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I will sing with my spirit, I will also sing with my mind. 1 Corinthians 14:15
Recent Entries
God? Who Needs Him?May 31, 2013
Self-sufficient humanism. Paul saw it coming – “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
Imago Dei
September 12, 2012
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Why Can't I Pray?
August 18, 2012
The bible gives us several reasons, but according to Jeremy Taylor, a deceitful heart is at the root of prayerlessness.
It's Not Rocket Science
July 23, 2012
To keep in step with the Spirit should be our daily quest. And if we are successful at that, all of life falls into place.
Theological Steak
April 10, 2012
These words by P. T. Forsythe on the magnificence of Christ's work are to theology what Ruth's Chris is to a good steak.
Describing the Indescribable
February 11, 2012
What we have in Christ will take all eternity to describe. But for one segment of one sermon, a great preacher made a mighty attempt.
Making Sense Of It All
January 30, 2012
Where are things headed? Is there rhyme and reason to the endless cycle of summer, fall, winter and spring? Is there a plan in place, or is randomness the explanation?
Thanksgiving - Don't Lose Your Mind!
September 27, 2008
Our ability and willingness to recall God's goodness is what fuels fervent and joyful thanksgiving. The mind's ability to remember is key in gratitude.
Steven Charnock was one bright Puritan. His thinking on Spiritual Worship from his collection of articles on the attributes of God is deep water, but so helpful to our understanding of how worship "works." He says....
"Worship is an act of the understanding, applying itself to the knowledge of the excellency of God and actual thoughts of his majesty; recognizing him as the supreme Lord and Governor of the world, which is natural knowledge; beholding the glory of his attributes in the Redeemer, which is evangelical knowledge.
This is the sole act of the spirit of man. The same reason is for all our worship as for our thanksgiving. This must be done with understanding, with a knowledge and sense of his greatness, goodness, and wisdom. It is also an act of the will, whereby the soul adores and reverences his majesty, is ravished with his amiableness, embraces his goodness, enters itself into an intimate communion with this most lovely object, and pitches all his affections on him.
We must worship God understandingly; or else it is not a reasonable service. A reasonable service is that wherein the mind truly engages with God. Acts done only by sense are the acts of a brute. Acts done by reason are the acts of a man. There cannot be religion where there is not reason.
There cannot be an exercise of religion where there is not an exercise of the rational faculties. Since only worship done for some end qualifies as worship, worship of God must be for God, and only with the help of a rational faculty can we aim at an end. (Charnock Harrahphrase, page 223 of Attributes)
Steven Charnock was one bright Puritan. His thinking on Spiritual Worship from his collection of articles on the attributes of God is deep water, but so helpful to our understanding of how worship "works." He says....
"Worship is an act of the understanding, applying itself to the knowledge of the excellency of God and actual thoughts of his majesty; recognizing him as the supreme Lord and Governor of the world, which is natural knowledge; beholding the glory of his attributes in the Redeemer, which is evangelical knowledge.
This is the sole act of the spirit of man. The same reason is for all our worship as for our thanksgiving. This must be done with understanding, with a knowledge and sense of his greatness, goodness, and wisdom. It is also an act of the will, whereby the soul adores and reverences his majesty, is ravished with his amiableness, embraces his goodness, enters itself into an intimate communion with this most lovely object, and pitches all his affections on him.
We must worship God understandingly; or else it is not a reasonable service. A reasonable service is that wherein the mind truly engages with God. Acts done only by sense are the acts of a brute. Acts done by reason are the acts of a man. There cannot be religion where there is not reason.
There cannot be an exercise of religion where there is not an exercise of the rational faculties. Since only worship done for some end qualifies as worship, worship of God must be for God, and only with the help of a rational faculty can we aim at an end. (Charnock Harrahphrase, page 223 of Attributes)
