Post by foxjj on Feb 28, 2022 8:25:20 GMT
Psalm 100’s Invitation
As the world once more experiences war with all of its sorrows, one may ask where is God in all of this? The short answer is that God has not changed in His benevolence towards men and women. As an example the sun rises every morning giving light and heat to all the world. As we awake our lives continue, all because of our Creator God who is the giver of life. Those of us who have experienced new life in Christ Jesus, know The Lord is worthy to be praised for His faithfulness. In Psalm 100 the psalmist invites you and I to recognize God’s bountifulness in spite of the evil in the world.
"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (NIV.)
This paslm was a part of worship in the Temple at Jerusalem, and is often used as a call to worship at the opening of a Sunday service. It is a short joyful psalm calling all believers to worship the living God. We are encouraged to come before Him with gladness, singing joyful songs of praise. In my earlier church years - like many others - I would attend the required Sunday service and follow the ritual that was written in a book for that Sunday. At the end of the service; I had performed my duty, however, had not experienced any joy in worship. Since those earlier days - by Gods grace - I have experienced the difference between ritualistic duty, and the joy of freely worshipping my Savior and my Lord.
Verse 3 challenges you and I to: "know that the Lord is God." It is when we have experienced a personal knowledge of The Lord Jesus, that we enter into this understanding - and as a result - worship God with a joyful heart because we are now "His people; the sheep of His pasture" - His Church. As born again children of God, we personally experience His forgiveness and love daily, despite all the evil in the world. Knowing that His faithfulness continues through all generations, we continually "worship the Lord with gladness."
Today, let us worship The Lord with a joyful heart.
John Joseph Fox.
As the world once more experiences war with all of its sorrows, one may ask where is God in all of this? The short answer is that God has not changed in His benevolence towards men and women. As an example the sun rises every morning giving light and heat to all the world. As we awake our lives continue, all because of our Creator God who is the giver of life. Those of us who have experienced new life in Christ Jesus, know The Lord is worthy to be praised for His faithfulness. In Psalm 100 the psalmist invites you and I to recognize God’s bountifulness in spite of the evil in the world.
"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (NIV.)
This paslm was a part of worship in the Temple at Jerusalem, and is often used as a call to worship at the opening of a Sunday service. It is a short joyful psalm calling all believers to worship the living God. We are encouraged to come before Him with gladness, singing joyful songs of praise. In my earlier church years - like many others - I would attend the required Sunday service and follow the ritual that was written in a book for that Sunday. At the end of the service; I had performed my duty, however, had not experienced any joy in worship. Since those earlier days - by Gods grace - I have experienced the difference between ritualistic duty, and the joy of freely worshipping my Savior and my Lord.
Verse 3 challenges you and I to: "know that the Lord is God." It is when we have experienced a personal knowledge of The Lord Jesus, that we enter into this understanding - and as a result - worship God with a joyful heart because we are now "His people; the sheep of His pasture" - His Church. As born again children of God, we personally experience His forgiveness and love daily, despite all the evil in the world. Knowing that His faithfulness continues through all generations, we continually "worship the Lord with gladness."
Today, let us worship The Lord with a joyful heart.
John Joseph Fox.
