URI:
   DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Love God Only
  HTML https://lovegodonly.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: Things of the Spirit
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 5710--------------------------------------------------
       Where should I worship?
       By: Mike Date: July 18, 2013, 2:00 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Few that search for the treasure of Heaven's Kingdom that is hid
       in the field of life, fail to hear the tolling of the same
       distant metaphoric bell.
       When asking "For whom does the bell toll"? the answer echoes
       back "It tolleth for thee".
       Some respond by writing what they think is a new symphony.
       (The denominational re-invention of Christianity)
       Few realise that all they are doing is writing a new layer of
       discordant notes to add onto the existing faded and somewhat
       corrupted symphony. (Apostate Christendom)
       Even less hear the call to add the sweetness of their own notes
       in harmony with the symphony as originally composed.
       (Denominational resistance)
       Why would that be?
       Doubtless the principle reason would be the faintness of what
       remains of that original symphony. And the extreme difficulty of
       harmonising with what can barely be heard.
       But wait ~ Is there not another bell tolling, and does it not
       sound clearer the more attentively I listen?
       "If you will follow me" tolls the bell "you must take up your
       cross"
       But what meaneth that sound "take up your cross"?
       Surely it speaks of great difficulty and personal sacrifice.
       [center]"What shall I give thee master, Thou who didst die for
       me?
       Shall I give less of what I possess, or shall I give all for
       thee"?[/center]
       [center]Onto my shoulders the weight of the cross, heavier grows
       as I learn,
       That the music that thrills my master's heart is not that for
       which we all yearn.
       It's to stay where I'm put; not to forge a new berth; not to
       revel in what I see wrong.
       But to honour the lesser vessels of faith in the body to which I
       belong.
       So I take thus my cross, where it's hardest to bear.
       To the nearest Church of my King;
       NOT SEEING THE NAME THAT ENTITLES THE DOOR,
       If it's where I hear that bell ring.[/center]
       #Post#: 5731--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: coldwar Date: July 20, 2013, 9:59 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Acts 17:25 declares that God is not worshipped with human hands
       - He gives all things to us, we don't have anything to give to
       Him.
       When you follow the word "worship" through the NT, you find no
       "prescription" for us to follow. There are a great many
       references to Jewish worship, and Pagan worship, and the
       worshipping of angels, and the "man of sin". Believe it or not,
       aside from the Book of Revelation, there is only one verse in
       the NT that refers to Christian worship - Philippeans 3:3 - "For
       we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and
       rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
       This is like what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman. Revelation
       seemingly goes back to a theme of Jewish worship versus worship
       of "the Beast".
       #Post#: 5736--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: Kerry Date: July 22, 2013, 12:58 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=coldwar link=topic=576.msg5731#msg5731
       date=1374375556]
       Acts 17:25 declares that God is not worshipped with human hands
       - He gives all things to us, we don't have anything to give to
       Him. [/quote]
       Sure?  I think God does want something from us, but it's not
       something that benefits Him.
       #Post#: 5904--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: Amadeus Date: August 24, 2013, 12:58 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote]Acts 17:25 declares that God is not worshipped with human
       hands - He gives all things to us, we don't have anything to
       give to Him. [/quote]
       [font=courier]Nothing to give Him? In the OT and in the NT it
       says that it all comes from Him...
       "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to
       offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee,
       and of thine own have we given thee." I Chron 29:14
       ... Why would we want to withhold from God a portion of all that
       He has given us? But, we do, don't we? Many people, of course,
       refuse to acknowledge God, or that all things come from Him, or
       that He retains ownership of what we hold. God may not need it,
       but I certainly would not say that He does not desire it. His
       reasons seldom are the same as ours for desiring things.
       However, even among those of us who may acknowledge His
       ownership, are we not very often unwilling to give more than
       whatever we have that is in excess of what we determine our need
       to be?
       Why can we not see ourselves as the widow woman who gave two
       mites and it was all that she had? We are, I would say, still a
       very selfish bunch even as were so many of the natural children
       of Israel who rebelled ten times against God in wilderness.
       Would God leave us with nothing if we were to give Him
       everything as Jesus asked the rich young ruler to do? Perhaps,
       in a material sense, but there are some promises, aren't there?
       "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
       sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands,
       for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall
       inherit everlasting life." Matt 19:29
       [/font]
       #Post#: 5905--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: James Date: August 24, 2013, 1:29 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The only thing God wants from us is the Christ nature.  He wants
       us to offer back to him what he first gave us, the nature of the
       Lamb.  Lord I am willing to die that others might live, not
       there yet but I am a step hearer than I was.
       James
       #Post#: 5906--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: Kerry Date: August 24, 2013, 8:00 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I think I may missing something.  God gave us things so we can
       give them all back?   Does He demand it?  If that's true, why
       give us anything to begin with?
       #Post#: 5911--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: George Date: August 24, 2013, 10:43 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I believe that all God wants from us is to pay it forward. That
       we Love our neighbor as He has Loved us. When we have learned to
       do that, all else will fall in place.
       #Post#: 5912--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: Kerry Date: August 24, 2013, 11:26 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=George M. C. Jr. link=topic=576.msg5911#msg5911
       date=1377402184]
       I believe that all God wants from us is to pay it forward. That
       we Love our neighbor as He has Loved us. When we have learned to
       do that, all else will fall in place.
       [/quote]That what it seems like to me too.   I  think it can
       make us sour if we try to hold onto things too much.
       There seem to be people who learn from giving up things for the
       sake of the kingdom that they don't need to have those things to
       be happy.  If they have them, fine; if they don't, fine.
       #Post#: 5913--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: James Date: August 25, 2013, 3:56 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Abraham in Gen 22 expressed as worship offering his son to God.
       In his son was all the promises of God, all his hopes all his
       reason for living and all his natural deposit of what Abraham
       held dear.
       When we learn that the word we have from God is not as valuable
       as the giver of the word, when we are willing to lay down all
       our hopes and dreams and when we no longer believe that our
       accomplishments and achievements are necessary to God so that we
       lay all at his feet then we are like Abraham able to say I will
       worship and come again.
       That's the way I see things.
       James
       #Post#: 5917--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Where should I worship?
       By: Runner Date: August 25, 2013, 10:50 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote]quote Kerry. I think I may missing something.  God gave
       us things so we can give them all back?   Does He demand it?  If
       that's true, why give us anything to begin with?   [/quote]
       Isn't that what it is all about?
       We come to the conclusion that without Him we are nothing and
       have nothing of worth.
       He makes it all "worth".  He gave us life on our
       conversion...and we knew that our life, soul and spirit was only
       'safe until the end' if in His keeping.  Hence we hear people
       use the phrase - " I gave my life to the Lord on blah blah day."
       There's a scripture in the NT where Jesus says something
       like..." If a man can't look after a life that which belongs to
       another, how will he be fit to have his own life later."
       I mark it in my bible but can never quote it or remember where
       it is.
       He died in our place, and we in return give our life back to Him
       on conversion. So what we have now is really what belongs to Him
       , in stewardship. When we faithfully look after what we have He
       will then on That Day, give us life.
       Like the parable of the Talents... " What did you do with what I
       have given you to use?"
       That's how I see it.
       
       *****************************************************
   DIR Next Page