“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Psalm 29:2).

When should we worship God? The simple answer is always. When you’re at work, co-workers can draw you into a secular mindset, but if you’re praising God in your mind and heart at all times, you won’t be led astray. When you’re shopping, if you are more focused on God than on items for sale, maybe you won’t be as prone to impulse buys that waste money. When you’re at school being taught secular science and misleading “facts,” worship God and don’t be led astray.

Nobody can monitor your thoughts yet, so keep Jesus first in your mind and heart. It’s good to continually worship God, but it’s important to set aside a time each day specifically for worship. A time when you won’t be distracted by worries of the day. That time may be when you read your Bible and meditate on God’s truth.

“I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways” (Psalm 119:15).

Meditation isn’t something Christians should practice when it’s a part of yoga, which should never be practiced by Christians. Meditating on God’s word for a deeper understanding is good. Meditate upon a Scripture that touches your heart or try to understand a deep precept of God. That will keep your mind and heart focused on the Lord, and you’ll be able to apply it to your daily life.

Many Christians today “go to church” and figure that’s good enough. Too often, sitting in a pew for an hour is the time you spend thinking about where you’ll go for lunch after the service is over. Or do other thoughts that don’t relate to worshiping God occupy your time?

I hope you’re blessed to have a pastor who teaches God’s word line upon line from Genesis through Revelation and leads his flock in true worship. How many times during “worship” services are hymns of praise and worship sung, but verses are skipped in order to get done before noon? That isn’t worship. Sadly, that’s the way the vast majority of Sunday morning services are conducted. Other times, the worship team is more concerned about showing off their own talent, and praising the Lord is secondary. Worship is about God, and not about you or those on stage.

John the Baptist was a man who was prophesied in the Old Testament. “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3).

He could have had a problem with pride, but instead of wanting worship from his followers, he knew that he was to direct the worship to Jesus. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Praise and worship aren’t to be wasted on humans, but fully directed to God.

Why is it that Christians forget to worship God? There seem to be many distractions in our modern life. Telephones, television, jobs, school, soccer games, football games, baseball games, and much more. We can’t fully worship God when we’re walking with one foot in the world.

Parents have allowed secular things to take over their children’s lives and interfere with faith and worship of God. Fathers seldom step into their God-ordained place of leadership in a family, so mothers try to be mom and dad. Secular activities rule the family, but that isn’t how God had it planned.

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

God desired His chosen people, Israel, to be separate from the pagan people around them. He desires that of Christians, too. We aren’t to be unequally yoked with non-believers and should not participate in any activities that come ahead of God. Children need to be guided to faith and learn from the example of their parents to put God first. When a child sees his father living a Christian life, the child is given a good example to follow. Men, let your children see you worship God. Let them see you study your Bible and pray. Women need to do that too.

Scripture gives us many examples of people who were very close to God and who heard His voice clearly. King David is one of the best examples of a man who loved and worshipped the Lord. He wrote many psalms, and no matter how big the trouble, David always went to the Lord to seek His help and always ended in worship. That’s how we should be. We should feel close enough to God to talk with Him about our fears and concerns, but always praise Him.

David also committed a great sin. In our modern day, we might not see it as any big deal, but it was in David’s time and still is now in God’s eyes. God doesn’t change, but people try to change Him. David committed adultery. He wasn’t concerned about it, but when Bathsheba ended up pregnant, David tried to cover up the sin. Scripture doesn’t tell us whether or not Bathsheba repented of her sin, but she was very guilty, too. David went to the Lord with humility. The psalm which David wrote wasn’t one of his boldest songs of worship, but he recognized God’s attributes and his own transgressions. David knew that only God could forgive his sin, and knew what God desired.

“O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:15-17).

Remember David’s worship, humbleness, and repentance when you finally see your own sin and go to the Lord alone for forgiveness. God doesn’t want some human priest to tell you to do some useless penance, or chant hail Mary. It’s only God you are to worship and seek in all things.

