Worship----It is our highest calling as Christians, but do we truly understand the meaning of worship? I learned these things which I am sharing from a message series I listened to by Ravi Zacharias, entitled "Leadership and Worship". First, we should define our term. Worship, in a very simple definition, is Giving God that which His due. We can understand this one, so we will not go into the most detailed definition for this discussion. In the book of Revelation, it describes to us that our eternal occupation is worship of Jesus, so we should begin to learn as much as possible about worship. PSALM 29:2 says "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness." (NIV) Some have an idea that worship is an observation of others, but it requires our participation. God has placed in our hearts a natural propensity to worship. Christianity is the unique faith that provides a relationship with God. He is the one true God. He is a personal God that desires us to come into His presence. A very beautiful verse, and one of my favorites, is PSALM 16:11, which says " You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." The joy of His presence is like no other! We enter into His presence through prayer and worship.

Your true religion is what you do when you are alone. Man is a multi-sensory being, and the only experience in life that can satisfy ALL our senses is worship. The most powerful evangel is a congregation in worship. Another defining term of worship is "The Sense & Service of God". You cannot serve him without sensing Him in your life. If you sense Him without serving Him, you are not worshiping Him. For true worship to happen, we must first worship individually before we come together in corporate worship. Worship requires a complete submission of every part of us to enter into the presence of our God who is transcendent. The Lord's Supper is a beautiful demonstration that takes into consideration all of our senses, i.e.: taste, touch, sight, forgiveness, hope, etc. My life must be consistent with my worship. I must first come to a worship service because I am already a worshiper of the Living God. Everything in my life converges on the fact that I am a worshiper of God! When our pastor prepares and preaches a sermon, it is a first an expression of worship to God, then to the hearers.

There must be unity to experience true worship. You cannot worship unless there is unity. Unity does mean sameness, but we are of one accord in the Spirit of God. One heart, one soul, one mind. We need to prostrate ourselves before Him, meaning to to kiss, as we bow down before the One we revere in worship. Music is an important part of worship. Music bypasses the brain and goes right to the soul. This is why it is important to listen to and sing songs that edify Jesus as we raise our voices in songs of praise.

Our service is also a part of our worship. When we pray, minister to others, visit someone who is sick, take a meal in, serve in the nursery or pre-school, teach a class or Bible study, help someone who has a need, give financially to a special need, etc., we are worshiping Jesus. He is worthy of all our worship and praise!!

JOHN 4:24: God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in Spirit and in truth.

LUKE 4:8: Jesus answered, "It is written: worship the Lord your God and serve Him only!

Learn to worship, for it is your eternal occupation!!! 

LINDA DAVIS

“When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not fear. What can man do to me?...This I know: God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4, 9b-11)

Trusting God in all things should be a natural response for the one who has been redeemed by God’s grace through Jesus Christ. However, I’m quite aware of how quickly I say I trust in God, but I don’t live and act as if I truly trust Him. Frankly, I can’t think of a better reason to trust in and depend on God than this day and age when we are bombarded with multiple reasons to question the trustworthiness of earthly leadership and authority and the decisions made that can affect an entire nation. There are constant forces in play that make us feel like our hands are tied, that we have no choices, and that evil, pain and suffering continue to triumphant over anything good or beneficial. Unfortunately, this can cause us to view God as if His hands are tied or that He is somehow adversely affected by all that transpires on this earth. How easily we forget that the Lord and Creator of the Heavens and the Earth remains on His sovereign throne, fully trustworthy, and completely in control, just as He was before He created the universe. Though the redeemed in Christ are not exempt from suffering the consequences of living in a fallen world, the redeemed can have hope in trusting the One who reigns and rules forever. He sees and knows all that happens in this uncertain and temporal world and is completely sovereign over all.  This begs the question: Will you trust God? And not just when things work out in your favor, but will you trust Him when it appears that all Hell is breaking loose?

I am just as guilty of carrying deep anxiety, worry, and fears for the future as anyone else, even when I know that my greatest need has been met through my relationship with Jesus Christ. Just like others, I want an assurance while living on earth that everything will turn out just fine. I must remind myself that assurance of everything that will last must come through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross with the promise of heaven for those He has redeemed. My assurance grows as I study God’s word, believe His word, and practice dependence on Christ in all things. I must learn to faithfully trust God whether earthly circumstances fall in my favor or not, and whether I understand His ways or not.

God is teaching me three essential truths about Himself, or maybe He’s reminding me of that which I already knew, but seem to have forgotten in the wake of uncertain and difficult circumstances: (1) God is completely sovereign; (2) God is infinite in wisdom; and (3) God is perfect in love. (Adapted from the book, Trusting God Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges) The God of the Bible does not fail. He continues to carry out His will and purpose in perfect harmony even when earthly pandemonium seems to cast a dark shadow on His magnificent work. I urge you to keep seeking the Heavenly Father daily by spending time in prayer and His word, so you may accurately know Him and trust Him completely. Ask the Lord for wisdom and His sufficient grace to stand firm in your faith as you trust in His Son, Jesus. Ask Him for the Holy Spirit to enable you to grow in your understanding of Who God is and what He has already accomplished through Christ. The power of God’s Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead over two thousand years ago is the same power today that transforms hearts and strengthens lives for the glory and praise of the name of Jesus Christ.  Will you trust God? Will you encourage others to trust God? It is tough to say, and even tougher to do, but God is faithful.

Tamar Miller