I am Focused on You, Oh Lord!

Our Worship to God

Our worship to God should come from a place of thanksgiving. Are we here to seek the approval of God or the approval of man? Are we seeking God that he should listen to us, or are we seeking the ear of man? Understand the power of who we are worshipping today? A God that understand our needs, a God that understand our shouts as well as our whispers. He lends an ear when we need help, and extends a hand when we have fallen down. We look for God to handle our problems, but how selfish is it to look for God when we refuse to look for him? David uses his ability in worship to offer God thanksgiving and praise for what God has done, and he also lets go of the disdain he has for his enemies, knowing that God will handle it accordingly. He is not focused on anyone except God. Allow God to search your heart and refrain from being the inspector of hearts that you have no ability to diagnose or understand. Understand that worship has obedience, sacrifice and thanksgiving attached to it, nonetheless it begins with the mindset to focus on God and God only.

The Mindset of Preparation

Think of all the things you prepare for.

We prepare for interviews

We prepare for jobs

We prepare to stop vices

We prepare our meals

We prepare our clothes

Out of all the things we prepare for in life, what makes us think that we do not have to prepare for our worship unto God? If you are unwilling to prepare for your sacrifice of thanksgiving unto God, I believe you should evaluate why you are truly hear.

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

The word “order” in this text means to lay out, set in rows, to get ready, set out in order, to confront, assess. This word literally means to prepare. In context it suggest that David is presenting an offering. He is preparing his case to present to an almighty judge.

Although the commandment of bringing a prepared animal of sacrifice to God is no longer necessary, the spirit of preparedness in worshipping God is very necessary.

states Then Balaam said to Balak, Build seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.

But all things should be done decently and in order.

Our public worship should reflect the one who directed it.

The order begins with a mindset. Paul states earlier, if anyone THINKS that he is a prophet or spiritual he should acknowledge that the things I am writing you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

Understand that only the prepared were allowed entry into the house of God. Your connection, your ability to worship God in the manner he desires begins with the mindset of preparation.

Who is granted entry?

This is a Holy Place

When we are standing in the midst of God we have to know that God has allowed people who love him and have a similar mindset to stand with us.

Why would God forbid us to forsake an assembling of ourselves together with him? It makes no sense for God to allow us to worship him in the midst of those who are not unified in the same mindset.

Verse 5 states, the boastful shall not stand before your eyes;

We cannot worry about who is here, we have to hope that God is pleased with our worship and while we stand with others we stand with God.

You can be in the House of God and be spiritually distant from him.

Here is where your mindset kicks in. We make a vital mistake when our attention shifts from God to the Pharisee. We are not here to focus on the Pharisee but we are here to focus on God. The arrogant nature and actions of the Pharisee did not allow the Tax collector to forget why he was in the House of God in the first place.

Just like David in chapter 5 of Psalms, is he in the midst of evil? Yes! Is he in the midst of boasters? Yes! Is he in the midst of liars? Yes! Is he in the midst of murders? Sure! But that does not stop his mindset from being focused on God!

Once we get to a place in which everyone is focused on God and not the people in this room or the pain on the walls we are ready to enter into the House of the Lord.

Verse 7 states But as for me, by your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house, At Your Holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.

Worship allows me in the midst of those who lie on me, in the midst of those who treat me wrong I can search for a true verdict from the almighty judge, God.

They are liars because they try to bring you down with false accusations. No matter the lie, in the House of God I focus on the creator of this house.

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

They are murders because they are looking to kill your spirit with their deceitful accusations.

No matter what people say, we leave it up to God to destroy the accuser!

Once We Have Been Heard…

Once God has heard our plea it is unnecessary to focus on anything else.

Let God lead you church. Let him keep your mind on him. “O Lord lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes.”

I look to God for leadership because he has led me to him, and led me away from my enemies.

God is taking us to our promise land but we have to follow him at all cost.

If God is for me, and I’m focusing on him I’m not worried about who is against me or who does not agree with me!

He did not spare his only son so we could focus on other people!

Who care about what accusations they bring to us, when God is the one with the final say so!

Liars can’t separate me from God.

Those who try to kill my spirit can’t separate me from God.

Those who persecute me can’t separate me from God.

Financial problems will not separate me from God

Nothing will separate me from God!

I will do whatever it takes to be prepared enough to offer God what he deserves. Worship begins with my mindset. I am not focused on anything but giving my all to him. We cannot expect to focus on everything but God for 6 days and expect to have a “this is Holy Ground” moment just because it is 10:15 on Sunday morning. What about 2:30 on Tuesday? What about 1:00 AM on Friday night! Who were you focused on! The love of God is in Jesus, you can’t expect to receive the Love of God if you are not in Jesus Christ.