Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1946-07-18

worship IN spirit and truth.-John A:z4.
The one true God is worthy OF
the wholehearted worship Of all
men. The second commandment,
which we studied last week, forbids
all and every idolatry and thus re-
quires exclusive worship Of God.
1t really means something in the
life of q man to worship God in
sincerity and truth. 1t makes life
worthwhile both here and hereaft-
er.
l. Worship Balances Life Deut.
8:11-l4).
Prosperity is usually thought to
be blessing. We fear depression
and poverty The Lord through
Moses warned his people that pros
perity was dangerous. 1t still is,
because material things have the
power to so satisfy the natural de-
sires Of man as to make him for
get his spiritual needs.
Is 1t not true that material pros
perity usually brings with 1t cor
responding decrease in spirituality.
Life values are weighed in gold,
silver, wheat and iron instead Of be-
ing viewed in the light Of Gods
Word.
Worship of God will balance life
for it win keep man from forget
ting God and his laws. In the will
derness Israel had to call on God
for daily bread. Now that they were
to come into the promised land they
would be apt to think they produced
their own food
II. Worship Protects Life (Deut.
s:ls-20).
One Of the most mischievous mis-
takes of life is the idea that man
is the maker of his own money. Only
God can give man the power of
hand and heart, of muscle and
mind, which brings forth wealth,
and then he can only draw it out of
Gods resources in mine or field or
sea.
This faIlacy of man leads him
astray, and he begins to worship the
very powers he uses and finds pleas
ure in the gods of this world. That
way leads only to eternal destruc-
ton, to spiritual death.
How is man to be delivered from
this awful destructive force? BY a
right relationship to God, by wor-
ship Of and devotion to the Lord.
Israel had a covenant with God,
and in the keeping of it they would
find deliverance from all which
would pull down and destroy-yes.
and from the judgment Of God ".
2O).
We who are believers in Christ are
under the new covenant OF grace.
II we have been born again we
have the promise of God that we
have eternal life. But let US be
clear that it is possible for Chris
tian to so forget God and his COW
enant with the Lord as to lose his
fellowship and Joy, and to be use
less and fruitless.
III. Worship Strengthens Life
Elsa. 40:30. 80.
The Christian life Is not an easy
one to live. After all, who wants
it easy? There is, however, full
provision by God for the power
needed to live a life as victorious
/ and exultant as that Of the soaring
I eagle. That power is for those who
( ''wait upon the Lord" ". 81.
=. It Is taken for granted that those
who are old may become weary
and faint, but the fact Is that even
! the youth have this disappointing
experience.
We, leaders In the church and
parents. are apt to forget that youth
is often a time Of great struggle.
The young man or woman must
make the choices of purposes and
ideals which will determine their flI-
ture. Too often youth, left unguid-
ed and without the balance OF a
real faith in God, makes the wrong
choices and winds up in bitter dis
appointment.
Only God is sufficient for the need
OF our young people but he is SUI
hcient. Let US teach our boys and
girls to wait on the Lord.
Nv. Worship Completes Life
MARK 12:28-34.
Here was man, who, by the tes-
timony of Jesus was mot far from
the kingdom of God" He was very
near to a full devotion to God In
Christ He knew IAN the answers"
J but he did not follow the teaching
which he knew to its proper and
blessed conclusion.
II is terrifying to think how close
a man can come to entering into
eternal life, and yet miss II altogeth-
er. 1t prompts the writer Of these
notes to ask you, the reader, very
earnestly. Have you entered into
eternal life through Jesus Christ?
Almost will not avail; you can be
almost saved-and eternally lost
The true nature Of worship is re.
vealed in this lesson as loving de-
pendence on God al all times AND
in all circumstances. We recognize
him as the one who can supply our
every need. spiritual and temporal
We accord to him quick and full
obedience. We find In him such
complete satisfaction that we can
not withhold our love and his love
from our fellow men. We worship
himI