The Truth – There is More to Worship than You Think
When I started my month-long study of worship, I wanted to know the what, why, when, and who of worship. Not why people gather together in churches on weekends or their preferred style of music but why you and I worship, what does worship look like in a believer’s life, and when followers of Jesus worship.
So, here’s a recap of all I learned this month…
Truth You Want to Know about Worship
The 1828 version of the Webster’s Dictionary defined worship as…
1. To adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration.
2. To respect; to honor; to treat with civil reverence.
3. To honor with extravagant love and extreme submission.
My favorite…
Extravagant love and extreme submission…
Given to the One who alone is worthy of worship.
25 Promises – God is Worthy of All Worship
The “I AM.”
The One who insists He alone is worthy of worship and praise.
The One who is…
What promise gives you the most peace and joy?
Everyone wants joy but how do we get it.
How to Have More Joy – Make Obedience Worship
Every law and command from God comes from a heart of love.
Obedience is not a way to earn God’s love and favor. God has already given us His love and favor. Obedience is the worshipful loving response to everything He has already given.
So, I’m trying to change my thinking.
I don’t want to think of obedience as following God’s list of rules.
Going forward I want to think of obedience worship.
Why do you think it’s so hard to make obedience worship?
The world is full of things that compete for our worship.
So, I made a list of questions to help me know what I really worship.
You Need to Know What You Really Worship
The marketer’s goal is to make you and me believe we can and should have it all and there’s still a little wanting to be “like God” that has us giving adoration, honor, and extravagant love to “idols.”
A few things of the things I’m asking myself…
What do I need to be happy and satisfied?
What do I need to feel validated and successful?
Where do I invest myself most?
I squirmed a little until I realized – the goal of asking those questions isn’t guilt,
it’s acknowledgment, repentance, and change.
Change made possible because of Jesus, the One who told us “true
worshipers will worship God in spirit and truth.”
How to Worship God in Spirit and Truth
Worshipping God in spirit and truth means to worship Him with both heart and head.
It and comes from both knowing God and loving Him.
But how? What can you and I do to both know and love God?
What does worshipping Him in spirit and truth look like?
I found 4 Biblical ways to worship God in spirit and truth.
What do you think…
Why is it important to worship in spirit and truth?
And then there’s church…
What Do You Need to Worship God Community
In all honesty, I had more questions than answers.
Questions like…
When is the last time we as a church body asked God how He wants us to worship Him?
I wonder, have we made worship about us . . . about our preferences. Have we turned our time together into performances for people more than praises for the King of Glory?
What do you think?
Do you know anyone who gives a celebrity or church leader too much influence in their lives?
12 Reasons You Need to Reject Celebrity Worship
When I started writing this post I didn’t think I had a problem with celebrity worship because I don’t have anyone I follow, model, or celebrate. But some of the questions convicted me. Ouch!
I realized I’m guilty! I’ve placed too much value on what’s unimportant . . . things like appearance and stuff. I’m influenced by culture. Just like you are.
What do you think makes celebrity worship so appealing?
So, if like me you need help worshipping God alone, here are…
7 Powerful Verses to Help You Worship God
God knows you and I are contrary. He knows we’re not going to do life “right.” No part of it—including worship. So, He’s given us what we need. Examples. Words of worship in the Scriptures. Promises to remember
He is faithful and worthy of all our worship.
What is your favorite verse to lift up in worship?
If you need ideas to help make worship a lifestyle…
12 Simple Ways to Worship God Every Day
The lifestyle part of worship is hard, isn’t it? So many things can get in the way. Busyness. Discouragement. Distractions. But maybe we make worship too complicated. It’s time to every part of our lives and offer them to God as a daily act of worship.
What part of your routine can you turn into worship?
Even when life is hard…
When Life Makes it Hard to Worship – “Thy Will Be Done”
This is what happens when God used a song to get my attention and reminded me of the blessing of worshipping Him in all circumstances. He reminded me . . . any trouble this world offers is only temporary. Jesus already won the victory and sharing it with you and me.
