Worship Devotional XXXIII
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 7/24/2020.
Worship Devotional for 7/26/20
Romans 8:1-2:
"Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, because the Spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."
What kind of grace is this? What kind of love? How can we not be condemned with all of our sin and brokenness and failure and all of the evil we've let into our minds and hearts? This is no human act or will. This has been spoken by God, who cannot lie. We are free. We are redeemed. We are made new. There's no one who can question it, for God is the One who has accomplished this great and astounding work — our salvation.
Romans 8:3-4:
"What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin's domain, and as a sin offering, in order that the law's requirement would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
Now that God has declared who we are, there's no going back. Only forward and onward — deeper in Him as we wait for the ultimate fulfillment of His awesome promises. Pray with me this week that we may walk by the Spirit and not by our flesh. May God give us the grace and strength we need each day to live by faith and by His power, so that He may be glorified in whatever we do and say. Because we are His and because we have His Spirit living in us, we must shine His light to this broken and dying world. Speak, sing, and act in love so that the lost may hear the sound of the redeemed, and know that lives can be changed, saved, healed, and restored forever by the power of God as His kingdom enters peoples' hearts through faith.
Lord, You have established us as Your people. Make us clean and pure and holy. Let Your kingdom come in our hearts and lives so that You may be glorified in and through us. Thank You that there is no condemnation for those who walk by Your Spirit. Lead us deeper into Your truth and love.
Here are the songs:
1) Boldly I Approach by Rend Collective
Hebrews 4:15-16:
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time."
Jesus paid the price of our redemption. He won the victory for us. He accomplished the work of God for our salvation and for the glory of the Father. It is the grace of God that calls and saves us. Because of this, we can approach the throne of the Holy One — even with boldness and confidence. Therefore wherever you are right now and whatever you are dealing with, come to the Lord and rest in His presence. He is the source of our ultimate joy and satisfaction.
2) Children Of God by Phil Wickham
We are believers, soldiers, and pilgrims just passing through this world — we are the children of God. We must stand in this God-ordained identity by faith as we go through the battles and trials of this life. For from our identity and our relationship with the Father flows our ministry and our acts of love.
1 John 3:1-3:
"Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn't know Him. Dear friends, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure."
3) The Sound Of The Saints by Audio Adrenaline
All of creation gives testimony to the greatness of God, who is the Creator of all things. However, we were made to give glory to God as those who bear His image. All of the people who have been redeemed by God — the saints — are made new and restored by faith to the image of Christ. When we sing God's praise and declare His words, we give a great and powerful testimony for His glory. As wonderful and beautiful as it is to hear the song of creation, there's something even more deep and profound in the sound of the saints. We are the firstfruits of God's creation restored. When we sing of what God has done for us and who He has made us to be, we testify to the rest of all creation that there exists a hope for redemption and restoration. Let us lift up a mighty sound of praise!
4) Build Your Kingdom Here by Rend Collective
Overwhelmed by the things of this world? Pray with me then that God would build His kingdom more and more in our hearts. For nothing in all the kingdoms of this world can truly satisfy what we really need and so deeply long for. Only the kingdom of God will last forever. And we were made for eternity. As we pray for God to build His kingdom in us, we do so with a spirit of joy, because the kingdom of God contains the deepest, truest, and most intense joy there is, which is not of this world. Hallelujah, for that joy is ours!
Scriptures:
2 Chronicles 7:14
Psalm 23
Matthew 5-7
Luke 6:20-49, 11:1-13, 12:1-48
Romans 8
Ephesians 1-2
1 Thessalonians 5 (esp. v. 5-10)
2 Timothy 2:3-7 & 20-26
Hebrews 4:14-16
1 Peter 1-2
1 John (esp. 2:15-17, 3:1-3, and 4:7-8)
Revelation 5:8-14, 7:9-17
As we come together again this week to sing praise to our God and to have fellowship with one another and to hear and reflect on the word of God, may God shift our focus from worldly things to the things of His heavenly kingdom. May we be reminded to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus throughout the rest of the week and to do everything for the glory of God. May God stir in us to keep the fires burning for love, joy, and passion for holiness and truth. I look forward to joyfully singing with everyone on Sunday!