THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WORSHIP

Psalm 95:1-7

Why should we come before our God with thanksgiving and joyful shouts?
Because our God is great. He deserves our highest praise.
“Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation! Let us come before him with thanksgiving. Let us sing him psalms and praise. For the Lord is a great God, the great King above all gods. He owns the depths of the earth, and even the mightiest mountains are his. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the sheep under his care.”

The psalmist says let us give a joyous shout…let us sing him psalms and praise. It’s about celebration. Worship is celebration of God. But other churches’ gatherings or worship resemble a funeral rather than a festival. In some churches to smile during worship is considered a mortal sin. People are very stiff. They do not clap nor move their body. To do so means getting that ‘what-are-you-doing look’ from other attenders.

In worship we become preoccupied with the Lord. We don’t watch something happen, we participate in it. It’s coming to a place in one’s life, either alone, with a few, or with many, where one ‘connects’ with the living God. It is almost as though you could reach out and touch Him.
What happens when ‘connection’ occurs?
Whether it’s in a gathering of thousands, or when alone, or perhaps with a few, what happens?

I. WORSHIP MAGNIFIES MY GOD
All else is eclipsed in His presence. Nothing else matters. Like a couple who haven’t seen each other for many years, dahil ang isa ay nagtratrabaho sa abroad, tapos uuwi at magkikita sila sa airport….
Nothing else matters….
It’s not that God becomes bigger when we worship Him. He’s not a balloon. But when we worship God, lumalaki Siya sa ating paningin. Although we know that God is Almighty, that He is powerful, that He knows all things, that He is the Creator of the universe, but we need to remind ourselves often of the greatness of God.
“For you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods” Psalm 97:9.



II. WORSHIP ECLIPSES MY FEARS AND WORRIES

When David was being pursued by King Saul, sa halip na matakot siya o mabahala, he worshiped God, “I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints” Psalm 52:9.
Do not allow fear to overwhelm you.
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall” Psalm 55:22.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7.
When you find yourself worrying, try worship. It’s an antidote to fear and worry. Try it. It does great wonders.

III. WORSHIP CHANGES MY PERSPECTIVE
In 2 Chronicles 20, the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was alarmed by this news and sought the guidance of the Lord. He also gave orders that everyone throughout Judah should observe a fast. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord.
“Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever’” 2 Chronicles 20:21.
“At the moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had finished off the army of Seir, they turned on each other. So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, there were dead bodies lying on the ground for as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped” 2 Chronicles 20:22-24.
When things look impossible, try worship. When things are unbearable, try worship. When the future looks gloomy, try worship. When situations look hopeless, worship. When things don’t fall into place and dreams are shattered, worship. I don’t know why but it does great wonders.

IV. WORSHIP REFRESHES MY SPIRIT
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty” Psalm 91:1.
“How happy are those who can live in your house, always singing your praises” Psalm 84:4.

V. WORSHIP ENHANCES MY WORK
When I put worship to work in my life, my attitude toward things changes. At this point music plays a vital role. A non-singing Christian is like a non-swimming fish.
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by the harp and flute and the harmony of the lyre. You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done” Psalm 92:1-4.
Why is it that the song has dried up in our voices? Why are there so few who sing? I mean really sing heartily to the Lord with full voice? How many sing in the shower?
Our singing is limited to the four corners of the church building. Why?

1. The pressures of life squeeze out our song.
Song requires a free spirit within….creativity, relaxation, freedom from tension. We allow pressures to kill our song.
“If there’s a song in the heart, there’s always a way of singing it.”

2. Someone else sings for us.
The radio, the cd, dvd, mp3, cellphone do the singing for us.

Let me encourage you to start singing again. Yes, even when you’re alone. Express your praise in a song.
Rediscover the joy of singing your praise and adoration back to the Lord. Don’t worry if you can’t carry a tune (Just don’t sing with a microphone please or desire to be a worship leader.) If your spirit is in harmony with His, the music will be beautiful…and God will be pleased.

WORSHIP THAT PLEASES GOD

Mark 12:30

God doesn’t want a part of your life. He asks for all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. God is not interested in halfhearted commitments, partial obedience, and the leftovers of your time and money. Hindi pulubi ang Diyos at hindi Siya namamalimos ng pag-ibig. He desires your full devotion, not just your admiration.
A person who is deeply in-love asks, “How can I please the one I love?”
If we truly love God, the right question to ask is, “How can I please God?”

