September2010
Life Signs: Contemporary without Compromise
When we love those who are undeserving, it is an act of mercy. But loving God is an act
of worship.
Praise
The Importance of Praise
Praise to God is what we offer in acknowledgement of God's excellent being. You might
think that praise is the same as saying "thank you," but there is a difference.
Thanksgiving describes our attitude toward what God has done, while praise is offered
for who God is. Psalm 18:3 says "I call to the LORD, who...
All believers are commanded to praise God! In fact, Isaiah 43:21 explains that praise is
one reason we were created, "This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare
My praise." Hebrews 13:15 confirms this: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually
offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His name."
Praise originates in a heart full of love toward God. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "Love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
Are you a Christian today? If so, you know that you love God because He first loved
you! Without God's love, any praise you can offer is hollow. Love, born from a
relationship with God through Jesus Christ, is an essential part of your praise.
Praise God
How can you bring praise to God? What can you do to make it an essential part of your
life? Praise can be expressed in song, in verse, or in prayer and it is to be done
continuously! Psalm 34:1 instructs, "I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will
always be on my lips." Psalm 71:6 says, "From birth I have relied on You; You brought
me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise You."
Praise to God is expressed outwardly through our everyday actions, as well as inwardly
in our thoughts. Praise is an act of Christian worship.
"Where do I begin?" you may ask. "How do I start praising God?" If praising God is new
to you, try praising God for who He is to you, personally. Proclaim that God's goodness
is without measure; it is abundant and overflowing! Here are some ways to get started:
Praise God for His holiness, mercy, and justice (2 Chronicles 20:21; Psalm 99:3-4)
Praise God for His grace (Ephesians 1:6)
Praise Him for His goodness (Psalm 135:3)
Praise God for His kindness (Psalm 117)
Praise God for His salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Praise to God can be offered anywhere! In time, it will become as normal as taking a
breath. Sometimes we praise God inwardly as in Psalm 9:2, "I will be glad and rejoice in
you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High." Other times we have opportunity to
give glory and praise to our God publicly. Psalm 22:22 says, "I will declare Your name to
my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you." Search out opportunities to bring
praise to God!
Who Praises God?
Praise to God, while offered particularly by His children as the freewill expression of
grateful hearts, will one day be offered by everyone! The Bible says that when He
comes again, all mankind will praise Him and acknowledge Him as Lord. He is King over
all the earth. When we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our hearts long to praise
His name. Philippians 2:9-11 tells us His name represents His being, describing who He
is, "Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on
earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father."
The Bible also records:
All nature praises God (Psalm 148:7-10)
The sun, moon, and stars praise Him (Psalm 19:1 and 148:3)
The angels praise Him (Psalm 148:2)
Even the wrath of men is used by God to praise Himself (Psalm 76:10)
Children are to be taught to praise God (Psalm 78:4)
Do You Proclaim His Praise?
Your praise to God is evidenced through your salvation. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a
chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you
may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."
How are you offering praise to God today? When others look at you, do they see a
reflection of God's praise? Psalm 113:3 declares, "From the rising of the sun to the
place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised."
(passage used from unknown author)
Worship
What exactly is worship to you? When different individuals are asked about worship,
you will get a plethora of answers. Worship is not to be offered to God in spirit or in
truth; it should be given in spirit and in truth.
The Apostle Paul described true worship perfectly in Romans 12:1-2: “I urge you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy
sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be
conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may
prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable, or well pleasing and
perfect.”
This passage contains all the elements of true worship. First, there is the motivation to
worship: “the mercies of God.” God’s mercies are everything He has given us that we do
not deserve: eternal love, eternal grace, the Holy Spirit, everlasting peace, eternal joy,
saving faith, comfort, strength, wisdom, hope, patience, kindness, honor, glory,
righteousness, security, eternal life, forgiveness, reconciliation, justification,
sanctification, freedom, intercession and much more. The knowledge and
understanding of these incredible gifts motivate us to pour out praise and
thanksgiving—in other words, worship!
In the passage is a description of the manner of our worship: “present your bodies a
living and holy sacrifice.” Presenting our bodies means giving to God all of who and
what we are. The reference to our bodies here means all our human faculties, all of our
humanness—our hearts, minds, hands, thoughts, attitudes—are to be presented to
God. Subsequently we are to give up control of these things and turn them over to Him,
just as a literal sacrifice was given totally to God on the altar.
