How Should We Worship God?

In "Biblical Perspective" Gordon Snider writes:

A vibrant spirit makes a new song out of old lyrics. New can mean “fresh” as well as new in time. Because the mercies of the Lord are “new every morning” (Lam. 3:23), our response must also be new, even if we use the same words. Play skillfully. The worship of God has no place for mediocrity. The word skillfully combines the ideas of doing an action well, and/or in a way that is pleasing to the observer. However we express our wor-ship, it must be in a way that brings joy to the heart of God. With a loud noise. The initial word of the Psalm emphasized the exuberance of the praise. Here again the word picture is of an alarm sounded, or the blast of a trumpet. We are urged to involve all our energy in the praise of our God.

Source: Studies in the Psalms: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 29.

2016-09-29T13:00:00+00:00September 29th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

What is your purpose in worship?

In "God's Word for Today" David Woods writes:

Too often we do conduct our worship services without purpose. Mindlessly singing songs we’ve sung for years, we blindly follow patterns established years before.
**Discussion: **Why do we sing praise to God? What is our purpose in worship? Is singing praise songs about me and my feelings?
David encouraged us to approach worship more thoughtfully and purposefully in the introductory verses of this Psalm.

Source: Studies in the Psalms: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 29.

2016-09-29T09:00:00+00:00September 29th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

How to Worship in Crises

Lesson 1 - September 4, 2016
Focus Text: Psalm 9:1-17
Central Truth: The faithful respond to crisis by expressing faith in God.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to describe how they can worship God in the crisis moments of life.
Lesson Outline:

  1. Rejoice in God's Praise (Psalm 9:1, 2)
  2. Recount God's Deeds (Psalm 9:3-6)
  3. Remember God's Character (Psalm 9:7-10)
  4. Request God's Intervention (Psalm 9:11-14)
  5. Rest in God's Provision (Psalm 9:15-20)
2016-08-29T09:00:00+00:00August 29th, 2016|Categories: Weekly Lesson Summaries|Tags: |0 Comments

What is a danger of great spiritual experiences?

In "Biblical Perspective" R.E. Trotter writes:

So awe-inspiring was the heavenly vision which John beheld that he fell at the feet of the angelic messenger entrusted with such a revelation, in an unwarranted attitude of worship. It is said that in the Early Church there was a tendency to worship angels, and that this and a similar incident earlier are recorded as warnings to the Church. As the angel deflects attention from himself, he reminds John that he is but a fellow servant with him and with all who have accepted Christ and hold His testimony. The angel then seems to say, in effect, “Keep your worship for God, for He is at the center of all true prophecy.”

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 59.

2016-08-05T09:00:00+00:00August 5th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

How should we apply John's vision of the end times to our lives?

In Doctrinal Discussion, Don Englund answers this question, writing:

First, we should release ourselves from any hope that mere human government will bring lasting peace in this world. Second, we must be aware that the forces of Antichrist that deny Christ and seek to delude us are present and active in our world. As Satan in his anti-God ruse demands worship of himself, let's pray that our worship will be wholly focused on Christ, the Incarnation of the Father.

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 55.

2016-07-30T09:00:00+00:00July 30th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

Why have we lost the sense of worship?

In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Englund answers this question, at least in part, with the following thought:

Decades ago, the Christian writer G. K. Chesterton observed that our world does not lack wonders, but a sense of wonder. Our generation has witnessed the destruction of human lives on a scale unimaginable a century ago. We have learned to view social and technological change as routine. And the culture has met a great deal of this phenomena of social upheaval and change with cynicism. The deadly infection eats away at our built-in, God-given capacity to wonder in childlike delight and amazement, and most serious of all, it corrodes our channels of worship. Like John, we must raise our eyes higher than the unworkable solutions of this world!

Discussion: With this thought in mind, how can we regain a worshipful spirit?
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 37.

2016-07-09T09:00:00+00:00July 9th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

How Lack of Worship Leads to Criticism and Division

In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Englund writes:

A failure to properly worship our Lord in praise and in the wonder of being loved ourselves will inevitably lead to a loss of ability to properly love others. Critical attitudes lead to selective friendships rather than to indiscriminate, unconditional, Christlike love to others. Church schisms and divisions of self-centeredness follow, accompanied by a lifeless co-existence with the desperate needs of hopeless people in our communities. The spiritual light of the community — once strong — has flickered, faltered, and failed!

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 13.

2016-06-11T09:00:00+00:00June 11th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: |0 Comments

Water from the Lord’s House

“Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar” (Ezekiel 47:1).
As a young Christian, I never wanted to miss a church service. I felt the need to be there for Sunday school, morning worship, the Sunday evening service, and Wednesday night prayer
meeting. In fact, it felt like I needed to be there all the time. Our pastor always encouraged us to be faithful to God’s house. He said that we would miss out on a blessing if we were not consistent in our attendance. How true! I found this out the few times that I was not there! Indeed, I had missed out on a blessing.
Ezekiel was led to follow the water coming out of God’s house. The further he went, the deeper the water became. Even so, the deeper we go with the Lord; the greater are the blessings from above, richer are the insights from His Word, and victorious are the spiritual battles which end with Christ at our side. He alone is the “water of life,” but it is up to us to step into the water. (James Baker)

Step into the water
Wade out a little bit deeper
Wet your feet in the water of His love
Step into the water
Wade out a little bit deeper
Come join angels singing praise to the Lamb of God
--L. Kirk Talley

Go deeper with Christ; He was lifted high for us.

This devotional is the Tuesday, April 5, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.

2016-04-05T09:00:00+00:00April 5th, 2016|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: , , |0 Comments

What causes us to become too familiar with God to worship Him?

In "Biblical Perspective", Dr. Gayle Woods writes:

Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? Do we hear a note of disappointment in the words of Jesus? Is there an indication that He seemed to be somewhat puzzled by the fact that nine of the ten men who had been healed did not seem to place great value on what He had done for them?
This account should be a serious reminder to the people of God that we must be careful not to become familiar with the work of God to the point that we lose the sense of wonder and amazement. When the awesomeness of His glory begins to dim, we need to fall on our faces at His feet once again to renew our commitment of love to the one who made the difference in our lives.

Discussion: List possible reasons why the nine lepers failed to show gratitude to God.
Discussion: What are ways we today become too familiar that we fail to worship?
Source: Miracles of Jesus: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 31.

2015-12-31T09:00:13+00:00December 31st, 2015|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: , , |0 Comments

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