REGULAR WORSHIP – a key for VICTORIOUS LIVING!

 

April 27 Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles Chapters 16-18

REGULAR WORSHIP – a key for VICTORIOUS LIVING

"So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark regularly, as every day's work required...and Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place that was at Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the Law of the Lord which He commanded Israel; and with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because His mercy endures forever; and with them Heman and Jeduthun, to sound aloud with trumpets and cymbals and the musical instruments of God." (1 Chron. 16:37, 39-42)

King David brought the Ark of God and set it up in the midst of the tabernacle in Jerusalem that he had erected for this purpose and the priests offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God (1 Chron. 16:1). Then King David went a step further – he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the Ark of God, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel on a regular basis (v. 4-6). They included worship leaders/singers, instrument players, priests and gatekeepers (1 Chron16:5, 38, 41). They were to worship and praise God regularly (both morning and evening) – to give thanks to God for His mercy endures forever.

Due to King David’s decision to set regular worship, God was so pleased with David that He made an everlasting covenant with him that would outlast his lifetime (1 Chron. 17:3-14). Also, God preserved David wherever he went (1 Chron. 18:6b, 13b) and helped him to be victorious over all his enemies (1 Chron. 18:1-13). It is therefore no surprise that David became a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14).

In his book ‘The Ultimate Priority’, John McArthur has argued that there is nothing self-centered about genuine worship. Believers need to maintain a lifestyle of continuous worship – both through an individual lifestyle of worship and also get encouragement from other believers as they assemble for group worship. Individual worship and corporate worship should constantly feed each other. The source of most of the problems Christian believers have relates to two things: either they are not worshipping six days a week with their life, or they are not worshipping one day a week with the assembly of saints.

Let us maintain a lifestyle of regular worship – that is truly the key of a victorious Christian life!