Worship IX Day 9 Misplaced Worship: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Misplaced Worship!

The Questions

1) What is the purpose of Isaiah’s questions in verses 12-17?

2) What does the author want us to understand from the turning point in verses 18-20?

3) What is being compared in verses 22-26 and what implications are to be understood from it?

Isaiah 40:12-26

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand?
Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure
or weighed the mountains on a balance
and the hills on the scales?
13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
or who gave him counsel?
14 Who did he consult?
Who gave him understanding
and taught him the paths of justice?
Who taught him knowledge
and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are considered as a speck of dust on the scales;
he lifts up the islands like fine dust.
16 Lebanon’s cedars are not enough for fuel,
or its animals enough for a burnt offering.
17 All the nations are as nothing before him;
they are considered by him
as empty nothingness.

18 With whom will you compare God?
What likeness will you set up for comparison with him?
19 An idol?—something that a smelter casts
and a metalworker plates with gold
and makes silver chains for?
20 A poor person contributes wood for a pedestal
that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not fall over.

21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you
from the beginning?
Have you not considered
the foundations of the earth?
22 God is enthroned above the circle of the earth;
its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He reduces princes to nothing
and makes judges of the earth like a wasteland.
24 They are barely planted, barely sown,
their stem hardly takes root in the ground
when he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind carries them away like stubble.

25 “To whom will you compare me,
or who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
26 Look up and see!
Who created these?
He brings out the stars by number;
he calls all of them by name.
Because of his great power and strength,
not one of them is missing.

Original Intent

1) What is the purpose of Isaiah’s questions in verses 12-17?
The prophet Isaiah begins this section by asking rhetorical questions intended to make his listeners lean in, think, and slow down their patterns of living enough to consider the Lord. Isaiah compares what is impossible to measure with outlandish metrics of measurement to prove His point that there is none like Yahweh, the One True God. Who has measured the earth’s waters, its galaxies, its granules of dust, its mountains and hills? No one. Even by today’s standards of measurements, we still don’t have accurate measurements of the galaxies and grains of sand are mere estimates. What instrument does God use to measure these? The hollow of His hand. (verse 12) Unfathomable, Sister, unfathomable. Just these first questions should be enough to drop every person in the nation of Israel to their knees in worship, but Isaiah continues his prodding questions, moving from the natural world to the spiritual. (verses 13-14) Who gives Yahweh wise counsel, teaches Him justice, and taught Him to create with understanding? “None” is the obvious answer hanging in the air. Every good Jew listening to Isaiah’s beckoning voice would have instinctively known the solitary, non-competing answer reverberating in their souls. There Is None Like Yahweh. (Psalm 86:8-10) Isaiah brings the natural and spiritual together in verses 15-17 as he invites us to consider the natural world through the spiritual eyes of the Almighty. The nations are a drop in His bucket and viewed as a single speck of dust from His vantage point; the entirety of the universe is as absolutely nothing to Him, not in value, but in comparative mass. Where is Isaiah leading Israel? Into deep, authentic worship with their hearts and lives.

2) What does the author want us to understand from the turning point in verses 18-20?
Often in Old Testament poetic works or prophecies, we see a shift in thought where the words that come first are attached like a hinge to the words that follow. That hinge-point is critically important to identify because it helps us understand the true heart issue or the true solution to the outlined problem. Isaiah began this section with prodding self-reflective questions, and will finish with more reasons for worship, but here in the middle, Isaiah turns Israel’s eyes pointedly to the folly of their sin. They love their idols made by their own hands, and the Lord God, through Isaiah, wants Israel to see how utterly foolish it is to worship any but Yahweh. With bold clarity, Isaiah pointedly speaks aloud the question they should all be wrestling with internally by now, “With whom will you compare God?”. (verse 18) None. There is none like You, God. But, Isaiah quickly turns the tide and in essence says, “But your life points to a different answer. You craft idols. You bow down to blocks of wood. Your life reflects tragically misplaced worship.” The answer cuts like a knife, just as it’s intended.

3) What is being compared in verses 22-26 and what implications are to be understood from it?
When studying Scripture, it’s always important to study in context of the circumstances surrounding a passage. Isaiah 40 is full of comfort, encouragement and strong assurance of God and His unchanging character. Yet, without considering the surrounding context, we would miss the significant weightiness of this incredibly beautiful chapter. The preceding chapters describe Israel’s King Hezekiah and the prophecy he was given through Isaiah of coming disater for the nation. Jerusalem would be destroyed, and her people killed by the blood-thirsty Assyrians precisely because of their perpetually misplaced worship. It was no small thing to abhor the first and second commandments of the Law. (Exodus 20:3-4) After news of the coming destruction and exile, the Lord speaks tenderly to His beloved people, ““Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.” (Isaiah 40:1) This chapter doesn’t merely proclaim sweet comfort, love, and strong exhortations for the worthiness of worshipping the Only True God, its comfort and tender loving descriptions of God are set against the backdrop of suffering and devastating loss, making it epically more lovely. Israel would face horrific loss, but the All-powerful God of Creation was present to comfort and was willing to restore them. In the face of devastation Isaiah’s voice calls aloud, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? (…) God is enthroned…”. (verses 21-22) Despite the circumstances and the affliction you feel, the God who never changes continues to remain fully present with comfort and compassion. The same God who holds the earth’s waters in His hand, who stretches the galaxies out like a scant tent flap, who calls every star by its own personal name, knows you. Oh Israel, there is none like God! Come, worship and bow down to the Eternal One!

Everyday Application

1) What is the purpose of Isaiah’s questions in verses 12-17?
Imagine hearing Isaiah’s clear prophetic voice ringing out as you work in your kitchen or till up your garden. It’s clear, it’s piercing. Maybe you know the political vote is against him and you try to ignore his voice. Or maybe the stirrings in your heart can’t be ignored and you drop your work, gathering your small children by the hand, and move towards the voice. Your culture is abuzz with busyness; the religion that once so clearly defined your people has become messy and confusing. The cultural norms around you from other peoples are curious and intriguing; questions plague you. But Isaiah’s voice is cutting through the confusion with its pleading questions. The more you listen, the clearer it becomes and the more the fog around your heart lifts. The busyness and confusion fall by the wayside as your heart is reminded there is Only One who is worthy of your everyday worship. Even saying the words aloud, “There is None Like You O Lord” seem to be an oasis in the midst of a desert. Take some time and let Isaiah’s piercing questions draw out the brokenness and confusion in you. Bring these to the Lord God. Consider His vastness, see your smallness in comparison, then take a breathtaking look at His vast love to come near to you. Worship, Sister, worship the Only One Worthy of your life’s praise.

