Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Talk Tuesday-The HOLY SPIRIT Series; How Should We Worship?

Last week we left off with the question, 'What does it mean to worship GOD in spirit and in truth?' JESUS told the Samaritan woman that, “24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth,” John 4:24, NKJV.

The word used in Greek is προσκυνέω proskyneō, which means, “to worship, pay homage, show reverence, to kneel down (before),” (The STRONGEST STRONG's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible written by James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D., fully revised and corrected by John R. Kohlenberger III and James A. Swanson, published by Zondervan, 2001: Grand Rapids, Michigan). Moses instructs the Israelites on how to worship by summing it up in one sentence, “5 You must love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength,” Deuteronomy 6:5, NJB. This is repeated by JESUS in the Gospel accounts of Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27 and Mark 12:30.

Worship is a condition of the heart and a way of life that honours GOD above all else. It begins with a love for GOD rooted in reverence, adoration, thankfulness and obedience. We cannot worship GOD without the Holy Spirit because it is the HOLY SPIRIT that teaches us truth and enables us to live it out.

JESUS says, “13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth,” John 16:13, NKJV. The Apostle Paul states, “16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,” Galatians 5:16, NIV. “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control,” Galatians 5:22-23, NIV.

It is important to listen to the voice of the HOLY SPIRIT in order to worship GOD by obeying Him and walking in His truth. GOD has a plan and a purpose for our lives, and it is only through faith in the SAVING WORK OF JESUS CHRIST, and by the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT that we will be able to know it and accomplish it. So, exactly what is the HOLY SPIRIT? Join us next week as we introduce Him from both the Old and New Testaments.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Talk Tuesday-We Are Back!!!

Greetings to you all from BGO! We took a hiatus for an extended period of time, but we are back! Earlier on this year, we completed The JESUS SERIES. Our new series will focus on THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The times we are living in seem perilous. What does GOD require of His people? When JESUS met the Samaritan woman (see John Chapter 4), He spoke to her about how to WORSHIP.

“21 Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'” John 4:21-24, NKJV.

What does it mean to worship GOD is spirit and in truth? We live in a world where the perception of truth has become subjective. The Prophet Isaiah warns, “20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter,” Isaiah 5:20, NIV.

Join us next week as we explore the Word of GOD together, seeking to discover how we can TRULY worship GOD. Please continue to pray that the Word of GOD would be preached in the four corners of the earth. Scripture is unchangeable, powerful, alive and immoveable. “12 The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts more incisively than any two-edged sword: it can seek out the place where soul is divided from spirit, or joints from marrow; it can pass judgement on secret emotions and thoughts,” Hebrews 4:12, NJB. Please note all Scripture will be referenced from the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB), the New King James Version (NKJV) and the New International Version (NIV).

See you next week and blessings in Christ!