Monday, February 17, 2020

Ready for Heaven (Jesus' Return)


Thoughts on a quote- continued…
"I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven." — Whatever Happened to Worship? A.W. Tozer
Not ready for heaven, not ready for the return of Christ.
God set aside one day in every seven days to worship. The day God set aside is called the Sabbath- the rest day. Jesus kept the rest day perfectly, worshipping His Father in all He did on that day.
Jesus' life was one of worship towards the Father. It is very easy to say that Jesus lived for the Father. There wasn't a single breath Jesus took that wasn't breathed for the Father. Even in all His growing years, from infant to adult and all the way to the year He began His ministry- the outward revelation of His truth was lived for the Father.
For thirty years Jesus lives His life as the son of Mary and Joseph. He had siblings and extended family- cousins, uncles, aunts. During those thirty years Jesus lived with the knowledge of His Father in heaven- when He was twelve years old He was accidentally left in Jerusalem and when His parents rushed back to find Him, He had this to say--
Luk_2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
Jesus was doing this--
Luk 2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
Luk 2:47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
Luk 2:48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
He was sitting among doctors in the temple- listening and asking questions. Those He had been talking to were astonished at His comprehension of all that was being discussed. He was clearly very learned for one so young, and not of those living day in and day out around the temple. This boy came from nowhere, a remote, rural place and here He was talking about things only a well-learned person should be able to talk about. Jesus was going about HIS FATHER'S BUSINESS at twelve years old. However, it wasn’t time for Him to continue in this way.
Luk 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
Luk 2:50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
Luk 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Luk 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Mary and Joseph didn't understand what Jesus meant about being about His Father's business- for all intents and purposes, Joseph was Jesus' father. They took Him back home and He was still required to listen to Him, and be subject to them as any twelve year old should be.
From then on, Jesus' wisdom only increased as He grew up. Jesus became a man that was favored not only by God- His Heavenly Father but by all around him.
Jesus' life was one of pure holiness and He worshiped God perfectly.
We have so much information given to us about Jesus' ministry during the three years before His death. His example was a perfect one and He worshiped on the Sabbath day as He'd done His entire life from infancy to adulthood. He shunned the traditions forced upon the Sabbath, but He did NOT break the Sabbath commandment, He couldn't, it would be completely and utterly impossible for Him to do so and remain sinless. He couldn't murder, steal, lie, and remain sinless, and right there with those commandments to be kept was the Sabbath commandment.
Worshiping God.
Recognize every day God's role in our lives. What role is that? Creator, from everlasting to everlasting, without beginning and without end, all-knowing, all-powerful. Supreme overall. The director of our paths, our lives. The One whose will is best for us. I could go on, you know I could, but let's pause here for a bit.
If at the moment our eyes open, no, let's amend that. If at the moment we are aware we are awake - eyes opened or not- we turn our thoughts first and foremost to God- is that a form of worship? It is, isn't it? It is a recognition of God's place in our lives. It's giving Him the glory, the honor, the praise in recognizing Him as having complete supremacy over us. Our choosing to place Him first, before all other thoughts that vie for our attention.
Worshiping God.
More on this tomorrow by the grace, and mercy, the will of our LORD and SAVIOR now and forever!!!!!!!

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