2) What does the author want us to understand from the turning point in verses 18-20?
Isaiah’s words are meant to prod Israel into self-reflection to consider whether or not their beliefs align with the everyday actions of their lives. Sometimes we can’t seem to face reality, and the sinful dissonance between the claimed worship of our lips and the rolling tide of our everyday life choices with slowing down. Israel worshipped wooden idols that would rot and literally fall over (verse 20), and the Lord longed for them to see the inconsistencies of their misplaced worship so they might repent and return to Him with the full offering of their lives. Isaiah’s words were carefully chosen to point out that Israel was trusting and loving idols that could neither support their faith nor love them back. But Yahweh could do both. Oh Lord, reveal my idols to me just as You lovingly did for Israel that they would return Home to Your heart. It’s painful to stare my foolish love for lesser things in the face, but show me, Lord. I don’t want my heart to pursue that which falls over and rots away. Sure, financial security, strong relationships, success, a perfect home, and the like are all common idols, but when I clear the stage of these, I find the idol I worship most is myself. I love my ways, my rights, my words, my control, and I choose these again and again over You, Lord. Forgive me, Abba, forgive me this idolatry of heart! Only You can sustain. Only You can nourish me. Only You can hear and listen and love. Only You are worthy of my worship.

3) What is being compared in verses 22-26 and what implications are to be understood from it?
Isaiah’s prophecy to King Hezekiah came years before Israel would actually suffer from Assyrian invasion. God’s words of comfort were meant to sustain Israel, be learned and meditated on by them, so they might remember the love of their God when the battle came into their streets. When we intentionally meditate on the truths of Scripture, when we set aside time each day to read it and pray it and dwell with God’s Words, His comfort sustains us. When we face our own struggles, and devastation overwhelms our lives, we can remember the truths we have learned and lean upon them. The same God who hung the stars in place, knows our name, sees our pain, and is present to comfort and restore. Let’s choose to worship Him now, today! Whether our everyday lives reflect heartache or happiness, there remains One God worthy of our worship, and we can choose to adore Him for the God He is and always will be!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Misplaced Worship!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship IX Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship IX Day 8 Misplaced Worship

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 2:13-17
Exodus 20:1-6
Psalm 95:6-7
Isaiah 40:12-26

Worship IX, Day 8

“In the temple [Jesus] found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and he also found the money changers sitting there. After making a whip out of cords, he drove everyone out of the temple with their sheep and oxen. He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. He told those who were selling doves, ‘Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!’ And his disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:14-17, emphasis mine)
When I first read this passage, I struggled to understand Jesus’ reaction.
Why was Jesus so angry these people were selling stuff inside the temple?
Weren’t they providing needed sacrifices to those without?

Thankfully, God placed some mature Christians in my life who taught me it’s ok to ask questions when we don’t understand, regardless of how long we’ve been following Jesus!

So, I asked questions about this passage, and learned Jesus was angry for a couple of reasons. First, the “marketplace” was located in the outermost court of the temple, which is where the Gentiles (non-Jewish believers) and Jewish women came to worship. A busy market made it impossible for these men and women to properly worship God.

Second, Jesus saw the motivation behind the selling of sacrifices, self-profit.
Sellers overcharged needy worshipers, making a huge profit from those traveling to the temple to worship. Consider the modern-day analogy of attending a sporting event. You wait in line to purchase a bottle of water, only to discover they cost $6.00/bottle. Vendors have a captive and thirsty audience, and they know we will pay the price. We may complain, but most will usually end up paying because of the need to quench our thirst.

So, what does this mean for us today? In order to answer that question, let’s dig a little deeper and understand the heart behind Jesus’ anger.

Exodus 20:4-6 tells us not to make or worship idols, for “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.” Thus, we see Jesus’ righteous, jealous anger when He witnessed people worshiping money and profit over His Father, God. The same is true for us today. If we are honest, we all tend to create idols we worship more than God.

Pastor, speaker, and author Dr. Paul David Tripp explains,
“We are all worshipers, and we all attach our identity, our hopes and dreams, our sense of well-being and our meaning and purpose to something.
We all give functional control of our hearts to something.
We all live after something.
We all tend to surrender to serve what we think will give us life.”

While our idols may look different from those in the Old Testament (think cell phones and sports teams rather than golden calves and Baals), we all have them, because anything or anyone we place before God is an idol.

I just returned from a week of summer camp with students from church. With the prompt for this study on my mind, I entered into our first night of corporate worship. God, as He so often does, met me right where I was with questions and unexpected conviction. As I sang loudly, hands raised, thrilled to be back at camp after last year’s covid-cancellation, His gentle question hit me like a ton of bricks, “Hey Lori, are you worshiping Me, or are you worshiping camp and the experience it brings?”

What?! As I pondered this question, I had to admit my worship was misplaced. At that moment, I was not worshiping Jesus, but the experience I had been craving for over a year.

Matthew 22:37 echoes the first commandment given to Moses hundreds of years earlier, instructing us to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds. God desires all our worship and praise, because He knows how fickle our wandering hearts really are. He gives us these instructions to keep us focused on Him and the eternal, versus the worldly and temporary.

Today, I urge each of us to honestly ask ourselves if we’re worshiping someone or something other than God. Let’s pursue God’s heart on this with thought and prayer, because, as I recently learned, it’s easy for seemingly good and right things to sneak in and steal our worship away from Jesus.

I often turn to Isaiah 40 and 41 when I need reminders of Who deserves my worship.

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand?
Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure
or weighed the mountains on a balance
and the hills on the scales?” (Isaiah 40:12)

Would you join me in digging into these chapters, asking God to show us our idols, and then worshiping Him alone?

