Worship with a Purpose
If you knew how significant your purpose was, you'd never question it again. - Havilah Cunnington
We have been created with such a purpose, a purpose that is not our own but of Christ.
When Heaven and earth are one, every knee will bow. You will bow to Christ, whether you believe or not because He is above all things. Are our hearts in that same physical response, are we living on our knees, confessing He is King and remembering He is the one who brings us peace and hope? He is the One giving us something to lean into when there is nothing else to count on because He is exalted high. This is a physical response, but our hearts can live in this place too. Is your life in the same response, do you really live and believe that in the last breath that you will know and will bow to the Exalted One whether you like it or not. That's hard to think about and we kind of like to tip-toe around that, cause it doesn't feel good, but the Gospel isn't always supposed to feel good. We need to know that Christ is exalted high and we find worship when we remember that. It is a response of the heart - the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34-37). When we know without a doubt that Christ is the Exalted one, our hearts show it. Jesus' love and mercy and grace are displayed in your words, by the way, we talk to other people and about other people, and the way we show people we care about them when they are going through hurt. When we are hurt, using our words to hurt others in return, only shows the true expression of our hearts and not the heart of Christ. Our words need to show others that we believe Christ is Lord and there is something better. There is a hope that can be found. We can declare and elevate who God says Jesus is by doing these things and Philippians 2:9-11 gives us hope of all of this. Yes, life can suck, but these verses give a foundation for us to live on and worship on. Why do we worship? We worship because of these verses. The Gospel doesn't go from good news to old news, and we can rest in that. When we rest in that, we find our hope to bring us through whatever we are going through. The Lord cares about us and the things we are going through, and this is why we worship because He is exalted above all things.
Three things happen when we are reminded of who Jesus is by these words, and the position of our hearts and our worship do these three things:
1. It gives hope to the hopelessness. When we live out worship, it gives hope. When we see people hurting and struggling around us, do we give them hope and worship to show them there is something to find hope in and find rest in? When we remember that Christ is exalted high and we live under Him in humility, we begin to live that out, and that leads us to show that there is hope to be found in Christ.
2. It reminds us of our purpose. When we think of our purpose, we don't realize that none of this is about you. That purpose is not changed by how many good deeds we do, how high of marks we get, how many sports we play or goals we score; it is not changed if we are in a relationship, or how many friends we have. It does not change whether other believers or unbelievers surround us. This life, your relationships, your academic career, and sports stats are not about you. This life is not about you, and when you realize that your purpose in Christ, then you find your purpose in that. Christ is exalted above all things, and your purpose is found when you lean into that and realize your life is not your own and that your life is not about you. Your purpose is found in who He is and who Christ has come and declared himself to be. We find purpose in that. Whatever you are dealing with, a lot of the trouble you have going on in your life. You're so focused on yourself that you don't realize that your purpose is not found in who you are or what you do or what you can gain. Your purpose is found when you lean into these verses (Phil 2:9-11), and you say and commit to putting your heart in a position of worship. None of this is about you.
3. Worship reminds us that split blood, and a broken body made us whole. We can worship during pain, and still exalting Jesus. We can do this when we remember that the spilt blood and broken body of Jesus Christ, made us whole. It was the death of Christ, whose broken body gives us life and reason to worship.
When we know without a doubt that Christ is the Exalted one, our hearts show it. The condition of our hearts is shown by the words that come out of our mouths. Do we respond with love, kindness and understanding or in our own hurt do we become mad and so caught up in our own hurt that we start to hurt others? When the storm of life hits us, it reveals our foundation. What have you been building your foundation on? Is it built on jealously? Love? Yourself, and what you can gain? Grudges? Kindness? If it isn't build on Jesus, your foundation won't last long. If you are in a storm, start rebuilding your foundation on worship, love and forgiveness. Be ready that when the next storm comes, your foundation will be firm in Christ and unmoveable.
