Page 72 - The Gate and the Way

People of God, true worship is not proven by what we say, or sing aloud as praise unto
Yahweh. True worship is proven as we follow Yahweh obediently down an afflicted and
distressing path that He asks us to walk. Do you want to worship God and Christ? Then
accept the invitation of Yahshua to “Come, take up your cross, and follow Me.” This is
worship.
We can find this definition of worship confirmed by the apostle Paul in the New
Testament. Please consider carefully what is being expressed in the following verse.

Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living
and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

I have often made reference to this verse as I have shared with the saints the cost of
discipleship. I have asked them, “What is a sacrifice? Is it not flesh that is laid upon an altar
for the fire to consume it?” This is what Yahweh requires of His sons and daughters. He
entreats us to yield our lives to Him. As we do, He will direct us to a sacrificial life where we
encounter many fiery trials. The goal of these experiences is to reduce our flesh that a
spiritual creation might arise. Paul declares that those who present themselves as a “living
sacrifice” are offering to God true worship. As the smoke of the freewill offering ascended,
it was as a fragrant aroma in the nostrils of God. So too do our lives become a sweet savor
unto Yahweh when we freely yield them, and accept those fiery trials prepared for us.
I have often read invitations on church signs that said something like, “Come join us
for worship.” Yet, what these churches are offering is an invitation to come and sing songs
along with a praise band or choir. They may liven things up by having banners for people
to wave, or dancers to accompany the songs being sung. Are these same ones yielding their
lives to go wherever Christ would lead them? Have these ones found that afflicted path that
leads to life, or are they pursuing prosperity, ease, comfort and those things that the soul
of man desires?
There is much play acting that takes place in the churches today. Week after week
Christians gather to proclaim their love of God, but their lives reveal that they love
themselves more. The heart of man is prone to self-deception.

Matthew 15:7-8
“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near
to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from
Me.’”

The word hypocrite means “play actor.” It is derived from a theatrical term in the
Greek language. Tragically, the church has adopted a pattern of showing up on Sundays to
play a part in a group drama. All those gathered together appear to be great worshipers of
Yahweh and His Son. Yet the truth is “proven” by what they do outside the doors of the
church. Have they accepted the call to Christian discipleship? Are they yielding their lives
to follow Christ? Are they bearing their cross? Are they content with suffering, reproaches,
persecution, rejection, loss and sorrow? Has the church embraced the “first things” that
John wrote about in the book of Revelation?
In this hour the Spirit of Christ is inviting many to embrace a radically different life
than they would choose for themselves. As Yahweh did with His friend Abraham, He is