When have you chosen to worship God through surrender?
Possible because you trust God’s amazing love.
When You Need to Remember God Loves You
Worship is our response to who God is and what He does. God is love.
Everything God does comes from an outpouring of His love.
It’s true, He is righteous and just, holy and beyond our understanding but worship . . . worship is giving God all we are and all we have simply because He loves us.
What reminds you of God’s love and inspires you to worship Him?
Like every other month, I learned more than I expected. I knew worship was more than just going to church on Sunday, but I guess I’d never really thought about it being a lifestyle.
So, I’ll close with my favorite verse from the month, my prayer…
God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Romans 12:1–2 (MSG)
Now it’s time for…
Faith ‘n Friends Link Party
I’m so glad you’re here!
This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.
I’d love to connect with you on social media!
[Tweet “I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun! “]
Deb Wolf
Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.
Prepared by Jesus to be Poured Out a Blessing
by Horace Williams Jr.
@ Pleasing to the Potter
Thank you, Horace, for partying with us!
No More Rules Link Party
Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab the Button or link back to CMB.
[inlinkz_linkup id=673074 mode=1]
May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship!
Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…
and pray over the list left by our friends.
I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.
And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…
Deb this is so powerful and beautiful. My favorite, too, is the “extravagant love and extreme submission”.
Thank you! Great post!
Like you, I’m working on my brain, re-training it to recognize that worship can happen anywhere. It sure helps to be surrounded by all the beauty of this season. Even today — it’s POURING outside, but the power of God is put on display even in the driving rain!
Hey Deb, this is such an awesome post (and I can’t wait to read a few of the others that go with it). Worship is so wonderful if we really embrace it.
Deb, I love how you make it very clear that worship is not about us but our response and offering to God because of His extravagant love and sacrifice. So many blessings God has waiting for us when we truly understand all the layers of worship. Thank you for sharing your study and insight!
What a rich study on worship, Deb. Thanks for inviting us to journey with you as you uncovered beautiful, rich truths on the value and importance of worship in our daily lives.
Yes, we have all been blessed by your offerings this month on worship, Deb! Thank you!
i love that passage in romans in the message – God just wants all of me. thanks for hosting and teaching.
I think you’ve shown us that worship is more rich and multi-layered than we often give it credit for. Thanks, Deb, for priming our hearts to greater worship of the One who is worthy of it all!
Great series Deb! Very helpful and I learned a lot!
Blessings and thank you for hosting!
Julie
I love this compilation of your series on worship, Deb! So many nuggets of truth to build our worship life! Thank you for hosting this link-up each week!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
I’m always so interested on resources on worship, Deb, so this is like hitting the motherload on ways to worship and what worship involves. Great resource, my friend! And thanks for the linkup too.
There is more to worship than we think, isn’t there, Deb! I’m going to have to go back and read some of these that I missed.
Sure am thankful for you~
Melanie
Deb, I love the reminder that “obedience is worship.” Focusing on that fact can make obedience a joyful thing when it might not be otherwise. I also like to remind myself that everything is life is worship. The question is, what or who am I worshiping, myself, others, or God and God alone? Thanks for this excellent series. Thanks, too, for hosting. Blessings!
Deb,may the Lord continue to bless you with insights and wisdom . I’m blessed without measure reading this …
Thank you, Eddie! I am so very blessed by your kind encouragement! God bless you!
Hello. So nice to read your words that seem to match my thoughts. Deb, I’m a visual learner. I do not learn from the written word or lectures or sermons for that matter. I’m looking for a way to go deeper in God’s Word through anything visual, esp. videos. Can you help?
Hi Kay, I appreciate your visit and your search for videos. My good friend Melanie Redd has some great interviews and lessons on YouTube. Prisclla Shirer is also a very grounded teacher. And Rev and I regularly watch messages by Pastor Kyle Idleman. You can click on their names to connect to their messages.
I hope those help you get started. Praying you are greatly blessed and encouraged.