TRUE WORSHIP - 6

F – TRUE WORSHIP – 6

As we realize that worship centers on God, William Temple defines worship in this way:  “To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, and to devote the will to the purpose of God.” 

There is a tendency today to center worship around man rather than God.  Some of the questions of criticism are:  What did I get from the worship?  (not what honor and devotion did I give to God as I worshipped)  Was I inspired and did I have a good feeling when I worshipped?  (not did the Truth of God’s Word really enter my heart to be convicted and challenged to grow in my personal holiness as I contemplate on the holiness of God.)  We either don’t realize, don’t remember, or don’t focus on what worship is all about.  Satan does not mind our worship of God if it is not real—not in spirit and not in Truth.  He delights in fake worship because it gives us a sense of false security.

All of the above is true, whether we worship in a personal way or a corporate (together) way.  It has been said that if we become “bored” in church, it is a sad commentary on our heart.  C.H. Spurgeon said,” They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it, the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it, the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink of it.  Worship isn’t passive—it takes effort!”  These have been called “pew sitters.”  The mind and spirit must become engaged.  It has been said that we worship inside out.  It takes focus and self-discipline as well as effort.  Worship is not a time to sit and be spoon-fed.

Worship begins with salvation.  A person might really think he is honoring God, but is it an honor to God not to obey Him (Heb. 5:9)—to give your life to Him—to trust Him in everything—to have a faith that encompasses your life? 1 Cor.16:13; Heb.11:6.  To worship God we must realize who God is.  Then we believe in Jesus as His Son.  As we look on the holiness of both God and His Son, we begin to recognize our own unworthiness, yes, our sinfulness Rom.3:23; Isa.59:2  We find no other way to God except through Christ as we learn how He took upon Himself all of our sin and died an excruciating death on the cross so our sins could be taken from us in forgiveness. Col. 1:22; 1 Jhn.1:7,8   Our spirits are crushed into a sincere repentance which produces not only sorrow but a complete turn-around as we seek to do not our will but the will of our Lord. Acts 3:19;2 Cor.7:10   Then we find that we must confess Christ’s name.  This was important as Jesus asked the apostles who He was.  He wanted them to be sure and know.  Peter answered as he confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matt.16:16; Matt.10:32 So we must also confess who Jesus is.

What a joy is was to be able to symbolically wash our sins away as we follow the death in burial and then rise to walk in newness of life. Rom.6:3,4 Even angels in heaven rejoice over just one soul who has been saved. Lk. 15:10 We have then been forgiven and are given the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit who energizes our worship. Acts 2:38 Every conversion event in the book of Acts follows this pattern.  Paul relates to this process in many of his letters to the churches.

1 Cor. 2:11   John MacArthur gives a good description of how the Spirit helps us in worship.  He prompts our heart, motivates our heart, cleanses our heart and instructs our heart through God’s Word.  1 Cor. 12:3  

Worship includes meditation.  In meditation we focus our whole mind on one subject.  Today the process of meditation has become popular.  People have a word or saying that is repeated over and over.  Joshua gave instructions to the Israelites as to their meditation.  Josh. 1:8   David worships and meditates in Ps. 119:48   Our meditation is not just empty words but we want it to be acceptable to God.  Ps. 19:14   When we meditate, our minds are “set”.  Where?  Col. 3:2   Meditation requires thinking.  Phil. 4:8   Meditate day and night.  Ps.1:2

Worship must be in Truth.  We know that the early church continued in the apostles’ doctrine.  They were inspired both to speak and write.  Acts 2:42   Paul told Timothy to attend to doctrine.   1 Tim. 4:13   In Col 3:16 the church was told to let the word of Christ dwell in them with wisdom.  We are to study to show ourselves approved of God.  2 Tim. 2:15   We need to know what the Word says that we may be able to handle it correctly.  Study (not just read) requires that we study a subject in its entirety and not take just one verse to prove our point or to make a doctrine out of it.

Rom. 12:1,2   As we present out whole being to God to worship Him acceptably, we need to review the areas of study we have covered. Rom. 1:21   First, we must recognize God for who He is in all of His glory and power in creating our world and in particular—creating us and giving us life in the image of Himself.  Gen. 1:27   God always was, is, and always will be.  Even in His all-power, He is ever merciful to us.  Eph. 2:4   At the same time, God is a just God and at the appointed time, which only He knows, will bring us into account for our lives—whether we have lived for Him (pleasing Him) or have lived for self to satisfy our own desires.  Matt. 10:28   If we really realize who God is, our lives will be lived for Him. 

