Both church types have pros and cons - too bad we can't get the best of both in
one church. Liturgical churches, I've attended have readings from the
Old Testament, Gospels and Epistles each Sunday. I think this is very essential. Other churches expect folks to do this, on one's own at home, although they may preach
through the Bible, say in seven years or so. The practice of Bible
reading in church insures that everyone does actually hear the Bible. But,
liturgical churches wrongly de-emphasize the importance of individually coming to the Lord Jesus Christ and embracing
him for salvation. Thus, the last verses of Psalm 95 stress the importance
of this, beginning with, "If you will hear his voice..." Psalm
95: 7 For he is our God; and
we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation,
and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation,
and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should
not enter into my rest.
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The (below) JFB commentary is helpful in Psalm 95. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole BibleRobert
Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, and David Brown, 1871:NOTE: I like the 1871 date of the JFB -- I want to avoid
modern commentator's mindsets and their brains pickled in the big lie of Darwinism, subconsciously polluting their thoughts
and writings. PSALM 95:
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Statue of King David by Nicolas Cordier in the |
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Borghese Chapel of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore |
Another great praise, prayer, petition, example, is that of King David, near the end of his
earthly life, and is found in 1 Chronicles 29. JFB commentary on this passage. 1 Chronicles 29: 1 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen,
is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. 2
Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver
for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones,
and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. 3 Moreover, because I have set my affection
to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over
and above all that I have prepared for the holy house. 4 Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents
of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal: 5 The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner
of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord? 6 Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains
of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, 7 And gave for the service of the house of God
of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents,
and one hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house
of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered
willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord:
and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. 10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord
before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord
God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11 Thine, O Lord is
the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth
is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted
as head above all. 12
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine
hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 14 But who am I, and what is my people, that
we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners,
as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
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16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine
holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. 17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in
the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are
present here, to offer willingly unto thee. 18
O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers,
keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: 19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy
commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have
made provision. 20 And David
said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God.
And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers,
and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and
the king. 21 And they sacrificed
sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto
the Lord, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks,
a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel: 22 And did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king
the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the
chief governor, and Zadok to be priest. 23
Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king
instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. 24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves
unto Solomon the king. 25 And
the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all
Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. 26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years;
seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and
Solomon his son reigned in his stead. 29
Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the
book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, 30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all
the kingdoms of the countries. Anyone who is not sure, he, or she,
is a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should visit my web page, They Came to Jesus, and, or, my web page, Jesus Gets a Visitor in the Night.
Christian baptism in the Jordan River, Israel |
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Baptism, symbolic entry into Christianity for those who have embraced the Lord Jesus Christ by faith |
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