VIRTUES OF THE CROSS 2F – (UNDERSTANDING WORSHIP I)

Lev. 2:11-13, “No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire. As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a  sweet savour. And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt”.  

No honey means no sweet word, don’t say things you don’t mean in the place of worship. Don’t use vain words in the place of worship. No mixture, no syncretism in the worship of Jehovah. When you come to God, tremble at his presence. Be intentional in the choice of your words when you are worshipping God. Don’t say what you don’t mean before God, it is not just what you say, it has to do with the heart. God looks beyond the word to the heart. If the heart is not right, the worship can never be acceptable.

The cross was rugged, so despised. No pleasure was associated with it, there was nothing attractive about the cross. That is how God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. There is no place for exhibitionism in the true worship of God. The moment you begin to sense the spirit of worldliness in your worship, stop, because it has been reduced to hay, wood and stubble. Fire will burn it. You must be careful how you worship.

God relates with any person on the basis of the covenant relationship based on the blood of Jesus. The cross was God’s prescription for total reconciliation of man. 

There are postures of worship; God is detailed. Today some Pentecostals find it difficult to kneel down during worship. They prefer to command God justifying their action with the Isa. 45:11, “Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me”. This scripture is actually a question but because the King James Version erroneously put a full stop at the end of the question instead of a question mark, they capitalize on this mistake. 

The Living Bible puts it this way, “Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, Israel’s Creator, says: What right have you to question what I do? Who are you to command me concerning the work of my hands?“

NIV says, “This is what the LORD says – the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands?”

The cross was the greatest prescription that God made for the redemption, rectification, healing, and for restoration of fallen man to the place that he originally intended for man. Take away the cross and get lost forever!

PRAYER

• Lord, please help me in the name of Jesus Christ. Grant me grace never to get into error. Grant me grace to be submissive to your instructions of wisdom. Help me to know you more that I may reverence you the more, that I may fall in love with you, that I may fear you in Jesus’ name.
• Lord, help me to tremble at your word in the name of Jesus
• Make me a worshipper. May all the days of my life flow in ceaseless praise and worship of your almightiness in the name of Jesus.
• Whenever I am in error, please help me. Make things right for me in the name of Jesus.
• Lord, I submit to your will, I believe that your will is best for me. Grant me grace. Let your name be magnified.
• Help me, O God. Reveal yourself to me. Make me all you want me to be. Remove every trace of error in my knowledge of you. Help me to feast on your word and live by it. Make me all you want me to be.
• Lord, I pray into the lives of those who have imbibed error in one way or the other, I ask you to intervene in their lives. Grant them grace to return to the cross and to submit to your will, for your will is perfect. Thank you blessed Lord, in Jesus’ mighty name I pray. Amen!