Worship Devotional XXXVIII
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 8/29/2020.
Worship Devotional for 8/30/20
Tensions are high. People are feeling stressed and tired and worried and afraid and uncertain about what the future may hold. Fear, sin, darkness, deception, and death are rampant in the world today. We need a Savior. We need a hope that endures. We need a light to break in and to guide us through the burdens and struggles of this life. The systems, promises, and structures of the world, put up in an attempt to provide ourselves with security and peace, are falling short and failing to the point where people are losing their ability to be reasonable. It seems at times like we are descending rapidly into darkness, deception, and madness.
We as believers, who are called to be no longer of the world, know what the answer is. We know who to look to when all the world is shaken and broken and dying. We know who alone can offer real peace in times of chaos, unshakeable confidence in times of fear, deep and pure joy even in times of suffering and sorrow, and everlasting hope in times of despair. The light of the gospel of Jesus Christ is an everlasting light, representative of an everlasting kingdom, ruled by the everlasting God. When we fall short, His grace remains to carry us through and lift us up again in victory. When the world falls apart and collapses in ruin, we are upheld by the love of the Father through Jesus the Son. May we surrender our fear and anxiety to Him who gives perfect peace, that we may bring glory to the name of the only One who is worthy to receive it while we live our short lives on this earth.
This week's set is about God's glory crashing into whatever circumstances we may find ourselves in, our lives being built on His love, and us giving our everything to the praise and glory of His name.
Here are the songs:
1) From The Inside Out by Hillsong
John 1:1-5, 16-17:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it...Indeed we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
His mercy, grace, justice, truth, glory, and light endure forever. Therefore when we stumble and break and start to drift away, we don't lose hope. His light still shines and His grace still brings us back home to the presence of the Father. Let the cry of our hearts be to bring Him praise both in the inner thoughts and meditations of our hearts and in our outward works and words. He who reigns forever is worthy.
Because He is worthy of every song, all praise, every breath — all that we are — let us build our lives on His love. Since we know that His love is better even than life itself, we know that nothing else provides us with so firm a foundation. Join with me in the prayer that God would open our eyes in wonder and lead us in His love to bless and speak truth to those around us.
From the simplest interaction with our fellow man to the highest levels of government control, there is much in the world that brings discouragement right now. Social issues, offensive speech, conspiracy theories, arguments and heated disagreements and divisions, family strife, personal shame and weakness and failure — all this and more can tempt us sometimes to just keep our heads down and try to hide from everything. But that is not what we are called to.
Lift up your eyes and see that the King has come! 1 John 2 tells us that the darkness is passing away and the true light is shining already. We have hope in the name of Jesus!
Acts 4:11-12:
"This Jesus is, 'the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it."
1 Peter 1:3-4:
"Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you."
4) Worthy Of Affection by Shane & Shane
If you believe in the name of Jesus, and that He is the everlasting hope and light and life, then you owe all allegiance, devotion, and affection to Him. He alone is worthy of it all. May we keep our eyes on Him through whatever happens in the world during these times, rejoicing in the salvation He has given to us by His grace, giving Him all of our love and praise and devotion. Let us declare with not just our lips, but our whole lives, that He is worthy! He is holy, and He is worthy to receive all glory and honor and praise.
Scriptures:
Psalm 40
John 1:1-18, 12:44-50
2 Corinthians 4
Ephesians 5:1-21
Colossians 1:11-23
Hebrews 1:1-3
1 Peter 1-2
1 John 1-2
Revelation 4:8-5:14