In Spirit and Truth

“In Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:23-24)

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

Christ spoke with the woman at the well about true worshipers worshiping in Spirit and in Truth. What do you suppose he meant by this? What might this worshiper and way of worship look like?

Worship is spiritual. Worship in Spirit and in Truth transcends the physical realm, natural man, and involves God’s Spirit testifying to the spirit of born again believers. The spiritual man worships God not the natural man. The flesh wars with God but the spirit within man, the Christ within, submits to God’s glory and holiness with praise and service.

The woman that Jesus spoke with associated worship with a particular place, (this mountain) very much in the same way people today associate worship with just attending church (this building).  But the worship Jesus spoke of was that which happens continually by the way believers submit to God’s direction and advice on everything they say and do. This is true worship in spirit and in truth. It is heartfelt worship, not just lip service or hypocritical religious ceremony.

Worship in Spirit and in Truth is worship that is God-centered not self-centered. Self centered worship constantly expects things from God. Self-centered worship demands attention is placed upon it rather than upon God. Self-centered worship gathers when it wants to, where it wants to, and how it wants to.

God-centered worship is continual, without division or separation and those who worship in this manner are drawn to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit once and forever. God-centered worship is timeless; it is God’s time with the believer not the believer’s time with Him. God-centered worship doesn’t revolve around schedules, permission, votes, or a majority approval. God-centered worship promotes obedience to God and is shared corporately with all those that God has added daily to His church.

One who worships in spirit and truth adheres to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. The life of one who worships in this manner is always in obedience and submission to the full council of Scripture and not just parceled precepts. This believer, washed by the blood of Christ, holds the Bible gently as if holding the Christ child Himself, kneels in humbleness and eagerness before it as if prostrating at the alter of Christ,  receives and responds in fear knowing this divine revelation is God. One who worships in Spirit and in truth has the Living Word dwelling within.

To worship in spirit and in truth is to obediently be led by the Spirit of God that dwells within, allowing its fruit to flow outward to others. This worship Jesus speaks of is a worship that is produced and shared by the redeemed and restored believer in Jesus Christ. The true worshiper in spirit and truth has died to themselves and allowed Christ to live within their heart.

Blessings,

Pastor, James

New Wineskins

“No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins”

(Mark 2:22).

Greetings brethren –

It is my desire to write words of encouragement to you that I pray will lift you up and bring you joy as you pursue a life of righteousness and walk daily in your kingdom assignments.

It is a privilege to be commissioned as believers to share the Gospel of Christ with others. Jesus invites us, instructs us, enables us, and trusts us with this assignment that our joy in serving with Him in this endeavor might be full!

            Why is it then, you may wonder, does discouragement often choke out joy, fear challenge our faith, and complacency triumph over action in our calling as disciples???

Jesus, in the Gospel of Mark points out the fact that trying to put new wine into old wineskins is the problem and the very answer to this question. We simply skip the preparation process and the result is defeat! Defeat in a witness to someone, defeat in a Bible study gathering, defeat in prayer, defeat in all things pertaining to God.

            The preparation I speak of is shedding our old wine skins. The spiritual discipline required in this task for every believer is fasting. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to fast away our desire to indulge in worldly pleasures. In fasting we destroy the hunger and thirst for worldly desire and in its place we develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness. As we fast, specific practices of sin are revealed and destroyed as confession and repentance bring and end to the old wineskin and a new wineskin emerges in the form of a believer freshly transformed by God with a renewed mind, a strengthened faith, and a softened heart that is ready for new wine, an abundance of anointing by the Holy Spirit.

            Brethren, let Jesus call you into a fast. Let Him have total control of your desire to conform to His righteousness. As your shortcomings are revealed, own up to them, and repent!! Allow Christ to prepare you for new wine, new vision, new understanding, and sensitivity to His discipleship. Walk in the fullness of your purpose as a living sacrifice, a fresh wine skin ready for new wine!

Blessings,

Pastor, Jim