Thinking Right and Worship

 

Worship is an essential part of the Christian life. It is the act of recognizing and praising God for who He is and what He has done. Worship is not just singing songs or attending church services; it is a way of life that centers on the recognition of God's greatness and our utter dependence on Him.

N. T. Wright, in his book Simply Christian wrote,

"Worship is at the very center of all Christian living. One of the main reasons that theology (trying to think straight about who God is) matters is that we are called to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. It matters that we learn more about who God is so that we can praise him more appropriately." (pp. 148-49)

In this quote Wright highlights the importance of theology in worship. He points out that the more we understand who God is, the more we can love and praise Him.

This idea is supported by Jesus' teach ing on the most important commandment found in Mark 12:30 (CSB):

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

In other words, to mature in our worship of God, we must engage our entire being, including our intellect. Our love for God is not just an emotional response; it is grounded in a knowledge of who God is and what He has done for us.

Theology, the study of God and His character, helps us understand God's nature, His attributes, and His actions.

As we learn more about God, our worship becomes more meaningful and authentic. To properly worship God we need to grow in our understanding of who God is. This allows us to praise Him for His holiness, His love, His mercy, His justice, and His faithfulness. Theology informs our understanding of God so we can sing songs that reflect those truths and offer prayers that are in line with His character.

Good theology also helps us avoid false worship. It helps us discern between true and false teachings and helps us avoid worshipping idols. It reminds us that our worship is not just about what we want or feel but is primarily about honoring God.

Worship is not a passive activity but a vital aspect of the Christian life. To worship God fully, we must engage our heart, soul, mind, and strength.


Theology is not an activity reserved for academics, but it is a vital part of a Christian’s worship of God. Theology helps us understand who God is and what He has done, which empowers us to praise Him more fully and avoid worshipping a false god created in our own image.

As we continue to grow in our knowledge of God, our worship will become more authentic, meaningful, and life-giving. We shouldn’t neglect theology, but instead we need to let it inform our worship of God.

Sunday Prayer: Joy In Our Hearts

 

Father in Heaven,

On this day, we lift our hearts to you in gratitude and joy. We thank you for the beauty of your creation that surrounds us, For the sun that warms our skin, and the breeze that refreshes our spirits.

We thank you for the blessings you have bestowed upon us, For the love of family and friends, and the joy they bring into our lives.

We ask that you fill us with your joy, A joy that is not dependent on circumstances or possessions, But a joy that comes from knowing Jesus and trusting in his sacrificial love.

May this joy overflow from our hearts and spill out into the world around us, May it be a light that shines in the darkness, a hope that brings comfort to those in need.

May we find joy in the simple things of life, In the laughter of children, the beauty of a sunset, and the taste of good food.

May we find joy in the challenges we face, Knowing that they will develop our character and help us become more like Jesus.

May we find joy in the moments of stillness, When we can rest in your presence and know that you are with us always.

Bless us, Heavenly Father and Creator of life, with your joy and your peace, And may we live each day with hearts full of gratitude and joy.

In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Finding Freedom in Jesus

Galatians 5:1 (CSB)

For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.

We All Want Freedom

Freedom is what we all desire. It’s built into us. And for Americans, it’s even declared to be a basic right. We want to see people live free rather than under oppression.

But here’s the remarkable truth: God also desires that we be free. His desire for our freedom is revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus came to bring freedom—not just political or social freedom, but the deep spiritual freedom our hearts long for.

So, if we desire freedom and God desires that we be free, what’s the problem?

The Problem with Our Definition of Freedom

The problem is that our definition of freedom and God’s definition of freedom aren’t the same.

We tend to think of freedom as the ability to decide how we want to live—to be free from authority, expectations, or restrictions. We want the financial freedom to do what we want, when we want.

For us, freedom is defined by having complete control of our lives.

But according to the Bible, God defines freedom differently. In fact, the very people who experienced the freedom Jesus gives—Paul, James, and Peter—used a surprising word to describe themselves.

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus…” — Romans 1:1

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…” — James 1:1

“Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ…” — 2 Peter 1:1 

The word translated “servant” here literally means slave.

These men didn’t equate autonomy or self-rule with true freedom. They saw freedom as the ability to surrender fully to the authority of King Jesus.

In our culture, being under someone else’s authority sounds like bondage—but for them, it was the only path to real liberation.

When Freedom Becomes a Trap

Let me ask you a question: Is your life better or more complicated since you’ve been in charge of making all the decisions?

We live in a time and place with more freedom than almost any other generation. We can choose our careers, our spouses, our beliefs, and even how we spend our time and money.

Yet, even with all this freedom, many of us feel trapped.

We feel trapped in jobs we hate.

Trapped in marriages that have lost their joy.

Enslaved by debt, addictions, or the expectations of others.

Burdened by the pressure to keep up appearances.