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Worship IX Day 7 Acceptable Worship: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Acceptable Worship!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to present “your bodies as a living sacrifice” as means of worshipping God? (verse 1)

2) What does it mean to “be conformed to this age”? (verse 2)

3) How are we to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”? (verse 2)

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.  2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to present “your bodies as a living sacrifice” as means of worshipping God? (verse 1)
Part of Old Testament worship rituals involved priests presenting animal sacrifices to the Lord. People would bring different animals according to the type of offering they needed to make and according to their economic status. Author Fred Zaspel explains that this “sacrificial system established the structure and frame of reference with regard to God’s redemptive purpose: Sinners may obtain divine favor if an acceptable substitute could be found to offer to God in sacrifice.” New Testament citizens were still familiar with this system, and Paul used the concept of a living sacrifice to get their attention. Author, Jerry Flury, notes that “The Old Testament worshiper brought animals to the temple, to be killed and laid on the altar. Paul reversed the imagery. Bring yourself to the altar. But do not DIE for God: LIVE for Him!” God wants us to love Him with everything we have: body, heart, mind, and soul. (Mark 12:30) For us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God, we need to follow His ways (Proverbs 21:3), and abstain from doing those things that go against His holiness (Ephesians 5:11). Paul urges us to present our bodies as living sacrifices because he knows God gives us the grace to obey Him. (Romans 1:5) God wants our surrendered love in following Him more than anything. (1 John 5:3) Giving Him everything we are by loving Him through obedience is our true worship of God.

2) What does it mean to “be conformed to this age”? (verse 2)
Paul implores his readers, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) The Greek word for conformed, suschematizo, means to form or mold one’s behavior in accordance with a particular pattern or set of standards.” (preceptaustion.org) Paul warns Roman Christians to be diligent against adopting the ways of the culture they live in with its many ungodly customs and traditions. J. B. Phillips expresses this caution as “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould…”. Paul knew how easy it is to let the ways of the world we live in negatively influence our words and actions. This applies to us today as our word choice, manner of dress, media consumption, and spending habits are all shaped by the customs and norms of the age we live in. It is easy to let the movies, music, and pastimes we enjoy crowd out God’s Word and God’s ways in our lives. It is tempting to agree with the culture’s perspective on sin and pleasure because these prevailing beliefs strike such a stark contrast with the Bible’s teaching. Speaking against them may bring us unwanted negative attention. However, God warns us that friendship with the world is hostility toward God. (James 4:4) This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a night at the movies or wearing the latest trends. However, we should make daily decisions alongside a commitment to renew our minds by God and His Word, so we are guarded against embracing the things of this world that are passing away. (Romans 12:2)

3) How are we to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”? (verse 2)
The apostle Paul tells us that to remain unchanged by the ways of the world, we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds; it’s our safeguard. (Romans 12:2) Paul contends that we can change our minds, and our pattern of thinking, by renewing our minds. Richard Chenevix Trench suggests that renewing our minds “is the gradual conforming of the man more and more to that new spiritual world into which he has been introduced and in which he now lives and moves…the restoration of the divine image.” Renewing our minds is becoming more like Jesus by spending time in prayer and in reading and meditating on the Word of God. The Bible even teaches us what to meditate on in Philippians 4:8 when Paul writes, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.” Spending mental focused energy on these subjects helps us effectively renew our minds and transform our lives. Paul also tells us in Romans 8:5 that if we live by the Spirit then we will set our minds on things of the Spirit. Turning away from a mind set on the flesh and choosing to think about things of the Spirit as a willful act requiring practice and discipline. I am so grateful God makes it possible for us to change the way we think and who we are by dwelling on His Word and allowing His truths to make us new!

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to present “your bodies as a living sacrifice” as means of worshipping God? (verse 1)
As a little girl, I heard a message from a missionary family at church. While I enjoyed their happy pictures and stories about life on the mission field, I felt slightly panicked that God would call me to make such sacrifices someday. I didn’t realize then that all Christians, not just missionaries, are called by God to worship Him by presenting their bodies as a living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1) My own service to God eventually came in the work of being a teacher and parent, and I quickly realized that things went much better when I surrendered my will to His. I wish that meant I quickly obeyed, but it was (and still is) difficult for me to unclench my tight grasp on my own grand plans and embrace what God has in store for me. That is why Paul likens this form of worship to sacrifice. I am giving up my will, my way, and my control to let God work in and through me to accomplish His much better plans. (Philippians 2:13) It is choosing to honor God first that pleases Him so well. Author, David Guzik, asserts, “The holiness we bring to the altar is a decision for holiness, and yielding to the work of holiness in our life. As we present our bodies a living sacrifice, God makes our life holy by burning away impurities.” When I open my hands and heart to give God full permission to be the Lord of everything, He forms me and fits me for the good plans He has for me. (Ephesians 2:10) Faith in God’s goodness requires us to let go and trust God’s gracious goodness. It can feel like loss, but true surrender brings much gain! (Matthew 16:24-26)

2) What does it mean to “be conformed to this age”? (verse 2)
My favorite author, Jane Austen, wrote only six complete novels. Recent writers have outdone themselves publishing prequels, sequels, and modern re-imaginings of her work, which I enjoy reading. However, it irks me when these authors try to write 21st century ideals and morals into a late 18th century author’s world. What we find acceptable today would have been shocking and unthinkable in Jane’s world. These attempts to conform present day morality into storylines from centuries ago usually end up as ridiculous. As it often does, the present age seeks to impose its standards on the world, even the world of a late 18th century novelist of manners and morals. The apostle Paul warns against this onslaught of conformity in Romans 12:2. He urges Christians to give themselves wholly to God and not let the customs of the culture seep into their hearts and minds. It can be the path of least resistance to accept what everyone else accepts, rationalizing that a broader appeal will attract more people and that alienating truths should be avoided. However, this is not the path to life. Jesus tells us the way that leads to destruction is broad, and many take it. (Matthew 7:13) In following God, we must accept His grace to help us adhere to His standards and refuse to become like the world in its sinful lifestyle. We can rejoice that His Holy Spirit empowers us to follow Christ and not conform to this age!

