True Worship

In John 4:23 Jesus tells us that our Father God is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Isn’t that amazing? That God, the maker of heaven and earth is looking for someone who will be a true worshiper?

And what are the characteristics of a true worshiper? A true worshiper is someone who has no agenda, other than to honor the Lord. A true worshiper is someone who comes to God, not on their own merits, but relying on what Jesus Christ has accomplished at Calvary. Hebrews 10:19 & 20 invites us to enter the very presence of God by the “new and living way”, the blood of Christ. By accepting Jesus’ offer of a new life, by believing that His blood is able to cleanse us of all unrighteousness, and receiving His forgiveness, we are able to come to God, with all our human weakness, and worship Him.

          The Old Testament picture of worship in the Tabernacle of Moses shows us a distinction between praise and worship. There was the outer court with a lot of activity in praise to God. But it was in the inner court where there was an intimate exchange between man and God. That is the picture of worship.

          In the book of Psalms, we are told to praise God with the trumpet, praise Him with the dance, praise Him with the stringed instruments, praise Him with the loud symbols, and to let everything that has breath praise the Lord. I believe everyone should give God praise every day. But praise is not a substitute for worship. In the Gospel of John, Jesus did not say that the Father is seeking praisers, but worshipers. You see we can start with praise to glorify God, and praise is good. But it is through worship that we experience intimacy with the living God. It is through worship that we are able to be changed from glory to glory. It is through worship that we can truly offer to God our hearts.

People of God; let’s draw near to God to learn what pleases Him, to learn how to honor Him, to learn how to be worshipers, in spirit and in truth. Not in the fleshly ways of the world, not in a human attempt to put on a show for others, but in sincerity, to worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness. The Father is seeking such. Amen.

From The Pulpit Submission by: Joe Laughlin

Victory Church, Omaha – for Sunday, July 24, 2011