Warnings before worship

 (continued from yesterday's post--see below)

They are the same warning. Jesus was calling those scribes and Pharisees exactly what they were... a brood of vipers. In verse 13 of Isaiah 58, God is saying to refute that way and delight not only in deed but in heart in the LORD.

There are 5 Hebrew words that are translated – Worship, we’ll look at two.
Shachah – (shaw-khaw) to bow down in homage, prostrate oneself before God or false gods or angels.
‘abad – (aw-bad’) to serve, to work, to labor or be enticed to serve.

There are 11 Greek words that are translated – Worship, we’ll look at one.

Proskuneo – (pros – koo – neh – oh) to kiss the hand to/towards one in token of reverence; to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence; kneeling or prostration in homage. From a word that loosely means to kiss like a dog licking his master’s hand.

I was a member of a Lay Renewal team back when I was an older teen. We called it Worship Service back then. I really liked that term. When we would have our "debriefing sessions"...some of us would say, "The Holy Spirit was really working in this!" And others would say, "You really think so? I couldn't see it!" And yes, we were at the same church on the same weekend... I have been to the exact same service as someone else and received such a deep blessing while the person beside me had to cover yawns and fight to keep awake.

What is illustrated here is that worship is definitely a 2-way street. We must work with the Holy Spirit. If we work with Him and prepare our hearts for Him then we have a completely different experience than if we just go through the motions and our heart is not in it. And if you don’t believe me, in the next few minutes, I’ll prove it. Remember the dog licking the master's hand.

Today we call our singing service before the preaching, Praise and Worship. We just spent a Wonder-Full half hour singing praises to my beloved Lord. However, I suggest to you that Worship is far more than singing, raising hands, praying, preaching and anything else we do in our Sunday Morning Worship services.

As I studied this Worship thing, it seems that God was teaching the Israelites in the OT that worshiping was different than anything else mentioned along with it. Uncountable times it reads, “Bow down and worship” or “Sing praises and worshipped.” Starting with Abraham in Genesis through Revelation, Worship or some form of it is mentioned 385 times in Scripture.
Turn with me to Genesis 22:5.

When my girls were young, about 3 and 4 years old, my Mom was so excited at Christmas because they were old enough to actually understand the Christmas story. She gathered them up in her lap and read the story to them from the Bible. When she got through, she said, “Now, that was the story of the very first Christmas almost 2000 years ago and why every year we remember Jesus’ birth at this time.” My older daughter, Lauri Anne looked up at her with her eyes wide and such a look on her face, we thought for sure she was going to say something profound or really sweet about the baby Jesus, when she said, “You’re not going to tell us all the other 2000 Christmas stories are you?”

So, no, we’re not going to explore all 385 times worship or a word like it is mentioned. I’ve whittled it down to several verses, though. So hang on to your hats.

Genesis 22:5
Gen 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, You stay here with the donkey. I and the boy will go over there that we may worship and may return to you.
Gen 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac; and he took the fire and the knife in his hand. And the two went together.

שׁחה
shâchâh
shaw-khaw'
A primitive root; to depress, that is, prostrate (especially reflexively in homage to royalty or God): - bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.

The first time this word is used is a few chapters before in Genesis 18. But this is the first time Shaw-khaw is translated worship. Shaw-khaw. Notice that Abraham takes wood and fire and the knife and the two went together to Moriah (Mo-ree-yaw). Moriah means “Chosen by God.” This mountain that Abraham and Isaac offer sacrifice on is the same mountain where Old Jerusalem stands. The same mountain that David bought in order to build God’s Temple and the same mountain where Solomon built the Temple. It is the same mountain where Jesus died on the cross.

Wood
Fire and a
Knife –

The Cross,
Judgment and the
Nails.

Oh, I wish we had time to camp on that awhile. This is an illustration that we don’t have time to investigate further but can’t just be passed over.

Now look a few verses higher in 22:1. Abraham is being tested. We see here that Abraham is a man of few questions of God. He obeyed. He remembered what God had promised about Isaac so he didn’t fear and he obeyed God without question. He and the boy would go over yonder and worship and return to them, the servants.

What an incredible testimony of faith and worship. He obeyed God no matter the apparent cost.

In the Old Testament, the people bowed low to worship most of the time. What does that literally mean, to bow down or to bow low? Let’s consider this for a moment. If we are proud of something, what is our stance? Standing up straight, chest out, neck back, arms wide sometimes. When we are bragging on our children, grandchildren, husband …. Fill in the blank, we are proud…stiff-necked… focused on “me”, “my” and “mine”. Right?

Here is the problem with that focus; it is inward and earthly. But, when we bow our heads and bow down, we are in the perfect position to take on the yoke of possession of God. Taking on that yoke is part of belonging to Him. It is submission. It is acknowledging that God is greater and higher and mightier than “me”, “my”, “mine”. Idols are earthly things. When we have an earthly focus we leave out God.