3) How are we to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”? (verse 2)
Sometimes I find myself getting off course in my spiritual walk. I veer off the mark gradually; each little step in the wrong direction doesn’t have much effect until one day I realize I’m not where I want to be at all. What often sets me off on the wrong path is what my pastor calls stinkin’ thinkin’. I allow subtle lies about myself, or the nature of God, to affect my mind and my perspective. Getting back on course is possible once I first recognize that my thoughts do not reflect God’s truths. The Bible tells us we can demolish those thoughts that are against God and take all thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) I can change my thoughts and renew my mind by learning and recalling what God says about me and Himself in His Word. Christine Caine asserts, “To do what God has called us to do and be who He made us to be, we need to let His Words frame our thoughts, influence our hearts, and be the power that propels us forward.” The more His truths become ingrained in our hearts and minds, the less likely we are to get tripped up by that which contradicts His Word. We are less likely to believe the lies of Satan when we are living out the truths of Christ in our daily lives. We will notice a little misstep sooner, and correct our thinking, before we go very far in the wrong direction. This is living a life transformed by the Word of God!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Acceptable Worship!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship IX Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship IX Day 6 Acceptable Worship

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:1-2
Isaiah 58:3-10
John 4:23-24
James 1:22-25

Worship IX, Day 6

In the days before COVID, there were 350,000 congregations in the United States  and  less than 24% of members attended worship service on a weekly basis.
I wonder, has our worship become ritualistic?
What does worship mean to us, and is it acceptable to God?

The word worship comes from an Old English word, “weorpscip,” which means “to give worth to.” In a biblical context, the Hebrew word for worship is shachah, which means to depress, to fall down, or to lay prostrate before a deity; these are the physical manifestations of holding God in reverence, honor, and esteem. A right understanding of how God is infinitely greater and forever worthy of our humble adoration is the place to begin true worship.

When God imparted the Ten Commandments to Moses, He rightly began by mandating He alone would be the focus of Israel’s worship. (Exodus 20:1-3) The Israelites began to worship, in part, through offering sacrifices; the sacrifices were looking ahead to when the Messiah would come as the ultimate sacrifice.

Today, we worship by honoring God and presenting our lives
as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him.
(Romans 12:1)

As early as the second generation of humankind, God emphasized the importance of acceptable worship. Cain and Abel brought offerings before the Lord, but Cain’s offering was rejected, while Abel’s was received. (Genesis 4:3-7) How we worship matters!

During the time of the prophet Isaiah, God made clear the worship the Israelites offered to Him was not acceptable. He knew they were in a spiritual stupor, with hearts blind and deaf to God’s leading. (Isaiah 29:9-16) With elaborate public demonstrations of worship, they appeared to be receiving the word of God, but the true content of what they received had no impact on them.

Their lives were unchanged, and their worship was meaningless. (Isaiah 58:3-10)

In Hosea 6:6, God explains,
“For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Yet, even in Jesus’ day, the Pharisees (religious leaders) displayed the same affinity for empty rituals. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus states, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.”

Over time, rituals have been built into modern Christian faith; even in denominations without explicit rituals, many churches follow a format categorized as “ritualistic.” To be clear, the problem doesn’t usually lie in rituals or traditions themselves; the problem lies in our hearts, when we check a “religious duty” box, but our spirits remain far from God and our day-to-day lives reflect nothing of Him. Our fallen natures crave the explicit simplicity of performance over the messy, slow change inherent in responding to God’s transforming work in our spirits.

Yet worship in spirit, and in truth, is the acceptable worship God desires.
John 4:23-24 reveals, “But an hour is coming, and now is here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth.”

Are we focusing on the message and truth of Jesus Christ?
Are we engaging, with both our hearts and our heads, in preparation for worship?
Do we have strong affections for God, rooted in truth?

Consider Isaiah’s response to encountering the Living God in Isaiah 6:5:
“Then I said, ‘Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Armies.’” 

Having seen God in holiness, Isaiah confessed his own sin and was cleansed.
Repentance is a necessary part of acceptable worship.

Peter had a similar reaction in Luke 5:8 when he encountered Christ, falling to his knees and crying, “Go away from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord!” Our sins are ugly when compared to God’s beauty and righteousness.
Acceptable worship includes confession and mourning of sin,
and bold declaration of our desperate need for God’s grace and mercy.

Sisters, let’s evaluate our hearts with honesty and vulnerability.
Like the Israelites of Isaiah’s time, of Hosea’s time, of Jesus’ time, have we become locked into the well-trod and self-deceiving way of empty talk and performance?
Are we hearing and responding to the word of God?

James 1:22 exhorts us, “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

In what ways is God challenging us to offer acceptable worship to Him?

Is He calling us to confession and repentance?

Is He asking us to come away from distractions and turn our hearts to Him, so we can hear His voice?

Is He waiting for us to respond to His leading, partnering with His transforming Spirit to make change in the small, daily spaces of our lives?

For here, in the Spirit-empowered daily rejection of sin’s pull and embrace of the way of Jesus, acceptable worship is discovered.

Be encouraged, sisters, for though the work is hard, the worshiper who strives to live a life that truly glorifies and honors God will uncover an inexhaustible resource of power and purpose God reserves for His true worshipers.

“For those who honor Me I will honor.” (1 Samuel 2:30)

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The GT Weekend! ~ Worship IX Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) “Sisters, let us offer our Great God true worship; a heart humbled before Him and a life surrendered to Him.” Many of us, when we think of worship, mostly consider the music we sing at church. But a biblical examination of the idea of worship shows us that true worship is intended to permeate every part of our lives. We ought to have a posture of worship before God at all times, rejoicing, serving, and honoring Him even when we may not feel like it. This obedience is a sacrifice of praise to our great God. Samson chose to dishonor the call of God on his life. He broke every part of his holy vow, doing instead what he selfishly desired. If you have believed in the Lord Jesus, you have been called to holiness and righteous worship. How are you stewarding your call? In what areas (relationships, thought life, habits, attitudes) do you need to grow in holiness as you turn over sinful desires to be ruled by Christ? How is God prompting you to offer up your life as a “living sacrifice”? Write down two clear steps you can take today to move toward growth in your call to holy worship, and ask the Lord to strengthen you in your completion of those steps.

2) The prophet Daniel was upright and devout. He was so righteous that the only accusation his enemies could bring against him was that he worshiped his God above the earthy rulers. Daniel worshiped God when his very life was at stake. He did not know God would close the mouths of the lions around him, he simply honored God as he always had, and God honored him. I don’t know about you, but I have never been threatened with death for worshiping the Lord, yet I have been persuaded to become lax in my worship in exchange for far lesser loves. How are you worshiping the Lord today? How might you continue in steadfast worship to Him? What in your life has been holding you back from worship, and what steps do you need to take to eliminate those hindrances? Do you feel your worship is characterized by habit or whole-heart adoration? Perhaps you could consider paring down your commitments and social engagements, or waking up a bit earlier in the morning to give attention to true worship. It may look like setting up screen time restrictions on your phone or committing to worship God during parts of your day when you would otherwise seek entertainment. Ask God to show you how you can be faithful to worship Him with your whole life.

