True Worshippers - Devotional

TRUE WORSHIPERS

One of my greatest prayers for our church—Reflects the heart of God.

Grow in our passion for worship of our God.

John 4:23 NLT “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.”

Notice what God wasn’t seeking:

Public speakers

Charismatic leaders

Gifted admin

Best looking people

Best dress style

Most Instagram followers

True worship

Psalm 100 NLT “A psalm of thanksgiving. Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.”

TRUE WORSHIPERS

1) WORSHIP WITH AWE.

I love the way the writer to the Hebrews said…

Hebrews 12:28–29 NLT “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.”

Psalm 95:6 NLT “Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,”

The wise men bowed before Jesus,

Simon Peter fell to his knees

One day—Every knee will bow—Every tongue confess—Jesus is Lord.

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Sometime when we worship we are: Overcome. Overwhelmed. Overflowing with gratitude.

I’d ask you this

When’s the last time u’ve been stunned & shaken by the presence of God?

Or spend time with God until he shows himself to you in meaningful way.

So true worshipers worship with awe. The second thought (not point)…

True worshipers…

2) WORSHIP WITH ABANDONMENT.

When the Arc of the Covenant finally arrived in the City of David

King David led the way in worshiping—How did he? With abandonment.

2 Samuel 6:14 NLT “And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.”

David gave it all he had—He didn’t care what anyone thought

He was worshiping HIS GOD!

And of all people, the first to criticize him was his wife, Mical.

You humiliated yourself. You’re the laughing stock of our nation.

2 Samuel 6:21–22 NLT “David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!”

In other words—You haven’t seen anything yet!

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Because of who God is—And because of what he’s done

I can’t help but give him praise.

You’ve experienced his grace—You know what it means to be forgiven.

You’re different—You’re new—You’re HIS!

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And because of what’s he’s done—You’ve got to give him praise.

Sometimes you just have to shout, to clap, to lift your voices

and tell him that you love him—Tell him he’s good!

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How do true worshipers worship?

We worship with awe. We worship with abandon. And we…

3) WORSHIP WITH INTIMACY.

David said this in Psalm 27:4

4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4

If I could have one thing—It’s not power—Not things—Not money

Intimacy with God—Dwell in his house—Seeing his glory—Worshiping.

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How do we worship?

Awe—Abandon—Intimacy!

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2 Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering. Ps 141:1-2 NLT (David)

Lifted hands means two things: Victory—Surrender!