worship

Maintaining the Connection

Summertime is in full swing, and with it the tendency for families to drift from closeness within the church because of family travel and activities. Here are a few suggestions to help maintain that connection. I will use the term “home church” for convenience and lack of a better one. Resolve that you will be…

In Season, Out of Season

On his second missionary journey, Paul came to the city of Philippi. There, while worshiping by the river, he met and baptized Lydia. But not all in Philippi listened to Paul and he was falsely accused of “troubling the city” (Acts 16:20). Beaten and thrown into prison, Paul and Silas did not let persecution stop…

Lest We Think God Doesn’t Care About How We Worship

[531 words] Worship is vital to the church. Reading the New Testament, we find the church coming together for worship each Lord’s day (Acts 20:7) and Christians being encouraged not to fall into a habit of being absent (Hebrews 10:25). We find that worship was regulated and that God, through the inspired writers, gave five…

Straying

[264 words] Recently I was asked the following question: “We are in a different time, yes, we serve the same God. However if our worship is sincere, yet strays from the old days, is that somehow less pleasing before God? I think not!” How would you answer this question? We do live in “a different…

Something Special About That Day

[329 words] “Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7). Note the time: the first day of the week. Note the purpose: to break bread (the Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians…

Worship or Entertainment?

[387 words] Neil Postman described serious problems in modern culture in his insightful 1985 book, Amusing Ourselves to Death. His thesis was that public discourse has been reshaped to such an extent by television and entertainment that thoughtful discourse is missing. “Show business” hype has affected advertising, politics, and religion. Postman’s conclusion is that none…

Shall or May

Johnny Botts talks about his job as a police officer. In his line of duty “shall” and “may” are important words. Certain laws require an arrest or a ticket to be issued by the police. These laws use the word “shall” to indicate the requirement. Other laws use the word “may.” These laws allow discretion…

Don’t Stay Away from Worship!

Because you are poor. There is no admission charge. Because you are rich. Money is not everything. Because it rains. You go to work, school and shopping in the rain. Because it is cold. It is warm and friendly inside. Because it is hot. So are fishing and attending ballgames and golfing. Because no one…

Who Are You Worshiping?

Henry Ward Beecher, the famous pulpit orator, once had to be absent and his brother was invited to speak for him. The church house was crowded, but when it became evident that the eloquent Henry Beecher was not going to appear, many started to leave. Beecher’s brother was not disturbed. He stood up before the…

Dumb Idols and Foolish Men

In Psalm 115 the psalmist is rightly critical of those who put their trust in man made idols. He says that men have created, by the works of their own hands, gods of silver and gold. They have mouths, but they do not speak. They have eyes, but they do not see. They have ears,…

Pickles

[231 words] I don’t like pickles. Any pickles, all pickles. I don’t like sour pickles, sweet pickles, dill pickles, hot pickles…I don’t like pickles. Every time I order a hamburger, I say, “no pickles,” because I don’t like pickles! However, I am given pickles often. Sometimes I send them back and say “I ordered NO…

Only By God’s Word?

[216 words] “In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there” (1 Kings 22:43). Jehoshaphat did what was…

What a Day That Will Be!

[211 words] Some years ago Paul Harvey reported that a poll indicated just 27.4 percent of the people in this country attend worship services at least once a week. That’s slightly more than one-fourth! There are many legitimate things such as illness, health, necessary work, and other things that can prevent us from attending worship.…

Opportunities and Connections

As a family will sit around a dinner table, they will grab hands to say the prayer for the meal. A connection is made in that brief moment that brings them closer together. Each holding a hand, grasped in union with each other and with God—the Father, Son, and Spirit. As a family, they know…

A Message from the Devil

Dear Members and Friends of the Church, I secretly visited your Bible classes recently and was overjoyed to see that so many of you had not come. I heard some lessons that were not very well prepared and others teachers said no visits had been made during the week. I was simply delighted! It thrilled…

Who Do You Worship?

Henry Ward Beecher, the famous pulpit orator, once had to be absent and his brother was invited to speak for him. The church house was crowded, but when it became evident that the eloquent Henry Beecher was not going to appear, many started to leave. Beecher’s brother was not disturbed. He stood up before the…

Maintaining the Connection

Summertime is in full swing, and with it the tendency for families to drift from closeness within the church because of family travel and activities. Here are a few suggestions to help maintain that connec- tion. I will use the term “home church” for convenience and lack of a better one. Resolve that you will…

Am I Glad To Be In God’s House?

Recently in our worship on Sunday evening, I listened to a prayer of a senior saint asking God to help us come to a time when our attendance was equal at all services. It’s been a while since I heard such a prayer and desire expressed before the Father. Why is there such a disparity?…

Worship God

Twice in the revelation given to him, John is reminded to “worship God” (Rev. 19:10; 22:9). Too many Christians focus more on self than on God in worship. We should never depart from the true purpose of our worship: honoring God. Take a look at the prescribed elements of worship and note how they all…

Bring Those Babies to Church

My heart goes out to the parents of small children. l know first hand the kind of problems they face (and my wife knows even better). Training up a toddler in the way he should go is a constant job, a continuous battle, a seven-day-a-week task, not to mention an awesome responsibility. After six days…
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