Even at His incarnation, the Lord has especially chosen to give us faith--and give Himself to us through that faith--especially by means of words. His words.

Those who are -spiritual- are in mortal combat with their own sin, and well-aware that they are nothing. This is what equips them to love a brother gently, as they help him do battle with his own sin.

God's Word sets us an example of praising Him with rich reasons that are communicated in powerful language.

God has invented ordinary worship activities with the greatest imaginable glory and benefit--Himself- When we try to add to what He says to do, we may make worship seem more splendid, but we do so at the cost of diverting from the glory and power of heaven. Idolatry like this offends God and harms ourselves.

God has designed worship to present Him Himself--who He is and what He has done--as glorious. When we aim at affections, instead of aiming at the God to Whom our affections should be responding, we do the worst possible thing- cut God out of our worship, and make our affections into the object of our worship... which is to say, we make a god out of our affections.

What's the difference between Psalms and the best of hymns -which are, necessarily, psalm-like and Scripture-rich- v.s. much contemporary worship- Christ Himself--both in the content, and in the living reality of how He has chosen to give Himself to us. If the difference is whether or not we are truly treasuring the High King of Heaven in our worship, then it is really all the difference in the world.

When we walk by the Spirit, we are ruthless against our sin and loving toward our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jesus Himself who IS God's glory is also our worthiness in worship, our worship leader in worship, and the One who does the work of God's grace in us in worship.

To draw near to God with our hearts, and offer worship that is not vain, we must worship God according to His commandments and not add any traditions of men.

If we are led by the Spirit, then we are both those who cannot be condemned by the law and those who are battling the works of the flesh. So, how can we see whether or not we are inheriting the Kingdom- One way is to consider whether we are in battle against the things in Galatians 5-19-21.