Daniel was another one who understood about worshiping God. Daniel and three friends had been taken captive as young men (probably in their teens) from Jerusalem to Babylon. They were Jewish and truly loved the Lord. Babylon was an evil place filled with idolatry, and sin abounded. The Babylonians did not worship God Almighty but were pagans, so they had no idea about worshipping the true God.

Daniel’s faith could not be ruined, nor could the faith of his friends. I admire them very much. They were taken to the king’s palace to be groomed into paganism, but they wouldn’t bend a knee to the demon gods worshipped in Babylon. The faith of these young men was known, and their enemies plotted against Daniel and his like-minded friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Nebuchadnezzar was convinced to make a huge golden statue, and all people were required to worship that statue.

“And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace” (Daniel 3:6).

The plot worked, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were arrested for not worshipping the image. Where was Daniel? There’s no doubt that if he had been in town, he would not have worshipped the image, but his friends were thrown into the fiery furnace. God honored the fact that they didn’t worship the idol and protected them.

The evil men of Babylon wouldn’t stop persecuting Daniel. “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him” (Daniel 6:4).

Daniel knew they were plotting against him but wouldn’t compromise his worship of God. He went into his house, opened the windows, and prayed three times a day toward Jerusalem, and gave thanks to his God. He only worshiped God Almighty.

“Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God” (Daniel 6:11).

This time, Daniel was in real trouble, and he was thrown into the lion’s den. God remembered Daniel’s worship and protected him from the lions. He sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths, but there was no mercy shown to those who rejected God. The king cast them into the den where the starving lions devoured them. Truly worshipping God is always wise.

Have you read about Job? He is described as a man who feared God and eschewed evil. He had a large family, wealth, and many animals. Then he came under attack by Satan. His health gave out, his children died, his animals were killed, and his wife was less than understanding. Her advice was cruel and unfeeling.

“Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die” (Job 2:9).

Job was a man who loved the Lord and worshipped Him. “But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).

Worship comes in many forms. Job trusted the Lord and spoke in His defense. Then his friends showed up and gave him nothing but grief. In the end, Job was rewarded by God, and his health and wealth were restored, and he had more children. Job continued to worship.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:25-27).

Faith is worship. Do you worship the Lord by standing firm on your faith and sharing with others?

As Christians, we should be the most worshipful people on earth. By faith and God’s grace, our sins are forgiven. Jesus is preparing a place for us to live eternally with Him. As the world becomes darker and Satanic evil abounds, God’s love and mercy protect us from the evil around us.

The final days are coming, but Christians have the blessed promise of being saved from the Great Tribulation that will soon bring great chaos upon the earth. The promise of the Rapture is something Christians should thank God for and worship Him continually. Jesus will come for us and take us to ever be with Him. There will come a time when even the most stubborn hearts will bow before Jesus.

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

God has done everything for us and only desires our worship. Only He is worthy of our worship, our praise, and our thanks. Worship God with your heart, soul, and mind.

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

 

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is” (Jeremiah 17:7).

Why do so many people complicate salvation? Salvation isn’t hard, but too many religious groups misrepresent Scripture and confuse many people.

Things like infant baptism aren’t Scriptural. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

I’ve never met an infant who can understand what sin is, believe he is a sinner, repent, and ask for forgiveness. An infant only knows to cry when hungry or when he is in need of a diaper change. The infant can only understand asking to feel better, and not what it means to tell a lie or steal. The choice to believe in Jesus has to be a decision each person makes for themselves; parents cannot make the decision for their child, only guide them. Unfortunately, it’s more important for many parents to be sure their children believe in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny than to believe in Jesus.

Salvation is only found in Jesus Christ, so no matter where you attend services, if you haven’t personally accepted Jesus Christ and repented of sin, then you need to do that now.

God didn’t complicate salvation but actually simplified it. Scripture makes it clear as to what God considers sin, and the Jewish Law was a bit complicated. God made a covenant with Abraham, which was evidenced by circumcision. Then came the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It took work in order to perfectly keep the law, and nobody was able to keep it perfectly. The sacrifices would cover sin but couldn’t take sin away. Why? The blood was not human blood, and God never requires spilling human blood for a sacrifice. Besides, human blood is tainted by sin, and sin cannot remove sin. Sin could not be removed by the blood of animals, only cover it.

