SERMON - WORSHIP GOD ONLY (part 2)

Worship

God

Only

 

Part 2

 

 

As I deliver the sermon to you I am doing all that I can to tell each of you the proper mindset and thoughts required to properly worship God.

 

God is to be worshiped in truth and in spirit. The worship you are to perform must be with total reverence, with attentiveness and with a complete understanding of what you are doing. Before entering into worship we must make ready our hearts and minds as well as our emotions.

 

Know this and etch it in your mind. God is to be feared with an awesome reverence. Contrary to the ramblings of some Pastors tales of (sham) excitement, He does not ‘pal around,’ ‘ride on motorcycle seats,’ or have ‘carefree chats,’ with anyone. He is God and in intimating otherwise is actually blasphemous!

 

Psalm 89:7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.

 

God is our Creator and holds our eternal destiny in His Mighty Hands! We must strive to please Him and we must never take Him lightly!

 

In worship we must never rush and must be ever attentive and most alert to His voice as He often speaks to the worshipful heart. Our worship must be in a worthy manner as to be light in worship is to invite spiritual death.

 

1 Corinthians 11: 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. ²⁹For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.

 

The Word of God is the “bread” we are to partake of and “the cup” our spiritual drink. Anyone taking this lightly with an insincere spirit is inviting spiritual death!

 

In worship our thoughts must be controlled and our minds not allowed to wander no matter what may seek to distract us. Our thoughts must be on worship and on God at times of worship.

 

If you recall an earlier sermon I set forth the meaning of the word, ‘holy.’ In saying ‘holy,’ we are saying that someone or thing is ‘spiritually sound.’ I remind you of this as Peter says:

 

1 Peter 1: 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

 

To be as Godly as is humanly possible we must not allow distraction. In your life there are times that that are more serious than others. Well, this is one of the most serious times of your life here on earth. God must be the focus of your undivided attention for if your worship is not totally sincere and from the depth of your very being, it is worthless and unacceptable to God.

 

Mark 7:6 He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
 ⁷They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. ⁸You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

 

Rather than being ‘long faced’ and reflecting ‘piety,’ worship of God should be a time of joy and adoration. You must adore Him, showing love of and to Him as you praise Him. Heed His every Word and be happy for the opportunity to come before Him with reverence and awesome fear. He is God and worthy of the worship you convey.

 

1 Corinthians 6: 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 

As Christians we are ‘washed by the blood of Christ. We are purchased by His sacrifice and must glorify God in all we do. Just as we strive to be holy in giving Him our worship we must strive to be holy in all things!

 

All too many Pastors do their utmost to entertain their congregations rather than teach them God’s Word. Here in America we have allowed ourselves to be the most entertained people on earth. No matter what we see as entertainment, we want more! We demand MORE!

 

Sadly most ‘church’ services have digressed to more entertainment than true worship of God. It is as if a Pastor fears the loss of followers more than the loss of their souls! No matter how disrespectful of God and how demeaning they are to Him they grow more in entertainment and less in worship.

 

God is to be the focus of any church service as He is the true spectator, not us! The roles have been reversed and that is not acceptable by any means whatever.

 

Proverbs 12: 15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

 

This I cite as many ignore God’s warnings as they seek to be pleased by those who entertain rather than worship. Worship is holy and sacred and must not be perverted with entertainment. To do so is blasphemy!

 

Hebrews 13: 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

 

Galatians 1: 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

 

In worship we are to WORSHIP God and not be seeking to be entertained. To seek entertainment is to deny the need to worship and each of us knows that this would be failing God.

 

Worship requires a true commitment to Him and a willingness to obey Him every Commandment, Law and wish!

 

Jesus said:

 

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

 

By this Jesus was saying “worship God by His desire, not you own.” The worship of God is not arbitrary but clearly set forth in His Word.

 

God IS NOT to be worshiped according to the vain and evil imaginations of man. If a manner of worship is not set forth in His Word, our Bible, then it is forbidden. Man dare not substitute his method of worship over what God has commanded. 

 

For the many that think that it really doesn’t matter how God is worshiped so long as their worship is sincere they had better think again!

 

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

 

Who dare tell God “I am going to worship You anyway I choose and do not care what You have said! This would be men assuming that they have the authority to dictate to God. How sad is that? I ask a simple question and ask that you dwell up it for a moment…Would you be so bold as to stand before the Lord on Judgment Day and tell Him, I did it my way? Also, how would you think God would react to anyone telling Him, “My Pastor told me that was OK by his way of thinking.”

 

The many religions calling themselves Christian yet denying God what He has prescribed as His way is astounding. They seek to rationalize false teachings with lame excuses.

 

The average person in religious matters takes much for granted. He finds a group that says they are Christian and enjoys their fellowship think, ‘It must be acceptable as everyone seems to enjoy themselves.’ The average man does no research on his own and relies totally on a Pastor to almost ‘think of religious matters for me.” It MUST NOT be your enjoyment being sought, it MUST be God’s worship sought!

 

I tell you now, It is you very soul at stake; your eternal life. Are you prepared to risk that?

 

Matthew 7: 13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

 

I tell you this as I pray that you take it very seriously. There are a lot of false teachings that are being passed off as truth. Too many people, Pastors included, refuse to accept God’s Word as the final authority.

 

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

 

If you are concerned in the slightest way as to how you will spend eternity then you will worship God in His way…not the way of man!

 

Worship Him in spirit and in truth.

 

(Closing prayer)

 

Almighty God, Creator of us all, we come before You with praises and heart felt thanks for all You have provided us throughout the years of our lives. We often fail to thank You in a timely manner and ask that You forgive our humanness. Lord, You are the center of our universe, our God, our source of strength and goodness.

 

Lord, we worship You in a manner we hope is pleasing to You.  We worship You in spirit and with complete truthfulness. You are God and are able to see our every thought and deed. You are our God and it is You alone that will decide our eternal presence either with You or is eternal darkness. Please accept our worship and love. We ask this with reverence and hearts full of awesome joy at knowing You are our God, there is no other. Be with us now and forever.

 

We thank You for answering our prayers we voice weekly for all the men and women in our lives. Please continue in their protection.

 

As You have commanded, we pray these things in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,

 

Amen, amen and amen.

--

Pastor Lee S Gliddon Jr
God's Word Christian Ministry
Conservative Patriot http://conpats.blogspot.com