4/25/2010

TRUE WORSHIP....

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The LORD gave the pattern.
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Our LORD gave us a pattern of how to pray, yes, and also how to worship HIM+ in Spirit and in Truth.
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The "LORD'S PRAYER" in Matthew 6 is a perfect example of how
to WORSHIP HIM+ in an acceptable way.
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Yes, I do believe that HE+ hears the heart-cries of all His+ creation... because HE+ heard mine.
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However, we who are now born again in the BLOOD COVENANT should not be "loose" and irreverent when we come before HIM+.
After all, we'd show an earthly ruler (king, queen, president, etc.) proper respect or we wouldn't last long in his/ her presence!
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How much more so is reverence due to the KING of KINGS, the LORD of LIGHT, the ALMIGHTY GOD, the EVERLASTING FATHER, the PRINCE of PEACE! The Hebrew children were strict to conform to a reverent and holy and PROPER order of worship and sacrifice before the ALMIGHTY GOD. They did not play loose and fast with HIM.
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[Recall what happened to Aaron's sons when they offered strange incense upon the altar or what happened to the unsanctified men who steadied the Ark of the Covenant when David was trying to bring it home.]
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But, to return to the point of Matthew 6, the LORD'S PRAYER:
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HE+ gave us that pattern SO THAT we could properly enter into the Divine Presence of both our and HIS+ Heavenly FATHER.
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First of all then, to WORSHIP, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE that HE is our collective FATHER; no one person "monopolizes" HIM nor is HE a respecter of persons.
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We acknowledge that HE is FATHER, the ONE in control, HE Who caused us to be born, HE Who provides for us... both things we like and things we would rather not have to deal with. We acknowledge that this Heavenly FATHER has the right to chastise us so that we are not illegitimate children and thus omitted from the promise, the inheritance of the saints. HE has the right to make us afraid of HIS power and might.
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We acknowledge that HE is The FATHER in HEAVEN, not our earthly father.
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We acknowledge that HE is Pure and Holy... even HIS very name is HOLY !
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The first part of the "LORD'S PRAYER" is the very first part of TRUE WORSHIP, either collectively or privately.
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In the next part of the pattern, we forebear mentioning our wants and desires; we FIRST AFFIRM that the FATHER'S KINGDOM and WILL is our greatest desire, above all the issues of our heart.
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We TESTIFY that we WANT HIS Kingdom to come, that we want badly HIS Divine will to be accomplished here on earth the same as it is being done this very minute in HEAVEN.
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This is TRUE WORSHIP, when we affirm that His Kingdom, His Will, as the very best that could ever happen to this civilization and to us, His children. We tell HIM how we long for HIM and for HIS Day to be seen for what it is... WHO is the TRUE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE !
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All this is humbling, to see WHO HE is... and who we are in HIS eyes
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Then, after humbling ourselves and putting away our will, we ask for those things we have need of daily, including forgiveness from HIM and towards others.
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We ask daily for HIS deliverance from evil and from temptation... yes, who among us is so pure that we are not daily tempted with some unrighteous, some impure, some unholy thing or thought?

The last section RE-STATES WHO actually has all the Kingdom, all the power, and all the glory .... ....not only now BUT FOREVER !

When the human heart does all this, true worship takes place.
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HE+ has placed this pattern in His+ Word
so that we who are hungry for HIM+
can find HIM+.
For, the true children of the Kingdom must worship The FATHER in Spirit and in Truth... for The FATHER seeketh such to worship HIM.

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