Friday, September 11, 2020

Reflection - Spiritual Habits - Worshipping Wholeheartedly

Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART II: SPIRITUAL HABITS, Chapter 14, "Worshipping Wholeheartedly", Question 1, Page 93.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 -
2012

 

Study the passages mentioned about the importance of relating to God wholeheartedly.
PHOTO: Study the passages mentioned about the importance of relating to God wholeheartedly.
God's Word repeatedly urges wholehearted love and obedience in our relationship with God.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5; see also Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).

"Serve the Lord with all your heart" (1 Samuel 12:20; see also Deuteronomy 10:12; 11:13; Joshua 22:5).

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13; see also Deuteronomy 4:29).

"I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart" (Psalm 138:1).

"Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart" (Psalm 119:34).

"Return to me with all your heart" (Joel 2:12).

"I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly" (Joshua 14:8).

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people" (Ephesians 6:7).

These are just a few passages in Scripture that emphasise the importance of relating to God with our whole hearts. It is not possible to follow Christ half-heartedly. After all, Christ said that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily if we are to follow Him (Luke 9:23).


Reflect on your own journey in the light of your study.
Whether we turn to the Lord, and love, obey, and serve Him wholeheartedly will be shown by how we worship God.

God could see through the half-hearted worship of the inhabitants of Israel after its fall to the Assyrians. "Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols" (2 Kings 17:41). These people were experts in multi-tasking! Even as they worshipped God, they were busy with their idols. Could this be happening today in our churches? How then would we worship God wholeheartedly?


Is there something that needs to be done to ensure that you are following Christ wholeheartedly?
Archbishop William Temple defined worship in a most helpful way. "For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His HOLINESS; the nourishment of mind with His TRUTH; the; purifying of imagination by His BEAUTY; the opening of the heart to His Love: the surrender of will to His PURPOSE - and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin."

We must note that worship focuses on God: His holiness, truth, beauty, love, and purpose. In worship, the spotlight falls on God as we behold His nature, character, actions, and will. By nature, we are self-centred people, infected with a stubborn and deadly sinfulness, and addicted to everything else except God. The solution and our only hope is not more of ourselves - our strengths, strategies, achievements, and ambitions. No, our true hope is to turn to God, who alone can save us. This means that our worship services must focus on God, and not on ourselves. He must increase and we must decrease (John 3:30).
Picture posted by Eirian-stock - Nymph II
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https://www.deviantart.com/eirian-stock/art/Nymph-II-118214207


American evangelist R. A. Torrey once told this story:
"A young woman in England many years ago always wore a golden locket that she would not allow anyone to open or look into, and everyone thought there must be some romance connected with that locket and that in that locket must be the picture of the one she loved. The young woman died at an early age, and after her death the locket was opened, everyone wondering whose face he would find within. And in the locket was found simply a little slip of paper with these words written upon it, "Whom having not seen, I love." Her Lord Jesus was the only lover she knew and the only lover she longed for."



A young woman in England many years ago always wore a golden locket
PHOTO: "A young woman in England many years ago always wore a golden locket that she would not allow anyone to open or look into, and everyone thought there must be some romance connected with that locket and that in that locket must be the picture of the one she loved. . . . . Her Lord Jesus was the only lover she knew and the only lover she longed for."
Picture posted by NikNikonov, Nikas - NIK_3619
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuKBIjNx0J6_WcHI6rNUuXUiRiaOpnK4OoRVZiU5TrXXwD1f78xXY45clKol5kOErLOtb0KqrJRvN-7S50aqNEy_VCp6OzSUx7Ayq5hS-qJ6859eGXI0G2Xb0479EBhcSlvBBNCAi164/s1600/nik_3619_by_niknikonov_d4j23k4-fullview.jpg
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/ec0dae03-dd91-4a71-8c67-d4bf668ff287/d4j23k4-8f9d768b-ec2d-49ff-b240-78893ad6ec8c.png/v1/fill/w_1024,h_1544,q_80,strp/nik_3619_by_niknikonov_d4j23k4-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3siaGVpZ2h0IjoiPD0xNTQ0IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZWMwZGFlMDMtZGQ5MS00YTcxLThjNjctZDRiZjY2OGZmMjg3XC9kNGoyM2s0LThmOWQ3NjhiLWVjMmQtNDlmZi1iMjQwLTc4ODkzYWQ2ZWM4Yy5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.PBsk7f_SNKkSir2Ngi-hExla4nfnULunpT-Mw4KhOGM
https://www.deviantart.com/niknikonov/art/NIK-3619-273875332



Such wholehearted dedication to Christ and love for God is not common, but is what is required of all Christians.



