Tag: bible

Week 46: Worship is praising God’s word.

In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? –Psalm 56:4 

What kind of person do you not trust?  If someone tells the truth and keeps their promises, would you trust them? Would you agree that God’s word is truth? The above verse has two truths. The first truth is our worship focus.  When you trust God, you will praise His word. Why? When you trust God, you won’t be afraid of what others do to you.

What was happening in the Psalmist’s life when he wrote Psalm 56? David had been captured by the Philistines. He writes in Psalm 56:1-4, “Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. 3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” At some point in your life, could you identify with David? Do you trust God to be gracious to you during adversity? The last verse of this Psalm says, “For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”  

I wrote the following in in post called Week 39: Worship God with your soul.  “Based on the Bible’s description, our soul stores our feelings, which leads us to praise and gratitude to God. This makes sense, doesn’t it? If you fill your soul with the wonderful truths of God, then you are inspired to praise Him.” Have you noticed that when you focus on your problems, you feel depressed and despaired? David said that God delivered His soul from death and kept him from falling. This is because David positioned his mind to praise God’s word and trust Him. As a result, he could “walk with God in the light of life.” Only as we worship God can we experience God’s light and life despite our troubles.

Even though the Philistines were oppressing David, he kept his focus on God and could praise His word and trust Him. How about you? Do you need to make a mental shift?  I know I have to almost every day. I pray God blesses you this week as you worship Him and trust Him.

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WEEK 46–November 12-November 18

Day 316-Nov. 12—Worship God, who is the same from the beginning to the end of time.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. –Hebrews 13:8

Day 317-Nov. 13—Worship God, who gives you wisdom when you ask.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. –James 1:5

Day 318-Nov. 14—Worship God, who will give us the crown of life.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. –James 1:12

Day 319-Nov. 15—Worship God that He does not tempt you and will help you.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. –James 1:13-14

Day 320-Nov. 16—Worship God for the gifts He gives you.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. –James 1:17

Day 321-Nov. 17— Worship God, who causes the devil to flee from you.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. –James 4:7

Day 322-Nov. 18— Worship God, who values you and draws near to you.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. –James 4:8

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Verses are from the English Standard Bible. To review the previous weeks, visit the 365 Days of Worship Page. This post is copyright protected.

Week 44: Worship God forever.

I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your name forever and ever. –Psalm 145:1

What do you think of when forever is mentioned? Did you ever say, “I wish this could last forever?” As believers in Jesus Christ, worship God and bless His name forever and ever. We get a glimpse of what it will be like to worship God forever and ever in Revelations 4:10-11, “The twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.’”

I can say that I have drawn closer to God by worshipping Him every day. The days I don’t worship Him, I brood on the things of the world and my problems. I become fearful about things that may never happen. How about you?

The Apostle Paul said in Colossians 3:1-2, “ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” When I worship God, my mind is on the things above where Christ Jesus is. Try it. It will change your perspective about the problems that are causing you stress.

When you begin to ruminate on something you don’t like, try worshiping God, either praise Him in prayer or sing a song of praise or give a sacrifice of thanksgiving. The act of praising God will take your mind off the thing you are unhappy about and change your perspective. For example, when I fret about the state of the United States, I become very depressed, but when I worship God, I am reminded that I am a citizen of heaven and His ambassador here on earth (Phil 3:20 and 2Cor. 5:20).

King David said in Psalm 52:8-9, “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. 9I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.” King David had an eternal perspective. Do you? As you worship God this week, give Him your concerns and focus on his love and goodness. Be thankful for the work of God in your life and the lives of others who may be causing you problems.

As you worship God this week, I challenge you to focus on the things above where Christ is seated. I pray you will be blessed and receive honor as you worship God this week.

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WEEK 44–October 29-November 4

Day 302-Oct. 29—Worship God for His living and active Word that can discern your thoughts.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. –Hebrews 4:12

Day 303-Oct. 30—Worship God, who sympathizes with your weaknesses.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. –Hebrews 4:15

Day 304-Oct. 31—Worship God, who gives you mercy and helps you in your time of need.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. –Hebrews 4:16

Day 305-Nov. 1—Worship God that He is not unjust and will not overlook your good work and love.

