Worship in relation to Sacrifice & Idolatry
One basically asked me one time….why worship?
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Why does Apostle insist on worship & takes it so seriously
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…that we even have a worship pastor!
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Why had I taken time to sit in with the worship team
Gave them my experience
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…When I was inclined to sing and then wondering why…
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… I don’t really sing …
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After obedience…
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>> When the joy of the Lord became greater than my embarrassment level
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…I would rather make God happy than cower in embarrassment while attempting to make a joyful noise!… but for His glory.
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…Revelation came…
First priority of a minister of the Gospel
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… not about signs & wonders,
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…. not about teaching & preaching with deep insight & revelation,
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…. not even about people
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>> but the first job of a minister of the Gospel is >> WORSHIP
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It had to be taught to me that way for me to get it
We were created by God for worship to His glory!!
What is Worship?
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Showing reverence & adoration for a deity
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Worship is to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission (Webster’s Dictionary,1828).
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Worship is a posture not only of body, but also of spirit & soul
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It is a full expression of our love for God for who He is
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….Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind & strength
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How we offer our whole self to glorify God >> reverence & adoration
Idolatry
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Putting anything in between God & myself
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Anything that takes priority over God in any aspect of my life
Sacrifice
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Giving up something of value for the sake of a consideration
Worship is the sacrifice we offer to God when we put Him above all things,
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… especially over those things we dearly love
According to Pastor Paul Schock
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Sacrifice >> we have our eyes on what we are giving God >> time, money
- … there is pain usually associated with it >> above our comfort zone
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Worship >> we have our eyes on God
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>> If we choose to worship, we overcome the pain of sacrifice
Faith challenge >> shifting my eyes from the problem to God
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Not telling God how big my problem is
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…but telling my problem how big my God us
Worship Challenge >> Moving from Sacrifice to Worship
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…in whatever I am doing
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Shifting my eyes from what I am giving or doing for God >> to just GOD
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>> without terms and conditions >> just for who He is
Abraham, the father of faith, gave us the the definition / distinction between Sacrifice & Worship in Genesis 22:5
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“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants. “The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you.”…Genesis 22:5 (BSB)
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God asked him to sacrifice Isaac
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Abraham termed it as worship believing that both will return
When God asks for a sacrifice, our obedience in faith is our worship!
Expressions
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Heart of worship >> Ezekiel 11:19, Jeremiah 31 & 32
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Sacrifice of Praise & Thanksgiving >> Hebrews 13:15
Why usually associated with music >> sacrifice of praise & thanksgiving
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Music — praise & worship – very technical & involves the whole person to coordinate & produce
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>> involves the heart, soul & strength >> thinking, doing & emotions produced
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Our whole being showing reverence & adoration to God
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E.g. Prophets of Baal >> shouted, cried, danced, played drums, cut themselves (blood = life)
What of the the people of the One & True Living God??
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In worship, we may have been wrongly focusing only on one aspect…
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the body – outside appearance – how we look
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or how we feel
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But worship like love is usually wholesome and unconditional
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Not loving your fiancee just because they are beautiful or handsome, have money or not…
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…but loving them despite all those
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… seeking first the face of God not His Hand…His wholeness, character, personality…& you will also find His hand
As it is said…
We do not worship God for a response…
We worship Him as a response…
Our worship is a response to a revelation of His nature
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Spirit & Truth in Worship
Worship God in Spirit & in Truth >> John 4:23-24
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True worshipers are to worship the Father in Spirit & Truth
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For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.
Basically…
When the Spirit of God & the Truth of God are in whatever we are doing >> we are in WORSHIP
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…Talking, driving, working, doing business, taking care of my child, my spouse…
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Basically
…worshiping God in Spirit & Truth involves worshiping God through Him and in Himself…
- Because He alone is Holy, made perfect so that He may be the source of our salvation if we submit to Him…Hebrews 5:9
- And we have been made righteous through Christ…2 Corinthians 5:21
- … transformed into His image & likeness from glory to glory when we behold Him…2 Corinthians 3:18
- No one can come to the Father except through Christ, the way to the Truth of Life…John 14:6
Our spirit is made perfect when born again in Christ,
- But our soul and body are not
- …& (total) salvation still needs to be worked out with fear & trembling …Philippians 2:12
- >> possibly because God has allowed us free will – we need to allow Him access into our lives… Revelation 3:20
- >> then He can work in us, giving us the desire and power to do what pleases Him…Philippians 2:13
- >> being confident of this, that he who began a good work in us (possibly by perfecting our spirit) will carry it on to completion (possibly including both body & soul) until the day of Christ Jesus…Philippians 1:6
Spirit …
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that no flesh should glory in His presence…1 Corinthians 1:29 (NKJV)
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Spirit and flesh are contrary and opposed to one another…Galatians 5:16-17
>> We are a spirit, we live in a body & have a soul
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Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ….1 Thessalonians 5:23
Truth >> Christ is Truth …the Way, Truth & Life…John 14:16
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>> Christ, His beloved Son, His Word >> basically Himself
Philippians 3:3 (NLT)
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For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,
Hebrews 13:15 (BSB)
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… Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name…
Hebrews 13:20-21
- Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen….
Therefore the Spirit of God and the Truth of God has to be in our worship, for it is in Christ that the Father is able to accomplish what is pleasing in His sight.
