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“The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23b NKJV)

“For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, Him only you shall serve.’” (Matt. 4:10 NKJV)

‘Worship service’ is more than a phrase given to our church assemblies. Worship is service to God, as the priests of old worshipped God by their tabernacle or temple service. In Greek, one word for ‘worshipper’ means a temple servant, or one having charge of a temple to keep it clean and adorn it. Our word ‘worship’ is derived from the old English word meaning ‘worthship.’

We are all temple servants of God, doing our duty by taking care not only of the temple of the church building but also of the temple of our hearts. Paul tells us of the highest form of worship-service we can offer God, “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you…to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” (Rom. 12:1 AMP)

Our godly service then is keeping our temples clean and unspotted by the world, adorning them with acts of service, and having a lifestyle of holy living that honors the worthship of God. In all we do, we should “Worship and serve Him with (our) whole heart and with a willing mind.” (1 Chron. 28:9 NLT)

To worship the God of creation is to bow down in reverence to Him because He is worthy, acknowledging His divinity, to bow in humility and obedience, to bow to His will, His plan, and His purpose by relinquishing one’s own agenda, to bow in service to Him with one’s life, honoring Him as the One True God.

Do we seek the Lord’s Presence or His presents? Do we seek His handout or His hand? Do we always seek something from Him as the multitudes did, or do we lean upon His breast as John the beloved did, just to be with Him, to sit at His feet as Mary did, just to serve Him in worship by pouring out our thanks and tears as fragrant oil upon His body?

How lavish is your worship of the Creator’s worthship?

Prayer: Father, as You desire and seek true worshippers, may my words, my actions, my total life, be a service of true praise and worship that honors and glorifies Your worthship. Amen.

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Jesus said, “I am the Vine; you are the branches…However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing” (John 15:5 AMP).

If you couldn’t find him, you looked in the garden. If he wasn’t there digging in the dirt, then my father was in his greenhouse sticking lifeless limbs and plants into his special soil mixture. In its own time, each plant came back to life in my father’s greenhouse.

Paul said, “Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him,” (Colossians 2:7a TLB). When we allow the sucker branches of circumstances to sap our strength, the weeds of worries to weaken our faith roots, and the vermin of busy schedules to eat away at our relationship with the Lord, how much nourishment do our spiritual roots draw up?

One who does not keep his roots firmly planted in the special soil of God’s Presence and His Word will remain a Lifeless branch, separated from the Vine. Only when each soul-branch is “nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:6 NKJV) will it come back to Life in the Father’s house. Then, “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.” (Ps. 92:13 NKJV).

PRAYER: Father, as our roots of faith grow deep within Your Son, “like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots,” (Jer. 17:8a NKJV), we draw up the spiritual nourishment necessary to bring eternal life into all we say and do. Help us to stay firmly planted in Your truths, that our roots may be holy. Amen.

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We live in an older neighborhood. It’s your average-middle-class-built-in-the-’70s-typical-ranch-at-the-end-of-a-quiet-cul-de-sac kind of house.

The houses sit fairly close together, so our backdoor window and kitchen window overlook our driveway and the neighbor’s side and back yards. Standing as a wall of separation along the edge of the driveway is the neighbor’s chain-link fence, where the previous owner loved to plant things. The fruits of her labor protrude over the fence, concealing the chain-links in a wall of green foliage.

The other morning, as I waited for my second cup of coffee to reheat in the microwave, I looked out the backdoor window to enjoy the view of my side of the garden. The brightness of spring had pounced out from behind winter’s shadows and awakened the neighbor’s sleeping rosebush with streams of sunlight beaming down along the fence.

As I stared at this now fifteen foot tall “bush,” the profuseness of its cheery rosebuds, thrusting themselves into the sunshine, looked like little, pink heads with pixy faces, straining to absorb every ounce of warmth and light from the sun that was possible.

As the little, pixy heads had blossomed on our side of the fence, their beauty was obscured from the neighbor’s view. I thought, “Lord, the neighbors aren’t enjoying these beauties as much as we are.”

Then, the Lord impressed me with the thought that this is a picture of death with its wall of separation. Though obscured from our view, those who have left this earthly life have, in reality, blossomed on life’s other side.

If Jesus said that those who believe in Him have everlasting life and that He was the vine, then those of us, as believers in Christ, who continue in our earthly existence remain united with those in heaven. Though physically separated, we continue to be linked together through the eternal life of the Vine.

A smile then spread across my face, as the Lord whispered to my spirit, “The beauties of life on your side of heaven may fade and disappear, but they gain a new quality as they blossom on My side of heaven’s fence. Just as the outburst of beauty of My roses comes from leaning into the sun, so, too, the beauty of My children comes from leaning into My Son. Whether on earth or here with Me, their beauty explodes in profuseness when they lean into their Source of warmth, peace, love, and joy.”

Filled with that peace, love, and joy from my companionship with my Source, I took my coffee, walked into the family room, and leaned into the warmth of the Son.

Prayer: “Father, I thank You that, because of Your love for us all, You sent Jesus to be our connecting Vine to eternal life. As we are each a part of the Vine as a branch, we are connected to that eternal life, and death has no separation from You.”

