Worth

Written by cycleguy on November 17th, 2016

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A lot of people talk about worshiping God but really have no clue what exactly it is. Too much of what is called worship is actually self-worship. We sing songs that do not elevate the Father but ourselves. Proclaiming God’s worth, lifting Him up for adoration, is the goal of worship. Worship is not about us feeling good. It is not about “this is what I want” unless it is craving the presence of God so you can adore Him.

I’m presenting the following thoughts from Isaiah 58 this Sunday:

  1. Let worship not be about you. [Verse 3]. We cannot have everything we want. God is not a hobby- Someone we run to when we want to waste a little time or when things get really bad.
  2. Let worship be with an attitude of peace. [Verse 4]. The Israelites were fasting but were fighting while doing it. Some of the nastiest fights are not on a foreign battlefield but in the church parking lot.
  3. Let worship be more than a surface act. [Verse 5]. Anyone can raise their hands, shed tears, sing and look sincere. But God is not concerned with externals. Worship must be from the heart.
  4. Let worship be all about freedom. [Verse 6-7]. Freedom from chains of the past. Freedom from chains of the present. Freedom from chains of the future. Freedom from legalism. Freedom from bondage.
  5. Let worship be focused on Christ. God made us so we would reflect His glory back to Him. His purpose for our life is not to make us happy; it is to display Him.
  6. Let worship bring results. [Verse 8]. We were never meant to go through worship and not be changed. A person who says, “I didn’t get anything out of that today” is saying as much about their heart as they are the worship event.

I would appreciate your prayers as I try to bring some clarity to this idea of God’s worth. Thanks.

 

7 Comments so far ↓

  1. Bill, I keep finding that worship is Notre about doing, but being.

  2. floyd says:

    Great thoughts, Bill. This society, and all of us struggle with it, in general, is about what we can get in all the scenarios of our lives, including worship.

    Worship is about is about giving, sacrifice, from our time, heart, and resources. It’s never about getting… and in that mindset we gain more than we could ever give.

    Thanks for the reminder and I’m praying for you.

  3. Betty Draper says:

    Recently I was thanking a young man for playing guitar with the worship band at our church. He said, I don’t know why I do it, no one even knows I am there. To which I replied, God does and that is all that matters. He is young and like to “lead” worship and to be honest full of pride. God will teach him just as He continues to teach us that worship is about Him, never us. I know some people who would not sing a solo because they think that is bringing attention to self. To that I reply, God sees the heart no matter if its a soloist or a young man playing in the worship band. Good points Bill, good points.

  4. Thank you, Bill, for reminding us about what worship should be. God needs to come first, each and every day, not just on Sundays when we’re in church. And the “I didn’t get much out of that” phrase really hit hard. It’s definitely not about us “getting” but all about giving to God and others.
    Praying for you!

  5. pam says:

    Sounds like a great message, Bill. Praying for open hearts Sunday. Praying also for a full recovery for you!

  6. Ceil says:

    Hi Bill! I was just reading about this very subject. The author was saying that a friend of his pointed out that many people think they are honing in on God, when really they are worshipping themselves. Yikes…
    It’s a tough thing to realize that my prayer is not always pointed directly to God, forgetting myself. So easy to pray in words, while my mind floats back to my to-do lists, checks how I’m feeling, wondering if I’ll ‘feel’ God. Your post underlines how important it is to remember why I’m praying in the first place. To create a connection with God. Not myself!
    Hope you are feeling better and better, and will enjoy your Thanksgiving celebration 🙂
    Ceil

  7. Lisa notes says:

    I was going to pick a favorite of your 6 points, but as I read each one, I threw that out the window. All 6 are good! Worship is too often confused with other things; it’s good to be reminded of what it truly is and who is it truly for. Have a blessed Thanksgiving, Bill!