Wife beating in the Muslim mindset

I read a singular interesting debate over on One Man’s Blog which I do not frequent but found by accident through a series of clicks. Does anyone identify with me here? I can get so lost in Internet Land by following links that I forget what my original quest was all about. Well, this morning, I did not forget. The subject is Wife Beating. I saw a video on YouTube in which two men were discussing the proper etiquette for beating one’s wife. It sickened me so I’m not putting up a link to it. You can find it easily by Googling wife beating.

The debate which I have linked depicts the seduction Satan has over Muslims. I do not know if Lalla is a man or a woman, although one reference seems to indicate female gender. The point of discussion was whether Islam allows wife beating as a form of chastisement and discipline within marriage. After reading this debate, I have come to understand that I do not understand the Islam mindset or Islam religion. Someone in the debate admonishes us to not gauge the religion by what Muslims say/do, but to read the Qur’an  in its original language in order to get the full, proper meaning.

Just as we Christians preach context, context, and we study hundreds of commentaries, the Greek and Hebrew languages so that we get a proper understanding, and we are constantly saying not to judge Christianity by the plumbline of Believers but of the True Plumbline of Jesus Christ, it would seem the followers of Allah have the same mindset.

I have not studied the Qur’an. I have seen what Muslims can do in the fanatical state of the Taliban. I understand that Christians have done some bloody things in the name of Jesus, too. Things like the Inquisition come to mind. There are many who say, well those who were oppressing the humble back during the Inquisition were not Christian at all. I agree. While none of the Muslims who participated in this debate ever said that Muslim wife beaters were not true believers, they did imply that wife-beating Muslims did not understand the proper reading of the Qur’an. That the word in Arabic Daraba would properly be translated as to “set a clear example” in the verse that triggered the discussion Surah 4:34.

Also, these Allah followers insist that the Qur’an does not “allow” wife beating, but “limits” it. Really? Jesus told the Sons of Thunder, “He who is not against Me is for Me.” That is exactly what is happening here. When something is not forbidden, but limited then that something is being allowed. Period.

Can you see the subtlety here? The implication that is trying to be made is that wife beating is not allowed, not that it is forbidden. The problem with that is the accepting of sin and limiting of sin. God tells us the things that are forbidden, that are sinful both in exactitude as well as in implication. God points out the actions of man against man is the lack of love for man. God commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. To disobey this command is to sin.

To treat another person in such a way that one would never treat himself is a sin. Regardless of any limits. God never put a limit of conduct on murder, or stealing, or rape, or incest. Because domestic violence is prevalent around the world, are we to take it as a normal happenstance? No, we are not. It isn’t just the wife that is being harmed here. It is the children who are being taught a way of life that is not normal and is wrong in the eyes of God and mankind.

Paul wrote to Timothy that the last days will be filled with self-indulgent humans whose love for mankind goes ever colder. If we Christians do not turn the fire up, we will be sucked into that cold and we’ll never hear those coveted words, “Well done My good and faithful servant.”

Satan's Lie Number One...

Satan’s Lie Number One…

· There is only one true love for a person.

Love is a choice. A couple must literally work at the relationship in order for it to remain healthy.

Another Lie is, when a person finds “true love”, then it’s smooth sailing after that: No work, no problems, no conflicts. Prince Charming and Snow White kiss, fade out to the sunset and no more conflict, no more problems. If you have lived past your second decade you know this is False. One only has to glance at all the Christian books about Love such as Gary Chapman’s book, Five Love Languages, to know that Love is Work.

I didn’t date much in high school. I was only thirteen years old when I started high school so I had to wait two years before my folks would let me go out with a boy. I had a date to the Sweetheart Banquet at our church the year I was fourteen, but there were three other couples in my friend’s huge 1950’s car. That was a group date and we were packed in like sardines, but it was so much fun.

I started dating when I got to college. That was great fun, too. I was going out with four different guys at that same time. I’d forget what I’d told who about what so I often repeated myself. There was one that was truly sweet. He was tall and a bit skinny. I’ve totally lost touch with him so I dare not use his real name, so I’ll call him Ken. This guy was going to be an engineer. He was steady and he was unflappable. I told all the others, “Ta ta, bubye,” and continued dating Ken for awhile. He was from a near by town and went to church there which is why we never went out on Saturday, only Friday. After about three months, he started to seem boring to me. I wanted dash! Excitement! Verve! To live on the Edge! Ken wasn’t any of that. He was very good looking. He was staid. He was predictable, even though he did make me laugh quite often. I let him go, too. Told him I wasn’t ready for anything serious and if that was what he was after, then he’d better find someone else. He never called me again.

There was a series of guys that I had one or two dates with; even did the computer compatibility dating thing. (I found out when I went back to college in the Fall of 2004, that those computerized dating gigs were purely for research and not for hooking up guys and gals… is that a hoot, or what?) I never found THE Guy: The one and only guy that had been specifically created to make me happy. There was always something wrong with them: hair too long, hair too choppy, bad breath, not tall enough, sloppy kisser, not enough excitement, not enough “bad boy”, kissed great but no job, didn’t need me.

