WORSHIP THAT WINS!
Introduction:
Many people have the wrong idea of what worship really is. One little boy was listening to his parents discuss the church service. The mother stated she did not like the song services. The dad said that the preacher’s sermon was too long. The little boy said that he thought that it was a pretty good show for a buck.
Dr. W. M. Temple, a British preacher, defines worship like this:
For to worship is to quicken the conscience by the Holiness of God; to feed the mind with the truth of God; to purge the imagination by the beauty of God; to open the heart to the love of God; to devote the will to the purpose of God.
I. THE DESIRE FOR WORSHIP:
Psa. 27:4
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may
dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the
beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple."
David wanted to worship. You can see the reflections of his worship
throughout the Book of Psalms.
Psalm 66 66:1 For the director of music. A song. A psalm. Shout with joy to God, all the earth! 2 Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! 3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. 4 All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name." Selah 5 Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf! 6 He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot-- come, let us rejoice in him. 7 He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations-- let not the rebellious rise up against him. Selah 8 Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; 9 he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. 10 For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. 11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. 12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. 13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you-- 14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble. 15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams; I will offer bulls and goats. Selah 16 Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. 17 I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 19 but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. 20 Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!
Knowing the attributes of God causes me to - Worship
What God has done causes me to - Praise
What God has done for me causes me - Worship and praise withThanksgiving
II. The Dedication of worship- (4reasons to worship)
1. We are called to praise and worship God.
1 Peter 2:5- 9 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Ps 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
2. Almighty God is worthy of our praise and worship.
Ps 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised.
Rev 5:11-12 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ¡¥Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!
Who God is - Worship
What God has done - Praise
What God has done for you - Thanksgiving
Praise and thanksgiving - is verbalized faith. If you thank God after the fact, that’s gratitude. If you thank God before it happens, that’s faith.
3. Worship changes us.
Jer 2:5 NIV They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
2 Cor 3:18 TLB And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.
You become like what you worship.
If you worship superficial things, your life becomes superficial.
If you worship perverted things your life becomes perverted.
If you worship evil things ¡V your life becomes evil.
If your worship the true God -- you become godly.
4. Praise defeats our enemy.
Ps 8:2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
Ps 149:5-6 Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand.
It is difficult to sin while praying. Worhip is a shield for the soul and a scourge to the devil
III. The Demeaner of worship: How to Praise God
1. With my voice.
Ps 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.
Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.¡¨
2. With my body.
Ps 63:4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.¨
Ps 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
3. With my heart. Eph 5:19 sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord.
4. With my emotions.
Ps 47:1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
5. With my life.
1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God
