Worship Matters

“Every glimpse that is given us of heaven and of God’s created beings is always a glimpse of worship and rejoicing and praise because God is who He is... Any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.” A. W. Tozer 

I tend to have 'theme' weeks.  I can't explain why accept that God speaks to me not usually once, but multiple times on a subject. 

You can see this theme played out on our KOG website and "Where He Is" today.  It started with church on Sunday and the idea of Worship.

Then it was the hard-hitting quote above received in email.

But most importantly, it was the conviction that God planted deep inside of me and how he wants our heartfelt worship.

I noticed an article title on one of the link-ups today, "Responding to Trials with Worship" and I rejoiced to see someone else experiencing the same thing.  Her article was about personal worship, and I truly believe all worship begins there, with self and God and that first step towards salvation.  And then it grows....

Worship

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 

- Psalm 95:6 

It is so important that God has Holy inspired men to write about it throughout the entire Bible.  From the beginning to the end and everywhere in between.

And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 

- Exodus 34:8 

“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.
- Isaiah 12:5

And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” 

- Revelation 14:7

Personal worship, such as in the linked article above, is of vital importance.  And while I know God is not a building, I have come to know that He is moving within them.

Being part of a lively worship, from music to fellowship to message, grows faith and plants a spirit of submission to the One who calls us into his presence every minute of every day.

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”  

- Luke 4:8

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  

- John 4:24

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. 

- Psalm 29:2

What if we all, every time we came to God in worship, whether in prayer or Bible reading or song, truly bowed our hearts at His awesomeness and truly recognized how amazing and powerful He is?  What if we all worshipped in church on Sunday, as the music plays, as if we just knew HE was in the room desiring to see outwardly what we profess inwardly?

I have some African missionary friends who have returned home to minister.  While they were here I will never forget how they brought life to worship in our small town church.  Even with simple guitars and a quartet of singers, my African friends were all but dancing in the isles, hands raised high and, some days, tears down cheeks because they knew God was watching and they wanted to show Him, submit to him, bow before him in wonder.

What if we worshiped like we really believed it made a difference?  What if we worshipped like we really knew God was watching?

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

- Colossians 3:14-17

When a friend blesses us with an amazing and unexpected gift we often get excited, we might get giddy, we may even cry.  God has blessed us with the most amazing gift, how can we really contain that joy?  Unless we don't actually realize it's value.

My prayer is to become someone who, no matter when or where I worship, I truly feel and realize WHO I am worshiping and I show on the outside the gratitude and joy I feel on the inside.  I want to believe that what I do makes a difference.  I want to worship as I know God is watching.

I pray, also, that you might feel that overwhelming joy and excitement and deep gratitude for what our savior did!  That, if you don't already, you might become someone who worships like they know God is watching too!

Bless you sweet friends,

Every life has testimonies of how God intercedes to show His power and glory.  To read the first installment in a brand new series of books about God's divine work in one person's life, click below