3) For the Christ-follower, worship is intended as an all-encompassing attitude and way of life. Our words, actions, and every breath should be offered in submission to the God of the universe. The prophet Ezekiel may be best know for the many visions he was given by God, but God also required him to do things before the people that would have been incredibly humiliating. Instead of arguing with God, Ezekiel submitted and did what was required of him. Consider what whole-hearted surrender and obedience to God might look like in your life. Is there an instruction in Scripture you know you ought to obey, but have been hesitant to follow because of how it might look like to people around you? Is there something the Lord has been laying on your heart to do, but you haven’t because of the discomfort or tension it might bring into your life? Are there “rights” you are holding onto that He is asking you to lay down in order to serve Him whole-heartedly? How can you display trust in God through worshiping Him? Seek His face and commit your way to holy obedience. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 95:3-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For the Lord is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
The depths of the earth are in His hand,
and the mountain peaks are His.
The sea is His; He made it.
His hands formed the dry land.
Come, let’s worship and bow down;
let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture,
the sheep under His care.

Prayer Journal
Heavenly Father, You are worthy to receive all glory, honor, and power. You are worthy of every praise I could ever offer. You are Creator, Sustainer, and King of all the world, and You allow me to enter into Your presence. My words feel insufficient. My life feels unremarkable. Yet You desire my worship, feeble though it may be. Forgive me for my forgetful heart, for when I want to go my own way instead of surrendering to You. Help me to look to the saints of old who stood steadfast in the midst of trials. Help me to be like Daniel, upright in character and faithful in prayer. Help me to be humble like Ezekiel, willing to sacrifice comfort and reputation to worship You. Help me to live in accordance with Your call to holiness on my life. I surrender my plans to You. Empower me, oh Lord, to live my life as a sacrifice of praise, for I am unable to do so in my own strength.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Worship IX Day 5 Holiness & Humility

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 8:1-18
Psalm 24:3-10
Romans 12:1-2
Psalm 95:6-11

Worship IX, Day 5

For far too many years, I sat on the sidelines of Sunday morning worship. While the people around me lifted their hands and wiped away tears, I shifted uncomfortably, praising the Lord with my lips but questioning Him in my heart.

It took me years to confront the disconnect I experienced. When I finally did, the Holy Spirit revealed that my inability to connect with a hymn on Sunday morning was merely a symptom of a much larger heart issue. A heart issue that was affecting not only my ability to worship God with my words, but my ability to worship Him with my life.

Throughout the pages of Scripture, we learn God never intended worship to be confined to a fifteen-minute interval during a Sunday morning church service. Instead, worship was meant to be an all-encompassing attitude and way of life! We were meant to worship God with every act of our body (Romans 12:1), every word of our mouth (Hebrews 13:15-16), and the very breath in our lungs (Psalm 116:2).

Worship, in its purest form, is living our lives completely surrendered to, and in step with, God. This requires both holiness and humility.  Through the story of Ezekiel, we see how powerfully God will use a life fully surrendered to Him, and how devastating it is when we choose pride and sin instead.

A Look at Ezekiel

I love the opening lines of Ezekiel, as they set our scene much like a play. In them, we find Ezekiel sitting alone on the banks of the Kebar River, which runs through the land of Babylon. In the very first verse, we learn this day is Ezekiel’s 30th birthday. As a member of the Levite tribe, this should have marked the year Ezekiel was initiated into his priestly duties (Numbers 4:2-3); instead, he is denied his destiny and lives in exile, thousands of miles from Jerusalem and the Lord’s Temple.

While Ezekiel is sitting on the riverbank, imagining all that should have been, the Spirit of the Lord seizes him and Ezekiel experiences a vision. (Ezekiel 1:2) In his vision, Ezekiel sees God, sitting on His throne, set upon a sparkling crystal platform. The platform is propelled by four turning wheels and held up by four fearsome creatures he later identifies as Cherubim. From within His cloud glory, the Lord speaks to Ezekiel, who is to be called into God’s service after all; this time, as a prophet and messenger to His people, the Nation of Israel. (Ezekiel 1:4-2:2)

The Lord’s Indictment

Fast forwarding to Ezekiel 8, we see the Spirit of God transporting Ezekiel back to God’s Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Once there, he is taken on a tour, where a guide shows him scene after scene of Israelites worshiping other gods and performing sickening pagan rituals in the very house of God.

This flagrant display of sin and pride not only incurs God’s righteous wrath and jealousy, it actually forces the Lord out from the temple and pushes His presence away from His people. (Ezekiel 10:18)

Angered and heartbroken (Ezekiel 6:9), God calls Ezekiel to warn Israel of the destruction they are bringing upon themselves. He instructs Ezekiel to put on a series of prophetic plays before all the people in exile. Many of these ‘plays’ demand Ezekiel endures a level of humiliation and suffering, laying on one side and then the other, bound for months on end (Ezekiel 4:4-8), eating bread which had been baked over cow dung (Ezekiel 4:9-15), and shaving his head and beard (Ezekiel 5:1-4). Fully surrendered to the will of God, Ezekiel obeys God’s call on his life and body, faithfully demonstrating true worship in the face of the blazen idolatry among his kinsmen.

What This Means For Us

The book of Ezekiel serves as a sober warning to the people of God, as well as a reminder of what true worship requires.

Worship requires an intimacy, a closeness with God that can only be achieved through holiness. Because our Holy God cannot be in the presence of sin, we must purify our hearts and hands in order to draw near to Him. (Psalm 24:3-4)

For the Nation of Israel, holiness was earned by strictly adhering to God’s Laws and regularly performing animal sacrifices. As modern-day Chrisitans, however, holiness is not something we achieve on our own. Instead, it is imputed to us by Christ, as He covers us through His sacrifice on the cross and washes us in His blood if we will surrender to His love.

Worship requires humility, a willingness to lay down our pride, our rights, and our very lives at the feet of the only One who is worthy of all praise. In this place, nothing is off limits to God, as we live fully surrendered and available to His call.

