Holy Worship is Marked by Biblical Study

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:10-11

As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

Insights: This week we focused on how worship is relevant because it helps to produce holiness in us.  Today’s verses help us see that holy worship is marked by Biblical study.  You may be asking yourself, “What, I don’t see that?”  The answer is found in today’s verses when Peter wrote, “the prophets … made careful searches and inquires.”  With what do you thinking they were using to seek and inquire?  They were using the Old Testament Scriptures that they already had.  Think about the time in which the wise men asked king Herod where the King of the Jews was to be born.  The scholars with which Herod consulted went to the book of Malachi and determined that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.  Beloved, the point is that it was through these prophets times in the Scriptures that they grew in their love relationship with the Lord.  The Bible is the primary tool in which God speaks to us.  The more we get to know Him the more we are compelled to worship Him.  We worship Him for who He is and what He has done.  We call those two aspects of worship praise and thanksgiving.  When I observe other peoples decision making patterns I can fairly quickly determine if a person has been spending regular time in the Bible.  If their decisions are starting to go in contradiction to the Word of God, then I know they are not reading.  If all of a sudden I don’t see them for lengths of time in corporate worship, then I can fairly safely say they are not reading the Bible.  So, far, I have not been wrong on those occasions in which I have had opportunity to confront one making these poor choices.  Beloved, the Word of God has a way of helping us know the heart of the Lord.  Knowing His heart helps strengthen us to want to please Him.  Pleasing Him is allowing His Spirit to live and rule in our lives and that will result in holiness being imputed into us.  Let me admonish you to spend consistent daily time alone with God in the Bible.  You will be glad you did.

Questions:

1.  How consistent are you at having a daily quiet time in the Word of God?

2.  Are you aware that the Scriptures are the primary way in the Lord is going to speak and communicate with you?

Prayer: Father, please don’t allow my daily readings of Your Word to become just a ritual or earthly habit.  Rather, may my times in the Bible be times of refreshing and renewal as we grow in our love relationship together.  Amen.