How do we do that? Again, we get a clear picture: “by the renewing of your mind.” We
renew our minds daily by cleansing them of the world’s “wisdom” and replacing it with
true wisdom that comes from God. We worship Him with our renewed and cleansed
minds, not with our emotions. Emotions are wonderful things, but unless they are
shaped by a mind saturated in Truth, they can be destructive, unruly forces. Where the
mind goes, the will follows and so do the emotions. “Watch your thoughts, for they
become words...Watch your words, for they become actions...Watch your actions, for
they become habits...Watch your habits, for they become character...Watch your
character, for it becomes your destiny.” I Corinthians 2:16 tells us we have “the mind of
Christ,” not the emotions of Christ.
There is only one way to renew our minds, and that is by the Word of God. It is the
truth, the knowledge of the Word of God, which is to say the knowledge of the mercies
of God, and we’re back where we began. To know the truth, to believe the truth, to
hold convictions about the truth, and to love the truth will naturally result in true
spiritual worship. It is conviction followed by affection, affection that is a response to
truth, not to any external stimuli, including music. Music as such has nothing to do with
worship. Music can’t produce worship, although it certainly can produce emotion.
Music is not the origin of worship, but it can be the expression of it. Do not look to
music to generate your worship; look to music as simply an expression of that which is
generated by a heart that is gripped by the mercies of God, obedient to His commands.
True worship is God-centered worship. People tend to get caught up in where they
should worship, what music they should sing in worship, and how the worship looks to
other people. Focusing on these things completely misses the point. Jesus tells us that
true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth, not in spirit or in truth (John
4:24). This means we worship from the heart and the way God has designed. Worship
can include praying, reading God's Word with an open heart, singing, participating in
communion, and serving others. It is not limited to one act, but is done properly when
the heart and attitude of the person are in the right place.
It’s also important to know that worship is reserved only for God. He alone is worthy
and not any of His servants (Revelation 19:10). We are not to worship saints, prophets,
statues, angels, or any false gods (Exodus 20:4). We also should not be worshiping for
the expectation of something in return, such as a miraculous healing. Worship is done
for God—because He deserves it—and for His pleasure alone. Worship can be a public
praise to God (Psalm 22:22, 35:18) in a Congregational setting, where we can proclaim
through prayer and praise our adoration and thankfulness to Him and what He has done
for us. True worship is felt inwardly, and then comes out through our actions. "Going
through the motions" out of obligation is displeasing to God and is done completely in
vain. He can see through all the hypocrisy, and He hates it. He demonstrates this in
Amos 5:21-24 as He talks about coming judgement. Another example is the story of
Cain and Abel, the first sons of Adam and Eve. They both brought gift offerings to the
Lord, but He was only pleased with Abel's. Cain brought the gift out of obligation; Abel
brought his finest lambs from his flock. He brought out of faith and admiration for God.
True worship is not confined to what we do in church or open praise (although these
things are both good and we are told in the Bible to do them). It is the
acknowledgement of God and all His power and glory in everything we do. The highest
form of praise and worship is obedience to Him and His Word. To do this, we must
know God; we cannot be ignorant of Him (Acts 17:23). Worship is to glorify and exalt
God—to show our loyalty and admiration to our Father.
Upcoming Events
Ticket Cost: $25 per person, includes admission and lunch
(cash or check only, sorry credit cards not accepted)
Event Schedule:
Open
8:00 a.m.
Event Begins
9:30 a.m.
Session One
10:00 a.m.
Lunch Break
11:30 a.m.
Worship
12:30 p.m.
Session Two
1:30 p.m.
Invitation
3:00 p.m.
Closing Worship
3:30 p.m.
Conclude
4:00 p.m.
How do I get my ticket?
If you are in Pensacola, tickets are available in the church office
during the week and at our Sunday worship service.
Tickets are also available by mail. Please mail your check to:
First City Church
1301 E. Gadsden Street
Pensacola, FL 32501
Be sure to include the address where you want us to mail your tickets.
Questions?
call the church office at 850-433-0210.
Fireproof Your Marriage!
The ashes of marriages that have gone ablaze surround us,
and the onslaught from the Enemy is incessant.
The divorce rate among professing Christians is indistinguishable
from that of non-believers,
and all across America God's building block - the family - erodes beneath us.
But the good news is - there IS hope.
Marriages built on the Rock of our Lord Jesus Christ CAN survive.
So ask yourself this question, just how important is your marriage?
I implore you to consider joining us for a powerful Christ-centered study
on Biblical marriage called "The Love Dare", based on the movie Fireproof.
This 8-week study will take place from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. in Room 209,
beginning Sunday, September 5th.
Stop by the registration table in the main foyer to sign up after the service.
Don't wait - register today!
You can also register on line by clicking here.