As I look back on those years where my love for God was stifled, I can see the sin and pride choking my heart. Just as He did through Ezekiel, God called out the darkness in my life and drew me back to Him through an attitude of holiness and humility. Sisters, I invite all of us to live every day in surrendered worship to Him, for through God’s great mercy, He will peel back the layers of death surrounding us and regain our hearts for Him!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship IX Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship IX!

Worship IX Day 4 Trust & Obedience: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Trust & Obedience!

The Questions

1) How could God let exile happen? (verses 1-2)

2) Why is it significant that Daniel records Nebuchadnezzar putting God’s vessels “in the treasury of his god”? (verse 2)

3) How can we fight against an idolatrous culture? (verses 3-8)

Daniel 1:1-8

In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. 2 The Lord handed King Jehoiakim of Judah over to him, along with some of the vessels from the house of God. Nebuchadnezzar carried them to the land of Babylon, to the house of his god, and put the vessels in the treasury of his god.

3 The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility—4 young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. 5 The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to attend the king. 6 Among them, from the Judahites, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief eunuch gave them names; he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah.

8 Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief eunuch not to defile himself.

Original Intent

1) How could God let exile happen? (verses 1-2)
Finally, after years of prophecy, and countless opportunities to repent, the Lord God brings about His righteous, just, loving, discipline upon His beloved, chosen people, Israel. It was the “third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim” (verse 1) when God divinely appointed King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to lay siege to Jerusalem and so capture Judah, bringing into captivity. The prophet Jeremiah had spent years (Jeremiah 1:1-3) spreading the very unpopular message from God that He would allow His people to be captured and exiled by a foreign, godless ruler. The Lord said of His people, “You live in a world of deception. In their deception they refuse to know Me. This is the Lord’s declaration.” (Jeremiah 9:6, emphasis mine) No doubt about it, according to Daniel’s preserved and inspired words of God, it was indeed the Lord who handed over the Southern Kingdom of Israel, known as Judah, to be carried off into exile. “The Lord handed King Jehoiakim over…”. (verse 2) It wasn’t Nebuchadnezzar’s ideas and purposes, it was the Lord God’s intentional design to fulfill His purposes. Rebellion from God and His holy ways brings consequence from the Lord because He simply loves us too much to leave us where we are in our state of rebellion. The Lord states through Jeremiah, “Should I not punish them for these things? This is the Lord’s declaration. Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?” (Jeremiah 9:9) The obvious answer to this rhetorical question is yes! How could a just God continue to allow injustices against Him? How could a loving God continue to permit such deep rebellion against those who are called by His name to be a people for His divine purposes? Praise God for His discipline and conviction! How dangerous to harden our hearts and continue pressing against Him!

2) Why is it significant that Daniel records Nebuchadnezzar putting God’s vessels “in the treasury of his god”? (verse 2)
God’s chosen people were carried off to exile for 70 years in a foreign land and everything about their culture was left in ruins. The epicenter of their life as God’s people, the temple, was utterly demolished. Even the holy articles, which had been dedicated specifically for God’s purposes in worship, were stolen away for defilement in the house of Nebuchadnezzar’s false god. The prophet Samuel records of this looting, “He (King Nebuchadnezzar) also carried off from there all the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king’s palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that King Solomon of Israel had made for the Lord’s sanctuary, just as the Lord had predicted.” (2 Kings 24:13) The sobering reality was that Israel’s rebellious rejection of the One True God, opened the door for the enemy, Satan, to use Israel for idolatrous purposes. What a picture it gave the Jewish people to know that their “holy articles” were being used for idol worship. What a fitting mirror the Lord provided. His people, His holy people, had rebelled against Him by worshipping idols and given themselves over to enemy purposes.

3) How can we fight against an idolatrous culture? (verses 3-8)
The Babylonians were quick to assimilate the exiles into their idolatrous culture. The Jews were given Babylonians names and were forced into new traditions, language, religious rituals, and food offered to idols. Much of the newness ran in direct opposition to how God had called Israel to live because He had crafted them as a nation “set apart” for Him to reflect His holiness. (Exodus 19:5-6) Even their names were meant to honor false idols. The new culture should have repulsed the Judahites at every turn because it was now unavoidable to realize how they had been living in blatant defilement of the Holy God. Of all the young men taken as captives and selected to serve the king, only Daniel felt convicted and emboldened to stand against what he knew was a dishonor to Yahweh. BUT, just as sin has rippling effects, so do actions taken solidly against the enemy. What started with one brave request from Daniel to not eat food offered to idols, also encouraged his three friends to also stand against the cultural flood washing over them. Daniel and his friends stood firm and the Lord blessed them with strength, vitality, wisdom, and favor with the king. (Daniel 1:17-20)

Everyday Application

1) How could God let exile happen? (verses 1-2)
The Lord’s words through Jeremiah, which would become reality for Daniel and his peers, should make us all shake in awareness of our own sinful rebellion against God. Jeremiah’s words were written to Judah, not us. There is no pending capture from another powerful nation coming for us divinely prophesied in Jeremiah and Daniel. However, the warning about sin and its consequence is still meant for our hearts in this moment. Our sin, every single one, is a blatant offense to a righteous and blameless God. Every selfish thought, lustful look, “white lie”, and angry action (yes, even those hand motions) make us “unholy”, therefore unfit to be in God’s presence. Which means we cannot “go to Heaven when we die”. We don’t “get God’s favor” because we did something nice. In fact, no amount of “good things” we do will compensate for even a single sin. (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:23) Wow, that’s bad news! Just as God warned Judah that His justice would come, so can we be assured His justice will come for us when we die. (Matthew 12:36, Romans 6:23) God cannot become unjust and ignore our sin. (2 Corinthians 5:10) BUT. Neither can He be unloving. (1 John 4:16) His extravagant love paid the price for our rebellion, which is a curse by God and eternal death. Jesus, God Himself, paid this price when He died on the cross. (Galatians 3:3) Precisely because Jesus IS God, He was raised to life by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:11) and conquered death for us that we might have His righteousness in exchange for our filth of sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Astounding!! THIS is good news! Acknowledging our rebellion against God, asking forgiveness, then proving we have been made new by being baptized and following Jesus for the rest of our lives is God’s invitation for us. Will we harden our hearts, like Judah did, and be carried off by our rebellion, or will we repent and come home to be with Him? (John 14:23)

