Worship

Be Still My Soul

Ken

The LORD is on the throne of my heart. There is none like Him! He speaks and therefore I understand. Before I ask, He already has answered. He surrounds me with His love. 

“1 O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me.

 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether. 

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thine hand upon me. 

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 

7 Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? 

8 If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. 

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 

10 Even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me. 

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee. 

13 For Thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 

14 I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 

15 My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 

17 How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee. 

19 Surely Thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 

20 For they speak against Thee wickedly, and Thine enemies take Thy name in vain. 

21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against Thee? 

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 

Psalm 139:1-24 KJV 

Prime Directive

Ken

“Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people” (Jeremiah 7:23 KJV). Sure, we must first choose God to obey Him, but by our outward obedience, God understands, if “there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2Corinthians 8:12). Likewise, holiness is separating ourself to Him, and worship is our acknowledgment of who He is to us. “Be ye holy” (Leviticus 20:7; 1Peter 1:15, 16) is a command to be obeyed; and, “worship God” (Revelation 19:10; 22:9) is likewise a command to be obeyed. Obedience is the essential act of exercising our Moral Agency of doing what God created us to do — obeying Him. Lest we think obedience is the grudging relationship of tyrant to slave; this is altogether contrary to what God originally envisioned. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33). God is not our overbearing Master, but our protective Husband. “And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call Me Ishi [my husband]; and shalt call Me no more Baali [my lord]” (Hosea 2:16). Yahweh has always had much higher and deeper intentions for us from the beginning. LORD, bring about Your designs for us. Glorify Your name. And, do return quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Thy God, Thy Glory

Ken

Worship of heart to God, more important than the substance of the world or exhilaration of miracles, is as should be. Thy God, thy glory. The prophet foresaw new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. Old things were passed away. Our embrace of the Invisible God relaxes our grip on the world, which is the fine balance between the necessities of life and the eternal. “The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory” (Isaiah 60:19 KJV).

The Countenance of My Health

Ken

“I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright” (Leviticus 26:13 KJV). From the notes of a long departed sister, a testimony of hope and faithfulness.

My teeth are healed.

They are white and strong.

My incision is firm

As I sing my song.

I am healed and whole

From my head to my feet.

My family has health

And plenty to eat.

“The Lord is my portion!” [Psalm 119:57]

Saith my soul.

He took my infirmities

And made me whole.

“Faith is substance!” [Hebrews 11:1]

I shout this call.

For I am made perfect

In the presence of you all.

Father, may we all have such bold, quiet confidence in You, that You would never deny us. Grant that all Your people will say, You are the “health of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 43:5). In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Thou Art Worthy (Revelation 4:11)

Ken

Humanism at its zenith is a fascination with self — falling in love with the picture in the mirror. No worse punishment can be pronounced for the humanist than taking the emphasis upon self and gazing upon the Almighty. John shows us a picture of eternity with a scene around the throne of God. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11 KJV). His glory is His pleasure; and, our purpose for existence is for the pleasure of God. For this reason, how could we not be more delighted than to find the attention He lavishes upon us? “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1Corinthians 2:9). How could Heaven be more attractive? LORD, You are worthy of the praise, honor, and glory given You. Satisfy our soul in giving You this worship. Teach us our poverty of Spirit, when we restrain our praise of You. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Ice Cubes Shouldn’t Float

Ken

“By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast” (Job 37:10 ESV). If supernatural means defying the laws of physics, then a floating ice cube would be supernatural. Okay, maybe not as impressive as God speaking the world into existence ex nihilo or promising with a rainbow never to destroy the world again with a flood. In physics, we expect the solid form of a substance to be more dense than its liquid form. However, the solid crystalline form of water is less dense than its liquid phase, causing ice to float, seemingly defying the laws of physics. The polar ice caps consequently float, instead of sinking to the bottom, and freezing the earth’s oceans from the bottom up. Living water is the basic molecule of life on earth. Humanity needs to pay more attention to our Creator. LORD, we have willingly forgotten You as the source of all blessings. May we repent and return in worship and gratitude to You our Faithful Creator. Amen and amen. 

Practicing the Presence of God

Ken

In practicing the presence of God, “let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15 KJV). Our praise will be turning into prayer, which becomes worship — drawing us closer to God. Let us continually act as if we believe the Spirit of Christ is dwelling within us, allowing us to continually commune with Him, and making us sensitive to “grieve not the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30 KJV) with foolish, irreverent, or thoughtless conversation. Father, guide us by Thy Word to think our thoughts as if we were pursuing Thee, and to aspire that our emotions would continually rejoice in Thee. Amen and amen.