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

To take sin away, the sacrifice would have to be a human without sin-tainted blood. That sacrifice was Jesus, who was fully human and fully God. Mary was just a normal human, so Jesus was human because of her. If she were anything other than human, Jesus could not be our Kinsman. On the other hand, God was His Father, which means that Jesus did not inherit the sin-tainted blood that fathers pass on to their sons. Jesus’ blood was pure. Because of that, He qualified as our Redeemer. According to the Law, a kinsman-redeemer had to be willing, and Jesus willingly shed His blood to redeem humanity.

If you reject this free gift, you’ve chosen your eternal fate. If you have made the all-important decision to accept the free gift of salvation offered by Jesus, then you are forever sealed with the Holy Spirit, and your eternity is very bright.

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). 

That’s so reassuring.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and just like a flock of sheep know the voice of their shepherd, Christians need to know the voice of our Shepherd. We learn to hear His voice and follow Him by studying Scripture.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:27-30).

Sometimes Christians begin to doubt their own salvation. This verse should put aside all doubts. If you were sincere when you accepted Jesus for salvation, your salvation is secure.

Sin is a part of our human failings, but that isn’t an excuse to keep sinning. We need to confess our sins, not to a priest or any other human, but confess to God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Only Jesus can forgive sin. No amount of saying “Hail Mary” or doing penance will forgive your sin. Only Jesus can and will forgive. Once you ask forgiveness, then it’s time to turn from the sin.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

Living sacrifice? That means you need to represent our Lord in a way that pleases Him. He desires more than lip service from us.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of Good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

That word “peculiar” comes from the Greek word “periousios,” which means a people selected by God for his own possession. It might be easier to understand by reading a modern translation.

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14 NKJV).

Good works won’t bring salvation, but they should be a result of our faith.

Can your friends see a change in you since you accepted Christ? Other people watch Christians, mostly to mock us when we fail, but if you live your life as a living sacrifice to God, you just might influence someone to accept the Lord before it’s too late. It’s important to study Scripture because there’s a good chance a friend will ask questions about why you don’t join in the party scene like you used to.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). 

You probably have questions of your own that can only be answered through Bible study.

Why do I talk so much about salvation? I feel an urgency to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with others. Time passes quickly, and we will either die like so many before us, or the Rapture will happen.

I’m watching signs of the times and can see prophecy is being fulfilled quickly. If you’re waiting until tomorrow to share the Gospel with a friend, don’t wait; tomorrow may be too late. Even young people die unexpectedly.

Biblical prophecy can be trusted to be true. It may not be crystal clear how it will all play out, but you can be sure that it will all happen just like Scripture says. For instance, prophecy made it clear that Israel would be back in the land that God gave to them. Men who thought they knew more than God came up with the false teaching that the church has replaced Israel. God will never completely turn against Israel, and He promised that they will be back in their land. In 1947, it happened, just as Scripture says.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:11-12).

There are many other prophecies that are being fulfilled, and it’s very clear that we are living in the very last of days. Pray for Israel. Other prophecies tell us that there is coming a time when Satan will rule and Great Tribulation will grip the entire world, worse than anything the world has seen. Technology is being put in place that will allow the mark of the beast to be a reality. Anyone taking that mark will not be able to be saved from damnation.

The good news is that none of the final judgments will happen until Christians are Raptured. We will be taken to Heaven prior to the onset of the final seven years of life. Demons will be released, and God’s wrath will be poured out on the entire world. Now is the time to talk to your friends and family about Jesus. Now, before it’s too late. Today, the Holy Spirit is living in Christians and restraining the evil. Now is when salvation can be obtained by sincerely asking for it.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:13-14).

How indeed? You need to speak up and not be ashamed of your faith in Jesus Christ.

Time is short. Share the Gospel before it’s too late.

God bless you all

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).