2) Why is it significant that Daniel records Nebuchadnezzar putting God’s vessels “in the treasury of his god”? (verse 2)
The rippling effects of rebellion often include innocent bystanders. The enemy of our souls, Satan, is always strategizing to steal, kill, and destroy all good things. (John 10:10) When sin, or the effects of sin in our fallen world, destroy things, people, or relationships it can feel like God is nowhere to be found. We feel as if God has either lost control, doesn’t care, or never really had control in the first place. Each of these fears and emotional thoughts must be sifted through the unchanging truth of Scripture. If God can ordain a worm to consume a plant and not even a sparrow dies without Him knowing, and allowing, that death, then God has never once been absent. (Jonah 4:7, Matthew 10:29) There are no small coincidences, and no major incidences, beyond the intimate involvement of a sovereign, infinitely loving God. All things are held together through Him. (Colossians 1:17) The psalmist sings the truth, “You are good, and You do what is good…” (Psalm 119:68, emphasis mine) The New Testament preacher, Paul, famously penned, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) If God only does good things. If all things are under His complete control. Then, despite sin’s damaging effects on our world and our lives, anything evil can be redeemed for good things in us to bring God glory. Spend time praying over the broken and absent things in your life, asking God to teach you to trust Him, to wait on His timing, and keep obeying while you worship.

3) How can we fight against an idolatrous culture? (verses 3-8)
The enemy will use any means possible to accomplish his purposes of death to all things good and holy and set apart for God. (1 Peter 5:8) Just think of a few things that are honoring to God and designed for good, then think of the many ways those things are attacked and marred by sin. Marriages given over to strife, abuse, abandonment, and divorce. Friendships sabotaged by selfishness, haughty spirits, and gossip. Even something as simple as food can become a weapon of gluttony in the enemy’s hand. Make a short list of the God-honoring things in your life. How are they most often threatened by sin’s destructive defilement? The sweet assurance of Christ and His victory reminds us that we are not helpless bystanders in the ravages of the enemy. Paul reminded Timothy, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgement.” (2 Timothy 1:7) The apostle Peter encouraged believers who were fighting against enemy threats and defilement of holiness by saying, “Resist him (the devil), firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.” (1 Peter 5:8) When we remember that we are not alone in this fight against the enemy, we are encouraged to stand firm and take up the battle gear God has supplied. (Ephesians 6:11-18) Before going to bed tonight, read through the armor of God in Ephesians 6, and prayerfully take your bold stand against the enemy! God used Daniel’s determination to not be defiled for eternally good purposes, even within a secular and unbelieving nation. What might the Lord do with your determined heart to refuse to bow to cultural popularity and instead stand firm on truth?

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Worship IX Day 3 Trust & Obedience

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Daniel 1:1-8
Daniel 6:1-28
Romans 12:1-2
1 Peter 2:11-12

Worship IX, Day 3

When you think of worship, what comes to mind?

For many, including myself, the first thing is probably music or singing. It’s a common way to express our worship, and it is certainly something often featured in the Bible, but it’s not the full picture.

Scripture speaks of worship as a response to God that goes far beyond the words we sing. We are called to worship not only with our voices, but with our lives.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.” (Romans 12:1)

One great example of living worship is Daniel.

Exiled to Babylon, far from Israel’s home, in a place where everything was different from food to language, to culture, to his new name, and the false gods they worshipped, “Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank.” (Daniel 1:8)

From the beginning of his time as a captive in a foreign land, Daniel is intentional about honouring God. As his story unfolds, his commitment is demonstrated both in his small everyday choices and in his response to major, even life-threatening, situations.

In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar has a puzzling dream and insists his astrologers tell him not only the meaning of the dream, but also its content. It’s an impossible task, which leads him to order the execution of all his wise men until Daniel steps in.

Responding “with tact and discretion” (Daniel 2:14), Daniel asks for more time and immediately turns to God. On receiving the answer he needs, he is careful to honour God as he stands before the king.

“No wise man, medium, magician, or diviner is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days.” (Daniel 2:27-28)

As Daniel’s story continues, we see his first allegiance is always to God. He is respectful to each of the kings of Babylon, but he is unwilling to compromise on matters of faith, and he is bold in speaking truth even when it isn’t what the king wants to hear.

Perhaps Daniel’s biggest challenge comes many years into his time in Babylon. By this time, his life of worship to God has won him a great deal of respect. He is viewed as trustworthy and highly capable, and when King Darius takes the throne, Daniel is promoted. However, his success has also stirred up jealousy and resentment among others who serve the king.

Recognizing his faith is the only way to accuse Daniel, they persuade the king to make a law stating that for 30 days, all who pray to any god or person other than the king must be thrown into the lions’ den. It is a huge test of Daniel’s faith and obedience, but it doesn’t appear to take Daniel long to work out how to respond.

“When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upstairs room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” (Daniel 6:10)

Daniel’s obedience worships God by expressing trust in His sovereignty. He knows the consequences of his actions could be severe, but he chooses to honour God by continuing to pray as he has always done, leaving the outcome in God’s hands.

In this case, God miraculously rescues Daniel, but his faith does not depend on a miracle; it is firmly rooted in God’s character. His attitude is the same as that expressed by three of his fellow-Jews on facing a similar threat:

“If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” (Daniel 3:17)

Their determination, and Daniel’s, is to worship God and honour Him no matter what, and we see this expressed in their faithful obedience.

While we may not face a lions’ den or a blazing furnace, we are, in a sense, “strangers and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11) here on earth, and we will face challenges as we live out our faith among unbelievers. Daniel’s example shows the importance of faithful, everyday worship in preparing us for those moments when we may have to take a stand, and it also illustrates the impact our actions can have in glorifying God and drawing others to worship Him!

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Worship IX Day 2 The Great Experience: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions

1) What does it mean to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice”? How is this “true worship”? (verse 1)

2) What is the difference between being conformed and being transformed? (verse 2)

3) Why is it important to understand God’s will; is it even possible? (verse 2)

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice”? How is this “true worship”? (verse 1)
It’s important to keep a couple of things in mind as we work our way through this passage. First, the book of Romans is a letter written by the apostle Paul to house churches in Rome. Paul is teaching these new believers how to live out their daily lives following Jesus. In saying, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice”, Paul’s meaning is to “worship God with all you’ve got – head to toe”. Worshiping just one God was a relatively new thing for Roman citizens as it was common to worship many gods. (Acts 17:22-23) There are a couple of clues in the first verse that can help us dig a little deeper. The first word is “Therefore” meaning that what follows is referring back to what was already stated. Hint: Anytime you read therefore in Scripture, it should prompt you to read the previous section to pick up the author’s meaning. If we go back a few verses to Romans 11:33-36, we read a short hymn of praise where Paul is reflecting on God’s greatness. He sings in verse 33 “Oh, the depth of the riches of both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”. Paul is leading these readers to think about what they have learned about Jesus and worship Him with their entire lives. It’s also important to remember that “whole life worship” wasn’t a new idea; numerous references in the Old Testament speak of the call to all-consuming worship. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) God designed us to love and worship Him with that we’ve got!

