Pastor's Ponderings, March 4, 2019

Worship God And No Other

Weight Watchers has produced a very upbeat television commercial, entitled '2019 Anthem' featuring Oprah Winfrey and Kate Hudson. However at the end, there is a startling demand. “On your knees; patiently, quietly, faithfully, worship me.” While we do not know Lizzo, the songwriter’s motivation, we do understand worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. 

In the Bible while tempting Jesus Christ in the wilderness, Satan gave Him one last opportunity to receive the wonders of the whole world.  He said all that Jesus had to do was to fall down to the ground and worship him. Jesus reminded him that man was to worship God alone (Matthew 4:8-10).  In the Old Testament, God warned the children of Israel that they would be destroyed if they bowed down and worshipped other gods because He is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 30:17-18, Exodus 34:14).

God desires to live among us, to be our God and our only source of blessings. We must not cooperate with the seductive sounds of satanic forces to look to other means (2 Corinthians 6:16). He wants us to see Him and adore Him and love Him because He maintains our very existence (Acts 17:28a).  He is the sole source of all of our blessings (Psalm 96:9). He has a heaven that awaits us and a hell that we can avoid. Let us worship the true and living God.

Matthew 4:8-10
New International Version (NIV)

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 
9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Deuteronomy 30:17-18
New International Version (NIV)

17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 

18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess

Exodus 34:14
New International Version (NIV)

14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God

2 Corinthians 6:16
New International Version (NIV)

16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Acts 17:28a
New International Version (NIV)

28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being…

Psalm 96:9
New International Version (NIV)
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.