Our second consideration is realizing what worship is.  Our worship has been important to God since the beginning.  Jhn. 4:23   God shut His acceptance of Jewish worship in the O.T. because it was improper in that it was insincere and they were not living to please Him.  Hos. 5:6   The Pharisees in the N.T. were also guilty of wrong worship.  They were only going through formalities and not really worshipping.  Matt. 23:25,26   This brings us to the point of remembering—just what is worship.  Many descriptive words were used to help us understand but here we will use three—honoring, praising, thanking God.  Heb. 12:28,29

As we realize who God is and what worship is, let us review the responsibility of us as the worshipper.  God wants our worship but we must have accepted His Son and the salvation offered by Him.  As we are aided in our worship by the Holy Spirit, given when we accept salvation, we still have personal effort that is necessary.  Worship must become a way of life.  Since God is everywhere all of the time, we can worship Him anywhere and any time.  Jer. 23:24   After we have accepted His salvation, we must remain faithful and have lives that are pleasing to Him our entire life.  Gal. 5:16   God knows our hearts and is well aware if we truly love Him and want to serve Him and be pleasing to Him or if we, just like the Pharisees, are going through formalities in our worship.  Matt. 15:3   We can’t deceive God but we do sometimes, maybe many times, deceive ourselves.

We find that in addition to worshipping alone as we live a life of worship, we are enjoined to worship together which we call corporate worship.  Heb. 10:25   This was the example of the early church.  Today we follow their example.  Our worship together must be centered on God and pleasing Him, not on pleasing people.  Our corporate worship is not an entertainment competition.  Scripture gives us several reasons we worship together.  We encourage one another in love and good works.  Heb. 10:24   Our love for one another grows when we are together.  We identify with things we can do to serve others as we serve God.  God is with us as we meet together.  Worshipping together brings a remembrance to us.  Lk. 22:19   It increases our knowledge and spirituality as we are edified.  Worshipping is a command that is important to God.

Casual worship and worship with lives that are not pleasing to God is a reproach upon Christ and His church.  God is worthy of our godly fear.  We found that faithful men in the O.T. had a godly fear.  The apostles who walked with Christ still had a godly fear.  We, too, must have that godly fear as we recognize who God is and worship Him.        

1 Sam.12:24

With our fear we must also have a great humility as we recognize our sinful condition before the Lord.  Ps. 66:2; 1 Pet. 5:6   Even with salvation, we are nothing except through Christ.  2 Cor. 5:21   This reflects in our worship.  All worship should contain thankfulness. Col. 3:17  Col. 4:2   We have so much for which to be thankful as we recognize God’s mercy which He exhibits toward us  .Jam.4:8

So as we come to our final summary, how sincere is our worship?  Are we play-acting with our formalities?  Are we worshipping in ways we want to be pleased?  Whether alone or together, let us bow our spirits with clean hands (works to serve and please God and not for our own honor), pure hearts (spirits that want to walk with God and focus on things that are pure in His sight), in spirit (as the Holy Spirit leads us in sincere love of God and others), and in Truth (for no worship is acceptable to God that is not according to His Word).  Ps. 24:4;   Jhn. 4:24

            …with clean hands and a pure heart…in spirit and in Truth.

TRUE WORSHIP - 5

E – TRUE WORSHIP – 5

As we think about worship giving honor to God, His gracious mercy must ever be remembered.  In the O.T. there were 35 sins that had capital punishment.  For the most part, this punishment was executed immediately.  Disobedient to parents was one.  Adultery was another.  How many would be taken out and stoned today if this was still in effect.  Rom. 6:23   Consequences of sin remain but God in His mercy allows time for repentance and change through Christ.  2 Pet. 3:9; 2 Thess. 2:10…Satan tempts us to put repentance off until a convenient time but he makes sure there is no convenient time.  We never know the day nor hour when the Lord will appear.  Matt. 24:36; Rom. 13:11   That is why it is so important to realize that now is the day of salvation.  2 Cor. 6:2  God is full of mercy, but we cannot take advantage of His mercy.  Eph. 2:4   We need God’s mercy and Paul tells the process as he writes to Titus.  Tit.3:5; We were not always able to have God’s mercy but through Christ, we are now able to receive it.  1 Pet. 2:10   We honor and worship God as we recognize His mercy on us but do not violate it in taking it for granted.