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”


I. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN OUR WORSHIP IS ACCURATE
People often say, “I like to think of God as….. and then they share their idea of the kind of God they would like to worship. But we cannot just create our own idea or image of God and worship it. That is idolatry. Worship must be based on the truth of the Scripture, not our opinions about what God is like.
“How foolish are those who manufacture idols to be their gods. Then the wood-carvers measures and marks out a block of wood, takes the tool, and carves the figure of a man. Now he has a wonderful idol that cannot even move from where it is placed! He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. Then he takes what’s left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it. Such stupidity and ignorance. Their eyes are closed and they cannot see. Their minds are shut and they cannot think.” Isaiah 44:9, 13, 16-18.
Lagi din nating naririnig, “Ok lang naman kahit anong relihiyon mo kasi iisa lang naman ang Diyos natin. Doon din tayo lahat patungo.”
That line of reasoning is very wrong. Communism is also a religion. And so are atheism and humanism and animism. Others also think na kung mas marami silang church na mapasukan mas accepted sila kay Lord.
God requires that we worship Him in spirit and in truth:
“True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” John 4:23.

a. WORSHIP IN SPIRIT
Worshipping in spirit is the opposite of empty formalism and traditionalism. That kind of worship can be pointless, and useless and empty.
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men” Matthew 15:8-9.
We worship in spirit when it comes from the heart. Where feelings for God are dead, worship is dead.
In the end the heart longs not for any God’s good gifts, but for God Himself. To see Him and know Him and be in His presence is the soul’s final feast.
“In thy presence there is fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures forever more” Psalm 16:11.
In worship we become preoccupied with the Lord. We don’t watch….we participate. An amazing thing about worship is that you don’t care what anybody else thinks.
When we come before God in worship, and we do not feel in our heart any grief or longing or hope or fear or awe or joy or gratitude or confidence, then we may dutifully sing and pray and gesture as much as we like, but it will not be real worship. We cannot honor God if our “heart is far from Him.”

b. WORSHIP IN TRUTH
We worship with emotions but those emotions must be based on the Word of God. People are very emotional during MJ’s concerts. And we call that emotionalism.
“They have a zeal for God, but it is not according to knowledge” Romans 10:2.
Freedom in worship is the fruit of truth.
Illus: “Lami kaayo magwali si Pastor ba…..
True worship affects not only the heart but the mind as well. The Word of God must be central in worship.


II. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN OUR WORSHIP IS AUTHENTIC
When Jesus said you must “worship in spirit,” He wasn’t referring to the Holy Spirit, but to your spirit. Worship is your spirit responding to God’s Spirit.
When Jesus said, “Love God with all your heart and soul” He meant that worship must be genuine and heartfelt. It is not just a matter of saying the right words; you must mean what you say. Heartless praise is not a praise at all! It is worthless, an insult to God.
Worship engages your emotion. God gave you emotions so you could worship Him with deep feeling – but those emotions must be genuine, not faked. God hates hypocrisy. He doesn’t want showmanship or pretense in worship. He wants your honest, real love.
Worship must be both accurate and authentic. God-pleasing worship is deeply emotional and deeply doctrinal – we use both our hearts and our heads.
Your biggest distraction in worship is yourself and your cellphone – your interests and your worries over what others think about you.
Set your emotions free in worship.


III. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN OUR WORSHIP IS THOUGHTFUL
Jesus’ command to “love God with all your mind” is repeated four times in the New Testament. God is not pleased with thoughless singing, or careless exclamations of “Praise the Lord, Hallelujah.” If worship is mindless, it is meaningless. You must engage your mind.


IV. GOD IS PLEASED WHEN OUR WORSHIP IS PRACTICAL
The Bible says in Romans 12:1, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”
Why does God want your body? Why doesn’t He say, “Offer your spirit?” Because without your body you can’t do anything on this planet.
You have heard people say, “Di n’yo man ako kasama sa katawan, kasama n’yo ako sa espiritu.”
Do you know what that means? Nothing. It’s worthless! As long as you’re on earth, your spirit can only be where your body is. If your body isn’t there, you aren’t there.
Real worship costs. David knew this and said: “I will not offer to the Lord my God sacrifices that have cost me nothing” 2 Samuel 24:24.
When Jesus said, “Love God with all your strength,” He pointed out that worship takes effort and energy. It is not always convenient or comfortable. Worship is a willing sacrifice.
True worship not only requires our body, it also requires our money. Giving has always been part of worship – in the Old Testament and New Testament. The church in Macedonia is an example of generosity in giving and Paul was very proud of them:
“Now I want to tell you, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done for the churches in Macedonia. Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the gracious privilege of sharing in the gift for the Christians in Jerusalem. Best of all, they went beyond our highest hopes, for their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to us for whatever directions God might give them” 2 Corinthians 8:1-5.
“God loves the person who gives cheerfully” 2 Corinthians 9:7.


