How's Your Worship? - From His Heart - September 5
HOW'S YOUR WORSHIP?
Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Psalm 103:1
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. He was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement. Although a Hindu and not a Christian, Gandhi did study the New Testament and was moved by the Sermon on the Mount, especially. He was a smart man who had some amazing insights into people and societal ills.
Recently, I ran across Gandhi’s list of seven deadly social sins.
1. Politics without principle
2. Wealth without work
3. Commerce without morality
4. Pleasure without conscience
5. Education without character
6. Science without humanity
7. Worship without sacrifice
I think we would all have to agree that Gandhi was spot on with his list. As a society, I believe we are all guilty of committing all seven. Is it any wonder we are in the mess we are in? I think not.
WORSHIP FROM THE HEART
Although Gandhi, as a Hindu, did not worship the true God, he did understand about worship. Worship does involve sacrifice. The first mention of worship in the Bible is in Genesis 22. In that chapter, Abraham takes his son Isaac to Mount Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice to God in obedience to God’s clear command. It was the hardest thing Abraham ever had to do … to obey the voice of the Lord even to the point of sacrificing his dear son, Isaac, the son of promise and miracle birth.
And if you remember the story, this command from God was just a test to see if Abraham really loved and feared the Lord … and would do what He said, no matter what. (God intervened, and Abraham never plunged that drawn dagger into Isaac’s beating heart. Jehovah Jireh provided a ram caught in a thicket by his horns, a ram wearing a crown of thorns. Does it remind you of anyone who took your place and became your sacrifice so you could go free?)
As much as we may want to get around it, we cannot. Worship involves sacrifice. To worship God in a way that pleases Him, we must give Him our heart, first and foremost. Proverbs 23:26 says, “Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways.” We must willingly, lovingly sacrifice our heart on the altar. When He has our heart, everything else follows.
You see, God can have:
1. My money without my heart… but He cannot have my heart without my money.
2. My time without my heart… but He cannot have my heart without my time.
3. My service without my heart… but He cannot have my heart without my service.
It’s all about heart. I hope you will join me in making worship from the heart the priority of your life. As we do, everything else will follow, and God will be glorified.
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 182 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.
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