CHRISTIAN LIVING - WORSHIP - HOW WE WORSHIP

HOW WE WORSHIP

What is worship? We spent two weeks discussing what worship is, how it is an attitude of your heart and a lifestyle of personally aligning of your heart to the Heart of God. We spent two week covering eight different forms that worship may come in. Last week we talked about the why we worship and went back to basic Christian theology of His worthiness, Omni-ness of His being (omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient), His resoluteness and reliability along with His Self-Sufficientness, His Holy, Infinite and Immutability and closing with His Pardoning Power and His Presence. We close out our mini-sub series on worship with How – How we worship – how do we incorporate those 8 forms and interweave them with the reasons why.

How we worship

Let us pray!

1. Wait for Lord – a discipline we need to embrace the faster the pace gets in the world the more we need to slow down, be still – Give Him Talk time

Isaiah 40:31 – But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Lamentations 3:25-26 – The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Isaiah 30:18 – Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

James 5:7-8 – Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Psalm 39:7 – “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Jesus told the storm to be still and it quit every action and there was complete silence – still you body and still your mind

Remove external distractions

Silence the internal distractions

Psalm 37:7 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 62:1-2 – For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Lean not on your understanding – lean on the Lord – allow Him to set the pace. In hiking the rule is the slowest person leads so no one gets left behind – the Lord’s timing is perfect – instead of rushing full steam ahead lean on Him, allow Him to set the pace.

2. Offer our lives as living sacrifices – a living sacrifice can crawl off the altar – we have to make the daily choice to remain on the altar and sacrifice our hopes, dreams, desires to the Will and Heart of God

Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

DO NOT CONFORM TO THE IDEALS OF THIS WORLD

This world is in opposition to God – live your life by the Word of God

Self promotion and selfish desires must give way to God Use Me – Send Me, I want to serve You not me today

RENEW DAILY YOUR MIND TO BE TRANSFORMED BY IT – CHANGED BY THE WORD OF GOD

Focus on changing what your heart desires, which will change what your mind chases after; changes how you think, feel, and how to respond instead of react

DISCERN THE WILL OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE

Daily we must take time to listen to the Holy Spirit to direct and guide

Seek His Wisdom and He will deliver

Seek to be used to By Him, For Him,

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Hebrews 13:16 – Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

3. Rest in His Presence – Remember and Respond What God has done

a. Rest

2 Thessalonians 3:16 – Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

Exodus 33:14 – And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28-29 – Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Psalm 23:3 – He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Romans 14:19 – So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Psalm 103:1-2 – Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

b. Remember

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

James 1:17 – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Psalm 77:11-14a – I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your wonders of old. I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples.

Deuteronomy 8:2 – Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments.

1 Chronicles 16:12 – Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,

4. Sing to Him

Psalm 98:1 – O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.

v4 – Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.

Psalm 40:3a – He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

Isaiah 42:10 – Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants.

Psalm 47:6-7 – Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!

Psalm 95:1-2 – O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 150 – the very last Psalm of the book –

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

5. Humble Submit ourselves before God, to God – over 100 verses on humble

James 4:6 – But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

v10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Proverbs 22:4 – The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

Psalm 25:9 – He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

1 Peter 5:6 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Deuteronomy 8:3 – And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Job 22:21 NIV – “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.

Luke 18:14 – For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

6. Intimacy with God – Identify w/ God His Way

Psalm 63 – O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

James 4:8 – Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Psalm 42:1-2 – As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 139:1-7 – O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?

v17-18 – How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Psalm 73:28 – But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

7. Prayer and Praise – Pleasing to His Heart

Psalm 34:15 – The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

Daniel 9:18 – O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.

Psalm 5:3 – O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

James 5:16b – The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Colossians 4:2 – Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Mark 1:35 – And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

The Jews had one door to enter the synagogue and another door to leave by – symbolizing that you don’t leave the presence of God the same way you entered into His presence –

More than physically preparing to be at church – how do you prepare for worship? Prepare your heart, mind and soul for church on Sunday?

How do you worship every other day of the week?

Let Us Pray!