT HELD THE OINTMENT WAS BROKEN, THERE WAS NO STOPPING THE FLOW OF THE OIL, IT HAD TO BE USED AT ONCE. 

How many times have we grieved Holy Spirit by not giving our all to Him in worship?

PRAYER: Lord, bring us back to the heart of worship, let us give you our all and not to hold back. Let us realize the authority, the power & our position in You when we worship. Amen

Memorial

Memorial Day is a day when we remember those who had served, past, present and future military for the sacrifices that they had made. It is a day to praise God for the freedom that we have here in America because of those courageous ones who are on the front lines everyday protecting the freedom.

I’d like to take a different perspective on the word “memorial” as we look to
Joshua 4:1-7

4 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man,3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

These verses tells us the significance and importance of memorials. We have so many here in the United States. So many statues of former people who have paved a way somehow in this country. What is their purpose? To remind us of the past victories that were made.

What memorials, what victories in your own life have you forgot about? What trials had you gone through, what rivers did you cross, what valleys of the shadow have you walked through, have you forgotten that He, God was with you through it all?

God is not asking us to buy a statue or a plaque after every time He comes through for us, for our homes could not contain them. He’s asking us not to forget His goodness, His faithfulness in the past, in the present and in the future. Because your past memorials are today’s testimony to this generation.

“What do those stones mean to you”

IN HIM: This Will Work Out for My Good

In Him: This will work out for my good

Romans 8:28

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

I have days where I wonder, God, with all what is happening, how is this going to turn out good?

You may be asking God, “How is this divorce working together for good” or “How is my termination from my job going to work together.” etc.

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” – 2 Cor 4:17

We must remember that He has the ability to work out all things for good and to see us through to glorification! “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Phil 1:6

In Him: We know nothing goes to waste — everything will work out for good.

In Him: FEARFULLY & WONDERFULLY MADE

PSALM 139:14 “I PRAISE YOU, FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE; WONDERFUL ARE YOUR WORKS, MY SOUL KNOWS IT VERY WELL”

I believe that what is said of us from others can alter the perception of who God says we are. 

Identity – the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

We can be Influenced by so many voices. Telling us of how we should look, act, or speak. Society today is telling us that we are not fearfully and wonderfully made but we may have been a mistake, or an accident.

YOU WERE BORN ON PURPOSE FOR A PURPOSE!

THE WORD OF GOD CLEARLY TELLS US THAT WE ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE AND THAT HIS WORKS ARE WONDERFUL.

MY NOSE — NOT A MISTAKE, FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

MY BODY— FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

MY PERSONALITY – FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

— JUST AS A POTTER PUTS A PIECE OF CLAY ON THE WHEEL, THERE’S A PURPOSE BEHIND EVERY INDENTION OF THAT CLAY.

WHEN GOD FORMS SOMETHING HE SHAPES IT SPECIFICALLY FOR HIS PURPOSE.

WE ARE ALL MADE DIFFERENTLY WITH UNIQUE SKILLS, PERSONALITIES AND TRAITS THAT GOD USES FOR HIS GOOD AND GLORY. HE DIDN’T CREATE YOU ALONG WITH THE MASSES, HE IS INTENTIONAL WITH ALL THAT HE DOES.

WE ARE HIS MASTERPIECE

“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED UB CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.” — Ephesians 2:10

— WHEN THE WORLD TELLS US THAT WE ARE DEFINED BY OUR STRUGGLES, ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR APPEARANCE, HIDE IN GOD — THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR LIFE AND SOURCE OF TRUE VALUE IDENTITY AND WORTH. IN HIM ONLY OUR TRUE IDENTITY IS FOUND AND OUR WORTH CAN NEVER BE SHAKEN.

PRAYER:

I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM.

I CAN DO WHAT GOD SAYS I CAN DO.

I CAN BECOME EXACTLY WHAT GOD SAYS I CAN BECOME.

I’M NOT DEFINED BY MY FEELINGS, MY WEAKNESSES, OR MY INCLINATIONS.

I AM COMING OUT OF THE LIES.

I AM COMING INTO THE LIGHT.