MGBC Home Page
Life Signs: Contemporary without Compromise
When we love those who are undeserving, it is an act of mercy. But loving God is an act
of worship.
Praise
The Importance of Praise
Praise to God is what we offer in acknowledgement of God's excellent being. You might
think that praise is the same as saying "thank you," but there is a difference.
Thanksgiving describes our attitude toward what God has done, while praise is offered
for who God is. Psalm 18:3 says "I call to the LORD, who...
All believers are commanded to praise God! In fact, Isaiah 43:21 explains that praise is
one reason we were created, "This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare
My praise." Hebrews 13:15 confirms this: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually
offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His name."
Praise originates in a heart full of love toward God. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "Love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
Are you a Christian today? If so, you know that you love God because He first loved
you! Without God's love, any praise you can offer is hollow. Love, born from a
relationship with God through Jesus Christ, is an essential part of your praise.
Praise God
How can you bring praise to God? What can you do to make it an essential part of your
life? Praise can be expressed in song, in verse, or in prayer and it is to be done
continuously! Psalm 34:1 instructs, "I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will
always be on my lips." Psalm 71:6 says, "From birth I have relied on You; You brought
me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise You."
Praise to God is expressed outwardly through our everyday actions, as well as inwardly
in our thoughts. Praise is an act of Christian worship.
"Where do I begin?" you may ask. "How do I start praising God?" If praising God is new
to you, try praising God for who He is to you, personally. Proclaim that God's goodness
is without measure; it is abundant and overflowing! Here are some ways to get started:
Praise God for His holiness, mercy, and justice (2 Chronicles 20:21; Psalm 99:3-4)
Praise God for His grace (Ephesians 1:6)
Praise Him for His goodness (Psalm 135:3)
Praise God for His kindness (Psalm 117)
Praise God for His salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Praise to God can be offered anywhere! In time, it will become as normal as taking a
breath. Sometimes we praise God inwardly as in Psalm 9:2, "I will be glad and rejoice in
you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High." Other times we have opportunity to
give glory and praise to our God publicly. Psalm 22:22 says, "I will declare Your name to
my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you." Search out opportunities to bring
praise to God!
Who Praises God?
Praise to God, while offered particularly by His children as the freewill expression of
grateful hearts, will one day be offered by everyone! The Bible says that when He
comes again, all mankind will praise Him and acknowledge Him as Lord. He is King over
all the earth. When we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our hearts long to praise
His name. Philippians 2:9-11 tells us His name represents His being, describing who He
is, "Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on
earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father."
The Bible also records:
All nature praises God (Psalm 148:7-10)
The sun, moon, and stars praise Him (Psalm 19:1 and 148:3)
The angels praise Him (Psalm 148:2)
Even the wrath of men is used by God to praise Himself (Psalm 76:10)
Children are to be taught to praise God (Psalm 78:4)
Do You Proclaim His Praise?
Your praise to God is evidenced through your salvation. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a
chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you
may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."
How are you offering praise to God today? When others look at you, do they see a
reflection of God's praise? Psalm 113:3 declares, "From the rising of the sun to the
place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised."
(passage used from unknown author)
Worship
What exactly is worship to you? When different individuals are asked about worship,
you will get a plethora of answers. Worship is not to be offered to God in spirit or in
truth; it should be given in spirit and in truth.
The Apostle Paul described true worship perfectly in Romans 12:1-2: “I urge you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy
sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be
conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may
prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable, or well pleasing and
perfect.”
This passage contains all the elements of true worship. First, there is the motivation to
worship: “the mercies of God.” God’s mercies are everything He has given us that we do
not deserve: eternal love, eternal grace, the Holy Spirit, everlasting peace, eternal joy,
saving faith, comfort, strength, wisdom, hope, patience, kindness, honor, glory,
righteousness, security, eternal life, forgiveness, reconciliation, justification,
sanctification, freedom, intercession and much more. The knowledge and
understanding of these incredible gifts motivate us to pour out praise and
thanksgiving—in other words, worship!
In the passage is a description of the manner of our worship: “present your bodies a
living and holy sacrifice.” Presenting our bodies means giving to God all of who and
what we are. The reference to our bodies here means all our human faculties, all of our
humanness—our hearts, minds, hands, thoughts, attitudes—are to be presented to
God. Subsequently we are to give up control of these things and turn them over to Him,
just as a literal sacrifice was given totally to God on the altar.
