Real Worship

Sunday, February 22, 2015

What gives us pleasure?  I find pleasure in looking into my grandchildren’s sweet faces and seeing those big blue happy eyes. I recently experience pleasure listening to an orchestra concert and heard plenty of old tunes from the big band era.

God created us for his pleasure. Our first purpose in life it to bring enjoyment to God. Bringing pleasure to God is called “worship.”  Anything we do that brings pleasure to God is an act of worship. Rick Warren tells us, “The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God.”

A. W. Tozer, once regarded as a prophet of the 20th century, said, “True worship is to be so personally and hopelessly in love with God, that the idea of a transfer of affection never even remotely exists.”
So…how do we do a good job of pleasing God and making him smile?

“He takes pleasure in those that honor him; in those who trust in his constant love.” Psalm 147:11 (TEV)

We please God by what we do and not only by what we believe.”  James 2:24

A.    We please God when we give him our whole being – our heart and soul and mind and strength.

“Love the Lord you God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  Mark 12:30 (NIV)

We please him when we obey wholeheartedly…when we love him supremely…. When we trust him completely…when we praise and thank him…when we use our abilities…when we enjoy his creation…when we use kind words…when we tell the truth…when we encourage others.

Question:  “How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?”

B.    The heart of worship is when we surrender all of ourselves to him.

A.W. Tozer said, “The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within us.”

We can’t fully surrender until we come to the end of ourselves. We fully surrender when we rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, control situations, and force our plan. Letting go and letting God have ALL is our challenge.

Surrender yourselves to the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7a (GWT)

 

Question:  "How much have I surrendered to God?"

It’s comforting to know that we are asked to surrender to someone who wants to be our best friend.

C.    We please God when we make him our best friend.

We make Jesus our best friend by getting to know him. We read of him and we talk with him. We carry on a constant dialogue with him. What are the characteristics of a best friend relationship? We trust our best friend. We share secrets with them. We are honest with them. We often indulge them. We talk kindly to them and they talk kindly to us. We say good things about them. We praise them. We introduce them to others.

 That only happens when we spend time with them. Jesus wants to be that kind of friend. How can we worship him in our friendship? All that we say, think, feel and do throughout the day will be an act of worship toward our best friend.

 

Question: "What kind of friend am I to God?"

Real personal worship characteristics

A.    Comes from a desire to give God our heart and soul and mind and strength

B.    Comes from full surrender to God

C.    Comes through building a relationship with God.

 

To hear an audio of my lesson, Real Worship, click below:

 Real Worship