That was the real reason, I think. I was looking for someone who needed me. If someone needed me, then, he would never let me go so our relationship would be solid. That’s what it was all about, right? Wrong. I was too immature to know any better.

Then after tennis one day, I met The Guy. I had actually dated his friend, fours years earlier, who fell down drunk at a Frat party. The Guy (only he wasn’t The Guy then; he was just a guy) had soothed my ruffled feathers and took me home. Four years later, I met him again. During those four years, he had gotten a girl pregnant, married her and then she ran off with his friend, so now he was in the process of getting a divorce. If I’d been more mature in the Lord, I’d have run the other way. Or if I’d understood my motivating Spiritual Gifts of Exhortation and Mercy, I’d have understood why I was drawn to this poor soul. He needed me. He had a great job. He asked me out. He had some “bad boy” in him. He was gorgeous, tall, good hair and breath and he had a car so I wasn’t the driver all the time. We started dating. He told me the reason I wanted to be around him all the time was because I was in love with him. I believed him. We got married. I got pregnant.

There wasn’t one thing about The Guy that was better than any other fellows I dated. Not one. In fact, there was a lot about The Guy that was far below the other fellows I had dated. But how can a nineteen year old discern differences, discern dangers? Perception is reality to so many, when that is not true at all.

I did not know at that time that love is a choice. We choose whom we love. Yes, chemistry has something to do with it. Some men just feel like brothers and friends while other men make you feel like you’ll explode into flames at their slightest touch. Yes, that is correct, I said men… plural.

Women are wired a bit differently than men are. We are more secure oriented than men, so we normally don't fall head over heels for someone who is a vagabond or a vagarant when we are older and have a healthy fear of insecurity. But, younger women who are safe under daddy's roof are not so discerning in character.

I was no exception.

It Happens Every Spring

Gary Chapman ventures into fiction to illustrate the different seasons of marriage.

I've heard him speak about these seasons and the study we did at church was quite enlightening concerning how communication is everything in marriage. I believe it.

Click on the title of this post to purchase this book.







While this book isn't going to win rave reviews, or make it into the top ten best sellers list, it is a nice way to spend an afternoon. I pray you enjoy it.

Parent's beware

There is a children’s book just published called “The Higher Power of Lucky” by Susan Patron which, to me, has a disturbing first chapter. The little girl, listening to a recovery group, hears all about problems recovering (insert smokers, alcoholics, or over-eaters here)have to face. While listening, she hears about a snake biting a dog’s scrotum.

An outraged librarian has a huge problem with this book. She has received a huge amount of flack about her outrage, too.
This is like the R rating back in the 70s. R-rating back then is like PG-13 today. That book would never have been written for children in the 70s or 80s. It could only make it today.

The subject matter in that first chapter should be above a 10 year old’s head, but unfortunately it isn’t. This is the age of that cartoon character smarty Bart Simpson and King of the Hill and other such stuff that shows on Saturday mornings, which I had no idea had gotten so suggestive until I watched them with my step-granddaughter.

I’m on the outraged librarian’s side. If my 10 year old brought that book home in 1987, I would have called the school up and rocked the principal on her heels (using lady-like language, of course). If my step-granddaughter were to have brought that book home in 2000, I would have rocked the school’s librarian and the principal after first carefully explaining to my step-daughter why it was so upsetting–because, gasp, she wouldn’t know why.

It isn’t a children’s book subject matter. The first chapter incites interest in seeing a part of male anatomy simply because the protag is interested in seeing one–or not. Come on. Why is that even necessary in a children’s book?
These days, some children have to be worried about divorce, alcoholism, abuse among other things, because some parents seem to be indulging in a lack of self-control. Why do author’s of children’s fiction capitalize on the seamier side of life? I pray this isn’t the beginning of a trend.

I have never been an advocate of parent’s being responsible for the actions of their children. Now, I’m beginning to rethink that stance. It is a parent’s responsibility to be the kind of exemplary examples that will help their children’t to grow up to be pillars of society.

I am deeply disappointed that children grow up so fast these days. There’s no protection for them anymore.
They are exposed to things that make me shudder as an adult. TV shows, violent games, and stories where the end justifies the means are giving children the wrong ideas about what is right and what is wrong, if their parents are not diligent about what goes into little eyes and young minds.

It is so sad that a children’s book author has to write a story about 12-step programs inspiring a child to look for the Higher Power. There’s a word for that, but it may be too strong a word for “worldly sensitive” ears. I’ll say it anyway. Rubbish.
What is wrong with a children’s librarian wanting good books with good subject matter?

In this world of ours, have we become so jaded that we think children can’t be interested in stories like Beatrice Potter wrote? Or Joan Aiken? Or even Phyllis Whitney? Or must we all succumb to the spell of J.K. Howling?