THE TRUE LIFESTYLE OF WORSHIP

Key Verses for Why God Deserves Our All:

"Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship." (Rom. 11:35-12:1)
 

Key Attributes of God Leading to the Presentation of Ourselves to Him:

God is our life. If it wasn't for His mercy we would have nothing, including life itself.
 

Key Issues for Worship:

• It's about giving Him our all, not simply the parts we are okay with giving.

  The greatest commandment is that you "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37).
   

• It's about giving Him our best, the first fruits of our lives, not simply the leftovers of our time, money and resources.

  We are to present ourselves to Him "as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" (Rom. 12:1).
   

• It's about giving Him our hearts, not simply our words or deeds.

  Let's not be like those of whom God said, "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" (Isa. 29:13).
   

Key Focus in a Lifestyle of Worship:

What can we sacrifice to Him?

Remember that He did not hold back on our behalf. Jesus gave His very life for us. "In view of God's mercy" how can we not be that "living sacrifice?"
 
As a "living sacrifice" we will continually offer to Him ourselves and all that we have and do. As such, because of His mercy, we enter into a lifestyle of worship.
 

Implications for the Worship Leader:

• Be careful not to give the impression that people can come and sing a few songs, say amen, put an offering in the plate, and have done their "spiritual act of worship." Emphasize that worship encompasses the totality of their lives.
   
• Encourage people to lay their all on the altar, to be "living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God."
   
• Focus on the heart, not form or methodology, for it must be from the heart that people present themselves to God. (See Matt. 12:33-37.)
   

Implications for the Individual Worshiper:

• Guard your heart so that it doesn't become stubborn (Jer. 13:10) or turn away, get distracted, or become lukewarm. Keep that first love (Rev. 2:1-7) so you are not drawn elsewhere or tempted to give less than all to Him (Deut. 30:15-20).
   
• In corporate worship, be willing to lay down your preferences and comfort zone. Be willing to give to God as He has prospered you when the offering plate passes by (1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-8). Remember, sacrifice is a part of worship.
   
• Come before the Lord with joy and gladness as you present yourself wholly to Him, not begrudgingly (Ps. 100:2; 2 Cor. 9:7).
   

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EXALTING GOD...

I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.  (Ps. 34:1-3)

Suppose you are in a classroom sitting in a circle.  The teacher informs you that each person, in turn, is to share one way we can exalt God as the Only True God.  How would you respond when it becomes your turn?

Even if you are the last person in the circle, there should be something you can answer.  You see, we exalt God with more than our words of praise and music.  After those responses are given, you might have to think about it a bit.

Other ways to exalt God include the following:

• We exalt God when we value what He views as important.  We are saying that His opinions and heart are supreme, hence, exalting Him.
• We exalt God when we obey His commands.  We are saying that His ways are best, hence, exalting Him.
• We exalt God when we line up what we do with His Word, following His ways.  We are saying that He is the final standard, hence, exalting Him.
• We exalt God when we help other people in their struggles by pointing them to God.  We are saying that He is the ultimate source of strength, comfort, peace, and hope, hence, exalting Him.

Worship is about exalting God above all else, singling Him out as the Only True God of whom there is no greater.

@BestofWorship

WHAT CAN YOU RENDER UNTO GOD WHO IS ALL IN ALL

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him.  (1 Cor. 16:29)

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise. (Heb. 13:15)

Notice two important points in the opening words of Hebrews 13:15.

1. We come on the merits of Jesus.  We only have something to give because He was sacrificed on our behalf.  — “Through Jesus, therefore, …”

2. Based on all Jesus has done for us, it only makes sense that our worship is constant.  — “continually offer”

In light of these truths, think through the implications about what we can we offer Him.

• We can offer our money and material goods to Him.  . . . Yet, He owns it anyway.  (Col. 1:16)
• We can offer our service.  . . . Yet, apart from Christ we can do nothing.  (Jn. 15:5)
• We can offer our mouths to be His witnesses.  . . . Yet, it is the power of God that saves.  (Rom. 1:16)
• We can offer our compliance to do things His way.  . . . Yet, it is only in our best interest to do so as His ways are better than our ways.  (Isa. 55:9)
• We can offer our very lives to the Lord.  . . . Yet, it is only our “reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1, KJV).

Let’s not pat ourselves on the back because we serve, witness, obey, and commit our lives to Him … even if we do so more than the next person.  We can only offer any of the above to Him because of what He has already given us or done for us.