I WAS BORN ON PURPOSE FOR A PURPOSE!

In Him: No Condemnation

What is Condemnation? An overwhelming sense of shame that comes from the pits of hell. 

What does the Word God say about this?

ROMANS 8:1-4

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

On this one verse lays the whole of the great sinners hope. In Christ and in Christ alone there is forgiveness and freedom from the condemnation of sin. It promises that there is NO condemnation. NONE AT ALL. It doesn’t say less condemnation. It says none. He will never bring up our sinful past again. It is dead and gone. It had been crucified and buried. All of our mess, mistakes, our sin was condemned at the cross.

Why is there NOW no condemnation? Because the thing that brought condemnation — the law of sin and death, has been broken off our lives, Jesus took on all the condemnation at the Cross!

2 Corinthians 5:21

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

  • The enemy will always remind us of our past, to weaken our confidence, our standing in Christ. But those moments are dead, they no longer speak. 

But one thing that does speak and holds true to its promises is the blood of Jesus!

Reflect ///

  • When the enemy begins to flood your mind with past hurts, sins. Remind him who you are in Christ, that you are forgiven! set free!

In Him: Holy & Blameless

Ephesians 1:4 ” Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the World, that we should be holy and blameless before him. in love.”

Holy and blameless — The Word declares over you that you are chosen to be holy and blameless. “But you don’t know my past, you can’t mean me.” Yes, I mean you, your past is not more powerful than the Word of God. When you elevate your past and don’t believe the Bible, it’s like telling Jesus, “Thank you so much for the cross, but it wasn’t enough to erase my past – it’s too broken.” Choose to believe the Word of God today, that in Him you are holy and blameless in his sight. The enemy will try everything today to stop you from believing this one, but don’t let him. You are holy, pure, washed clean in Him! You are not stained, tainted – you are holy! When you stand in His presence, He sees you as holy and blameless. See yourself pure before Him, see yourself boldly entering His presence without fear or shame. Forgiven in Him – destined to be in His presence for the rest of your life.

God loved me and chose me before I was born, before I took my
first breath. He looks at me without fault, as if I never sinned.
Salvation is God’s gift to me, though I don’t deserve it, God
wanted me, he chose in advance.
Before the foundation of the world!! He had us in mind and chose
us before the world was created. We should remember this and
set our hearts on staying holy- set apart for His purposes. So
hard to imagine that before we even had consciousness, He had
plans for us and loved us.

COLOSSIANS 1:22 “AND HE HAS NOW RECONCILED IN HIS BODY OF FLESH BY HIS DEATH, IN ORDER TO PRESENT YOU HOLY AND BLAMELESS AND ABOVE REPROACH BEFORE HIM.”

REFLECT//

  • Are We living our lives holy and blameless before Him?
  • Do you live from a past hurt or regret?

Hope Has a Name Part 1

The Promise of Hope

Even in those moments of testing and trials there is still a hope that carries me through. When everything around me is against me, when I hear those words from the enemy, “Just give up” Theres always a push, there’s always a reminder of a “Cloud of witnesses” that are cheering us on to never give up, to run with endurance the race that is set before me. But without Hope — it wouldn’t be possible.

Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

EVER SINCE THE FALL OF MAN, GOD PROMISED THAT A SAVIOR WOULD COME TO BE THE GAP BETWEEN MAN AND GOD, AND “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Cor. 5:21

Hope Was Prophesied

680 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST WAS BORN, ISAIAH HAD PROPHESIED OF THE COMING KING. 

ISAIAH 7:14 

“THEREFORE THE LORD HIMSELF WILL GIVE YOU A SIGN: THE VIRGIN WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND WILL CALL HIM IMMANUEL.

Hope Was Coming!

ISAIAH 9:2, 6-7

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

IMMANUEL = GOD WITH US. WAS THE PROMISE OF HOPE TO COME AND THE PEACE FOREVERMORE.

THIS IS WHERE OUR HOPE IS FOUND, IS IN THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, JESUS.

What ever promise that God has given you, remember the Hope that lies within Him, for without Him we have nothing and in Him we have our being.