God is worshipped as the Father of Jesus Christ.  We confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Matt. 16:16   The Jews wanted to persecute Jesus because He claimed that God was His Father, but it was true.  Jhn. 5:18   As Jesus prayed to God the night before He was crucified, He called upon God as His Father.  Jhn. 17:3-5   More is explained by Jesus in Matt. 11:27.  We cannot worship God without worshiping Him as the Father of Christ.

As the apostles worshipped, they also were constantly mentioned God as the Father of Jesus Christ.  Eph. 1:3,17   In 2 Cor.1:3  Paul recognizes God, the Father of Christ as well as the God of mercies as mentioned above.  Paul glorified God as the Father of the Lord in Rom. 15:6.  Peter worshipped in the same way as he wrote in 1 Pet. 1:3.  John follows suit in 2 Jhn. 3.  It is important for us to remember that Christ is the way to God.  Jhn.14:6  

The Holy Spirit is never spoken of as an object of worship but He is the energizing force of worship as we worship in spirit and in Truth.  Rom.8:14-16;  Gal.4:6   There is a chorus the goes like this:  “Father, I adore you and I lay my life before you.  How I love you.”  The 2^nd verse if the same but changes “Father” to “Jesus.”  The 3^rd verse supplies the word, “Spirit.”  How true this must be in true worship. 

The Spirit is called the “Spirit of God” in many Scriptures.  A few are:  Matt. 3:16; Rom.8:14;  Eph. 4:30   The Spirit is also called the “Spirit of Christ.”  Rom.8:9;  

1 Pet:1:11 

As we think of honoring God in our worship, we honor Him as the Father of Christ, our Savior, and we honor the Spirit as the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son.  A quote from MacArthur explains it well.  We come “to the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit.”

It has already been mentioned that worship is a way of life.  It is both personal and also corporate or together.  Personally, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.  1 Cor.6:19  Since we worship in the spirit and the Spirit helps us to worship, we can worship at any place and at any time for we take our “temples” or our bodies with us.  We do not have to go to a certain building, a prayer room, or a certain geographical location to worship.  We can be thankful for that fact providing we don’t forget how important our personal worship is.  It is our lifeblood spiritually. 

Corporate worship or worship together cannot be stressed too much.  This is neglected.  It is easier to say that I’ll just stay in my comfort zone and read my Bible and pray and then I don’t have to dress and get out.  We don’t want to put that much effort into it.  The following story shows the importance of worshiping together.

A preacher was visiting a person that missed services often.  This person could not understand what difference it made in his life or that of anyone else.  The preacher went over to the fireplace and began moving the coals around until not one was touching another.  It wasn’t long until all the blazing coals died out.  Then the preacher turned to the person and said, “My friend, that is what is happening in your life.  As soon as you isolate yourself, the fire goes out.” 

We stimulate one another to love and good works and honor God in our worship together. We could not stimulate one another if we are not together in love.  Heb.10:25   The first church was “together.”  We are family and are called a household of God.  Eph. 2:19   Together we are also called a building—a holy temple.  Eph.2:21   Peter calls the church a spiritual house.  1 Pet. 2:5   God is in our midst when we meet together.  2 Cor. 6:16   We must take care of the temple of God which together we are.  We are told not to defile it for it is holy.  1 Cor. 3:9;  1 Cor. 3:16,17

We can defile the church in a number of ways.  Attitudes that are not in keeping with God’s Holy Word become a reproach on His name.  Gal. 5:15,16   “Togetherness” will not tolerate division.  1 Cor. 12:25   Pride is not in keeping with the body of Christ who was humble even as the Son of God for He left heaven to become a man.  1 Cor. 4:7   Our lives, individually, show the world what the body of Christ is corporately as we live lives in faith to serve and love one another.  1 Jhn. 3:23,24   In these ways, we can worship God with clean hands and a pure heart in spirit and in Truth.