When we define freedom as control, we often end up enslaved by our own choices. 

The Freedom Jesus Offers

Thankfully, Jesus offers a different kind of freedom—freedom for those of us trapped in the prisons of our own making.

He frees us from the curse and condemnation of the Law.

He frees us from the addictions and compulsions of sin.

He frees us to live in the spontaneity of love—for God and for people.

True freedom in Christ looks like this:

• Free to use our resources to help those in need.
• Free to turn our blessings into blessings for others.
• Free to hope when the world feels hopeless.
• Free to give our lives away to God and His Kingdom.

True Freedom Comes Through Surrender

So let me ask again:

Are you living a free life—or are you enslaved to your habits, addictions, or the expectations of others?

The only way to truly experience freedom is to surrender your life to Jesus.

He guides us out of the chains of bad choices and leads us into His Kingdom of freedom.

Freedom is found not by taking control, but by stepping off the throne of your life and letting Jesus be King.

That’s where true freedom begins.

Following Jesus to New Life

 

Following Jesus is a journey of faith that leads to the transformation of our lives. This journey is available to anyone, no matter what kind of life they have lived or how many wrong choices they have made, as long as they trust Jesus to be their guide.

In his book, Seizing Your Divine Moment, Erwin McManus wrote, "No matter what kind of life you've lived, no matter how many wrong choices you've made, the next moment is waiting to give birth to new life."

This quote is a powerful reminder that following Jesus is about looking forward, not backward and trusting that He can transform our lives, no matter what our past looks like.

One passage that teaches this truth is John 8:1-11, where a woman caught in adultery is brought before Jesus. The religious leaders demand that she be stoned, as required by the law of Moses. However, Jesus responds in a surprising way. He says, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7).

The crowd disperses, and Jesus speaks to the woman, telling her that He does not condemn her, but He also commands her to "go and sin no more" (John 8:11). This encounter shows us that no matter how far we have strayed from the path of righteousness, Jesus is always ready to forgive us and give us a new start.

Following Jesus requires leaving our past behind and embracing the new life He offers us. It means recognizing our mistakes, confessing our sins, repenting, and turning to God for forgiveness. When we do this, we experience the transforming power of the Holy Spirit  in our lives, which enables us to move forward with confidence and hope.

Another benefit of following Jesus is that we discover a sense of purpose and direction. When we commit to following Jesus, we commit to living a life that is guided by His teachings and His example, as we trust His death and resurrection for hope and new life.

Living a life guided by Jesus's teaching is to live with love, compassion, forgiveness, and generosity. It means working to conform to the image of Jesus by doing the disciplines He did (prayer, fasting, solitude, service). This is the way we align our lives with God's will.

Faith is crucial to following Jesus. To have faith means we trust Jesus more than we trust ourselves. We trust that He will forgive our sins, help us overcome the sin and the doubt that plague our lives, heal our wounded hearts, and make us new creations. Living with faith in Jesus moves us to believe that no matter what kind of life we have lived, He has the power to forgive us and make us into brand new people.

Following Jesus is a journey of transformation, maturity, and renewal. This journey is open to anyone, no matter who they are or what they have done. So let's seize the divine moment and commit to following Jesus, trusting that He will transform our lives and give us a new future full of faith, joy, hope, and love.

Proper Worship

 

In his book The Air I Breathe Louie Giglio wrote:

You only have one life. And you only have one life of worship. You have one brief opportunity in time to declare your allegiance, to unleash your affection, to exalt something or someone above all else.

"Don't waste your worship on some little god, squandering your birthright on idols made only with human imagination. Guard your worship...and carefully evaluate all potential takers.

Louie Giglio's quote reminds us that worship is not just a Sunday morning activity, but a way of life. It is a declaration of our allegiance, an unleashing of our affections, and an exaltation of something or someone above all else. However, we must be careful not to waste our worship on "little gods" or idols made only with human imagination.

The Bible also speaks to the importance of guarding our worship and carefully evaluating all potential takers. In Matthew 6:24 (CSB), Jesus says, 

"No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Money, success, power, and other things can easily become idols in our lives. We can start to place our trust and hope in them, thinking they will bring us happiness and fulfillment. However, they will always disappoint us because they cannot satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts.

In Psalm 115:4-8 (CSB), the psalmist writes, 

"Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk. They cannot make a sound with their throats.Those who make them are just like them, as are all who trust in them."

We must guard our worship and make sure that we are not placing our trust in anything or anyone other than God. He alone is worthy of our worship and devotion. We must evaluate all potential takers of our worship and make sure that we are giving it to the One who deserves it.

We only have one life and one life of worship. We must guard our worship and carefully evaluate all potential takers, making sure that we are giving it to the One who deserves it. Let us not waste our worship on "little gods" or idols made only with human imagination. Instead, let us exalt God above all else and declare our allegiance and affection for Him alone.