Somebody is getting served!

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." - John 4:23-24

We join together in a worship service each week.  Is it possible for a group of people to be involved in the same service, while some worship and some do not?
Is worship dictated by how loud or good you sing? (I hope not)
Is it dictated by how well you pay attention to God’s Word? (no comment)
In both the Hebrew and Greek language, worship is to bow before another.  It is to prostrate yourself in submission to a higher authority. Why is that important? It is impossible to rebel against the authority if you are in complete submission to Him.  You have placed yourself at His mercy.  Worship.

That means, When we gather for worship, we must adjust our attitudes and hearts to reflect this kind of submission.  If we have come to see what we can get out of the service, WE are being served.  That means we have risen above others to be served (and not prostrate before God). If, however, we have come to lay ourselves before God, He is being served. Worship is not about us.

Music changes, instruments change, and we have songs written centuries ago and some brand new. For us to withhold our praise to God because it is not our favorite song (or written in the right century) is to place our opinion above God’s dominion. We don't sing because it is our favorite song, We sing because He is worthy!

If you come only to hear a preacher teach – you may or may not get something useful. But, if you submit yourself to the authority of God's Word, giving Him your heart to change and mold into His image – you will get something useful EVERY time.

To go deeper, we cast aside our personal preferences and prejudices for the sake and glory of the King of Kings. We submit ourselves to the sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15) and offer ourselves as living sacrifices to be transformed by the renewing of our minds through His Word (Romans 12:1-2).

Now, go worship in spirit and truth.

Who is the Slacker?

John 14:21 “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

If God describes those who possess His commands and keeps (observes and guards) them as those who love Him, how do you think He would describe those who posses His commands and disregards them? _____________  You can be disobedient and still be saved.  You will not, however, be living in God’s pleasure and experiencing the Lord in you (Life to the full, John 10:10).

Isn’t this what causes us to question our salvation?  We do not sense God at work in our lives or we do not see Jesus manifest Himself to us (as far as we can tell). Rather than asking “Where is God?”, we should be asking “Why is God not manifesting Himself in me?”  The first assumes God is NOT doing His part.  The second goes to the root of the problem. Am I doing my part to live in God’s pleasure? 

Am I keeping what He is teaching?

Those who actively show love to the Father (in the way He prescribes) will receive love from the Father, love from the Son and He will manifest (make visible) Himself to them by the Holy Spirit.

Are you "keeping", or ignoring, the Lord's commands? To answer appropriately, you must avoid your personal evaluation (do not think more highly than you ought - Romans 12:3). Instead, ask yourself this question, "Is the Lord making Himself visible through me?" If He is not, you are not. 

By His grace that can change right now. Set your heart toward Jesus, listen to Him, then do what He says. Rest assured, since He told you, it is part of His plan and He has given you "another Helper" to accomplish that which He commands.

A Little Help, Please!

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." John 14:16-17

The Holy Spirit is given two names by our Lord in this passage: “another Helper” and “the Spirit of truth.”  The Greek word translated “Helper” is parakletos and means “called alongside to help.” The word is generic and covers a wide range of meanings, such as...

• helper
• encourager
• mediator
• assistant
• comforter

Some translations use "Comforter", but if the Holy Spirit is only the Comforter, what is His role? He comforts.  There is no doubt He comforts perfectly, but His role is greater.  Now, going back to the description of the word parakletos above, what is the role of the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit works cooperatively (alongside) in us and through us to accomplish that which God desires. Aren't you grateful God did not set us up for failure? Yes, His standards are unattainable by our personal efforts, but He gave us "another Helper" to bring Himself glory. That is a beautiful truth that should encourage us greatly.

BUT, (To make this a little more personal) if we are not living as God expects, it is because WE are not yielding to the Holy Spirit whom He sent to dwell within us to help us live according to His expectations!  There is much "chatter" about being filled with the Holy Spirit. If you have been saved by the grace of God, you have all the Holy Spirit you are going to get (and He will "be with you forever")! Being filled is not more, as in volume. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is to be under more of His control.  The Spirit of Truth uses the Word of Truth to guide us into all truth - which brings God glory in our lives.

So. Who is going to be in control today? Who is going to receive glory in your life? I can tell you who deserves to have control and receive glory... And He gave you the Holy Spirit to help you do it. (I realize we will not live perfectly, but I can see areas for improvement in my life, today, if I would lean on my Helper.)

Where's the Fruit?

John 15:1-3 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Have you considered what it means that the Father "takes away" the branch that does not bear fruit?
I agree this can be a difficult passage; however, it does not seem consistent with God to take away a branch that has no fruit.

What is the goal of the vinedresser? To tend the vine and to produce the best fruit. Look at verse 2 again, what do you know about the branch that is taken away? It is IN Jesus and it is not bearing fruit.

So, what does it means to be “in me”. Connected to, influenced by, nourished through and dependent on. Literally, an extension of the vine (Jesus)! Even if the branch is not bearing fruit, it is still an extension of Jesus!  What would be the benefit of taking away the branch that is part of Jesus?

Don't miss this! The word translated “take away” is associated with termination and punishment; however, the word also means to pick up!

Help me translate. Which definition would be more consistent with God’s character in this passage? That God would take away an extension of His Son or that He would pick it up? The vinedresser desires the best fruit from the vine, so if a branch connected to the vine is not bearing fruit, the vinedresser puts the branch in the best position to begin bearing fruit.

Be encouraged! Being hidden in Christ, you do not have to fear that God the Father will take you away because you are not meeting His expectations. Christ Jesus has already met His expectations!  You have been grafted into the Vine and He will place you where you need to be to begin bearing fruit, more fruit and much fruit. Listen to Him...and obey.

Ask whatever you wish...

John 15:7 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

One who is unfamiliar with the character of God may focus on the latter portion of the verse, “ask whatever they wish and it will be done for them.”

How is that statement contradictory to God’s character?

There is a difference between my will be done and Thy will be done.  One is what I DESIRE, the other is what GOD DESIRES. Since our hearts are described as "deceitful above all things and beyond cure" (Jeremiah 17:9), what would compel God to give us what we desire?

We know we are to have a balanced diet to maintain a healthy body. That incorporates the right portions of fruits and vegetables, grains, protein and fat.  (In the South, we begin with fat and fry our vegetables. Call it expediency.)  If you were to give a child the authority to plan her own meals, to ask for whatever she wanted – what would it look like? Sugar, pizza, coke, candy, chocolate, dessert, etc...  The same concept applies to us.

God knows what is best. (Do you believe that?)

God’s will, will be done. (It doesn't really matter if you believe that, it is fact.)   

So, unless our request is in alignment with His will – guess what, it will not be done!

You and I are in no position to demand of God, or attempt to manipulate Him. We are His branches who can accomplish nothing apart from Him. So, how do we reconcile this verse?

Understanding “abide” means "to stay", if I stay in Him and His words stay in me, THEN I can ask whatever I wish and it will be done for me.  Why? Because abiding imparts His desire into my heart.  Through this abiding, I desire what God desires; therefore, whatever I ask IS His will and His will be done.