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The majority of today’s church has limited its worship to silence and singing. Some may even experience verbal praise. Shouting, probably not so much. That seems so “undignified,” but, as we saw last week, these are all spelled out clearly as biblical ways our Heavenly Father wants us to approach Him.  However, these are but the beginning of the full range of ways God has told us He would like us to worship Him. Other than these verbal means, the Bible clearly teaches physical…

In last week’s posting we saw that the Bible exhorts us to come into God’s presence with silence, but also with loud, thundering worship as well! This can take the form of singing, including songs with rhythm and a beat. Let’s look at these songs a little more closely 1. Verbal worship – contemporary songs vs. traditional songs A big issue in many churches is the actual nature of the songs sung. First, let me say that many contemporary Christian songs are not corporate…

Last week’s blog posting concluded with a promise to investigate the topic of the specifics of worshipping God this week. However, this posting is but a brief summary of my view. I cover it in detail, along with a complete, detailed investigation of the biblical church, in my book entitled A Glorious Church – Attacking the Gates of Hell, available on my website linked at the end of this posting. 1. Silence in worship We are told that there are times as we worship…

My goal in these postings is always to anchor them on the foundation of  the very reason we were created—to rule over the earth with the love, authority and power of Jesus Christ. The goal is that everything the family, church and civil government (God’s three ruling institutions) do is progressing toward that ultimate intention. I want my blog to help move us toward that end. What role does the Bible say the church plays in that objective? What is its purpose? As a…

I believe the church today has failed to go to the Bible to discover its own prescribed purpose, structure and function. Oh, it has debated the church’s message (biblical or otherwise?), and who should do the preaching, teaching and leading (men, or both men and women?). But the purpose, structure and how it functions is never questioned. We have simply “had church” as those who came before us “had church,” in both the Catholic and Protestant traditions. We are like the carpenter, who measured…

We have been investigating how we fulfill the first phase of God’s three-fold purpose for creating man, as found in Genesis 1:26, 28: 1.) to bear God’s image (to look like Him); 2.) to rule over the earth; 3) to reproduce a heritage that knows why they are here. To bear God’s image, unfortunately, involves “being holy:” “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15). We cannot rule successfully over the responsibilities God…

Realizing that I am at the top of the COVID-19 vulnerability scale as an octogenarian with life-threatening, previous conditions, several friends have asked me if I have been vaccinated yet. I have discovered the perfect response, courtesy of the Babylon Bee;  “Yes, I identify as vaccinated. I am experiencing all the freedom of a fully vaccinated male. But, tomorrow when I get up, I may identify as female and unvaccinated. If you wish, call me to check with me in the morning to see…

Last week we saw that God’s way of thinking, the way that Jesus demonstrated for us while he lived here on the earth and that He wants us to learn to emulate, is directly antithetical to our natural way of thinking. It’s a way of thinking that naturally makes no sense to us whatsoever. Here are some examples from the Bible: If you want to be first, then you must be last of all and servant of all. (Mark 9:35) The Lord kills us…

Generally, the effect of alcohol or drug addiction is so obvious and destructive that the addict is well aware of its presence in his life, even though he may be unwilling to admit he is addicted. However, the worst situation for the addict is when his life is completely deteriorating around him, and he is completely unaware that it is his addiction causing his difficulties. The descendants of Adam—Pharisees, wanna-be Pharisees, and rebels—are all just like this, and the vast majority of us don’t…

If the Gospel is not an appeal to “choose Jesus,” as I proposed last week, what is it? I am going to propose this week that, in the Bible, it is an announcement or a proclamation.  It is interesting that as one reads through the book of Acts there is no initial appeal to believe in the sermons that are recorded. Read Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, and later before the Sanhedrin in both Acts 4 and 5; Stephen’s…