Let’s heed the words written to the Corinthian church:

What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (1 Cor. 4:7)

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HINDRANCES TO WORSHIP

We acknowledge that God certainly is deserving of praise but sometimes we struggle to make worship a priority or reality in our lives.  We have access to much teaching and writing on worship, plenty of worship resources, to help us.  Yet, we still at times fail to worship “in spirit and in truth” as Jesus said of true worshipers in John 4:24.

Why don’t we always worship as we should? Here are some possible hindrances which I will list here:

1. Self – my own needs, conveniences, time, advantage, blessing, etc. come above God
2. Concept of God – either physical or mental misrepresentation of God
3. False Gods – anything that would pull you away from worshiping the one true God
4. Our Culture – the influence of the world around us
5. Service – being so busy ministering that we neglect God
6. Irreconciled Relationships – relationships where there is mistreatment or lack of forgiveness
7. Traditions – self-styled worship rather than God’s method
8. Worship “Props” – those forms, styles, facilities, or people which aid us in worship

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want these hindrances to block me from truly worshiping.  God is so worthy of my complete and undistracted devotion and love expressed through worship!

@BestofWorship

SOME WORSHIP QUOTES

"The whole person, with all his senses, with both mind and body, needs to be
involved in genuine worship."
Jerry Kerns



"The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in
God which made David dance."
C.S. Lewis




"When God's people begin to praise and worship Him using the Biblical methods
He gives, the Power of His presence comes among His people in an even greater
measure."
Graham Truscott




"God is to be praised with the voice, and the heart should go therewith in holy
exultation."
Charles H. Spurgeon




"Worship is an it-is-well-with-my-soul experience." -
Robert Webber




"Without worship, we go about miserable."
A. W. Tozer




"'A glimpse of God will save you. To gaze at Him will sanctify you."
Manley Beasley




"We only learn to behave ourselves in the presence of God."

C. S. Lewis




"If we are going to worship in Spirit, we must develop a spirit of worship."
Michael Catt




"As worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience. Holy obedience
saves worship from becoming an opiate, an escape from the pressing needs of modern
life."
Richard Foster




"Worship has been misunderstood as something that arises from a feeling which "comes upon you," but it is vital that we understand that it is rooted in a conscious act of the will, to serve and obey the Lord Jesus Christ."
Graham Kendrick




"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped"
Jack Hayford




"Worship must be - Christ centered, Holy Spirit led, a Response to the Father, about Intimacy and Service and always lead to Transformation!"
Tim Hughes




"As John 4:23 says, Its time, as worshipers of God, to give him all we have. For
when he is exalted, everything about me is decreased. So many times we stand in the
way of really stepping into the secret place of worship with God. Just abandon tradition
and the "expected" ways of Praise & Worship and get lost in the holy of holies with the
sole intention of blessing the Fathers heart."
Jessica Leah Springer




"When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without
heart."
Lamar Boschman




"Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to
discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our
richest and most wholesome experience in life." p.58 "A Heart For Worship" by Lamar
Boschman
Graham Kendrick



@BestofWorship

WAYS TO PREPARE FOR WORSHIP

While worship can occur elsewhere, the assembly of the saints is a special and unique opportunity for Christians. But sometimes worship seems more like an obligation than a privilege. There are some things we can do to make worship more meaningful and far more powerful. Here are some tips.

1. Relationship

True worship can only exist within a relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus said that the Father was looking for people to worship him (John 4:23). God desires our worship but without some relationship with him there can be no true worship. It is probably useful to consider the strength and depth of your relationship with God. If you find it lacking, do not despair! God will draw near to you as you draw near to him (James 4:8).

2. Anticipation

David said, “I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1). An air of excitement should fill the Christian because he knows he is headed to meet his God. He looks forward to the fellow saints and their encouragement. He looks forward to, anticipates and expects to be filled with a grand spirit of worship before the Lord’s throne.

3. Understanding

Jesus told the woman at the well that worship must be done in truth (John 4:24). By implication that means that worship can be done improperly or falsely. So it is important to seek a studied understanding of who, what and why we worship. Careful attention was demanded of worshipers in the Old Testament. In the New, God commands true worship and rebukes those who change or pervert it. The Corinthians were an excellent example of well meaning people who worshiped improperly. Paul corrected their errors. A better understanding of worship will help provide a greater worship environment.

