Aug
20
Worship God in spirit and truth
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Joshua Sparks
Written by Bro. Josh Sparks.
Praise the name of our soon coming King, the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is with a sense of direction and an unction from the Holy One that I make this blog post this evening. Although the traditions of men and man made organized denominations have sought to completely ruin God’s Ecclesia or His Church those called out from the world to serve Jesus and preach His Kingdom. The truth of the matter is Jesus declared that He would build His church and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it. Death cannot stop the Lord’s church because it is founded upon the One who is ever living, the Lord Jesus Christ. ( Matthew 16: 18 ) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
I feel like Nehemiah, the King of Persia’s Cup Bearer, who lead the third and last return to Jerusalem after the babylonian captivity as he was concerned about Jerusalem and it’s people.With permission to go rebuild the wall of Jerusalem he went back and rallied his countrymen to stand with him and completed the wall in 55 days even among the enemies of Israel.The scoffers made this ver statement and I too feel like this at times, can there be a reviving among the rubbish? (Nehemiah 4:2) And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?” The answer if emphatically…YES!!! Jesus will Revive His Church and before His return He will bring His church into a time even times of restitution of all things. ( Acts 3:19-21) 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration(restitution) of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
But to whom will Jesus send this restoration, restitution, and revival too? Too those faithful and wise servants who are dedicated to carrying out the commands of their Master who made them rulers over his household. These the Master will find ruling His household giving to His house meat or food in due season, food from the Masters table. ( Matthew 24: 45-47) 45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
Jesus made a very powerful statement when speaking in a parable about the Judge who didnt fear God or man, and a widow came to him for justice, who came several times and the Judge would not but so he wouldnt be bothered by her continually coming to him he did give her justice. ( Luke 18:6- 8 )6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Jesus asked a question. When the Son of man comes will He really find faith on the earth? Here the word faith means conviction of the truth of anything. When Jesus comes will he find truth in the earth? When Jesus comes will He find true Worshippers who Worship God in Spirit and in truth (True Doctrine as found in God’s Word the Bible).
This brings us to our bible study tonight. Jesus made a trip through Sychar to a well Jacob dug, where a woman was drawing water. Jesus asked her for a drink and the woman couldnt understand whyu a Jew would ask a Samaritan for a drink seeing Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus promised her living water that could quench her thirst. Jesus then told her about her live in boyfriend and her 5 failed marriages, and she then confessed that she believed Jesus was a prophet. Jesus was a prophet and not only did this women testify truthfully but in fact was Worshipping in Truth by calling the Lord a prophet as did Moses also. ( Deuteronomy 18:15; 18 -19) 15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. To Worship in truth is to Worship God in light of truth which is His Word that sanctifies us and sets apart. ( John 17: 17) Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
The woman made a statement to Jesus concerning the places they worshipped. The Samaritans feared the Lord and yet served their own gods after the manner of the nations who carried them from where they were at. In time the Samaritans still feared the Lord and served their graven images, their children and their childrens children. The Samaritans were half Jew and Half Assyrian and te hatred the Jews had stemmed from the Assyrian captivity over Israel. (John 4:19-24) 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought 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.”
Jesus made a very powerful statement in (John 4: 21) that God would not be worshipped in Jerusalem nor Mt.Gerizim but the Father was would receive true worship from those who worship in spirit and truth. What does it mean to worship in spirit? It is to worship with the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides and this worship only pleases God if we worship Him with an accurate knowledge of His Word the Bible. I know this may not set well with some of your theology but it is the truth. If we dont worship Jesus in light of truth, with an understanding of His Word which testifies about Him then our worship is strange fire before the Lord. Just as Aarons sons Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire in the temple (Levitivus 10) those who worship God without an accurate knowledge of truth are not truly worshipping the Lord. (John 5:39) You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
True Worship comes from knowing God and His saving Gospel. So many are like Apollos of Alexandria who was fervent in the spirit and accurately taught the things of the Lord only knowing the baptism of John. Prescilla and Aquilla could have let him go on teaching the things he had learned and been taught but it was not accurate and his worship was not in spirit and truth. Lets look at the scriptures and see what happened. ( Acts 18: 24-28 ) 24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Apollos was convinced that Jesus was the Christ and became of true worshipper of Jesus in spirit and truth and mightily or vigarously refuted the Jews proving by the scriptures (Old testament) that Jesus was the Messiah. He was worshipping God in spirit and truth. Are you offering true worship to God today or are you worshipping without an accurate knowledge of God’s Kingdom and His Plan of Salvation. Have you been born again of water (baptism in Jesus name) and of the Spirit ( Holy Ghost Baptism)? If not you can be today and become a true worshipper in spirit and truth. Repent and be water baptized in Jesus name and God promises to fill you with the gift of the Holy Ghost that which seals you until the day of redemption and when the day of redemption comes then we who are mortal will put on immortallity when we are born of the Spirit when Jesus comes and this flesh and blood is changed because flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom ( 1 Corinthians 15 :50)Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
And when Jesus comes those of us who have borne the image of the man of dust Adam we will bear the image of the Heavenly Man Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15: 49) And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Lets come to an accurate knoweldge of God’s Word so we can worship Him in spirit and truth or worship Him in truth or accurate knowledge knowing what we worship. To worship in truth is to worship in the word, the bible from your understanding concerning the things of God.
( 2 Corinthians 13:5) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
In Jesus name,
Bro. Josh Sparks.