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I was 33 years old, and I needed a heart transplant.  It was very likely that I would die without aggressive medical intervention, and I was having visions of my wonderful husband as a widower with two small children.  My family’s pain ran deep; however, their love and support flowed deeper.

My fear was not for me, but my family.  Death did not scare me.  I knew that I would be going home, regardless of the outcome.  I had a relationship with God, but I allowed that relationship to have limits when I worried about how my family would be without me.

Who would take my children to their first day of Kindergarten?  Would my husband go alone on “Parent’s Day?”  Would they remember the depths of my love for them? Did I instill God’s love in them?

These were just a few of the tearful thoughts that crossed my mind when faced with heart failure.  I could list a million more.  Now I can list a trillion reasons to give thanks.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14: 27

I also give thanks for the peace that was in my heart and mind during the process of being listed for a heart transplant.  I felt the peace like a blanket, and it never left me cold with fear and doubt.  Even when I was transported from my hospital room to the operating room on January 2, 2009 at 1:00 a.m., I felt peace.  This was something that I could not give to anyone else.  It was given to me as a gift, a precious gift.

Someone had to die for me to live.  I am ashamed to say that this was not first and foremost in my mind prior to my heart transplant.  My grief for the family of my donor was quite powerful when I lie in my hospital bed after the surgery and felt my healthy heart beating like never before.

What courage it took to say goodbye to a precious loved one, and offer the gift of life to others.  The thought still overwhelms me.  This gift is quite obviously one that I could never repay with thanks.  I think that I must also repay with action.  It is my responsibility to glorify my Lord and honor my beloved donor and family.  I do not know who they are, but I hope to meet them one day.  If that day never comes during my time on earth, I will still give thanks until my last breath.  Thanks to them, that should be a long, long time.

Think about your last 24 hours.  Can you think of at least one thing to give thanks for?  If you are coming up short, please give thanks for those selfless families and donors that save lives every day for people like me.  People more worthy than me.  Our blessings are endless.  I now know that we don’t need a life-altering experience to recognize them.

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.  The Lord protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.  Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.  For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 116:5-9

Author:  Jamie Outlaw Napolitano

About Jamie:

The above devotional was written after my successful heart transplant in 2009.  I was diagnosed with heart disease at 3 months of age, and my prognosis was very poor.  God walked with me through my childhood, teenage years, and he carried me when my health finally deteriorated at the age of 33 years.  His amazing plan for me continues to unfold, after all, I did meet my husband on an airplane, survived in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, my children were born with my sister as a surrogate (due to my heart’s inability to withstand pregnancy), and now I am raising my beautiful twins!  My relationship with the Lord has provided me with the strength, guidance, peace, and perseverance that I need to be the Mommy, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Granddaughter, and Friend that He knew I could be.

God sometimes requires me to do something that appears to have obstacles and seems beyond my power to accomplish. The situation lurks before me as a rushing river, barring me from the new territory of promise on the other side.
Just recently, the Lord presented me with one of these challenges and nudged me to step out into new areas of my life. This is always uncomfortable for me, because I am a shy and reserved person. However, over the years, with the Lord’s help, I have improved.

He does not part the waters of any barrier until I take that first step forward, as the priests did at the river Jordan, “As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap.” (Josh. 3:15-16a NIV)

When I hesitate, standing on the river bank, I find no comfort or peace. Only when I dare to push on in faith into that rushing river and cross over to the other side does God make His power and resources available on my behalf.

When a rushing-river circumstance exists between you and a command of God, what do you do? Do you stick with what is safe, remaining on the banks of the river, or do you step out in faith, putting your foot in the waters?

If we never take a chance and forge ahead in faith, the writer of Hebrews tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Heb 11:6 NIV)

Lord, may I always be found pleasing You with complete faith in You.

You can find Lynn here:

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I have to remind myself who I am in Christ on a regular basis. Starting at the age of 11 and throughout my young adulthood I have had a myriad of negative sexual experiences. This unfortunately led me to an abusive marriage.

In High School I struggled with identity.  I was quiet and did not interact with people.  I stayed busy with the church youth group and hid in my bedroom drowning out everything with Christian music. An inner battle raged between what church said and what I experienced and saw in the church people. Discipline came in the form guilt from my father and disappointment.  I had the appearance of a relationship with God but nothing was further from the truth.  Irrelevant, useless and failure were my names.

My experience with men followed that of the one I had at 11, abusive.  I turned to alcohol and stopped going to church. I was constantly reminded at home how shameful a life I had. I sold my body for liquor and rent then tried to kill myself.  Now I knew myself as shameful, disposable and prostitute.

During my first pregnancy I met my husband.  My dreams crashed when he left less than a year later, and over 10 more times throughout our 12 year marriage. Verbal, mental and sexual abuse was a part of life until our divorce. I knew myself as slave, replaceable and unloved. By now I was submerged in many sexual sins including pornography.  I had no self worth. Yet God still wanted me.

No one told me who I could be, until one day a lady spoke Gods word to me. Not personal advice, not what others had tried but the straight sugar free truth.  I am Priceless, worth more than all the silver in the world. The spotless bride that the King of Kings wants to have an eternal relationship with!