@BestofWorship

JOHN 4:24 - "IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH"

 

A recent comment made here asked some important questions about worship. He mentioned John 4:24 and Jesus’ comment that true worshipers must worship God “in spirit and in truth.” I think it would be helpful for us to spend some time thinking about what it means to worship in spirit and to worship in truth. Let’s set the passage before us first: 

WORSHIP: SPECTATOR OR PARTICIPANT?

Should our presence in worship be that of a spectator or a participant? It’s a good question and one that is discussed at the Sharefaith blog. I am uncertain as to the religious background of the author but he makes some fine points. He is right on target in suggesting problems with worship in both the liberal and the more conservative faiths.

I commend this article for your consideration and prayerful meditation.

@BestofWorship

WORDS AND MUSIC

I love music. I especially love the music of the church, those voices blending in harmony bring me to ecstasy. But it’s the words of the songs that are so important. Singing in worship is not an accidentally thought inserted by men. It is appointed by God and has a divine purpose.

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

 

There is nothing sweeter than the pure sounds of Christian voices blending together in worship. God’s wisdom is seen in the inclusion of singing in worship. God created the physics behind sound waves and the lovely harmonies they produce. He created the human ear and its intricacies that absorb those sound waves and transmit them to the brain where they are decoded into the joyous sounds we enjoy.  The lyrics of the song convey meaning while the harmonies touch the heart.

LETTER OF EMPLOYMENT

Dear Life-Beneficiary,

Having considered your BREATH Advantage-Application with reference to Psalms 150:6,Isaiah 38:19,Psalms 115:17; we have the pleasure to inform you that you have been employed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Heaven and Earth,the All-Sufficient GOD on the grounds of MERCY. Lam.3:22-23.

PLEASE NOTE that your job description is to offer the very BEST OF WORSHIP unto the most high God for the duration of your Life-Contract with Him. Psalms 146:2,63:4.

Kindly find the following Sections of HIS Constitution for further dilation of your employment terms- Sec.12(1) Romans,Sec.4:20-22 John,and Sec.4:12 Revelation and Sec.28:1 Deuteronomy.

You are to resume to the office called 'WHEREVER YOU ARE' and must commence work immediately!

Your remuneration plan amongst other benefits are contained in Section 67(5) and 22(3) of Psalms.

You are to accept this offer wholly by singing at least two (2) songs of Praise and Worship unto God RIGHT NOW or decline this offer by complaining about your situation.

Accept our heartiest Congratulations! ! !

Yours sincerely,

PM
For: Divine Recruitment Team(DRT)
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...because of WHO YOU ARE!!!

Surely You are BETTER than the best... 

KING of kings,LORD of lords,Ancient of days,I AM that I AM,the Bright Morning Star,the God of Abraham,the God of Isaac,the God of Jacob,the Holy One of Israel,the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the God of all flesh,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,Rose of Sharon,Lily of the valley,the King of Glory,the Lord of Host,the Lord Strong and Mighty, the Lord Mighty in battle,Omnipotent,Omniscient,Omnipresent,Omnimighty,Omnibest,Jehovah,Jehovah-Shallom,Jehovah-Rohi,Jehovah-Nissi,Jehovah-Jireh,Jehovah Elohim,Jehovah Shammah,the Teacher of teachers,the Ruler of rulers,The Counselor of counselors,the Doctor of doctors,the Advocate of advocates,the Most High God,the God of all Grace,Immortal God,Invisible God with visible signs and wonders,Invincible God,Unquestionable God,Unchangeable Changer,Unmovable Mover,the Way,the Truth and the Life,the Covenant Keeping God,the Alpha,the Omega,the Beginning without beginning,the End with no end,the God who Matters from Generation to generations,the Chief Decision Maker of Heaven and Earth,The Judge with unimaginable Jurisdiction,the Judge whose decisions are Binding,the Judge whose decision can't be varied or upturned,the Bread of Life,Wonderful,Counselor,Marvelous,Holy,Powerful,Awesome,Merciful,Gracious,Kind,Excellent,the Creator,the Maker,the Defender,the Potter,Comforter,Healer,Restorer,Purifier,Sanctifier,Justifier,the Great Shepherd,the Master Key,the Door,the President of presidents,the Governor of governors,the River of living waters,Greater than the Greatest,Higher than the highest,Better than the best,Our Rock of Salvation,Our Shield,Our Fortress,Our Buckler,the WORD,the Saviour,All sufficient God...YOUR Praises can't be exhausted!Aribitirabata,Arabataribiti,Eleti Kara bi Ajere,Oloju Kari Aye,Olowo Gbogboro,Oba Okiki Imole,Ari O Ala,Eleti Gboun Gbo'aroye...