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. –Hebrews 6:10

Day 306-Nov. 2—Worship God that His Son is interceding for you.

Consequently, he [Jesus Christ] is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them. –Hebrews 7:25

Day 307-Nov. 3—Worship God for being merciful, who will not remember your sins.

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” –Hebrews 8:12

Day 308-Nov. 4—Worship God, whose Son will come again to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. –Hebrews 9:27-28

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Verses are from the English Standard Bible. To review the previous weeks, visit the 365 Days of Worship Page. This post is copyright protected.

Continual Worship Begins Every Day.

When I read the post below, it encouraged and challenged me to adopt a practice of worshiping God alone every day. I am challenged, and I challenge you to evaluate the things you worship in your life that do not return peace, joy, or righteousness. The Bible says we are to seek after God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). And set our minds on the things above where Christ is seated in the heavenly places (Col. 3:1-3).

When we seek God, we will prosper.

2Chronicals 26:5 states, “He [King Uzziah] set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.” Note the condition for prospering—as long as he sought the Lord. Do you want to prosper? Are you willing to seek God and worship Him all day, every day? When we don’t seek God, the Scriptures say we will do evil, which none of us want to do evil and be under God’s wrath. 2Chronicals 12:14  states, “And he [King Rehoboam] did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.” Set your heart today to seek God and prosper in all you do.

God does not forsake those who seek Him.

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. –Psalm 9:10

Do you know Jesus Christ’s (our Lord’s) name? Psalm 91:14  explains, “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name.” When you know the Lord’s name, you will trust Him and hold fast to him in love and worship Him. He will not forsake you, and He will rescue and protect you. He is worthy of our praise and worship.

Please read the below post, and be encouraged to start or continue a new resolution to draw near to God for the rest of your life.

BOWING/KNEELING IN PRAYER:-

Christmas Poem by Debbie Auen

Christmas is about hope

  Hope for sinners to be forgiven and free

  For those who are spiritually blind – GOD’S truth to see

Christmas is about GOD’S presence, love, light coming through

  To bless and transform me and you

Christmas is about GOD humbling HIMSELF to become a man

  To reveal to us HIS purpose and plan

Christmas is about the power and purity of GOD’S love divine

  Pouring forth HIS holy, spiritual wine

Christmas is about the greatest miracle taking place

  GOD giving us HIS mercy and grace

Christmas is about GOD reaching down and out

  To deliver us from fear and doubt

Christmas is about celebrating the reality of joy and peace

  The fact that GOD’S love never shall cease

Christmas is about our need for salvation, sanctification, and God providing

  It is proof that GOD is not distant or hiding

Christmas is HIS heart on display

  That we will experience the true meaning of Christmas

  In a personal way I pray

How to be Free from Sin’s Control – Post 4

Do you think you know the permanent solution to the most common problem we all have? When I ask inmates about sin and forgiveness, most do not know what sin or forgiveness is. I explain sin as anything we think, say, or do that breaks God’s heart (Good News Club definition). Some think God is disappointed with them when they sin. He is not disappointed. His heart is broken because He created us to be one with Him, but our sin separates us from Him. We sin when we disobey God’s royal law to love Him and others. Ecclesiastes 7:20 states, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” And Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” If no one is good and we all sin, then how can we be liberated (Luke 4:18)?

Even though I was a Christian for many years, went to church, and read my Bible, I continued to be controlled by the sin of anger, worry, and a need to control. I read many self-help books, sought counseling, memorized scripture, rebuked demons, and went to the altar all the time. If you read my book on my website, you learn how God healed my painful memories, so my past no longer controlled my soul, which is my will, emotions, and thoughts that influence sinful actions. I briefly summarized how to free in your thoughts in Post 2. In the last post, I explained how to free your spirit and the role of your spirit to the Spirit of God. I realized lasting liberation from habitual sin is submitting my spirit to God’s control and keeping my mind on His truths.