TRUE WORSHIP - 3

C - TRUE WORSHIP – 3

A very good saying is this:  “Worship is to Christian living what the mainspring is to a watch.”  Christian living won’t go far without true worship for this is the deep response of a Christian to God.  We go back to our definition for we want to be sure we understand just what worship is.  It is recognizing the worth, value, majesty, honor, and glory of God.  We must know who He is and give Him what is due to His name.

As we do recognize just who God is and the awe and wonderment of it all, how are we to respond?  We adore Him.  Adore is kin to a deep admiration and love that we want to exemplify.  Rom. 8:38,39   Little children admire their parents and so they play “dress-up” with the shoes, etc. of mommy and daddy.  We want to be Christ-like for this will please the One we adore and love.  As we recognize all He has done for us, we are forever thankful, but we don’t keep it to ourselves.  We tell Him.  This is worship.

Even though worship starts with the heart with our spirit open to God and we develop knowledge of the Truth in His Word, there are many outward signs of attitude and action that are characteristic of true worshippers.  If our life does not contain these attributes, then we are not ready to worship with “clean hands and a pure heart.”  (Psa. 24:4)

How do we treat fellow Christians?  This covers an array of attributes.  Let’s think of a few.  Rom. 14:13   We couldn’t truly be thinking of all due to His name if meanwhile, we are being a poor example and causing a fellow Christian or anyone for that matter to stumble.  We are to be a headlight that leads to Jesus, not a dim back-up light that causes someone to backslide or no light at all that causes them to fall.  Rom. 14:17-19   This describes what we are to be in order to be acceptable to God so we can worship Him and He won’t have to shut his ears and cause Him to turn away from us as He had to do in the O.T.  So many places in Scripture we are told to build up one another.  We can’t do that if we are holding grudges and being unforgiving, unloving, unforbearing or impatient.  Eph. 4:32;  Col. 3:13   We cannot have a “clean heart” without these attributes and therefore cannot be pleasing to the One we want to worship.  He will turn away from us.

Eph. 5:8-10   This passage mentions Light again—Light in the Lord.  These Ephesians had been walking in darkness of sin.  They had been guilty of many dark deeds.  Then came the knowledge and acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God.  Their lives changed and now they needed to walk as children of Light.  What did that mean—goodness, righteousness, and Truth.  What would this accomplish?  They would then be pleasing and acceptable to God.  God would not have to turn away from them for empty worship for they would please Him with their lives. 

Spreading the light to others is also pleasing to God.  We are to confess His name before others.  Matt. 10:32   This is one form of worshipping.  We are given the outcome in this verse.  In confessing Him, we are giving Him honor and recognizing the salvation that is available through Christ only.  In fact before Jesus left this earth, He said to make disciples—teach others about Jesus.  Matt. 28:19,20  We stop because we can’t go into all the world; consequently, we don’t even go to our families and neighbors. 

Phil. 4:18   Paul was so thankful for the gifts from Christians that had supplied his needs.  This gracious giving was a form of worship that was well-pleasing to God.  When we share in turn what God has given us, we glorify His name.  It honors Him.  Matt. 10:8   We can’t heal the sick nor raise the dead as Jesus gave power to His apostles to do.  But we can freely give what we have freely been given.  Certainly we have been given much.  We start thinking that “we did it.”  But it all comes from our Lord and our God. 

2 Cor.9:11   (2 Cor. 9:10-15);  Col.4:2;  Phil. 4:6   We don’t just make requests as we pray but we pray with thanksgiving.

Phil. 1:9-11   Righteousness is important to be pleasing to God, but righteousness bears fruit.  We have studied the fruit of the Spirit.  Here Paul wants them to have love that will grow or abound in knowledge.  We not only have to have love for people (even the unlovely), but Paul wanted their love of God’s Word to grow into knowledge and discernment.  To discern is to perceive clearly with the mind and senses.  It is to show good judgment and insight.  The next verse tells us in what we are to show discernment.  We approve those things which are excellent.  Phil. 4:8   This is all to the praise and glory of God—worship.

1 Tim.2:2-4   Paul desires that we pray for all men, even those in governmental authority.  Then he leads into the next thought—that we lead a peaceful and quiet life with godliness and dignity.  One version says, full of worship and respect for God.  Again there is the acceptable in the sight of God.  Paul then stresses how God wants all to be saved but God wants them to come to knowledge of the Truth.  This all goes hand in hand as we worship in spirit and in Truth.

