Pure Worship

Picture: Elijah worshipping

PURE WORSHIP
After 400+ yrs of Hebrew enslavement in Egypt, a nation dedicated to the self-declared man-god, Pharaoh, an inspired Hebrew named Moses authored a book dedicated to explaining the life of worship; Deuteronomy. This ancient book goes into great detail explaining how the recently freed peoples, whom God had chosen to declare His wonders, should live their days. There is no doubting the message the one true God was conveying; “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do.” (Deuteronomy 12:32 ESV) God wanted true worship unto Himself from His people who had a history of proximity to idol worship. Here is an example of the serious nature of God’s loving guidance:

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 13 ESV)

TESTING OUR WORSHIP
Thousands of years later, God’s desire for true worship from all mankind still rings true. “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23-24 ESV) Like the false prophet written of above, many “voices” will come alongside you and attempt to pull you away from pure worship. These voices may be those who bear a false gospel (ex: prosperity gospel) or most likely, those who distract your time and attention from devotion to Jesus in favor of a life filled with pleasures. (2 Timothy 3:4 ESV)

If God tests us, to know whether we love Him & His son Jesus, what will He discover? To which “voice” will you listen and obey?