Foundations of the Church

Foundations of the Church - #2 WORSHIP

Scriptures: Psa. 95:6; Psa. 103:1; John 4:23-24; Heb. 12:28

"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." - Psa. 95:6

"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name." - Psa. 103:1

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship him in spirit and in truth." - John 4:23-24

"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." Heb. 12:28

Let's look at some other definitions of worship that will help us define true worship:

Worship means “to attribute worth to an object” To worship Jesus Christ is to attribute worth to Him…Worship is the one essential activity that must take precedence over every other activity in life. – Joseph S. Carroll

We believe that worship is more than music. It is a way of life—a continual response of obedience, love, awe, and adoration to God. Music, however, is one way God has given us to express our devotion to him. C.J. Mahaney

"Worship is the humble response of regenerate men to the self-disclosure of the Most High God. It is based upon the work of God. It is achieved through the activity of God. It is directed to God. It is expressed by the lips in praise and by the life in service." - Bob Gilliam

Worship has got to be based on the sovereignty of God. Only God is great. Only God is worthy; worthy to be worshiped.

Harold Best defines worship in the broadest sense as "acknowledging that someone or something else is greater – worth more – and by consequence, to be obeyed, feared, and adored…" Worship is the sign that in giving myself completely to someone or something, I want to be mastered by it.

Worship is to feel in your heart and express in some appropriate manner a humbling but delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpowering love in the presence of that most ancient Mystery, that Majesty which philosophers call the First Cause, but which we call Our Father Which Are in Heaven. - A. W. Tozer

"The real factor in worship is a heart desire for God; the reason it fails to occur in the pew is that it fails to occur in the daily routine of living"
- Ronald Allen and Gordon Borror: Worship, rediscovering the missing jewel.

True worship is about God. It is coming to give of yourself sacrificially to God instead of coming to get.

The heart and focus of biblical worship is about exalting God, not us.

Biblical worship involves encountering God as He really is.
Biblical worship entails enjoying God more than anything.
Biblical worship is grounded in God’s supreme love for His glory.
Biblical Worship is centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Biblical Worship is saturated with and governed by God’s word.
Biblical worship shows itself in expressiveness and forms accompanied by inward faith.

Now let's close with this challenge from Louie Gigglio, as stated in his book, "The air I breathe"

Quote: "We see what is on the throne of our hearts when we trace our passions, what we spend the most thoughts, time, energy and money on."

Let us each individually ask ourselves: What is sat at the throne of your heart?

Three Worship clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQIxcE1qios

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p2yreN9jn8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH-snsXw1as

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This devotion on WORSHIP is also available FREE in an audio sermon (57 minutes) at:

http://sermon.net/download.php?c=13400-count_audio_download-126394

To listen to any of my sermons go to: http://sermon.net/biblefood

Next devotion we will look into the foundation #3 - PRAYER.

In His Service,

Jim Mazzulla (jim@biblefood.org) Website: www.biblefood.org