"all who are called to his service are ordained to minister "Terri (quiltnmomi) brought up a thought in her comment to my last post that I had in mind when I wrote it, but decided not to elaborate on. Today as I read an old blog at another site I used to maintain (dalereis) I came across the following which does elaborate on her statement: "- all who are called to his service are ordained to minister " Monday, May 30, 2005 I was putting together last Saturday’s set list and kept thinking of the verse that states “God finds pleasure in the praises of His people” (that may not be a literal rendering of the verse, but you get the idea). I don’t often say a lot while leading worship but decided to do a Bible Gateway search on “pleasure’ to see if I could locate that verse. While searching I came across this verse that set off some memories of things learned in the past: Haggai 1:7-9 (NIV) 7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. 9 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. The literal thought here is that God’s people were expecting a lot for themselves but had neglected to rebuild God’s house, which had been destroyed. This also sounds a whole lot like today’s church which we will expand on as we study a couple of more verses. 2 Samuel 7:11 (KJV) 11And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. The literal thought here is that David was discouraged that he had not been able to establish a permanent “house” for God which would be grand and honor Him with a place for the Ark to be permanently kept and honored through the ritual sacrifices. As an aside, David was the one whom went and brought back the Ark, which represented God’s presence, after their enemies had taken it into captivity. While the Ark was gone, the Tabernacle of Moses was still being used as the main center of worship with the priests going through the system of sacrifices commanded by God, but with the notable absence of God’s presence. When David brought back the Ark, he set up a separate tent and placed the Ark there and invited any who wanted to worship to come to the tent to do so. This was noticeable difference in attitude from the original system of only God’s priests being allowed into His presence, and David inviting all to come. I’ll add that while this was going on, the priests were still going through the motions of religious sacrifices in the absence of the presence. Can you see the parallel to the modern church and also note the uniqueness of David’s attitude? This reveals even more reasons why he was known as a man after God’s own heart and was the man God chose to begin the lineage of His own Son. That is why, in this verse, God says that He will make David a house. He was to be the forefather of the Son of God Himself and of the family we have been adopted into when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. We see this thought carried over into the next verse: 1 Peter 2:4-9 (NIV) 4As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," 8and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. 9But 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. Jesus Christ, the stone the early religious leaders rejected, has been laid as the corner stone for God’s house, just as God promised David. We, those who have accepted our place in God’s kingdom, have now been placed as living stones to be a part of that house with Him. He has also made us priests and kings, as David was, to offer up acceptable sacrifices to Him. While acceptable sacrifices covers a lot of ground, it starts here with “declaring the praises of Him.” So, think about this when you gather together in His name to worship Him. Don’t be among those who would be concerned with their own tastes in music or their own brand of theology and be looking for what you can get out of the worship service because, as Haggai suggests, God will “blow it away.” Rather, be concerned with what you can do to participate in bringing God honor and glory and in building Him a “house” which all starts with “declaring His praises.” Be Blessed!
God IS Good!
Go Ahead: Say It! Believe It! Confess It!
You're Invited!!
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