My Worship-In Spirit and In Truth
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Foundation Scriptures: John 4:19-24
The
woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our
fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem
is the place where one ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman,
believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain,
nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not
know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the
hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship
Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit
and truth." John 4:19-24 NKJV
1. You worship you know not what.
a. This sounds like the modern-day church.
b.
As we have traveled around the world, it has been interesting – and in
some cases, disturbing – to see what goes on in the "Church" under the
guise of "worship".
c. Jesus said, in verse 23, that the Father
is seeking TRUE worshipers. The Father is seeking people who will
worship Him from their mouth AND their heart.
d. You worship in vain if your mouth worships, but your heart is not submitted to God. Matthew
15:8-9 NKJV - These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor
Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they
worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
e. It is unprofitable to offer a sacrifice of worship from a disobedient heart. 1
Samuel 15:22 AMP - Samuel said, Has the Lord as great a delight in
burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat
of rams.
2. Being a true worshiper.
a. Worship is from the heart.
b.
Worship is not a religious act of posture, stance, or tone. It is the
heart crying out. Psalms 42:7 - Deep calls unto deep.
c. 10 lepers were healed – only one came back to say thanks. Nine were cleansed, but only one was made whole. Luke
17:15-19 KJV - And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned
back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at
his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus
answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this
stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made
thee whole.
d. True worship does not spring forth only in
"good times", it springs forth out of and in the middle of the darkest
seasons of life.
- Jonah in the fish's belly
- The three Hebrew children in the fire
- Daniel in the lion's den
- David tending sheep
- Paul and Silas in prison
- Jesus in Gethsemane
-
All circumstances don't have to be the best for worship to be true
worship. True worship originates from a heart; whose trust, hope and
faith are in the Lord and not in a temporary situation.
3. True worship comes from a pure heart.
a. A heart that is pure and holy.
b. A heart that is ablaze – on fire.
c. A heart full of passion.
d. A heart full of faith.
4. True worshippers worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.
a. There is a difference between Old Testament worship and New Testament worship.
b. OT – God inhabits the praise of His people.
c. NT – God inhabits His people of praise!
d. Rejoice and give thanks – always - for all things! Ephesians
5:18-20 KJV - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be
filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
e. Worship will never stop – for all eternity we will joyfully worship Him!
5. Let this month be a month of worship.
a. Every day – thank Him and give Him praise for His goodness, mercy, and grace!
Recent:
Righteous Now
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
“Therefore if any man be in Christ…” What does it mean to be “in Christ”? Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” You are baptized into Christ when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” And Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The moment
Defeating Strife
These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP
Faith Facts
Faith is persistent
Luke 11:9-10 AMP
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
John 16:24 AMP
Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
Faith is single-minded
James 1:5-8 AMP
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the