I BOW at YOUR LORDSHIP!!!
Worship in the Beauty of Holiness!!!
Your Majesty!!!

Paul Mashote

DO YOU REALLY KNOW HIM?

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. Acts 17:23

You can't give GOD the best of worship if you do not know HIM!

































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Why were you CREATED?

Please Click to watch this short video clip...CLICK HERE

...flash back and ruminate on why God created you.
Jer.1:5 “Before I FORMED you in the womb I knew you...
....For Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created.” Rev.4:11

The purpose of your creation and existence is to give God the very Best of Worship!!!

































































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What is the PURPOSE of Deliverance?

If you have been delivered,you were delivered to give God the Best of Worship!

If you need deliverance, God desires to deliver you because He wants your Best of Worship! 

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.Exodus 8:1,Rev.4:12.

He deserves the best of Worship!

HOW TO OFFER THE BEST OF WORSHIP TO GOD

Apart from an Intercessor (A negotiator who acts as a link between parties), Worshipers are wonderful set of people God is seeking after.

The bible says in Ezekiel 22:30, I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the ... in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. In John 4:23 Jesus declared that the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

 Let's consider common qualities or features of an Intercessor and a Worshiper:

1. Intercessors are Altruistic! They show unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
2. Worshipers adore and revere God unconditionally.
Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3:16 who worshiped God in the face fiery furnace!
3. Both Worshipers and Intercessors hardly focus or consider their interests...
4. God is their focus!

The Almighty God is not seeking after those who can pray for hours,preach for days or even sing professionally. He is diligently searching for those who truly understand worship and give Him the very best of worship. The question is how can I offer the Best of Worship? 

There are multi-faceted ways of worshiping God; some are good, some are better but because God deserves the very best form of worship which birthed the annual live transforming event (Best of Worship-BOW).

To worship God, it is pertinent to quickly take a cursory cue into the purpose of creation especially humans.

Rev. 4:11 says thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory, honour and power, for thou hast created all things for thy pleasure, they are and well created.

Man was not created to fast, bind or loose demons, not even meant to ask for anything; God met the needs of man even his unspoken needs were divinely supplied. One of the best forms of Worship is fulfilling God’s purpose of creation and fellowshipping with Him.

Best of Worship means presenting your bodies a living sacrifice to God, holy and acceptable. Rom. 12:1. This is our only reasonable and acceptable form of worship. To present your bodies is to surrender your totality unto God and allow Him take possession of His temple.

Best of Worship is a consistent act of humility to God. It takes a humble heart to worship God! Just like King Nebuchadnezzar, who forgot that God retains higher level of glory to Himself, hence no matter your level, your greatness cannot exceed Gods nor equaled His excellence majesty. The 24 Elders in Heaven submitted their golden crowns before God acknowledging His superior greatness and power. King David is another practical example of best worshiper in the history of mankind who presents himself always before God as nothing but a fading flower!  

Best of Worship is an act done in connection with God in Spirit and in Truth. Nobody can offer the best of worship to God without divine revelation. This revelation was concealed in the old testament but thank God for the decoding in John 4:21-25, which tells us whom God is and how to give him the BOW (Best of Worship). We cannot reach the apex of worship without God’s Spirit and Truth. To connect to the Spirit, you need the Spirit as the deep calls the deep…and you can’t access the presence of God which is the destination of true worship without the DOOR (Jesus).

Best of Worship is making God the Subject matter in the face of objects that matter. In 2 Chr. 20:1, about 3 powerful Nations conspired to fight the Children of God, and they were sore afraid. But when the made God the subject matter in the face of objects that matter, they rejoiced in the valley of blessing which supposed to be a valley of death. Psalm 137.

 Best of Worship is a deep sense of ‘heaven on earth” Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…God is a God of pattern and has a perfect sense of beauty. Innumerable Angels worship God without a recess. All they do is to sing songs of worship and adoration to the Most High God 24 Hours per day in consonance to heavenly timing. God wants us to worship Him worship a break!

Best of Worship is knowing and giving absolute reverence to God for whom He is.  How can you worship unknown God? You need to know the God you are worshiping and reverence Him in all you do!

God bless you.

Paul Mashote