Next Sunday, many people will enter assemblies and sanctuaries all over the world to worship. People will dance and sing as worship leaders lift up songs of joy and exaltation. Unfortunate to realize that many of those praises will never go further than the room they gathered in, and even more unfortunate - some will be fine with that, because some didn't come to worship God, but to tend to their own wants and desires. Some, came to entertain and be entertained.
Note the distinction made between assemblies and sanctuaries. People can assemble almost anywhere; at club, in a diner, at a bar, as well as what many of us know as church. But a sanctuary, elucidated by its word origin and structure from the latin word sanctos, speaks of a holy place. It is a place that has been consecrated, or set apart, for the purposes of a holy God.
We enter to worship, to ascribe glory, honor, and praise to the God who is worthy of such. We do it together, because our God has created, commanded, a community of faith-filled believers to honor God and to build-up one another. Some will come seeking God and should find upon arrival a change of atmosphere, a transformation, as well as a transportation from the earthly realm into the heavenly.
In the 100th Psalm we find the psalmist is inspired by God to instruct the worshipers to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord..." "to serve, or worship God, with gladness as we come before His presence with singing." How often this scripture is quoted and one skips the vital part that instructs us to worship God. There is a distinct difference between gathering at a place together to praise God, and praise springing forth from the worshipers of God.
Authentic praise that pleases God comes forth from authentic worshipers who "know that the Lord is God. That it is He who made us and not we ourselves." The praise that honors God springs forth out of one who has responded to the sacrificial Love of God with a repentant heart that is devoted to worshiping the One True God in Spirit and in Truth. God is calling the apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists to equip true worshipers to take their rightful place to lead authentic worship.
For His Glory,
Pastor Emery B.
Shepherd's House OBC, ENY
Meeting @ ARTS East NY | 534 Livonia Ave.
One Church Many Branches: shobc.org
Note the distinction made between assemblies and sanctuaries. People can assemble almost anywhere; at club, in a diner, at a bar, as well as what many of us know as church. But a sanctuary, elucidated by its word origin and structure from the latin word sanctos, speaks of a holy place. It is a place that has been consecrated, or set apart, for the purposes of a holy God.
We enter to worship, to ascribe glory, honor, and praise to the God who is worthy of such. We do it together, because our God has created, commanded, a community of faith-filled believers to honor God and to build-up one another. Some will come seeking God and should find upon arrival a change of atmosphere, a transformation, as well as a transportation from the earthly realm into the heavenly.
In the 100th Psalm we find the psalmist is inspired by God to instruct the worshipers to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord..." "to serve, or worship God, with gladness as we come before His presence with singing." How often this scripture is quoted and one skips the vital part that instructs us to worship God. There is a distinct difference between gathering at a place together to praise God, and praise springing forth from the worshipers of God.
Authentic praise that pleases God comes forth from authentic worshipers who "know that the Lord is God. That it is He who made us and not we ourselves." The praise that honors God springs forth out of one who has responded to the sacrificial Love of God with a repentant heart that is devoted to worshiping the One True God in Spirit and in Truth. God is calling the apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists to equip true worshipers to take their rightful place to lead authentic worship.
For His Glory,
Pastor Emery B.
Shepherd's House OBC, ENY
Meeting @ ARTS East NY | 534 Livonia Ave.
One Church Many Branches: shobc.org
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