[september]
Worthy of Worship

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
John 4: 23-24

 

Many things compete for your attention everyday.
Social media, entertainment, finances, work, school, relationships, and the list goes on, draw our focus and efforts on a regular basis. This world offers an abundance of things to devote time and energy toward. You can often tell where our adorations and devotions lie by where we place our attention and time. So many of these things can be draining on our spiritual and physical selfs. It is important to be reminded of God’s truths in His creative design.

  • What were we created to do?
  • Who are we created to be?
  • What does scripture say about where we should place adoration and devotion?

Scripture is clear, we were created to live in relationship with God.
We were formed to give Him glory, being good stewards of His creation, fruitful in our labor. Our sin natures set a rebellious path for each one of us.  As Christ followers, we begin to transform from rebels to worshippers of God. Let us explore how we can declare God is the one “worthy” of our time and energy. He is “worth” more than anything this world can bring to compete for our attentions.

WEEKLY PRAYER PROMPTS

 Choose a time and day of the week for the next four weeks to focus and pray. 

Here are some ways we find in scripture to grow in our wor(th)ship of God.
The following aspects of worshipping God are part of individual (you alone with God) and corporate (you and other believers with God) opportunities.

WEEK 1
Worship Is Active
  • Is there something that holds you back from outward expression or physical response when worshipping God?
  • Do we have to be celebrating to be active in worship, or can our lament also be active?

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Psalm 150: 3-6

My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.  Psalm 102: 4,5

WEEK 2
Worship is Confession and Repentance
  • Have you felt distant from God or find it difficult to worship sometimes?
  • Have you been prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray for others during times of worship, how did you respond?

Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness; According to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings.
Wash me thoroughly from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise. Psalm 51: 1-2, 17

…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints… Ephesians 6:18

WEEK 3
Worship Is Submission
  • When you worship God, do you allow time to listen?
  • How would you respond to hearing from the Holy Spirit during a time of worship?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6: 8

WEEK 4
Worship Is Transformative
  • Have you noticed a change in yourself over the time you have been a worshipper of God?
  • Do you anticipate and expect times of worship to renew and transform you, by His power?

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. Exodus 34:29

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2