GOD'S TRUE WORSHIPER

Psalm 15

King David wrote this psalm in Hebrew, he had a house in Jerusalem for the Lord—a tent made from goat skins. The king called his tent the house of the LORD. David thought that God lived in it. God is holy, so David said this made the hill of Zion holy too. People that loved the LORD came to his house. They asked, "Who can come into the house of the like on the inside.

A believer is a Christian who believes in the Lord. This psalm clarifies the personality of those Christians who God would have worshipped Him and we are reminded of basic principles of righteous conduct required by God.

This psalm may have been written in anticipation of the ark's restoration to Israel and establishment of public worship in Jerusalem since David “was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, how shall the ark of the LORD come to me? So David would not remove the ark of the LORD to him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.” (2 Sam 6:9-11).

This psalm begins with two questions addressed to God, perhaps prompted by the incident involving Uzzah touching the ark when it was being transported improperly on the back of a cart (2 Sam 6:3-7; Num 4:5-15; 7:9).

Since no one could actually take up residence in the tabernacle, the inquiry could be paraphrased “Whom will you accept when he comes to your house, O Lord?” (v1). The answer provided begins with a general description of a true worshiper as one who walks uprightly and works righteousness. More specifically, the true worshiper is one who does not lie, backbite with his tongue, do evil to his neighbor, or take up a reproach against his friend. He despises a vile (despicable) person, but honors those who fear the Lord.

David’s question posed. He asks: who may abide in the Lord's tabernacle? “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? The answer is provided in verses 2 to 5, He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness…this is in general terms. Specifically, this means “he who speaks truth in his heart and he who does not backbite with his tongue, do evil to his neighbor and take up a reproach against his friend.

A true worshipper never shows disrespect to anyone and detests any wrongdoing and deception. He is very careful to do hurt to no man by speaking evil to him and not others' faults the matter of his common talk. While he makes the best of everybody, and the worst of nobody, he values every man by their virtue and piety. Every true living Christian, with the grace of God, have this temper and conduct, and in these respects proved himself to be one. “In whose eyes...a vile person is despised; the one who fears the Lord is honored and he who swears to his own hurt and does not change. He who does not...put out his money at usury (interest), take a bribe against the innocent and he who does these things shall never be moved.” The Christian is a good neighbor and is good in his relations with them; all persons with whom we have anything to do.

The true worshipper’s upright character is illustrated by his unwillingness to go back on his word even if he has sworn to his own detriment. The psalm ends with a declaration that one who does these things shall never be moved. This is because he is privileged to draw near to God and he prospers in everything he does. AMEN 

CALL TO HOLINESS

1 Peter 1:15F

Peter writes in his letter that “He who called (us) is holy, (we) also be holy in all our conduct, since it is written, and “You shall be holy, for I am holy." Holy, that is physically pure and morally blameless and consecrated to God, and that, is in all manner, in all aspects of our lives.

With today’s modernity, every thing going hi-tech; all the environmental events—climate change and all, and with every type of people, it seems that practicing to be blessed or sublime seems easier said than done or challenging for a Christian but then again this is God’s demand for His would-be followers.

The word “holy” is described in the dictionary as “Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense.” Somebody who is holy has a pure heart, temper or character; free from sin and sinful affections. We call a man holy, when his heart is conformed in some degree to the image of God, and his life is regulated by the divine precepts. Hence, holy is used as nearly synonymous with good, pious, godly.

As to God, His holiness signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions.

HOLINESS IS NOT AN OPTION BUT A REQUIREMENT. People say it is difficult to achieve. Is it difficult for one to be virtuous and faithful, consecrated or set apart to a sacred use? Or to be of service or worship of God? Will a Christian find struggle arranging one’s self to pious principles or purposes; as holy zeal. Maybe you can answer that. Sometimes man can have the wrong notion of being holy. We picture him as the robed person who sits in a corner and continually think thoughts of God.

Holiness, my beloved Christian friend, is a lifelong task for you and me. It includes being temperate in all behavior, sober-minded in opinion, as well as in practice, and humility in judgment. Holiness should be the desire and duty of every Christian. It must be in all affairs, in every condition, and towards all people. We must especially watch and pray against the sins to which we are inclined. The written word of God is the surest rule of a Christian's life, and by this rule we are commanded to be holy every way. God makes those holy whom he saves. To be holy, to add, is to be self-controlled, stripped for action, fixing one’s hope on the gift of grace and living a new life.

HOLINESS IS THE REQUIREMENT IN FOLLOWING GOD. This is challenge for everyone. It begins when one is forgiven and a new life is found in Christ and in obeying God’s commands. Obedient children will seek to please and to be like their father. Our Father is holy, and the duty rests upon us of seeking holy lives.

Let us be that the model or example in accordance with which we are to frame our lives. Our character should be like God, to be holy in all manner of conversation and conduct. Since God is holy, and we profess to be his followers, we ought also to be holy. God’s command found in Leviticus 11:44 was addressed at first to the Israelites, but it is with equal politeness addressed to Christians. The foundation of the command is, that they professed to be his people, and that as his people they ought to be like their God.

