Worship

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Thursday, November 19, 2015

For today’s blog- I found someone who stated some really great reasons why worship matters.    I can’t think of a better way to say them myself, so I think it best to just share his thoughts with you.  I pray that all of us will think on this and be worshipping together well before a Sunday morning service.  ~ Megann Graf  

 

6 Essential Reasons why worship matters

by Philip Wagner

(an article from churchleaders.com)  

Worship Matters

Worship matters to God.
Worship matters to you.

Often, we allow personal distractions to get in the way.

Sometimes we go to church, but we don’t worship.
We sing songs, but we don’t worship.
We listen to sermons, but we don’t worship.
We serve in a ministry area – but don’t worship.  

All of these things are elements of worship, but they are not worship in and of themselves, which means that you can do all of them and yet have failed to truly worship God. Worship is a lifestyle.  It’s the gathering of believers to practice our beliefs and celebration of Him.

Praise is the expression we give to the ‘worship’ we live.

Worship involves more than we realize.

 

1.  Worships Involves Surrender of Our Lives

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
Rom 12:1

2.  Worship Is Putting Our Focus on Him

True worship is based on the desire to honor God.  It requires a personal revelation of God as found in the Scriptures.  Worship is not based on my likes or dislikes.  It is not based on my personal preferences or priorities.  It is a focus on Him.

3.  Worship Involves ‘Getting Out of the Way’

We have to learn to remove our worries, our opinion, our questions, and ourselves – so we can worship with appropriate honor.  It’s letting go.  Sometimes, we get in the way of our own experience of genuine worship.

4.  Worship Involves Personal Sacrifice

Praise can be easier when times are good or we have had the big victory.

It requires a sacrifice of our own feelings and fears so we can give Him the focus He deserves.

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.”  Hebrews 13:15

5.  We Must Worship in the Face of Pain & Loss

King David demonstrated what it means to worship in the face of loss and pain.  His baby died.  He prayed and prayed, but the baby died.  I can’t imagine the pain that would come from the loss of a child.  The loss of loved ones is too great to bare.

After the baby died, the Bible tells us –

Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions, and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped.
2 Sam 12:20 NIV

It is so important that in times of pain and loss, we move toward God rather than ‘away’ from Him.  David showed us that we have to say, “I feel so much pain, I’m in agony, but I’m going to go toward God because I need Him more now than ever.”

6.  Worship Is Celebrating Who God Is and What He Has Done

¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the Earth. 
² Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. 
³ Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His  
   people, the sheep of His pasture.
⁴ Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise  
 His name. 
⁵ For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues
   through all generations.

  Psalm 100:1-5 NIV

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