2) What is the difference between being conformed and being transformed? (verse 2)
Let’s look at the original language and its definitions for these two words to help our outstanding. First, “conformed” in Greek is “syschematizo’‘ meaning “to fashion or shape one thing like another”. In this context, Paul chose syschematizo to convey living in such a way as “to be or act like everyone else”. The Greek word for “transformed” is “metamorphoo”, which literally means to “change forms, or undergo a complete change under the power of God in character or conduct”. This leads us right back to the idea of “whole life worship” that Paul is pressing upon his readers. These believers’ lives should look radically different than the everyday lives of Roman citizens who didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. Paul wrote a very similar instruction to the church in Ephesus, “take off your former way of life” and “be renewed in the Spirit in your minds”. (Ephesians 4:20-23) Paul is encouraging the early church in Rome to confidently know they are on the right track of following Jesus when their everyday lives didn’t match with non-believers’ lives.

3) Why is it important to understand God’s will; is it even possible? (verse 2)
Once we give our lives to Jesus, we’ve relinquished our desires to Christ. Our lives now exist in Jesus and His will for us. (Colossians 3:3) Abandoning ourselves to Christ requires denial of self and daily surrender to His will above our own. This was just as true and important for the original readers of this letter as it is for us today. Paul urges his readers to give their entire lives including body, mind, and soul, over to God. The Lord intends us to follow Him while holding nothing back but instead fully surrendering our all to Him. Paul calls this “true worship” which means that part of worshiping Jesus is trusting Him with our everything. For the original readers, knowing and understanding God’s will for their lives would have been a new concept. They didn’t grow up hearing or being taught to live by God’s will. They likely worshiped many gods and their worship was primarily centered on offering the right sacrifices to the right god at the right time. Now Paul instructs them to give themselves as an act of worship by surrendering the entirety of their common, everyday moments to the One True God. Worshiping God wholeheartedly naturally positions us to not only be discerning of God’s will for our lives, but also leads us to increasingly desire the Lord’s ways while His Spirit equips us with courage to obey Christ as Lord.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice”? How is this “true worship”? (verse 1)
Our application today is much the same as it was for the churches in Rome; we are to be “all in” for Jesus every single day. The same head-to-toe whole life worship is how we, as Jesus followers, are urged to live. There is another word in this verse we should carefully consider as we study the idea of “whole life worship”; sacrifice. We may not be as familiar with this concept today as the Romans were, so let’s return to its original language and meaning. The Greek word for sacrifice is “thusia”, primarily meaning “an offering”. Interestingly, this is the same word used to describe when Jesus “sacrificed” Himself on the cross. This way of life that Paul urges us to choose is one of complete offering, and total surrender of ourselves to Jesus. In a way when we choose to live this way, we are saying “Here is my entire life, Jesus; all my hopes, dreams, desires, successes, failures, and my physical life itself. I’m giving it all to You to do with as you please and direct.” It’s easy to see why Paul calls this “true worship”. Sacrificial living isn’t something we can, or should, do on a whim, for it takes determination, humility, and prayer to be successful. Living “all in” for Jesus will not be easy. Jesus says it Himself in Matthew 7:14, “…difficult is the road that leads to life, few will find it.” But, if we are willing, Jesus will take our meager sacrifice of whole life worship and accomplish His amazing work through us! (2 Corinthians 12:9)

2) What is the difference between being conformed and being transformed? (verse 2)
Being conformed and transformed are two completely different ways of living. Let’s go back and take another look at Ephesians 4:20-32 for practical applications on how to live transformed. I love Paul’s wording here, he makes it so easy to understand and I’ve added my own paraphrase as well. “Put away (just get rid of it) lying, don’t give the devil an opportunity, don’t steal, but do honest work, watch your language, encourage and build others up. Let go (I imagine singing “let it go” from Frozen when I read these words!) of anger, bitterness, shouting and slander. Forgive others just like Jesus forgave you.” (my paraphrase) I’ll be honest enough to admit that conforming is much easier many times. Not many people today want to stand out or be different, especially when doing so makes you unpopular and, in some cases, an easy target for ridicule. Living a life transformed by Jesus however, is fueled by a strength that is not from ourselves but from His Spirit living inside us. Jesus says in John 14:18 and 26, “I will not leave you as orphans, I am coming to you” and “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit will be sent to you and will teach you everything in my name.” We are called to live transformed lives, but we are NOT called to do it on our own; we have God’s own Spirit living within us! What new ground will you confidently take in your life as you press against being conformed to the world and transformed by Christ?!

3) Why is it important to understand God’s will; is it even possible? (verse 2)
Understanding God’s will is one of those things we often make harder than God designed. From the very beginning of Genesis in the Bible, we learn that God created man to be dependent on Him. Full of pride, however, mankind chose independence over dependence and we’ve been fighting that same battle over and over again ever since the Garden of Eden. God’s will for each of us is that we live completely surrendered and fully dependent on Him while enjoying Him forever. Remember earlier when we talked about how truly worshipping God means entrusting our entire lives to Him? This means we don’t need to know or understand the details. Yes, I get how hard this is, especially for those of us who like to have a well-thought-out plan with bullet points for tracking and checking stuff off as we finish. Being really honest, I’d also like to have a backup plan, just in case, but this isn’t how God works. He gives us exactly what we need, precisely when we need it. When teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus says, “give us today our daily bread”. (Matthew 6:11) He doesn’t tell us to ask Him for everything we need for next month while showing us where and how to get it. He instructs us to simply ask, then trust Him to provide. Yes, we need to pray and seek God’s will and direction for our lives, but we can’t allow ourselves to get bogged down in needing all the details. Our primary job is to honor Him with whole life worship.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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