The condition of your heart, is seen by the words that you speak. Speak in love. Give others hope. Lean into worship. Lean into Christ
We have been created with such a purpose, a purpose that is not our own but of Christ.
When Heaven and earth are one, every knee will bow. You will bow to Christ, whether you believe or not because He is above all things. Are our hearts in that same physical response, are we living on our knees, confessing He is King and remembering He is the one who brings us peace and hope? He is the One giving us something to lean into when there is nothing else to count on because He is exalted high. This is a physical response, but our hearts can live in this place too. Is your life in the same response, do you really live and believe that in the last breath that you will know and will bow to the Exalted One whether you like it or not. That's hard to think about and we kind of like to tip-toe around that, cause it doesn't feel good, but the Gospel isn't always supposed to feel good. We need to know that Christ is exalted high and we find worship when we remember that. It is a response of the heart - the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34-37). When we know without a doubt that Christ is the Exalted one, our hearts show it. Jesus' love and mercy and grace are displayed in your words, by the way, we talk to other people and about other people, and the way we show people we care about them when they are going through hurt. When we are hurt, using our words to hurt others in return, only shows the true expression of our hearts and not the heart of Christ. Our words need to show others that we believe Christ is Lord and there is something better. There is a hope that can be found. We can declare and elevate who God says Jesus is by doing these things and Philippians 2:9-11 gives us hope of all of this. Yes, life can suck, but these verses give a foundation for us to live on and worship on. Why do we worship? We worship because of these verses. The Gospel doesn't go from good news to old news, and we can rest in that. When we rest in that, we find our hope to bring us through whatever we are going through. The Lord cares about us and the things we are going through, and this is why we worship because He is exalted above all things.
Three things happen when we are reminded of who Jesus is by these words, and the position of our hearts and our worship do these three things:
1. It gives hope to the hopelessness. When we live out worship, it gives hope. When we see people hurting and struggling around us, do we give them hope and worship to show them there is something to find hope in and find rest in? When we remember that Christ is exalted high and we live under Him in humility, we begin to live that out, and that leads us to show that there is hope to be found in Christ.
2. It reminds us of our purpose. When we think of our purpose, we don't realize that none of this is about you. That purpose is not changed by how many good deeds we do, how high of marks we get, how many sports we play or goals we score; it is not changed if we are in a relationship, or how many friends we have. It does not change whether other believers or unbelievers surround us. This life, your relationships, your academic career, and sports stats are not about you. This life is not about you, and when you realize that your purpose in Christ, then you find your purpose in that. Christ is exalted above all things, and your purpose is found when you lean into that and realize your life is not your own and that your life is not about you. Your purpose is found in who He is and who Christ has come and declared himself to be. We find purpose in that. Whatever you are dealing with, a lot of the trouble you have going on in your life. You're so focused on yourself that you don't realize that your purpose is not found in who you are or what you do or what you can gain. Your purpose is found when you lean into these verses (Phil 2:9-11), and you say and commit to putting your heart in a position of worship. None of this is about you.
3. Worship reminds us that split blood, and a broken body made us whole. We can worship during pain, and still exalting Jesus. We can do this when we remember that the spilt blood and broken body of Jesus Christ, made us whole. It was the death of Christ, whose broken body gives us life and reason to worship.
When we know without a doubt that Christ is the Exalted one, our hearts show it. The condition of our hearts is shown by the words that come out of our mouths. Do we respond with love, kindness and understanding or in our own hurt do we become mad and so caught up in our own hurt that we start to hurt others? When the storm of life hits us, it reveals our foundation. What have you been building your foundation on? Is it built on jealously? Love? Yourself, and what you can gain? Grudges? Kindness? If it isn't build on Jesus, your foundation won't last long. If you are in a storm, start rebuilding your foundation on worship, love and forgiveness. Be ready that when the next storm comes, your foundation will be firm in Christ and unmoveable.
The condition of your heart, is seen by the words that you speak. Speak in love. Give others hope. Lean into worship. Lean into Christ
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