Written by Bro. Josh Sparks.
Praise the name of our soon coming King, the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is with a sense of direction and an unction from the Holy One that I make this blog post this evening. Although the traditions of men and man made organized denominations have sought to completely ruin God’s Ecclesia or His Church those called out from the world to serve Jesus and preach His Kingdom. The truth of the matter is Jesus declared that He would build His church and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it. Death cannot stop the Lord’s church because it is founded upon the One who is ever living, the Lord Jesus Christ. ( Matthew 16: 18 ) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
I feel like Nehemiah, the King of Persia’s Cup Bearer, who lead the third and last return to Jerusalem after the babylonian captivity as he was concerned about Jerusalem and it’s people.With permission to go rebuild the wall of Jerusalem he went back and rallied his countrymen to stand with him and completed the wall in 55 days even among the enemies of Israel.The scoffers made this ver statement and I too feel like this at times, can there be a reviving among the rubbish? (Nehemiah 4:2) And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?” The answer if emphatically…YES!!! Jesus will Revive His Church and before His return He will bring His church into a time even times of restitution of all things. ( Acts 3:19-21) 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration(restitution) of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
But to whom will Jesus send this restoration, restitution, and revival too? Too those faithful and wise servants who are dedicated to carrying out the commands of their Master who made them rulers over his household. These the Master will find ruling His household giving to His house meat or food in due season, food from the Masters table. ( Matthew 24: 45-47) 45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
Jesus made a very powerful statement when speaking in a parable about the Judge who didnt fear God or man, and a widow came to him for justice, who came several times and the Judge would not but so he wouldnt be bothered by her continually coming to him he did give her justice. ( Luke 18:6- 8 )6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Jesus asked a question. When the Son of man comes will He really find faith on the earth? Here the word faith means conviction of the truth of anything. When Jesus comes will he find truth in the earth? When Jesus comes will He find true Worshippers who Worship God in Spirit and in truth (True Doctrine as found in God’s Word the Bible).
This brings us to our bible study tonight. Jesus made a trip through Sychar to a well Jacob dug, where a woman was drawing water. Jesus asked her for a drink and the woman couldnt understand whyu a Jew would ask a Samaritan for a drink seeing Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus promised her living water that could quench her thirst. Jesus then told her about her live in boyfriend and her 5 failed marriages, and she then confessed that she believed Jesus was a prophet. Jesus was a prophet and not only did this women testify truthfully but in fact was Worshipping in Truth by calling the Lord a prophet as did Moses also. ( Deuteronomy 18:15; 18 -19) 15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. To Worship in truth is to Worship God in light of truth which is His Word that sanctifies us and sets apart. ( John 17: 17) Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
The woman made a statement to Jesus concerning the places they worshipped. The Samaritans feared the Lord and yet served their own gods after the manner of the nations who carried them from where they were at. In time the Samaritans still feared the Lord and served their graven images, their children and their childrens children. The Samaritans were half Jew and Half Assyrian and te hatred the Jews had stemmed from the Assyrian captivity over Israel. (John 4:19-24) 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought 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.”
Jesus made a very powerful statement in (John 4: 21) that God would not be worshipped in Jerusalem nor Mt.Gerizim but the Father was would receive true worship from those who worship in spirit and truth. What does it mean to worship in spirit? It is to worship with the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides and this worship only pleases God if we worship Him with an accurate knowledge of His Word the Bible. I know this may not set well with some of your theology but it is the truth. If we dont worship Jesus in light of truth, with an understanding of His Word which testifies about Him then our worship is strange fire before the Lord. Just as Aarons sons Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire in the temple (Levitivus 10) those who worship God without an accurate knowledge of truth are not truly worshipping the Lord. (John 5:39) You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
True Worship comes from knowing God and His saving Gospel. So many are like Apollos of Alexandria who was fervent in the spirit and accurately taught the things of the Lord only knowing the baptism of John. Prescilla and Aquilla could have let him go on teaching the things he had learned and been taught but it was not accurate and his worship was not in spirit and truth. Lets look at the scriptures and see what happened. ( Acts 18: 24-28 ) 24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Apollos was convinced that Jesus was the Christ and became of true worshipper of Jesus in spirit and truth and mightily or vigarously refuted the Jews proving by the scriptures (Old testament) that Jesus was the Messiah. He was worshipping God in spirit and truth. Are you offering true worship to God today or are you worshipping without an accurate knowledge of God’s Kingdom and His Plan of Salvation. Have you been born again of water (baptism in Jesus name) and of the Spirit ( Holy Ghost Baptism)? If not you can be today and become a true worshipper in spirit and truth. Repent and be water baptized in Jesus name and God promises to fill you with the gift of the Holy Ghost that which seals you until the day of redemption and when the day of redemption comes then we who are mortal will put on immortallity when we are born of the Spirit when Jesus comes and this flesh and blood is changed because flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom ( 1 Corinthians 15 :50)Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
And when Jesus comes those of us who have borne the image of the man of dust Adam we will bear the image of the Heavenly Man Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15: 49) And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Lets come to an accurate knoweldge of God’s Word so we can worship Him in spirit and truth or worship Him in truth or accurate knowledge knowing what we worship. To worship in truth is to worship in the word, the bible from your understanding concerning the things of God.
( 2 Corinthians 13:5) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
In Jesus name,
Bro. Josh Sparks.