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A. Praise, Love, and Glorify God – Mark 12:30
o Mark 12:29-30 “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: vs 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” 1. To sing and worship God with Godly music a. God established music for His people to praise Him and thank Him. o Psalm 149:1 “Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.” b. Singing and playing an instrument is to be for God’s Glory and not for our Pleasure. Music is not to be used to pamper the flesh. · A man of God said, “The music we Christians use must reflect God’s character.” o Psalm 29:2 “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” · A Christian’s music must not be conformed to this world . . .” (Rom. 12:2). - The world uses sensual music that appeals to the flesh. This is a subtle counterfeit worship that only appeals to the flesh and plays with people’s emotions. - God is Holy and desires to be worshiped in the beauty of holiness. o 1 Peter 2:9-11 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: vs 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Vs 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” c. However, godly music is able to edify our Spirit, and it is used to build up and admonish Christians. o Colossians 3:16-17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. vs 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. · Johann Sebastian Bach said, “All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub.” · Bach headed all of his compositions: “J. J.,” the initials for ”Jesus Juva” which means “Jesus help me.” · He ended them “S.D.G.,” the initials for, “Soli De-i Gratia” which means “To God alone be the glory.” 2. To serve God with a pure heart – Colossians 3:22-23 o Colossians 3:22-23 “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: vs 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; a. Serve to please God; do it for the eyes of God! · Note: If we were to do everything only for the eyes of men, we would be faithful only as long as they were watching; but if we do all that we do for the eyes and glory of God, we will be faithful at all times. b. Not a self-seeking service. · Simplicity, sincerity, · For the sake of God’s glory - Self-seeking service comes through human effort. - God-Glorifying service comes by the Spirit’s power. - Self-seeking service is impressed with the "high place." - God-Glorifying service is satisfied with the “low place.” - Self-seeking service looks for recognition and reward - God-Glorifying service understands serving God is its own reward. - Self-seeking service picks and chooses whom to serve. - God-Glorifying service has a heart to serve all. - Self-seeking service is temporary. - God-Glorifying service is a life-style. c. Be more concerned of what God thinks of your service · Have God’s stamp of approval in all you do! - Have the faithfulness of a good Soldier (be not entangled with the affairs of this life) - Have the patience of a farmer (labour and work hard, and wait on the Lord) - Have the discipline of an Athlete (Be consistent & do not cut corners) d. “....And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily,” - Serve with all your heart - Do your best for God - Work with a good attitude - Not with a grudging spirit, but serve with gladness e. ...as to the Lord, and not unto men;” - Though there may be those that are blind to your service, I want to remind you today that God is watching. o Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” · When you do it for Christ your labour is not in vain. o Mark 9:41 ”For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. 3. To strive to hear, love and do God’s Word – 1 John 3:18 a. Be under the Word of God b. Love the Word of God c. Live the Word of God - Note: True love for Jesus is demonstrated in your obedience to Him! - Jesus said “If you love me, keep my commandments.” o 1 John 3:18 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” · I heard someone once say, “Your walk talks more than your talk, talks.” · Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said, “Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. To know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” o James 1:22-25 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Vs 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: vs 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. Vs 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” · A wise man/women will not only Hear God’s Word, but will also Heed God’s Word! o Proverbs 14:1-2 “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. vs 2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. 4. To seek God in Prayer for wisdom to walk in His ways – James 1:5 o James 1:5-8 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. vs 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Vs 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. vs 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” a. Ask of God (Talk to God about it) - Result, God will not withhold his council, but will freely give it. b. Ask in Faith (Either you believe God or not) - Do not be in a hurry and take matters into your own hands. c. Ask with one Mind (Nothing wavering) - Be determined that God’s wisdom, and His Word is the only option. - Do not go to God in prayer with a preconceived attitude. o Vs 7 “For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. vs 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” o James 4:13-15 “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: vs 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. vs 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” o 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
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