By Preston McElyea Worship is a time in which we praise God and give Him the glory He deserves. Depending on where you might be, however, the elements of worship may look different. In some cases, it is due to a desire to become more appealing or to make the experience more enjoyable for those present. In other cases, worship seems to be rather mundane and lacks any true enthusiasm. When it comes to worship, we are not to worship God however we desire; He is specifically looking for those who would worship Him “in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:24, NKJV). Worshipping God in spirit means that we are praising Him with our all while worshipping Him in truth means that we are worshipping Him in His prescribed manner. Worshipping God in truth demands that the way we worship Him lines up with His desire. A study of the New Testament reveals what God’s desire in worship is. God desires that we pray to Him as an element of our worship. Paul shows how the public leading of prayer is to take place as he writes in 1 Timothy 2:8, “I desire therefore that the men prayer everywhere….” In addition to prayer, God desires that we lift our voices in song to Him (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). God desires that we use the instrument of our voice tuned by our hearts to sing songs of praise to His matchless name. Alongside our prayers and our songs, God looks for the …
The Church
By Preston McElyea Depending on who you ask, one’s definition concerning the church might differ. To some, the church is simply the building in which we assemble on Sundays and Wednesdays to worship God and learn more about Him. For others, the church is merely a social club where we mingle and interact with others. Others recognize the church as being the whole body of believers regardless of the name on the front of the building. If we wish to better understand the church, however, we ought to focus our attention on what we learn of the church in God’s word. The church did not originate with man. As Paul was speaking with the overseers of the church in Ephesus, he points out that the church was “purchased with [Christ’s] own blood” (Acts 20:27, NKJV). This denotes divine ownership. Furthermore, Jesus says to His disciples, “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). Because Jesus is the one who built and purchased the church, he, therefore, has all authority within the church (Eph. 1:22-23). While other passages could be considered concerning the church’s divine origin, these passages ought to suffice seeing as they point out that the church is not from man, but it is from God through the sacrifice of His Son. Therefore, the church with which we assemble ought to reflect His ownership in both its name and its practice. How then does one find entrance to the Lord’s church? Some might require the meeting of a council or …
How Will You Respond?
A prevalent thought permeating many religious teachings today is the idea that God’s grace is irresistible. The thought is that since God’s grace is irresistible, when one receives God’s call, he or she cannot help but accept the call and follow Him fully from there on out. Perhaps the reason this ideology has grown so popular is because of the level of security and comfort associated with it. It is comforting to think that nothing can prevent our obedience. As pleasant a thought as this may be, it is not in line with how God’s word speaks concerning His call. Paul teaches by inspiration that God’s call is found in the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14). God’s call does not come by means of a dream or vision. He calls man through the good news concerning His Son. In Acts 17, Paul initially “reasoned” with the Thessalonians “from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead” (Acts 17:2-3). This message of Christ Jesus called the listeners to action. Among the Thessalonians, there were some who accepted the call (meaning they believed it and obeyed it), while others rejected the call (Acts 17:4-5). What this example shows us is that God’s call is not irresistible. The grace found in Christ Jesus ought to move us all to obedience, but not all are going to obey. God created us all with the ability to choose. We can choose like those in Thessalonica to either …
God’s Power to Salvation
Power. One small word that packs quite a punch. Power conveys the idea of ability. In other words, if one has the power to do something, they have the means needed to carry out whatever the action might be. As men, we may find ourselves with the power to build a home, to sew a quilt, or to create beautiful artwork. We have all been blessed with various talents and abilities, yet none of us have the power to save ourselves – “all our righteousness are like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6, NKJV). If we are looking to be saved, we must look to One who is greater and more capable than we. As we look at our fellow man, it is not uncommon to recognize those who are more capable than we are in various areas of life. None of us have the power to accomplish everything, yet there is One who has the power to accomplish anything within His will. As the great drama of Revelation nears its end, John by inspiration writes of the great praise he heard for God – “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns” (Rev. 19:6). God was praised for being “Omnipotent,” meaning that He is almighty and all-powerful. For God to be all-powerful, it is implied that He, therefore, possesses all the means and ability to carry out whatever His will desires. This means that God has the power to accomplish His will to save man (1 Tim. 2:4)! While God has the …
God’s Love for Man
Love is a special thing. Knowing that you are cared for and wanted makes all the difference in building up one’s self-esteem and establishing purpose for one’s life. As we look at our earthly families, we can often see the sacrifices that our parents have made to provide for us. This love is merely an imitation of the highest love that has ever been shown. The Holy Spirit reveals through the pen of John that we know what love is “because [Christ Jesus] laid down His life for us” (1 Jn. 3:16, NKJV). The love shown to us through the sacrifice of Jesus is the greatest love that this world has ever known. When speaking to His disciples, Jesus notes that “greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13). The amazing thing about God’s love as seen through Jesus, however, is that Jesus died for more than His friends. In Romans 5:6-8, we learn the truth concerning the relationship between Jesus and those for whom He died: For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The height of God’s love toward all men is furthered when one considers how Jesus’ death serves as …