OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO WORSHIP PT.2.

MAR. 29TH.     

TEXT: Mark 7:5-13King James Version (KJV)
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Thank God for disappointing every attempt of the enemy to frustrate your spiritual growth.
Give thanks to God for every worship leader who contributes to the planning and leading of worship. Ask God to divinely inspire them.
Think about any significant spiritual encounter in your life and thank God for that opportunity.

CONTEMPLATION
“Sometimes the religious arena can be very intricate, bearing traces of the coup d’état. In a place where everyone appears to be innocent, friendly, and spiritually inclined, it is so difficult to imagine the presence and degree of frenzy on display. The quietude notwithstanding, it may not take that long for you to realize you have walked into a battlefield. ”p. 29 FFPW.
Before anyone comes to a place where they express a sudden outburst of anger, there has been a cold war all this while which is often covered by religious and hypocritical actions and words. Whenever the hidden selfish motives of our hearts are allowed to guide our decisions in a place where the Holy Spirit seeks to glorify Jesus, there will be problems (see Gal. 5:17). When we seek to be seen, heard, and recognized, we are more desperate to winning the favour of people with sugar-coated words than in influencing them for the kingdom purpose. This is the Absalom spirit of rebellion and coup d’état (see 2 Sam. 15:1-5). The word of God admonishes us to guard our hearts with all diligence (Prov. 4:23). 
When you suddenly become lukewarm and passive in supporting anyone assigned to kingdom duties, chances are that you are gradually drifting away into error.

PRACTICAL ISSUES
When there is acrimony, strife, segregation, faction, and discrimination in a place, the potentials there cannot be fully realized. Those who can no longer stand the fighting and evil scheming will either opt for a more peaceful and passive stand or quietly leave the church.
See Romans 12:8, 14:19 and Hebrews 12:15.