Even in the middle of all my sin, I was still Gods treasure. His eyes were still hungry for me even when I ran from Him. When I did not know Him, He sought after me.  When I felt irrelevant, God had a purpose for me. When I felt disposable, God saw me as irreplaceable. When I felt unloved He loved me unconditionally. When I finally let Him love me I stopped being a slave and gained freedom.

Written by:  Debra Abshier
Monday’s Encouragement

What will you do to fit in? Would you do whatever it took? Nothing at all? Would you sin? Worship idols?

As a Christian –a follower of Jesus Christ- most of us would say no. If all our neighbors were creating wooden idols to put in our homes we would not run out and create one to worship.

But that is what Judah did. Judah, God’s chosen people became like the nations around her. She didn’t want to be different, she thought “maybe they have something I don’t.” Maybe Judah thought the other nations would like her better if she worshipped the other idols.

Even after God said don’t learn the ways of the nation for the customs of the people are a delusion. They cut idols from wood, they decorate them, nail them down so they don’t fall. They can’t walk and must be carried! They can not speak and the can do no harm or good. (see Jer 10:2-5) Judah still went out and adopted the ways of those around her to the point that she was no longer different from them. Judah became a nation of many idols – a treacherous nation of harlotry. (Jer 3:8-13)

We read this and wonder how could God’s chosen people chase after other gods? How can Judah forsake the One true God. And yet are we any different?

What idols do you worship? The god of self? Wealth and prosperity? The god of_____ (you fill in the blank)? Are you any different from the world in your ideas, or life styles? What about the movies you watch, place you go or the things you desire to have?

Have you become more like the world than God? Do you pursue the values of the world? Have you compromised your way of thinking to fit in better with the world? Have you compromised your behavior?

How we act is important to God. God requires obedience, there is no compromise. We are to live holy lives set apart for service to God. We are in a covenant relationship with God. We are not compromise with the world.

James 4:4 says “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world it hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Search my heart, God, forgive me for allowing anything to come between my relationship with you. Remove any idols that I may have allowed in my heart. God I want to be a woman that hungers and thirst after you alone. Amen

Author:  Sharon Brobst

Sharon’s driving passion is to help other women know the truth and be set free by that truth. Through her writing, teaching and speaking you can’t help but catch her passion for God and His word. She has served as a chairperson of the development team of The Women’s Center Lehigh Valley and as the Women’s Ministry Leader for 5 years. Currently she is between ministries waiting on the Lord to direct, in the mean time she is teaching 1 Peter this summer and looking forward to teaching on The Covenant in the fall. She has been married to her best friend Keith for the past 27 years. She is mother of two grown boys, along with two daughter-in-laws and three grandchildren. Sharon believes that the Word of God gives you everything you need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:2-3) You can visit her at www.sharonsquietreflections.com

“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself”  (2 Timothy 2:13 NLT).

The pounding of his heart broke through the silent darkness as Peter saw a white figure walking closer to their boat. They grabbed the wooden ores and hysterically attempted to paddle away, but their boat remained still. The figure got closer and closer until the face was visible; it was the face of Jesus Christ. They gasped in disbelief as they realized that Jesus had walked barefoot over the water to their boat.

The sound of men crying in astonishment echoed in the background as Peter boldly stood up and fixed his eyes on the serene eyes of Jesus. Peter intently called out “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  Jesus reached out His gentle yet powerful hands and calmly replied “Come.” Without looking down or to the side, Peter stepped out of the boat and onto the water. He carefully began to step forward toward Jesus and began to walk on the water. With each step that he took he gazed deeper into Jesus’ eyes and continued to walk atop the water. However, a gush of wind pounded against his body without warning and his eyes instantly turned away from Jesus and onto the wind and the water that settled below his feet.

Immediately he realized what he was doing and his feet rapidly began to sink into the deep sea. He desperately howled “Lord save me!” as his face began to immerse in the water. Just then Jesus extended His hand out to Peter and grabbed him up saying “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:25-32)

When we have our eyes fixated on Jesus Christ we can walk through anything, even the inconceivable trials in our lives. Sometimes the storms of life began to hit us from all sides and we too get our eyes off Jesus and onto our storms. It is at these times that we begin to lose faith and quickly sink into the sea of hopelessness and despair. However, when we devotedly abide in Jesus and the power of His Holy Spirit our faith begins to grow and our eyes begin to focus on Him . . . alone. We then forget about our circumstances and care only about walking to Him in faithfulness.

Are you walking on water in faith toward Jesus today or are you sinking in the sea of despair and doubt? Do you walk toward Him regardless of the storms that encircle you or do you only walk toward Him when the ground is hard and the skies are clear? Jesus sets His eyes upon you and calls out to you to come and He promises to care for you and to protect you if you do. Jesus is faithful to all His promises, so will you be faithful to come to Him?

Jesus, forgive me for failing to keep my eyes on You. I know that only You can walk me through the storms of life, so I ask that You lift me out of the sea I have sunk into and pull me in closer to You. I trust You and will faithfully look to You so I too can walk on water.

In Jesus’ love,
Denise Trujillo