Heb. 13:15,16   Notice these are things we do continually.  Again we say, “Worship is a way of life.”  Sacrifices were some of the major ways that those of the O.T. worshipped.  Even then it had to be from the heart.  Now we have a new type of sacrifice—praise and thanksgiving.  It, too, must be from the heart.  It doesn’t stop there.  The next verse adds doing good and sharing.  These things we are not to neglect.  It is much easier to praise and offer thanksgiving, especially when we are lead to do so by a worship leader.  It is easy to neglect doing good and sharing when it is all up to us.  God watches us.  He knows what we do and don’t do and He also knows what we are thinking while we do it.  We are to have a heart for doing good and sharing—not because it is our duty. 

The above discuss personal ways of worshipping that perhaps we do not always think of as worship.  These have been both outward and inward.  We have not dwelt on the obvious at this time:  prayer, Bible study, meditation.  We now need to turn our minds to what we call corporate worship—that is worshipping in a group.  The first we think of is church, although it could include a prayer group or Bible study group.

Acts 2:42   The church was established on Pentecost with the first gospel sermon at which time 3000 repented and were baptized so their sins could be forgiven and then they were given the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Lord added them to His church.  Acts 2:47   They did not “join” a congregation.  It is of value to keep a list of Christians and friends that are attending a congregation today.  This helps us keep in touch.  In no way does that enter us into Christ’s “Lambs Book of Life.”  The Lord only does that.  Rev. 21:27   Notice what these first Christians did in Acts 2:42.  They worshipped together continually.  Acts 2:44   We notice that they were together.  

Hebrews explains the reason why this “togetherness” must continue.  Personally we follow Heb. 10:22.  As we come to worship, alone or together, we must have a faithful and sincere heart that is a “clean heart” and bodies washed with pure water.  Because of this salvation and a clean heart, we can hold fast to our confession of our Lord who is our hope because He is always faithful. 

Heb. 10:24   Now we come to the time we must be together because in being together we stimulate one another.  We arouse, excite to action, awaken, increase, kindle a desire in one another to love and good deeds.  Sometimes we don’t think of something good that we can do until we get together and are reminded about some need or situation in which we can share and help.  Christian love grows by being together and sharing our lives.  By being transparent (not being afraid to let people know) with our needs, we will increase the ability of someone else to be transparent with theirs and hence we pray and share for and with each other and our love and concern grows.

Consequently, we find an important command in  Heb. 10:25.  God knows what we need.  Evidently, just like today, there were some that could have been to the assembly but for some reason, didn’t go.  There is a song, “Excuses,” that is so true.  We deceive ourselves with some feeble reason.  We find excuses.  It’s like some of these jokes that give excuses of why my child was absent or why my homework is not done.  The fact is that the inspired writer of Hebrews says to not forsake or neglect being with the saints or Christians when they gather together.  Why?  It is because of the encouragement and stimulation we get from our worship together.  “The day” of the coming of the Lord is at any time.  It is approaching.  Heb. 10:26   We can’t just keep doing or not doing when we know what the Truth is or there is no more sacrifice for our sins.  This is assuming we don’t repent and change.  All of the Christians to which Paul wrote assembled together.  We need to do likewise and do it faithfully.

We do need to say that God sees the desire of our heart but he also sees and understands our physical capabilities.  Some are sick and/or homebound.  All the more they need the encouragement of worshipping with someone.  It behooves us to see that need and spend some time visiting, reading the Bible, praying with them and brightening their day.  This would be most pleasing to our Lord.  Heb. 13:16

TRUE WORSHIP - 1

A – TRUE WORSHIP – 1

Jhn. 4:24   This verse and the 3 previous verses mention “worship” eight times.  Worship  is of great importance to God.

First we want to define worship.  It is the reverent love and allegiance given to a deity, idol, or sacred object.  We know from Scripture that worship given to an idol or object would be sin in God’s sight.  Ex. 20:4   It is humble devotion.  It includes honor, dignity, reverence.  (American Heritage Dictionary)  Other definitions include respect, praise, adoration given to a superior being.  The common Greek word in the N.T. means “to kiss the hand, to bow down, to prostrate oneself.”  To put it all together, we give honor to a superior being, which to the Christian is God and God alone.  Ex. 20:3;  Isa. 42:8  

The thrust of this series is to understand what we do and don’t do when we worship, as well as when and where our worship takes place.  Our worship goes up to Almighty God.  We do not come together to worship the preacher, the song service, the building, the teachers or anything else but God.  On the other hand, our worship is not just in a church building or with a certain group of people.  Our worship can be any time and any where.

