I Bow Down Series

July 3, 2016

Morning Worship

Text: Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Subject: There is One True God

Title: I Bow Down

This morning I want to continue with the series we began several weeks ago. The Bible is the Inspired Word of God. Do you believe that?

Last week we moved out into the realm of who God is according to the bible. He is the One True God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Having said that Monday we will celebrate the birth of our nation – our Independence Day. It was the day that we declared our independence from England. At the same time I believe it is the day that we declared our dependence upon the great God of all the universe – the creator and our Savior who has set our nation into motion. There has never been another nation in the history of the world that began with the bible as the foundation of its laws and constitution.

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Today I want to begin by asking you this question. “If you believe that God is who He says He is then how do you respond to that?” And today we will just begin to dig into our relationship with Him but we have to start somewhere.

4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

I believe this is God’s word…

I believe it is for me…

I accept it as mine…

And I will appropriate it to my life today.

4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

First of all if God is who He says He is then we must realize that we have a purpose for being here.

5Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

1. 5Love the LORD your God… In the Hebrew language in the Old Testament there are three verbs that are translated as love. I believe it is written this way for a purpose… The first we see in the Old Testament means to have affection for… Do you know that God has always and will always reveal Himself to mankind in progressive measures? In the whole book of Genesis we can see a picture of God’s love for mankind but nowhere in Genesis does God command that we love Him. Why? Because at that point in history the connection between God and man was more about obedience. It was not until the Lord led His people out of bondage in Egypt do we see giving a command to love… and He uses the same word that is used in Genesis concerning love for one another… affection.