High Praise
Taking the Word of God, through inspiration of the Spirit of God & returning it back to Him
- The Word of God is Spirit & Life…John 6:63
- The Spirit of God can only be worshiped in Spirit & Truth…John 4:24
- …we must be led by the Spirit of God who knows the True way to worship the Lord??
- …for it is the Spirit of God that searches and knows the deep things of God, bringing us understanding, by expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words …1 Corinthians 2:10-13
- …with flesh and blood unable to reveal the truth of God to us…Matthew 16:17
Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)
- So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
A possible example of a high form of worship…
Loving God & the focus of His love >> man
- Loving one another as Christ loved us…John 15:12
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For God so loved the world that He gave… John 3:16
Loving God involves our whole being as well our substance:
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>> basically with – All that we are,…have …& do
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>> producing good fruit >> will bless others & bring glory to God
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…This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples….John 15:8 (BSB)
- …with good fruit being the fruit of His Spirit >> love joy, peace….Galatians 5:22-23
- … and good fruit only possible by being attached to the True Vine, where the True Vine produces its good fruit in us….John 15:4-5
The cross is not complete until one has also fulfilled the horizontal relationship
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Being a blessing to others to bring honor and glory to God
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Producing the fruit of His Spirit from the True Vine
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….where people can taste and see that the Lord is good…in me to through me…Psalm 34:8
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… bearing much fruit brings glory to the Father & proves that we are true disciples of Christ
But a tree is not designed to eat its own fruit >> it is for others to enjoy
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We enjoy the benefits of the Cross of Christ
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… being made the righteousness of God in Christ,…2 Corinthians 5:21
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…The atoning sacrifice for our sins…1 John 4:10
Christ became a curse for us by hanging on a tree…Galatians 3:13-14
- Making available for us the blessing of Abraham, the father of faith
- & the promise of the Spirit through faith
The Cross is the key that opens the heavens giving us access to bring it on earth…Mark 15:37- 38
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With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
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And the curtain / veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom
>> Matthew 6:10 – Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Ephesians 1:7 – 10 (NIV) >> – heaven & earth come together at the Cross
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10. to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment–to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
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Making God smile
Worship in totality – our whole self – body, soul & spirit – as a living sacrifice
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Both in Word & deed
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…Faith without an action that proves that I have faith is dead…James 2:17
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Can’t say we love God and we don’t love our neighbor …1 John 4:20-21
Make whoever God has put in authority over you smile – on behalf of God
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Jesus was put in authority over us and …Matthew 28:18
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…kiss the son lest he be angry…Psalm 2:11-12
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And it makes Him happy when we treat His beloved Son with honor & reverence
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— one returned and gave thanks and received wholeness apart from the healing…Luke 17:18-19
1 Timothy 2:1-4
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I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
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Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.
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This is good and pleases God our Savior,
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who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV)
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Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Focus of our worship
Focus is totally on God
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Not about God coming to us,
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… but us going to God
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… opening His gates with thanksgiving and entering His courts with praise…Psalm 100:4
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Not what God can do for me…
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…. but what I can do for God
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… God inhabits the praises of His people…Psalm 22:3
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For where the spirit of God is, there is freedom / liberty…2 Corinthians 3:17
>> shifting my focus & faith to God and not the problem.
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Have pleasing faith where
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… I tell the problem how big my God is
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… and not always stuck on telling God how big my problem is.
A challenge / problem is only an opportunity to showcase the glory of God
For God to test my faith if it is ALIVE & PLEASING before giving me the testimony/ reward
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>> Pleasing faith that acknowledges Gods existence & presence in the situation & that He shall reward / respond appropriately…Hebrew 11:6
- … For His plans for me are always good & for my prosperity and not bed, to give me a future and a hope… Jeremiah 29:11
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>> Alive & not dead faith through actions that prove that I indeed have faith…James 2:17
A stepping stone for God to elevate me to the next level
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David >> confronts & runs towards the challenge – Goliath
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… others avoid or run away
My challenge has been…
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Making the Joy of the Lord to be greater than my embarrassment level
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Because the joy of the Lord is my strength… Nehemiah 8:10
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… Just because it brings joy to the Lord,…makes Him happy
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…I am encouraged and strengthened to continue to do what needs to be done to make Him smile
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Like King David
Apostle >> don’t be too still in the of of God
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Be flexible, go with the flow or you might break
# Prayer
Help me Lord
- To grow in wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of you
- So that in all that I am, all that I have and all that I do
- I will be worshiping you in Spirit & Truth
- Bringing honor & glory to Your Name
Forgive me Lord for any aspect of idolatry still functioning in my life
- Where I have put anything above You
- inclusive of transgressions and iniquity
- ..that may be known or unknown to me.
- Help me to recognize and remove them from where they are taking Your position
- So that You indeed become a priority and have first place in all aspects of my life.
Help me Lord
- To offer a sacrifice of praise & thanksgiving always to You
- To be able to move from sacrifice to worship
- To be offering High praise to You
- To be fruitful and multiplying bringing honor to the Father as true disciples of Christ.
- To have pleasing faith
Thank You Lord Jesus
- For making me the righteousness of God in Christ
- For being a curse for so that I may receive the blessing of Abraham and the promise of the Spirit through faith.
I thank you Lord for Your Amazing Love,
I thank You Lord for Your Amazing Mercy,
I thank You Lord for Your Amazing Grace..
Upon my Life.
Amen!!
THE LIVING WORD 4 LIFE 