Such wholehearted dedication to Christ and love for God is not common, but is what is required of all Christians.
PHOTO: Such wholehearted dedication to Christ and love for God is not common, but is what is required of all Christians.
Picture posted by Ionela Bondrea on Thursday, 13 March 2014

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9T7UQIrI6ZA2q-EfPJc02kecF6JQLDg_5Imjec19Aa3PnikQez2y6JlDUPe5H_4xhStySVZebObNZ85pyyWgymidyC2RMogRKCi0YY0mTfRc6lSO96B-FopXjnsXxx3aSlQw7nRjbpck/s1600/singur.jpg
https://blogevent.ro/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/singur.jpg
https://blogevent.ro/2015/03/22/te-simti-singur-iata-ce-ar-trebui-sa-faci/



Study the passages mentioned about the importance of relating to God wholeheartedly. Reflect on your own journey in the light of your study. Is there something that needs to be done to ensure that you are following Christ wholeheartedly?

Study the passages mentioned about the importance of relating to God wholeheartedly.
[1]
God's Word repeatedly urges wholehearted love and obedience in our relationship with God.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5; see also Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).

"Serve the Lord with all your heart" (1 Samuel 12:20; see also Deuteronomy 10:12; 11:13; Joshua 22:5).

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13; see also Deuteronomy 4:29).

"I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart" (Psalm 138:1).

"Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart" (Psalm 119:34).

"Return to me with all your heart" (Joel 2:12).

"I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly" (Joshua 14:8).

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people" (Ephesians 6:7).

These are just a few passages in Scripture that emphasise the importance of relating to God with our whole hearts. It is not possible to follow Christ half-heartedly. After all, Christ said that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily if we are to follow Him (Luke 9:23).



Scripture emphasise the importance of relating to God with our whole hearts.

PHOTO: Scripture emphasise the importance of relating to God with our whole hearts. It is not possible to follow Christ half-heartedly. After all, Christ said that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily if we are to follow Him (Luke 9:23).
Picture posted by Brent Borup, Fine Art America - Come Follow Me
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAxOp9RU5DqeonyHb7kl8V_pGzYYWbCpZLKCVM6nKPCBU3WDG1cAqAViDSXkXeopIQ33PyMQkGXYPSAXp704RpkJoviTx0w2wAvwQIrYrRPSwXiFWWuCjZxu-IKH_ERlEDJKtiZR1neE/s1600/come-follow-me-brent-borup.jpg
https://render.fineartamerica.com/images/rendered/default/print/4/8/break/images/artworkimages/medium/1/come-follow-me-brent-borup.jpg
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/come-follow-me-brent-borup.html?product=art-print



Reflect on your own journey in the light of your study.
Whether we turn to the Lord, and love, obey, and serve Him wholeheartedly will be shown by how we worship God.

God could see through the half-hearted worship of the inhabitants of Israel after its fall to the Assyrians. "Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols" (2 Kings 17:41). These people were experts in multi-tasking! Even as they worshipped God, they were busy with their idols. Could this be happening today in our churches? How then would we worship God wholeheartedly?



Whether we turn to the Lord, and love, obey, and serve Him wholeheartedly will be shown by how we worship God.
PHOTO: Whether we turn to the Lord, and love, obey, and serve Him wholeheartedly will be shown by how we worship God. God could see through the half-hearted worship. Even as we worshipped God, we were busy with our idols.
Picture posted by Wattpad

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLW9XCVNP86x3wZ2JTdsjLL1uoTxzdnFstC5f5AzynHfMJuZulgm3bx7rZz33Kn0G-Q8So-jdS6Ho6ipeX8KJZQ8gqUCwVXoRhcCZRtMUDUuKx76hP1HFwcHRE0a8DtvfEo0nfuY6c2U/s1600/149f58118f4a404585448977122.jpg
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https://www.wattpad.com/367186155-en-la-soledad-de-mi-alma-te-odio



Is there something that needs to be done to ensure that you are following Christ wholeheartedly?
Archbishop William Temple defined worship in a most helpful way. "For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His HOLINESS; the nourishment of mind with His TRUTH; the; purifying of imagination by His BEAUTY; the opening of the heart to His Love: the surrender of will to His PURPOSE - and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin." [55]



For worship is the submission of all our nature to God.
PHOTO: "For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His HOLINESS; the nourishment of mind with His TRUTH; the; purifying of imagination by His BEAUTY; the opening of the heart to His Love: the surrender of will to His PURPOSE - and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin."
Picture posted by Joseph Juvenal on 28 November 2013 - The Power of Christ

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfm9WnaljD3fH_wf7_ofD4sJgV6zDhMXkHLvL-VzmPt8WULk5f50K2-ssiXZEX3Sx9J5TkbtzRCdv3_vcSrI_XSoXNT5fOVg0FzPfbM4Vn6pVG-ohLfRG5jVKryhK6zc8PN92NnW5m5M/s1600/the-power-of-christ-joseph-juvenal.jpg
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https://pixels.com/featured/the-power-of-christ-joseph-juvenal.html

 

We must note that worship focuses on God: His holiness, truth, beauty, love, and purpose. In worship, the spotlight falls on God as we behold His nature, character, actions, and will. By nature, we are self-centred people, infected with a stubborn and deadly sinfulness, and addicted to everything else except God. The solution and our only hope is not more of ourselves - our strengths, strategies, achievements, and ambitions. No, our true hope is to turn to God, who alone can save us. This means that our worship services must focus on God, and not on ourselves. He must increase and we must decrease (John 3:30).



