Morning Routine Thought Drops 2018
Those someones.
When they come to mind your thoughts of them are negative;
when they offer a comment, your response is negative, opposing.
When your default relative to them is resistance.
When this is true we can know we have aught against them. It’s time to seek forgiveness, starting with The Father.
Luke 11:4 (NASB)4 ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’” source
Approximate reading time: 2 minutes
JT and I were pleasantly enjoying some errand running this afternoon in our area of Sweet Home Alabama when I noticed a banner erected on the lawn of a church. I honestly don’t recall the name and even if did, I wouldn’t tell you. :)
So the banner read: Contemporary Worship.
And like a friendly smack to the head my internal word police hit me with this:
That sign just shouted to me this is not about JESUS, this is about you. We are catering to You!
And it didn’t stop there. That smack to the head went on to say:
Worship is not about style, music, contemporary, traditional or any other such description. Worship is obedience. It’s about ascribing delight in and honor to, with elated gratitude that, GOD would even let us love and adore Him!
Now, what am I supposed to do with that I ask you?!
2 Kings 17:36 (TLV) 36 but only Adonai, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm—Him will you fear, and to Him will you bow down and to Him will you sacrifice. source
1 Chronicles 16:29 (TLV)29 Ascribe to Adonai the glory due to His Name. Bring an offering and come before Him. Worship Adonai in the splendor of holiness. source
Matthew 14:33 (KJV) 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. source
Luke 24:52 (KJV) 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: source
Revelation 22:9 (CSB) 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you, your brothers the prophets, and those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” source
For the remainder of the 188 references to Worship found in the KJV, click HERE.
Approximate reading time: 3 minutes
11 Then Yeshua said, “A certain man had two sons, 12 and the younger of them said to the father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that comes to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them.
This is a relationship strain that none of us ever want to experience. What the son is really saying is You are dead to me. That must have wounded the Father more than words can tell.
13 “Not many days later, the younger son gathered everything and traveled to a far country, and there he squandered his inheritance on wild living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine came against that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to fill up on the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one was giving him any.
And so the son goes to a far country. He separated himself from home and hearth; from Daddy and Daddy’s world. And lived life his way. And in time he found himself where no self-respecting Jewish boy would ever be – slopping hogs. Very unclean!
17 “But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food overflowing, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I’ll get up and go to my father, and I’ll say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your presence. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.
This my beloved friends is repentance – coming to one’s senses. Coming to the place we agree WITH GOD. Repentance doesn’t mean, necessarily, we come to an agreement horizontally but it is absolutely necessary to AGREE WITH GOD, which enables us to make peace horizontally.
20 “And he got up and went to his own father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and felt compassion. He ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your presence. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
And so repentance took legs. He got up and went. He acknowledged his sin, and he was willing to bear whatever consequences. No more blaming others. He owned his sins.
Do you know what I highly admire about this Father?
His love for his son restrained him from chasing after his son, but he consistently stood on that front porch, looking down the road, waiting for that far-off glimpse of his son coming home.
22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let’s celebrate with a feast! 24 For this son of mine was dead and has come back to life—he was lost and is found!’ Then they began to celebrate. source
Forgiveness was full and the celebrating was grand!
