Let’s let NOTHING distract us or deter us from worshiping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, today. He is our EVERYTHING.

1 A wise child brings joy to his father…blessings crown the head of the righteous…the wages of the righteous is life…the lips of the righteous nourish many…the way of the LORD is a refuge for the blameless. vs 6, 16, 21, 29

What we are zealous about reveals who we truly worship.
Zealous– intensely devoted, eager, or enthusiastic; that which dominates our conscious thought.

Today, as we enter into our time of worship, whether at church or at home, may we consider about whom we are zealous. There are really only three choices: One is our heavenly Father, another is Satan, who is the god of this world, and the third is ourselves–which really is worshiping Satan because we live in rebellion against the heavenly Father (see Ephesians 2:1-3). Here’s what Jesus was zealous about,

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!” John 12:23, 27

Jesus was all about going to the cross for us. Why? So that He could break the power that sin and death had on our lives, so He could send His Spirit to live in our hearts, and so He could give us eternal life (beginning the moment His Spirit entered our lives). Now, tell me, are you THANKFUL?!!!

The only condition that the Holy Spirit deems worthy of entry into our lives is complete surrender and devotion. There must be a time in our lives when we pledged allegiance to our Lord and Savior, a total giving over of control of our lives to Him. For all time. There are those who trusted Christ to save them from their sins, but never gave Him their lives. It is my opinion that He is still standing at the threshold of their hearts waiting for two things: One is the deed to their lives, and the other is the Master key to every room in their hearts. What we are talking about is fealty, which is an old English term for the pledge of the people to their king. Everything about their lives was then controlled by him and dedicated to his service.

If every person who went to church (or watched online) were a Christian (a close follower of Christ, a true disciple), then why is the percentage of them who read their Bibles at least four times a week only 3%?

3% said they read the Bible four or more times a week,
10% said they read it “several times,”
and 9% said they read it once a week.
2020 State of the Bible

Is the Bible not our instruction manual for godly living? Is it not the source of who God is, His plan for humanity, and the account of our salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ? If we think we can please God without reading His Word, then we are confused and deceived or downright rebellious. God thought enough of us and His Plan to write it down for us to have in black and white. We don’t have to take anyone’s word for it; it’s there for us to read for ourselves! Not only that,

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword [a scalpel], it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

As we enter into our worship time today, let’s consider how God instructs us to come before Him:

¹ Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
² Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.
⁶ Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
⁷ for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care. Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7

Abba, as I stand before my congregation, may I be the Lead Worshiper rather than the Worship Leader. May I be the first to come to You in humility recognizing who You are and the high honor we have to even come before You! May I lead the people in praise, in testimony, and in prayer, O LORD, as we pledge ourselves to You and renew our devotion to You. May Your Holy Spirit bind our hearts together; may He speak to each of us encouraging us, consoling us, and urging us to stay in Your presence all week long, listening to Your voice, and following Your commands. We are Yours, heavenly Father. We follow You, Lord Jesus. We comply with Your prompting, Holy Spirit. We worship You in the splendor of Your holiness (Psalm 96:9). Amen.