The deepest level of worship is praising God inspite of pain, thanking God during trial, trusting Him in difficult times, and loving Him when He seems distant.
Worship is a sacrifice.

PLANNED FOR GOD'S PLEASURE

PLANNED FOR GOD’S PLEASURE
REV. 4:11

Growing up insecurities……
You were planned for God’s pleasure. The moment you were born into the world, God was there smiling at your birth. He wanted you alive, and your arrival gave Him great pleasure. God did not need to create you, but He chose to create you for His own enjoyment.
Bringing enjoyment to God, living for His pleasure, is the first purpose of your life. Bringing pleasure to God is called “worship.”

“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created” Revelation 4:11.

The Bible says, “The Lord is pleased only with those who worship him and trust his love” Psalm 147:11.

Anything you do that brings pleasure to God is an act of worship. Anthropologists have noted that worship is a universal urge, a part of our being. It is as natural as eating or breathing. If we fail to worship the one true, living God, we always find a substitute, even if it ends up being ourselves.

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in manmade temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs. he himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need there is….His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist” Acts 17:24-27.

“…We shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone. God overlooked people’s former ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him” Acts 17:29-30.

“The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him in spirit and in truth” John 4:23.


What is Worship?

I. WORSHIP IS FAR MORE THAN MUSIC
For many people, worship is synonym for music. This is a big misunderstanding. Every part of a church service is an act of worship: praying, Scripture reading, singing, silence, giving an offering, baptism, listening, communion, and even greeting other worshipers.
If worship were just music, then all who are nonmusical could never worship. Worship is far more than music.
Matt Redman, a worship leader in England, tells how his pastor taught his church the real meaning of worship. To show that worship is more than music, he banned all singing in their services for a period of time while they learned to worship in other ways. By the end of that time, Matt had written the classic song “Heart of Worship.”
I’ll bring you more than a song,
Because a song in itself is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Than the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart


II. WORSHIP IS NOT FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Worship isn’t for your benefit. We worship for God’s benefit. When we worship, our goal is to bring pleasure to God, not to ourselves.
You do not sing para ma-exercise ang vocal chords mo. You do not give for others to see your generosity. You do not attend a worship service to show people that you are a church-goer.
If you have ever said, “I didn’t get anything out of worship today,” you worshipped for the wrong reason.
Of course, most worship services also include elements of fellowship, encouragement, and there are benefits to worship, but we don’t worship to please ourselves. Our motive is to bring glory and pleasure to our Creator.

In Isaiah 29:13, God complains about worship that is half-hearted and hypocritical.
“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”

The people were offering boring prayers, insincere praise, empty words, and man-made rituals without even thinking about the meaning. God’s heart is not touched by tradition in worship, but by passion and commitment.
III. WORSHIP IS NOT A PART OF YOUR LIFE; IT IS YOUR LIFE
The Bible says, “praise him from sunrise to sunset” Psalm 113:3.
David says, “I will bless you every day, and I will praise you forever” Psalm 145:2.
“I will praise the Lord as long as I live, I will sing praises to my God even with my dying breath” Psalm 146:2.

In the Bible people praised God at work, at home, in battle, in jail, and even in bed! Praise should be the first activity when you open your eyes in the morning and the last activity when you close them at night.
Worship is not only during Tuesdays or Sundays. We can worship wherever we are and whatever we do – every activity can be transformed into an act of worship when you do it for the praise, glory, and pleasure of God. The Bible says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” 1 Corinthians 10:31.
This is the secret to a lifestyle of worship – doing everything as if you were doing it for Jesus and by carrying a continual conversation with Him while you do it.
“Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” Colossians 3:23.
Kaya marami sa atin, madaling mag-worry, mag-init ang ulo, wala sa mood, sige yawyaw, kasi pagkatapos ng worship service, tapos na din ‘yong worship life natin. Next time na naman.

Worship is our life – not just a part of our life. It’s not something we do when we’re free. It’s what we do consistently.
Worship is falling in love with Jesus.
Worship is a love affair; it is making love to God.