11/26/22 WORSHIP COMES FROM WITHIN

11/26/22  WORSHIP COMES FROM WITHIN

Referring to a paragraph I recently wrote, let me offer a different view.

I mentioned some of the possible responses, which early Church believers may have had to the reading of one of Paul's circular epistles.

Let me focus on the positive responses, asking how they fit into your personal worship experience during a church service.

Here is my sample paragraph and some of the possible responses.
"The overseer stood before his fellow believers and read the latest circular letter from Paul.

Some were moved to tears, others were moved to prayer, others were moved to confession, others were moved to songs of praise, others were moved to steps of reconciliation, others were moved to deeper commitment and some surrendered to carry the gospel to the unreached."

Obviously you need to be in a church that is New Testament in its beliefs and practice. The preaching, teaching, music does not have to be entertaining or exceptional but the message and messenger must be authentic. Remember, it is not the human instruments but the Divine presence, message and work that should move us.

Are you moved to tears (of joy wonder, compassion, contrition)?
Are you moved to prayer (for yourself or others)?
Are you moved to confession (testimony, personal need of God)?
Are you moved to songs of praise?
Are you moved to steps of reconciliation (with God, with fellow believers, with your enemy)?
Are you moved to deeper commitment (sacrifice, service, support)?
Are you moved to total dedication, including a life committed to reach the unreached (in your Jerusalem, your Judea, your Samaria or your uttermost part of the world)?

If not, why not? Isn't the presence of God and the power of His message enough to ignite you into a raging and holy inferno and your church into an incendiary fellowship?

Quit blaming "church trappings" and others in the church for your own meagerness.
Don't depend on superstars or entertainers or extravaganzas on the platform.
Often that is of the flesh.

Bring your dry wood and throw it on the altar of sacrifice. In fact, come to service expecting God to move in your life and He will consume the green wood though it is drowned in water, then the fire of God will lick up the puddles of water, which remain.

We either come with deaf ears or ears to hear.