True Worship - May 6, 2014

Scriptures: Romans 11-13

22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. 23 And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree. 24 You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong. - Romans 11
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. - Romans 12

Message:

Trusting in GOD and His kindness.

Observation/Promise:

GOD can cut off and graft in the people who pleases Him. Those who rejected Him even though HE chose them has been cut off from the presence and blessing of Almighty GOD. But those who seek GOD and truly worship Him by obeying His commands, not doing religious works to be praised by others, are those that have truly worshiped GOD, they have chosen GOD. It doesn't matter if we are chosen or not, what matters is our choice to obey GOD or not, to really seek Him with all our hearts and trust Him with our lives.

Application/Command:

Do not think like the world thinks or adopt their worldly ways which is contrary to the LORD's commands. When you constantly seek and obey GOD, keeping your mind and body pure, then you have given true worship unto GOD that is acceptable and pleasing before Him. When we set our selves apart from the world's ways, we bring ourselves closer to GOD and GOD can transform and change the way we think until we begin to live differently from the world by understanding His good and perfect will for us. But when we are engaged in the world, we do not allow GOD to change us. He wants to work in you, be holy, set yourself apart from the world and let GOD transform you. Trust in GOD for He is kind to those who obey Him and trust in Him. 

Soap Ezekiel 36:22-27 - The Holiness of GOD

SOAP - Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer

S: 22 “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations. 23 I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am theLord. 24 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.

25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. - Ezekiel 36

O: God does great things for His people not because we deserve His goodness or are we worthy of His blessings but because He is a good GOD. His Holiness is greater than His anger. Even though HE is a righteous GOD that judges His people, HE does not treat us according to what we deserve. HE is so good that He is willing to do for His people what HE always wanted of them - hearts that love and worship Him alone. The Holiness of GOD is what makes HIM Righteous and Merciful at the same time.

A: I need GOD's grace and power to help me cleanse me and keep me pure and obedient to His will because without His Spirit at work in my life, it is impossible to please GOD. So with faith, we please GOD by believing that HE is who He said HE is. HE will, what HE said HE will do. I have to depend on HIS power and not my efforts to make me righteous.

P: Your Grace O Lord is what I need to live a life that is right before your eyes. I humble myself before You great GOD, make me clean, holy, pure and true. Fill me my entire being with Your Holy Spirit, for no one else can make me obedient to Your ways and give me the desire to do Your will than Your Spirit that is within me. So I need more of You and less of me, each day O Lord I depend on you, in Jesus Name, Amen!