John 4:23-24 But the hour is
coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit
and truth,
for the Father is
seeking such people to worship him. God
is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Pastor Obie continues that two characteristics of
Biblical worship are glory and sacrifice. “Glory” is defined as praise ascribed in adoration; honor and our portion of
exaltation of our Creator Father God on the throne of our heart. “Sacrifice” is
defined as thing offered to God, or immolated by an act of religion, offered
either as an atonement for sin, or to procure favor, or to express thankfulness.
A godly sacrifice differs from an oblation; the latter being an offering of a
thing entire or without change, as tithes or first fruits; whereas sacrifice
implies a holy and purposeful loss.
Psalm 96:9 “Worship the Lord in the splendor
of holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth!”
Idolatry is anything
that we glory and sacrifice to other than Almighty God. Our number one problem
is a “worship” problem. An idol is defined as anything on which we set our affections; that to which we
indulge an excessive and sinful attachment. Anything which usurps the place of
God in the hearts of his rational creatures. Our god competing with God for our heart. We are sacrificing
to idols.
Mark 12:30 “You
shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
strength.’ This is the first
commandment.”
The root of true worship is love. What are your
thoughts consumed by? Worship is expressing our love and affection towards God.
Any bitterness takes away affections. Take every thought captive, loving God with
all your mind and strength. Worship is focusing our attention towards God.
There is an affect called “target fixation”, where whatever we fix our eyes
upon, we tend to drive towards. Fix your eyes upon the Lord and have no
competition for your love towards Him. God doesn’t want our stuff; God doesn’t
want our stuff to have us.
Psalm 99:9 “ Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His
holy hill; For the Lord our
God is holy.”
Worship is using our abilities for
God. (1) Humble yourself because pride will not change and won’t let go. (2) Pray.
You have to get on your knees and ask the Holy Spirit to give you Devine
direction. (3) Repent and focus. Repentance is a change of mind, or a
conversion from sin to God. It is the relinquishment of any practice, from
conviction that it has offended God, and is accompanied and followed by
amendment of life. It is real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as
an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of His holy law, and the basest
ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. To repent is to make a 180
degree turn from sin and walk towards God.
We are purposed to love God –
worship is my expression of love to God. Our Father God, in love for us, sent
Jesus, while we were sinners, for our forgiveness and salvation. Our lord, our
God is able. We were make with an intention, with a purpose, and with a plan. He
wants your love and obedience with your entire life … every breath. Who am I? I
am loved by God.
In Christ, Brian
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