How do we do that? Again, we get a clear picture: “by the renewing of your mind.” We
renew our minds daily by cleansing them of the world’s “wisdom” and replacing it with
true wisdom that comes from God. We worship Him with our renewed and cleansed
minds, not with our emotions. Emotions are wonderful things, but unless they are
shaped by a mind saturated in Truth, they can be destructive, unruly forces. Where the
mind goes, the will follows and so do the emotions. “Watch your thoughts, for they
become words...Watch your words, for they become actions...Watch your actions, for
they become habits...Watch your habits, for they become character...Watch your
character, for it becomes your destiny.” I Corinthians 2:16 tells us we have “the mind of
Christ,” not the emotions of Christ.
There is only one way to renew our minds, and that is by the Word of God. It is the
truth, the knowledge of the Word of God, which is to say the knowledge of the mercies
of God, and we’re back where we began. To know the truth, to believe the truth, to
hold convictions about the truth, and to love the truth will naturally result in true
spiritual worship. It is conviction followed by affection, affection that is a response to
truth, not to any external stimuli, including music. Music as such has nothing to do with
worship. Music can’t produce worship, although it certainly can produce emotion.
Music is not the origin of worship, but it can be the expression of it. Do not look to
music to generate your worship; look to music as simply an expression of that which is
generated by a heart that is gripped by the mercies of God, obedient to His commands.
True worship is God-centered worship. People tend to get caught up in where they
should worship, what music they should sing in worship, and how the worship looks to
other people. Focusing on these things completely misses the point. Jesus tells us that
true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth, not in spirit or in truth (John
4:24). This means we worship from the heart and the way God has designed. Worship
can include praying, reading God's Word with an open heart, singing, participating in
communion, and serving others. It is not limited to one act, but is done properly when
the heart and attitude of the person are in the right place.
It’s also important to know that worship is reserved only for God. He alone is worthy
and not any of His servants (Revelation 19:10). We are not to worship saints, prophets,
statues, angels, or any false gods (Exodus 20:4). We also should not be worshiping for
the expectation of something in return, such as a miraculous healing. Worship is done
for God—because He deserves it—and for His pleasure alone. Worship can be a public
praise to God (Psalm 22:22, 35:18) in a Congregational setting, where we can proclaim
through prayer and praise our adoration and thankfulness to Him and what He has done
for us. True worship is felt inwardly, and then comes out through our actions. "Going
through the motions" out of obligation is displeasing to God and is done completely in
vain. He can see through all the hypocrisy, and He hates it. He demonstrates this in
Amos 5:21-24 as He talks about coming judgement. Another example is the story of
Cain and Abel, the first sons of Adam and Eve. They both brought gift offerings to the
Lord, but He was only pleased with Abel's. Cain brought the gift out of obligation; Abel
brought his finest lambs from his flock. He brought out of faith and admiration for God.
True worship is not confined to what we do in church or open praise (although these
things are both good and we are told in the Bible to do them). It is the
acknowledgement of God and all His power and glory in everything we do. The highest
form of praise and worship is obedience to Him and His Word. To do this, we must
know God; we cannot be ignorant of Him (Acts 17:23). Worship is to glorify and exalt
God—to show our loyalty and admiration to our Father.
Upcoming Events
Ticket Cost: $25 per person, includes admission and lunch
(cash or check only, sorry credit cards not accepted)
Event Schedule:
Open
8:00 a.m.
Event Begins
9:30 a.m.
Session One
10:00 a.m.
Lunch Break
11:30 a.m.
Worship
12:30 p.m.
Session Two
1:30 p.m.
Invitation
3:00 p.m.
Closing Worship
3:30 p.m.
Conclude
4:00 p.m.
How do I get my ticket?
If you are in Pensacola, tickets are available in the church office
during the week and at our Sunday worship service.
Tickets are also available by mail. Please mail your check to:
First City Church
1301 E. Gadsden Street
Pensacola, FL 32501
Be sure to include the address where you want us to mail your tickets.
Questions?
call the church office at 850-433-0210.
Fireproof Your Marriage!
The ashes of marriages that have gone ablaze surround us,
and the onslaught from the Enemy is incessant.
The divorce rate among professing Christians is indistinguishable
from that of non-believers,
and all across America God's building block - the family - erodes beneath us.
But the good news is - there IS hope.
Marriages built on the Rock of our Lord Jesus Christ CAN survive.
So ask yourself this question, just how important is your marriage?
I implore you to consider joining us for a powerful Christ-centered study
on Biblical marriage called "The Love Dare", based on the movie Fireproof.
This 8-week study will take place from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. in Room 209,
beginning Sunday, September 5th.
Stop by the registration table in the main foyer to sign up after the service.
Don't wait - register today!
You can also register on line by clicking here.
MGBC Home Page