We should live a life of worship.  Let us begin with some Bible examples.

The O.T. contains a recipe for a lovely fragrance to be used in the Tabernacle.  It was a very specific recipe with certain spices in certain amounts.  It was so fragrant that it would have made a lovely scent for their private tents; however, they could not dare mix it or use it for anything but the purpose and place of God’s instructions or they would be cut off from their people.  Ex. 30:37,38   This fragrance rose to God and was set apart just for Him.  It was a form of worship in humble devotion and adoration.

Another example is found in the N.T.  It also was a fragrant offering but was offered to Jesus Christ, the living God in human form.  Jhn. 12:1-3   The spikenard was very costly.  It is said to be worth a year’s wages.  Yet Mary was willing to give it all to her Lord.  She washed His feet with this costly ointment and then she wiped His feet with her hair.  Her act came from a worshipping heart.  This was something she did not have to do.  In fact Judas was quite perturbed that this ointment was wasted in such an extravagant way.  Jhn.12:4,5  Judas did not have a heart of worship which was soon shown to be true.  Mary was willing to give her all in true worship.

As God commanded that the Israelites have no other gods, he described Himself as a jealous God.  Worship is to be for Him alone.  Ex. 34:14   God had to remind them over and over, for heathen people all around them had many idols and gods.  Even Aaron made an idol at the request of the people when Moses was on Mt. Sinai.  Deut. 9:16,20  God was ready to destroy His people because they worshipped something besides Himself.  Worship is important to God.  How often do we make a molten calf for ourselves—we put “stuff” or “entertainment” before God.  We love and honor our time with our own interests rather than loving and honoring God with our time in worship of Him.

A place of worship was very important to God in the O.T.  It took 7 chapters with 243 verses to discuss the establishment of the Tabernacle.  It took 31 verses to describe the creation of the universe.  That’s how important the worship of God’s people was to Him.

The priority of worship was evident in the setup of the Israelite campsite each time they stopped.  The priests were closest to the Tabernacle.  They were in charge of worship.  After the priests were the Levites who were in charge of the service and taking care of the Tabernacle.  Then came the twelve tribes surrounding the Tabernacle.  Worship took the highest priority.

When a young man reached 20 yrs. of age, he could be a soldier.  A Levite could begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of 25.  A priest had to be 30 years of age.  It’s interesting that Jesus was 30 when He began His ministry.  The priest had to be of spiritual maturity.  Again, worship was priority.

Worship remains a priority in the N.T.  Rom. 12:1   God wants and expects acceptable worship from us as Christians.  Our physical body is not a spiritual sacrifice.  God wants our whole being.  Rom. 12:2   That is what is good and acceptable worship.  We hold back on God.  We think if we take out an hour of our week that we have given God an acceptable sacrifice.  After all, we could have taken that hour and done something that we wanted to do.  This is not acceptable nor true worship.  Does that one hour weekly honor the sacrifice that Christ made for us?  When you were raising your children, did you feel acceptable to love them so much that you gave them one hour a week.  Reality check!

1 Pet. 2:5   What a description of God’s people.  Now Christians are priests.  We are to be a  holy priesthood.  Just as Paul in Romans spoke of a living sacrifice, we are to be living stones to build a house that is spiritual—not a house of cement stones.  God doesn’t want a church that is cold and not responsive to the needs of people.  But most of all, God doesn’t want Christians to forget the salvation through Christ, His Son.  Do we realize where we would be without Christ.  This memory should make us love, honor, praise, and adore Him in true worship—not just an hour on Sunday morning but every day of our lives.

There is acceptable worship and unacceptable worship but everybody worships.  Many worship idols.  Others worship material things.  Some that don’t believe in God and even some that believe worship ideas and philosophies.  Some even worship themselves.  Whatever we worship begins with the mind.  Prov. 23:7   We need to focus our mind on God and His will for our lives.  We need control over our mind for from it will begin acceptable or unacceptable worship.  We can have acceptable and spiritual worship if we regard the filter for our thinking in Phil. 4:8