WORK with WORSHIP while we WORSHIP with WORK
In the modern world system, there are many misconceptions regarding Christian concepts, particularly, the proper relationship between work and worship in the relevant context of the Christian life of faith.
One such misconception is that worship is sacred as usually to be done in the church, while work is secular as usually to be done at one’s occupation. Even believers are in this kind of belief, where they dichotomize, compartmentalize, and separate the sacred and the secular spheres of their lives. But we will later show in this discussion that in the Christian life, there is actually an underlying unity between the sacred and the secular, worship and work, and the inward belief and outward behavior so to distinctly define their belongingness to their Lord who called them out from the darkness of the world system into His marvelous light. In relation to the call of God, the unity between work and worship gives the essential expression of God’s nature and image as God originally created in mankind as God’s image and likeness, not our fallen selfish natures, as God lives His life in the believers through the power of His Spirit. God providentially weaves the threads of His call into and through the fabric of the lives of the believers with their behaviors, and only we, as believers, can distinguish them if we are sensitive to God’s still small voice in our hearts. Later in our discussion, we will show that secular work is sacred worship, and sacred worship can transcend to secular work, and that there should be no separation between the sacred and secular spheres of our lives, particularly in the unity between work and worship.
SPIRITUAL Co-FARMERS And Attributes of God
God’s and Mankind’s Multifacetedness
Even the physical nature’s and the creations’ complexity and structure reflect the quintessential and intrinsic complexity of its Creator’s nature, personality, character, and attributes. Particularly reflecting God’s great glories is the creature called mankind, whom He created in His image and likeness.
If we study the attributes, natures, personality, and character of God and mankind, we can see their obvious multifacetedness. It describes some kind of unity in the diversity of their attributes, natures, characters, and personalities. Actually, God is the most multifaceted perfect being, and mankind, as His creation, only imperfectly reflects such kind of multifacetedness. This multifacetedness particularly of God can be liken to a diamond, when it is usually cut into different facets or faces that can reveal its hidden beauty that reflects its strong molecular structure. Diamond, as the strongest and hardest solid such that only a diamond can cut a diamond, is among the most expensive gem known to mankind.
OVERSEER or OVERLORD? By Augusto Y. Hermosilla
This laid down Christ’s pattern for servant-leadership after His own pattern of servant-leadership for His beloved called-out church to follow and fit, as being taken out from the darkness of the oppressive world’s systems. He emphasized humble leadership devoid of ambitions that usually characterize leadership in the world’s systems. In context, He said these very important words to rebuke the myopic selfish ambitions of some of His disciples that made His other disciples indignant. He taught His disciples to be unlike the unbelievers who can be so ambitious to lord over others, and they were supposed to not do so similarly. Greatness in His kingdom should not come from rulership over others, usually over the weaker, nor exercising autocratic nor authoritarian authority to assert dominance over others, but through humble, willing, and loving service to others. Selfless service, not rulership, should be the goal of those wanting to lead in His church. Highly esteemed leadership in His kingdom is through humble service, not dominating and subjugating rulership.
In connection, in church polity, there is some kind of confusion or conflict between the principle versus the practice regarding the role of the pastor (or bishop or elder), that whether he should be an overseer or overlord in the church. By definition, the church in the New Testament as used by the Greek-speaking peoples before Christ, refers to an assembly of people, regardless of the nature of the assembly. Israel is considered as His Church in the Old Testament setting. But as Christianity evolved through the centuries, people added their own cultural modifications, as well as introduced their own traditions, which may or may not be sanctioned by the Scriptures, particularly, the New Testament, the guide and constitutional template for His Church consisting of the saved Israelites and Gentiles who put faith in Him now supposedly unified in love to Him and each other.
New Scientific Evidence for the Existence of God
New Scientific Evidence for the Existence of God
“The Discovery of the Century” -Stephen Hawking
I want to take you back to almost two years ago, April 23, 1992. On
that day, a discovery was announced that, in the words of the British
physicist Steven Hawking, “…is the discovery of the century, if not of
all time.” This is remarkable because Steven Hawking has a reputation
for understatement.
Michael Turner, from the University of Chicago, says the significance
of this discovery cannot be overstated. They have found the Holy Grail
of cosmology. As to how holy of a grail we’re talking about, George
Smoot, who led the team of 30 American astrophysicists who made the
discovery said, “What we have found is evidence of the birth of the
Universe. It’s like looking at God.”
There’s More To God
Scripture read: Exodus 8
Focus verse:
Moses said to Pharaoh, “Certainly. Set the time. When do you want the
frogs out of here, away from your servants and people and out of your
houses? You’ll be rid of frogs except for those in the Nile.”
Exodus 8:9
I am His Favorite
Scripture read: Exodus 11
Focus verse:
But there won’t be any need for the Israelites to cry. Things will be
so quiet that not even a dog will be heard barking. Then you Egyptians
will know that the LORD is good to the Israelites, even while he
punishes you.
Exodus 11:7
When Bad Things Happne To God’s People
Scripture read: Exodus 1-2
Focus verse:
God heard their groanings and He remembered His covenant… So God
looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.
Exo. 2:24-25
Application:
1. God was set on fulfilling His promise. That’s why so many things
happened. The harm that Pharaoh intended, God used for good. He raised
up Moses.
2. The hardships that Egypt inflicted on them were designed to make
them groan to God. If the oppression did not happen, the Israelites
would be satisfied with living in Goshen. But God wanted to bring them
to the Land that He promised.
GOD ONLINE
God: Hello. Did you call me?..
Me: Called you? No. Who is this?
God: This is GOD. I heard your prayers. So I thought I will chat.
Me: I do pray. Just makes me feel good. I am actually busy now. I am in the midst of something.
God: What are you busy at? Ants are busy too.
Me: Don’t know. But I can’t find free time. Life has become hectic. It’s rush hour all the time.
God: Sure. Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you results. Activity consumes time. Productivity frees it.
Happiness Is A State Of Mind
It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them — the
character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas. — Fyodor
Dostoyevsky
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.