By nature, we are self-centred people, infected with a stubborn and deadly sinfulness, and addicted to everything else except God.
PHOTO: By nature, we are self-centred people, infected with a stubborn and deadly sinfulness, and addicted to everything else except God. The solution and our only hope is not more of ourselves - our strengths, strategies, achievements, and ambitions. No, our true hope is to turn to God, who alone can save us. He must increase and we must decrease (John 3:30).
Picture posted by Christian Digital Artwork on 09 August 2020 at 07:51 pm - The Missing Piece
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4VlopcTj5VskHe4KdoPKkgK3x1CKiuO7C-db9z2dEXT5yAkWgzmNNwmg_tlyDkQMtF5hrpeev3xM5Fg8gZTmWK9Gxk_oWZo-33DsZ6AKn7-TTd_ly6ddIBglutudWeXKKio6F2ylB3k/s1600/8848133054383075160_o_1.png
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https://www.facebook.com/digitalchristian/photos/a.348103995267871/3126316254113284/

 

Dear Lord
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, please help us to have wholehearted dedication to Christ and love for God because that is required of all Christians. The Scripture also emphasise the importance of relating to God with our whole hearts. It is not possible to follow Christ half-heartedly. Christ has said that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily if we are to follow Him.

You could see through the half-hearted worship of the inhabitants of Israel after its fall to the Assyrians. Even while were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. We learn that even though we are expert in multi-tasking in many things, when we worshipped God, we are not excused to be busy with idols. Whether we turn to the Lord, and love, obey, and serve Him wholeheartedly will be shown by how we worship God.

Help us to follow Christ wholeheartedly by submitting all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His HOLINESS; the nourishment of mind with His TRUTH; the; purifying of imagination by His BEAUTY; the opening of the heart to His Love: the surrender of will to His PURPOSE - and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.

Because of the many distractions in our world we need Your help to focus on God in our worship. Help us to focus especially on His holiness, truth, beauty, love, and purpose. In worship, the spotlight falls on God as we behold His nature, character, actions, and will. By nature, we are self-centred people, infected with a stubborn and deadly sinfulness, and addicted to everything else except God. That is not the solution. Our only hope is not more of ourselves - our strengths, strategies, achievements, and ambitions.

Our true hope is to turn to God, who alone can save us. This means that our worship services must focus on God, and not on ourselves. He must increase and we must decrease.

Our only hope is through Your help, just as we seek Your protection to overcome the pandemic Covid-19 virus, natural disasters, and the evils of the world.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!
"
Picture posted by namaste on Thursday, 13 March 2014 at 18:15
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https://diosesencuerposhumanos.blogspot.com/2014/03/ascencion-y-adn-podemos-acelerar-el.html?spref=pi

Reflection - Spiritual Habits - Worshipping Wholeheartedly
Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART II: SPIRITUAL HABITS, Chapter 14, "Worshipping Wholeheartedly", Question 1, Page 93.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012






Also from the same author, Robert M. Solomon


"Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon

'Faithful to the end', A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon<br>
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html


"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, ©
2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, ©
2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, ©
2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html
 


"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, ©
2018 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020

https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html


Reference
[1] From "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, Copyright © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon, ISBN 978-981-14-1836-5, PART II: SPIRITUAL HABITS, Chapter 14, "Worshipping Wholeheartedly", Page 87-93.

[54] R. A. Torrey's, "How to be inexpressibly happy" (sermon, Bethany Bible Church, 2003), http://www.bethanybible.org/archive/2003/030203.htm.

[55] William Temple, quoted in Donald P. Hustad, Jubilate! Church Music in the Evangelical Tradition (Carol Stream, II: Hope, 1981), 78.


New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

1 Samuel 12:20; Deuteronomy 10:12; 11:13; Joshua 22:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+12%3A20%3B+Deuteronomy+10%3A12%3B+11%3A13%3B+Joshua+22%3A5&version=NIV

2 Kings 17:41 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+17%3A41&version=NIV

Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+6%3A5%3B+Matthew+22%3A37%3B+Mark+12%3A30%3B+Luke+10%3A27&version=NIV

Ephesians 6:7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A7&version=NIV

Jeremiah 29:13; Deuteronomy 4:29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A13%3B+Deuteronomy+4%3A29&version=NIV

Joel 2:12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel+2%3A12&version=NIV

John 3:30 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A30&version=NIV

Joshua 14:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+14%3A8&version=NIV

Luke 9:23 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A23&version=NIV

Matthew 11:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=NIV

Psalm 119:34 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119%3A34&version=NIV


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