How do we submit our spirits to God?

Remind yourself every day about the truth in Colossians 3:1-3, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Our lives are hidden with Christ in heaven, so our minds should be focused on what Jesus thinks. For example, when I become irritated with my husband, I have made it a habit of being thankful and thinking of things that are praiseworthy (Phil. 4:6-8). If I did not set my mind on this truth, then my negative thoughts would control my emotions, which would lead to unkind words and an avoidable fight. Another truth I set my mind on is serving others as Jesus did, not expecting to be served (Matt. 20:28). And, Galatians 5:13 states, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.“

I also remind myself of 2 Corinthians 5:10; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” The Apostle Paul said that we should “make it our aim to please him [God] (2Cor 5:9b).” If we are pleasing God by doing His will, loving Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and loving others, then sin will not control our soul (mind, will, and emotions). When we do sin, since none is good, we must confess our sins daily. In 1 John 1:9 it explains, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Verse 24 of Romans 3 gives us hope, “And [we] are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Jesus died on the cross to take our punishment for our sins, which would be like you taking your children’s punishment for their wrongdoing. When we are justified, it means our sin is removed and God redeemed (restored, saved) us and made us new (2 Cor. 5:17).

Who helps us and gives us hope?

Because of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, we are forgiven and reconciled back to God (2 Cor. 5:20). Remember, sin separates us from God. Colossians 1:21-22 states, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 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 [God].” We need to see ourselves as holy and blameless, free from our sinful nature, and one with Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:6-7 states, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For one who has died has been set free from sin.” As I work with inmates, they struggle with this verse, and they don’t see themselves as free so they remain in bondage to old patterns of behavior. I understand that painful memories control our thoughts and emotions, which is why I wrote the book on this website. Trauma needs to be healed but when they are healed you must look in the mirror and say, I am no longer controlled by (whatever), I live my life through Christ and His strength (Phil. 4:13).

And Galatians 2:20 states, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Every day, tell yourself that Christ lives in and through you and Christ is perfect. Tell your mind, will, and emotions that you are controlled by Christ’s love (2Cor. 5:14).

It is hard to crucify (put to death) our fleshly desires, but giving in to our flesh will lead to death. Setting our minds on the Spirit leads to life and peace (Rom. 8:6). So, do you want death or life, misery or peace? When you submit to God and obey Him, you will experience liberation from the control of sin in your life.

What is the source of our sinful nature?

So much can be said about the source of our sinful nature. One source is recorded in James 1:14-15, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” Temptation is not a sin. When you are tempted, take the thought captive and command it to be gone, and then replace it with God’s truth (2Cor. 10:3-5).

When I am tempted to sin and say something unkind and snide, it comes out of my self-centered pride because I had unmet expectations or desires (Ps. 59:12). Another source is being directly tempted by the devil just as he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, then Jesus in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:26; “And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” The only way to become free from the devil’s captivity is to submit to God. James 4:7 states, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Conclusion

Sin breaks God’s heart because He loves us and wants us to obey Him because we love Him. Just as a parent loves their children and wants their children to obey them because they love the parent. So, out of love, Christ reconciled us to God through His blood on the cross so that we can be friends with Him and have our sins forgiven and made holy and blameless.

When we submit our lives to Jesus Christ and desire to please God through obedience, we will be free from the penalty of death brought by sin. Submitting our lives to God is setting our minds on the things that please God. So, read your Bible every day and do what it says. If you are not excited about these truths, please ask God to examine your heart to show you why. So many people don’t see their sin because they don’t read their Bibles, or they justify their actions because of their pride.

Which sin camp are you in?

  • Are you excited to be free from sin’s control?
  • Don’t know what sin is? Read Galatians 5:16-25.
  • Justify your actions as righteous and don’t acknowledge your sin? Read Jeremiah 17:9-10.

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All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.