Worship Commentary
- Worthy can probably be linked to Here As In Heaven… somehow.
- Chris Tomlin has gone from From How Great Is Our God, to Our God (is greater), to (You Will Always Be) Holy Forever; Pointing out (1) how in the past he was referring others to God (‘sing with me’, ‘our God is Healer’), to now singing to Him directly (‘You will always be holy forever’); and (2) how he shifted from attributing greatness (a measure) to something immeasurable (Holiness, being set apart).
- I suppose we’re in a season where we would do well to sing directly to the Lord, of things only He is; Creation singing directly to its Creator, through its Savior, no other than Christ.
Opening with prayer, then the story of Hosea.
Hosea, whose name means “Salvation,” ministers to the northern kingdom of Israel (also called Ephraim, after its largest tribe). Outwardly, the nation is enjoying a time of prosperity and growth; but inwardly, moral corruption and spiritual adultery permeate the people.
Hosea, instructed by God to marry a woman named Gomer, finds his domestic life to be an accurate and tragic dramatization of the unfaithfulness of God’s people. Hosea repeatedly echoes his threefold message: God abhors the sins of His people; judgment is certain; but God’s loyal love stands firm.
I went through all that if only to emphasize one of the many words God spoke through him:
3 Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste away With the beasts of the field And the birds of the air; Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.
4 “Now let no man contend, or rebuke another; For your people are like those who contend with the priest.
5 Therefore you shall stumble in the day; The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night; And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
7 “The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.Hosea 4:3-7
3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”Daniel 12:3-4
It’s the end of the month, end of the 2nd quarter of the year of Bearing Much Fruit.
Q1 focus was on the fruits of the Holy Spirit
Q2 we were told to dwell on the Word. We were told to be still and know that God is God.
Our eyes were also opened to another fact: That while we are bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the works of the flesh abound.
We perish because of lack of knowledge – but that also means knowledge shall increase, and we go to and fro.
In other words, there’s an abundance of lies, and a very sad shortage of the Truth.
And as such, for the past weeks, this is what was on my mind.
4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Brought me to this, thanks to Ptr Kenneth:
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Psalms 51:12
22 The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.Proverbs 10:22
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.James 1:17
I suppose as a congregation, we’ve gone past the truth that the blessings that come from the Lord are so much more than just a lot of money, a lot of land, a lot of descendants, full and complete health, and ultimately the improvement of our current circumstances, and/or our rescue and deliverance from bad situations.
During the first quarter, we’ve talked about how true blessings go deeper than that – we may have nothing, we may not feel 100% physically and mentally, but we are still blessed to not only bear but enjoy the fruit of the Holy Spirit – Love, Peace, Patience, Joy, Faithfulness, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness and Self-Control.
BUT let’s push it further – because sometimes, in the most dire of situations, even the fruit of the Holy Spirit seems so far away from us. I said how at times it’s hard to love people. It’s hard to have patience all the time while driving. It’s so far away to take in peace when all in and around you is in flames.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Matthew 24:35 (also Mark 13:31 and Luke 21:33)
But on a long enough timeline, the value of anything in this physical world will be brought down to zero. That’s a nicer way of saying it, compared to what Edward Norton said as the Narrator in Fight Club.
The fruits of the Holy Spirit will still be around, but more than those, there is nothing better than the Word, when it comes to blessings and gifts.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.Psalms 119:105
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.Psalm 19:7-11
The Word is the Connection between Heaven and Earth. Between eternity and this time-bound reality, between infinity and this finite existence. This world is growing exponentially, increasing aggressively in knowledge, information, and data, easily overwhelming all of our senses and relentlessly testing all our weak spots.
If facts aren’t killed or drowned out, they’re being perverted, they’re being peddled shamelessly as Truth. Now, I suppose ministers can also be seen as ‘peddlers’; But the reality is, the Truth speaks for itself. Truth is naturally communicated, projected distinctly; Absolutely discerned, so that we are without excuse.
We need the Word. We need Truth as our foundation.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.John 1:14
39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. John 5:39
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.John 14:6
And we are thankful to Jesus, for not only bringing us the Truth; No, we thank Him for He Himself is the Truth – and not only is He Truth, but He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Direction, the Glory, and the Power. He is the Compass and Wheel, He is the Anchor, and He is our Sail, much as He is our favorable Wind, our gracious Waters.
Okay, maybe that last one could use a little more research, but I suppose the point has been communicated.
We need the Word. The Word points to Christ, and Christ is the Word come to Life.
In the Word, we see Jesus. Through the Word, we hear the Father. By the Word and the Holy Spirit, we move.
For the next Quarter of 2026, we will be focusing on the Youth, and we will be focusing on the Word. Amen.
221445/365000
JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 
Leave a comment