Opening: Psalms 100
We all know that this Thursday is Thanksgiving. We will be taking out time to be with our families, and hopefully take on an “Attitude of Gratitude”. Being grateful to God for His many blessings is important. Many of us should be experts in this field of thanking God. It is a form of worship.
On the other hand many of you are like me, that is, experts at celebrating and eating Thanksgiving. That is, the turkey, dressing, sweet potato soufflé, pecan pie, etc.
This morning I want to bring to you a few basic principles about worship. And, why it is important for each of us to have the right attitude towards worshipping God.
You may be here this morning without any relationship with the Lord. I know of many people who have gone to visit God’s house in hopes of getting some of their questions answered. If that is who you are, or where you are coming from, I invite you to listen closely to this message about worshipping God. If worshipping God is something you know little about, you may find answers to your questions by learning how to worship Him. I want to encourage you to allow God the opportunity to introduce Him self through the words He has written in the Bible.
Sir, maam, little boy or little girl, I want you to know that God desires to know you in a very real personal way. He is a living and loving God that loves you more than you can possibly know. He has waited for this opportunity to speak to you for a long time
Text: Romans 1:20 thru 23
Prayer:
Allow me to define what worship is about – it is the Nature of God relating itself with the Nature of Man.
You see, the truth is, God wants us. Do we want God?
He wants us just the way we are. Do we want Him the way He is? The way He always has been? Do we want Him the way He always will be?
God’s attitude towards us has always been the same. It never has changed, and never will. It is our attitude towards worshipping Him that is important.
Three things to consider about worship:
1) Emotional Attitude – sometimes we struggle with depression and oppression as a result of the cares of this world; other times, we prepare our hearts and minds enabling us to loose ourselves in His Presence.
There is a choice that is invariably/ always made.
2) Physical Attitude – initially we may feel spiritually numb; or, we may be overwhelmed/awestruck by God’s presence. We may choose to resist, or we may choose to submit (to His presence). But, we will consciously make an effort to either move in, or to maybe remove ourselves from His obvious presence.
There is a choice that is invariably/always made.
3) Results – If we deny/resist worship there will always be a deepened sense of emptiness. This is sometimes associated with guilt, condemnation and/or a lack of a spiritual self worth. If we submit to worship the results will always be more than we had expected. There may be healing to our bodies or to our souls that takes place.
Worship is crucial to all of us whether we realize it or not.
Worship is the first and foremost reason for our being here.
The problem is, we may, or may not, worship God but (in this lifetime) we will never be able to completely understand Him.
In Romans 1, we find that God does show you and I things that are amazing. The Bible actually tells us that God even shows things to those who are not believers. The Bible tells us these things are “clearly seen”. Things like His (NIV) “eternal power and divine nature”.
The Bible says everyone can see these things. Saint and sinner alike. These things are obvious/common to man. If the skeptics were really honest with themselves, even they would have to admit that there is a God with an eternal power and a divine nature. This cannot be denied.
Many of us are always talking about how difficult it is to understand God.
“I just wish I could figure God out…Sometimes it is so hard for me to understand God and be what He wants me to be…”
The really big problem is not so much that we cannot understand God, rather it is our unwillingness to worship Him. Verse 21 gives us all a very stern warning. It tells us that even though we may know a little or even a lot about God, there are those who may choose to not glorify God.
Some of you may be thinking, “Hey wait a minute… I worship God…every Sunday Morning… from 10:30 to about 11:00, or, 11:15…”
My friend glorifying God is a full time job, all day long.
Come on now…I am trying to help you. I love you, do you still love me?
Don’t go home, today, saying I don’t think you worship.
I know most of you do, but church this is what we need to be asking ourselves this morning:
Do I really glorify God beyond these four walls?
Do I really give Him thanks everyday?
My friend no one can answer that question, but you.
Glorifying God needs to become a natural part of each one of us. It should be that part in each of our lives that is so spontaneous.
In Deut 6:5 we are told:
“…thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
I think we need to make a commitment to the Lord right now. Can I get you to stand up for just a minute?
Now say this with me:
I will…love the Lord…my God…with all my heart…with all my soul…and with all my might…”
In fact, let’s Glorify God right now!
Ps 47:1-2
Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
For the LORD Most High is awesome; he is a great King…”
Sit down, please.
Now look at
Rom 1:21
“…nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
All because they wouldn’t glorify God and they weren’t thankful. Help us, Lord!
Read Colossians 3:15 thru 17
Thanksgiving is a good time of the year. It is to be a time in which we set aside differences we may have with others long enough to share a meal. There are many of us here today glorifying God, and giving Him thanks, without that special loved one that means so much to us.
We continue to believe God for their soul and our happiness, but in reality we just wish it could be so different.
Amen?
Do you suppose that God knew what He was doing when He moved on the hearts of our founding fore fathers to celebrate what we call, “Thanksgiving”?
Folks, God desires us to give Him thanks much more often than we realize. All too often we seem to give Him grief, instead of the thanks He so rightfully deserves.
Let us be more aware of the fact that we have loved ones, family and friends that will be watching us closely this week. They want to know what God is doing in our lives that makes us who we are.
It is the “Attitude of Gratitude”.
