Bible Ballistics: BBs #682  Worship???  Really?

 

“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me,

the hour cometh,

when ye shall neither

in this mountain,

nor yet at Jerusalem,

worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what:

we know what we worship:

for salvation is of the Jews.

23 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.

24 God is a Spirit:

and they that worship him

must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him,

I know that Messias cometh,

which is called Christ:

when he is come,

he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her,

I that speak unto thee

am he.”  John 4:21-26

This woman learned the truth about worship.  How do we know?  Because she was willing to learn and know.  So often we come to church, or Bible study, or prayer with a ‘know-it-all’ attitude which is never a spirit of worship.  We must be ready to seek God, knowing that our prayer and pursuit ought always to be:

“Thy kingdom come….

…Thy will be done..

…on earth as it is in heaven…”

Or, in our vernacular, ‘YOUR will come and be done IN ME’!  In me, now and each day that we are given to pursue the true worship of God.  Not just singing “worship” songs, but truly yielding our lives to the obedience of Jesus Christ in all things.  As Paul told the Corinthians about spiritual warfare—which is simply living in a state of continual worship (for all who seek God continually will encounter spiritual warfare regularly.  See 2 Timothy 3:12)

“For though we walk in the flesh,

we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare

are not carnal,

but mighty

through God

to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations,

and every high thing that exalteth itself

against the knowledge of God,

and bringing into captivity

every thought

to the obedience of Christ;”   2 Corinthians 10:3-5

And as Jesus prayed in His greatest hour of suffering.

“And he was withdrawn from them

about a stone’s cast,

and kneeled down,

and prayed,

42 Saying, Father,

 if thou be willing,

remove this cup from me:

nevertheless not my will,

but thine, be done.”   Luke 22:41-42

To truly worship we must continually be seeking God.  That’s what Paul meant when he instructed us to “pray without ceasing”—not going around all the time with our eyes closed, or knelt down, or outward bowing, but our hearts open and bowed before our KING, seeking HIS will not our own!  And while God is a merciful God of second chances (and more) He won’t always wait until YOU think YOU are ready to obey and follow HIM!

“And ye shall seek me,

and find me,

when ye shall search for me

with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:13

“Seek ye the LORD

while he may be found,

call ye upon him

while he is near:”  Isaiah 55:6

And as Paul made so clear to the Athenians:

“God that made the world and all things therein,

seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth,

dwelleth not in temples

made with hands;

25 Neither is worshipped

with men’s hands,

as though he needed any thing,

seeing he giveth to all life,

and breath,

and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men

for to dwell on all the face of the earth,

and hath determined the times before appointed,

and the bounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord,

if haply they might feel after him,

and find him,

though he be not far

from every one of us:

28 For in him

we live,

and move,

and have our being;

as certain also of your own poets have said,

For we are also his offspring.”  Acts 17:24-28

Paul wanted them to understand, as we need to understand today, that it’s not outward temples, churches, or loud assemblies that is acceptable to GOD as ‘worship’, but a heart that is seeking HIM through His Son Jesus Christ, the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for all who will believe.  And that, my friends, includes you and me!  And as Paul reminds us, we aren’t anything special apart from what Jesus can and will do in the heart of those who come to HIM.  But, it’s all about Jesus—not about ‘me’!

“Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,

except it abide in the vine;

no more can ye,

except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”   John 15:4-5

Paul put it this way:

“And you hath he quickened,

who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past

ye walked according to the course

of this world,

according to the prince of the power

of the air,

the spirit that now worketh

in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also

we all had our conversation in times past

in the lusts of our flesh,

fulfilling the desires of the flesh

and of the mind;

and were by nature

the children of wrath,

even as others.

4 But God,

who is rich in mercy,

for his great love

wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins,

hath quickened us together

with Christ,

(by grace ye are saved;)”.   Ephesians 2:1-5

So, in closing I would simply like to share a brief outline of some points of worship, as I see revealed in scripture.  May we each consider ourselves and our own ideas of worship? Are you/I reserving “worship” to one day a week?  Or are we living and walking “in the Spirit” of worship in all we do?  The choice is yours but choose wisely there is a test!

Worship:

Being in God’s presences continually (as His child)–

“Jesus said unto him,

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God

with all thy heart,

and with all thy soul,

and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38

Being in God’s presence moment by moment—

Living for Jesus each day; responding to HIS WORD in all I do.

“But be ye doers of the word,

and not hearers only,

deceiving your own selves.”   James 1:22

Being God’s vessel of true praise, not just ‘lip service’—

“Wherefore the Lord said,

Forasmuch as this   people draw near me

with their mouth,

and with their lips

do honour me,

but have removed their heart

far from me,

and their fear toward me

is taught by the precept of men:”   Isaiah 29:13

“God is a Spirit:

and they that worship him

must worship him

in spirit

and in truth.“  John 4:24

And may we ever live with HIS praise on our lips, and reflected in our everyday lives.  Amen and Amen!

“By him therefore let us offer

the sacrifice of praise to God continually,

that is, the fruit of our lips

 giving thanks to his name.”  Hebrews 13:15