To be holy is also avoiding evil. Living righteously, getting rid of our old selves and deceitful desires with our hearts and minds completely made new. We must reveal that true life that is upright and holy and devout as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:22-24, Eph 4:22: “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” That is also changing our attitude for the better and striving for righteousness, godliness, faith and love, endurance and gentleness, fleeing from jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions and harmful pursuit of money. Still difficult my beloved Christian friend? Only you can answer that..AMEN

DISCIPLESHIP ESSENTIALS AND ITS ENEMIES

IN its broader sense, discipleship has been described as the commitment of putting together, forming and building up the lives of future generations, like Moses telling the Israelites about “the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord God commanded to teach (them) that (they) may do them, that (they) may fear the God, to keep it all, including the future generations of God’s people and that their days may be prolonged” (Dt 6:1F).  This command stands true for us even today.

                                

Discipleship also involves carrying on the plan of God without a leadership gap, as in Joshua being designated next in line, after Moses’ death, as the one who will lead the chosen people to the promise land.

During Jesus’ time, it involves training just a few people to reach all nations; He ordained twelve (Mk 3:13) “that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.” The commission was to “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19).

Discipleship likewise involves transfer of leadership when the time is right. This kind of leadership is influence, the ability to achieve followers and people development. A great leader or discipler is seen not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others. A discipler’s responsibility is developing others to do the work, building people by taking them through steps of leadership: He does it; he does it and his disciple is with him; then the disciple does it and the discipler is with him and finally the disciple does it and his discipler is in the background giving him the confidence for the effort.

With all these, discipleship still have its essentials—the basics or the requisites, while it has enemies, those that challenge it. One of the first essential is UNION. It is blending or joining together. As Jesus referred to in John 15:5-8: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

In verse 16 of the same chapter Christ continued to say that He “have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain”.

Other translations say that Jesus has appointed us and ordained the latter which means being “set forth.” The Tagalog translation of the scripture states: nguni't kayo'y hinirang (lifted up or elevated) ko, at aking kayong inihalal (elected or designated).” Christ is the person behind and the preserver of the ministry of the gospel, even to the end of the world and we above all things need to help safeguard this with prayer and brotherly love.

Jesus loved his disciples for he chose and ordained them to be the prime instruments of his glory and honor in the world. Though we make that holy calling our own choice, Christ's choice is prior to ours and directs and determines it. The negative aspect of this union is INDEPENDENCE, that’s when we act in self determination. There’s a danger here when someone or we act in complete exemption from control of God and when do not rely on Him. Though independence is excellent as to mind in qualification of a judge, in this case, when he acts without bias or influence from others, such word or good feature is inapplicable to our relation with God.

The second essential is BALANCED LIFE. Mark writes about the sower who threw seeds on the ground where some of them fell among thorns; such as hear the word, “and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it became unfruitful. And these are they who are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” (Mk 4:18-20) Those that heard and understood brought forth fruit: development or progress. “Many are affected with the word for the present, who yet receive no abiding benefit by it. The motions of soul they have, answerable to what they hear, are but a mere flash, like the crackling of thorns under a pot,” says the Henry commentary.

The enemy of a balanced life is social diseases, a malady that affects the community. Mark identified this, from Jesus’ words, the cares of the world (v19) they that worry about the needs of this life and are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. All other kinds of desires, that is. So the message of God gets choked out, and they never produce anything. The deceitful ness of riches, one who sees own possessions as more valuable than the word of God. The riches of man which are the fruit of this worldly care, along with the pleasures of this life and the lusts of other things-- the enjoyments one indulge and in turn draws off so much of one's attention, absorbing so much of one's interest, and using up so much of one's time. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1John 2:15F) Let us not be like Martha, who is so concerned and apprehensive, and troubled about many things.

Next is MATURITY. Paul wrote the Corinthians, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, even as to babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1Cor 3:1FF)  He was saying as if: “My friends, you are acting like the people of this world. That's why I could not speak to you as spiritual people. You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ are concerned.” Christians, as mature persons, should “speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, or of the princes of this world, that come to naught.” The way in which this wisdom was communicated is important. That which had never entered into the heart of man God had revealed by His Spirit, so that they might know the things which are freely given of God.

The enemy of maturity is worldliness, described in the dictionary as a “predominant or biggest passion for obtaining the good things of this life; covetousness; addictedness to gain and temporal enjoyments.” Proverbs 21:17  says that “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” Titus wrote that in “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” (Titus 2:17) James also said that “friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4).

Sometimes, a disciple may be slow to learn. Paul lamented in his letter to the Hebrews “of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat (Heb 5:11-F).

The apostle meant for his readers “to have time for learning, and yet make no proficiency, is an aggravation of dullness; moreover, that men ought to be hearers, and make some good proficiency in hearing, before they are fit to be teachers of others; also, that persons are not only to hear for their own edification, but for the instruction of others, though all hearers are not designed for public teachers; for to be teachers of others, requires a considerable share of knowledge.” Be prepared, therefore to seek your heart and do its so that you will be able to teach God’s statutes and judgment to others (Ezra 7:10).