Have You Experienced the Transforming Power of Worship?
by Buddy Owens |
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The Pharisee saw the woman in Luke 7 as a sinner worthy of judgment, but Jesus saw her as a woman in need of forgiveness. Jesus, knowing what the Pharisee was thinking, told him a story about two men with huge debts that they couldn’t pay (Luke 7:41-42). Yet the moneylender canceled both of their debts. Jesus asked the Pharisee, “Which of them will love him (the moneylender) more?” (Luke 7:42 NIV). The Pharisee said the one with the greater debt. The point is that love and forgiveness go hand-in-hand. Because the Pharisee was counting on his self-righteousness, he couldn’t see his need for forgiveness and that blinded him to compassion, especially for those in great need. The woman, on the other hand, understood the depth of her sin and knew she could only count on God’s great mercy. And she showed her thankfulness through her bold, honest, humble and extravagant worship. Jesus pointed out the difference between these two hearts when he told the Pharisee how his actions differed from the woman’s. The Pharisee did not give Jesus water to wash his feet, yet the woman bathed them with her tears. The Pharisee did not give Jesus a welcoming kiss when he entered, yet the woman could not stop kissing his feet. The Pharisee did offer the customary oil for Jesus’s head, yet the woman poured her best perfume on him. When we understand the depth of God’s love and forgiveness, it deepens our love for him. It also means that we no longer look down on other sinners or think that we are better than anyone else. Read The Way of the Worshiper by Buddy Owens — This book is not about music. It’s not even about going to church. It’s about living your life as an offering of worship to God. It’s about tapping into the source of power to live the Christian life. And it’s about discovering the secret to friendship with God. Thank you for stopping by for a CUP! We covet your prayers! In the Love of Christ, Dewey Sharon and family |
ps to cup…………….
MIDWEEK CUP with Dewey KKIM/KARS DDC
Worship Comes Before Transformation
by Buddy Owens |
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There are some powerful lessons about worship and about the transformation that happens in the life of a worshiper in Luke 7. The sinful woman in this story exhibited four traits we need to take note of:
You don’t have to clean up your act before you can worship God. Worship him and he’ll clean up your act. You don’t repent and confess in order to earn forgiveness. You change your ways because you’ve been forgiven. Romans 12 says that we offer ourselves to the Lord in worship so that he can transform us. It’s the worship that comes first. That’s what we see in this woman’s life. |
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