God’s Thoughts and ways provided by Rev. E. Anderson

July 19, 2008 at 8:16 pm (God's Thoughts/Ways)

                                                              

Rev. E. Anderson

These are but points to ponder that will initiate a greater comprehending of God’s mind and procedures. He desires that there should be a knowing of His sovereign plans and purposes so that life, ministry and service will be enriched and enhanced by His input. There is a revelation that His “thoughts and ways” are infinitely superior to ours – Isaiah 55:8, 9. We need to know and embrace them so that we might be able to achieve and succeed according to His desire and determinations. God bless you in your quest.

 

GOD’S THOUGHTS AND WAYS

 

THE WAY OF WORSHIP

 

Reading     John 4

 

Text          vv22-24

Introduction

 

SUBJECT: On the agenda that day, Christ and the Samaritan woman dwelt on the issue of divine worship. It was of interest to both parties. It was of concern to both Jews and Samaritans. The woman brought the subject up but it was Christ who gave clarification on the whole matter showing the importance, relevance and priority of it. It was something that had to be given closest attention and thought by all irrespective of national and racial identity.

VOCATION: Man was made to be and called to be a worshipper. This is his main vocation in life, to worship. Regrettably, he is found to be worshipping the wrong things. Christ said to the woman: “you worship you know not what.” This is certainly so with the majority of mankind. They are at worship but are full of ignorance as to who and what they are worshipping. They are like the ones that Paul addressed at Athens – Acts 17: 16, 22-28. The city was filled with idolatries and idolaters. Everyone is worshipping someone or something and it is imperative that each discover who is to be really worship and in what way.

 

1/. THE WORSHIP OF GOD IS TO BE THE PRIORITY ACTION OF LIFE

 

Why can this be asserted to be so? Because Christ states that it is the will of the Father that men do this. If this is heaven’s desire and design then it is essential that there be knowledge of and a commitment to it. It is to be the first thing to be done and has priority claim above all else. If this has its true place then all things will fall into place. The first thing that was put before God’s people when they left Egypt was the subject of worship – Exodus 20: 2-5.

 

Christ reveals God in the ‘Father relation’; it is the Father that seeks. One is not in the business of adoring and revering a remote, cold deity, but One who has revealed Himself in a special and beautiful light: Father. Christ comes to introduce us to God and to God as the Father - John 14: 7-11. The Lord was opening this woman’s eyes to a completely new image and picture of God.

 

2/. THE WORSHIP OF GOD MUST BE PURSUED WITH REALITY

 

The worship of God has to be real and without fabrication and artificiality. It is not something that has to be put on like a show and according to a routine or tradition. As far as God the Father is concerned, worship must come from a relationship from those within His family of which He is Father, and it must come from the pure, true inward expression of the spirit and soul. Nothing but the holiest and finest motives must govern the worshipper. The worshipper must be at their best and the worship the richest possible. Those who know Him as Father will worship Him as Father and give Him the reverence, gifts and praise due.

 

Illustration:  Woman with the alabaster box of ointment – Matthew 26: 7-13

 

3/. THE WORSHIP OF GOD ALLOWS NO OTHER CONTENDERS

 

It becomes very clear from the Scriptures that the Lord alone must be worshipped and that no rivals will be entertained whatsoever. Israel had to make sure that the whole land of Canaan be purged from the pollution of idols and that the Lord be given undisputed rule and reign in the land. Nothing else was to be permitted to be alongside. The first thing that Gideon had to do before there could be an ensuing victory was to get rid of the idol – Judges 6: 25.

 

4/. THE WORSHIP OF GOD MUST BE ACCORDING TO HIS REVELATION

 

The Lord set out to the Israelites the path and program of worship in the construction of the Tabernacle and Temple. He showed how they could draw near to Him and discover His presence, government and favour – see Exodus and Leviticus. He desired that this people draw near to Him and discover Him in a unique relationship and blessedness. But He has taken a greater step forward in the advent of Christ, making it possible for man to be renewed, regenerated and brought into His family and to draw nigh to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. God the Father is to be worshipped through Christ the Son and by the enabling presence of the Holy Spirit

 

7/. THE WORSHIP OF GOD HAS ITS BLESSED CONSEQUENCES

 

When God the Father is worshipped in reality the results of it are most beneficial. There comes the great sense, knowledge and atmosphere of God in and upon the life. God the Father fills the thoughts and His ways become known fully. There is the consciousness of His Fatherhood and the out-workings of His plans and program. Life is lifted on to a new level of inspiration and realization etc.

 

CONCLUSION

 

This is the pursuit of Christ in relation to us: to make us worshippers.

 

This should be what we pursue as number one priority.

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Great Stories assembled by Rev. E. Anderson

July 19, 2008 at 8:12 pm (Great Stories)

                                                     

Rev. E. Anderson

LITTLE FLOWER

James McCutcheon

 

Fiorello LaGuardia was mayor of New York City during the worst days of the Great Depression and all of World War II. He was called by adoring New Yorkers “the Little Flower” because he was only five-foot-four and always wore a carnation in his lapel. He was a colorful character who used to ride the New York City fire trucks, raid speakeasies with the police department, take entire orphanages to baseball games, and whenever the New York newspapers were on strike, he would go on the radio and read the Sunday funnies to the kids.

 

One bitterly cold night in January of 1935, the mayor turned up at a night court that served the poorest ward of the city. LaGuardia dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench himself. Within a few minutes, a tattered old woman was brought before him, charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her daughter’s husband had deserted her, her daughter was sick, and her two grandchildren were starving. But the shopkeeper, from whom the bread was stolen, refused to drop the charges. “It’s a bad neighborhood, your Honor,” the man told the mayor. “She’s got to be pun­ished to teach other people around here a lesson.”

 

LaGuardia sighed. He turned to the woman and said, “I’ve got to punish you. The law makes no exceptions-ten dollars or ten days in jail.” But even as he pronounced sen­tence, the mayor was already reaching into his pocket. He extracted a bill and tossed it into his famous sombrero saying:

 

“Here is the ten dollar fine which I now remit; and furthermore I am going to fine everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for liv­ing in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines ~ them to the defendant.”

 

So the following day the New York City new reported that $47.50 was turned over to a bewildered who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving gran­dchildren, fifty cents of that amount being contributed by faced grocery store owner, while some seventy petty criminals people with traffic violations, and New York City policemen each of whom had just paid fifty cents for the privilege so, gave the mayor a standing ovation.

 

Touched by a loving heart,

Wakened by kindness

Chords that were broken,

                                   Wi1l vibrate once more.           Fanny Crosby

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Points to Ponder arranged by Rev. E. Anderson

July 19, 2008 at 8:09 pm (Points to Ponder)

                                                      

Rev. E. Anderson

WHAT SIZE IS GOD?

 

God can do all things.

 

MATTHEW 19:26

 

 

Nature is God’s workshop. The sky is his resume. The universe is his calling card. You want to know who God is? See what he has done. You want to know his power? Take a look at his creation. Curious about his strength? Pay a visit to his home address: 1 Billion Starry Sky Avenue.

 

He is untainted by the atmosphere of sin, unbridled by the time line of history, unhindered by the weariness of the body.

 

What controls you doesn’t control him. What troubles you doesn’t trouble him. what fatigues you doesn’t fatigue him. Is an eagle disturbed by. traffic? No, he rises above it. Is the whale perturbed by a hurricane? Of course not, he plunges beneath it. Is the lion flustered by the mouse standing directly in his way? No, he steps over it.

 

How much more is God able to soar above, plunge beneath, and step over the troubles of the earth!

 

Max Lucado - The Great House of God

 

 

 

 

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