iTruths: Life Lessons for the iPod Generation
iPraise
We move on today in our iTruths series to iPraise. As you know, we’ve been walking through a natural progression over the past five weeks in this series.
First, iKnow-we know absolute truth that comes from Christ.
Second, iLove-we love people in God’s definition of love.
Third, iTell-naturally when we love others, we want to tell others what Christ has done for us.
Fourth, iServe-we serve others because we love them
Fifth, iStand-we stand on the Word of God for its promises in our lives.
Today, iPraise. You see as we move through this progression of the life lessons, we naturally arrive at the fact that in the midst of all that God has done for us, we must praise Him. Praise Him for who He is and what He has done and continues to do for us.
As we live in tune with what God wants us for us, our praise, our worship, will be central in our lives. This is the lifestyle of worship. A lifestyle whereby everything we do is focused on worship of our King.
You see, God wants us to live lives of worship. In fact, so much so, that He promises us great rewards when we live this way. When we live in total praise of Him.
Luke 4:7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
God will honor us, protect us and reward us when we live in worship. We must understand the basic truth, this truth that is so vital in our lives with Christ. The truth of worship.
Today, I want to share four principles with you on the lifestyle of worship. This lifestyle that we must cling to in everyday life.
1. Whom Do We Worship?
2. Why Do We Worship?
3. How Do We Worship?
4. What Will Worship Do For Us?
1. Whom Do We Worship?
Psa. 29:1 Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, Give unto the LORD glory and strength. 2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
We worship the Lord. The only one worthy of our worship. In our culture, there are many things that people worship. There are so many things that people have placed as objects of worship in their lives. However, the Bible is clear that only God is worthy of our worship.
Ex. 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. Why Do We Worship?
Psalms 29: 3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders; The LORD is over many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars,
Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth, And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!” 10 The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever.
11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.
Why do we worship? Because the Lord is the only one who sits as King forever. He will give us strength. He will give us peace. We worship the one that can make the difference in our lives. The one in power.
3. How Do We Worship?
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and those that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
“In spirit” means:
1. True Worship Can Occur in Any Place & at Any Time!
To worship God, you don’t have to make sure you are in a certain location…facing a certain direction at a certain time…wearing certain articles of clothing…BECAUSE worshiping God is not a ritual – it is done in our spirits (in our ‘hearts’) and our spirit is not confined to a particular place or time.
2. True Worship is a Person-to-Person Experience.
Meaning, just because God the Father is a heavenly being – a spirit – doesn’t mean that we are worshiping a spiritual concept or a creed!
God is a real-life being who:
Created the World,
Created you & me,
THEN…
Came into this world,
And walked & talked with His own creation,
They named him “JESUS” when He was here,
He loved on us while He was here,
He laughed & cried with us,
He taught us while He was here,
THEN…
He Died for us while He was here,
And three Days later He ROSE from the Dead for us!
THEN…
He returned to Heaven to prepare a place for us!
AND NOW, WE WORSHIP HIM while we are here!
“In truth” means
1. True Worship Can Only be Done Out of a Pure Heart!
David writes the following psalm about the need to be pure in heart in order for God to bless your worship:
Psalm 24:3-6a 3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face…
2. True Worship Is Informed by God’s Word.
Last week, we talked about iStand – Standing on the promises of God’s Word.
So, if you are ever wondering about how to worship God just look to the Word of God
Psalm 119:7, 9 7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments… 9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
The Bible tells gives us some practical ways to worship.
a. In Remembrance – what God has done for us in the past.
b. In Celebration – what God is doing for us right now.
c. In Obedience – what God wants to do through us in the future.
1Sam. 15:22 So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,And to heed than the fat of rams.
4. What Will Worship Do For Us?
Worship produces a steadfast heart!
Because as you acknowledge the worth of Christ, you want to stay close to Him & never waiver from His ways!
Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Psalm 63:8 My soul follows hard after thee: thy right hand holds me.
The words “hard after” means “to cling—to stick—to embrace—holding on for dear life!!! I can’t leave…how dare I leave!..I don’t want to leave…
1Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord…
Worship produces a sensitive heart!
Because once you heart is ‘fixed on God” and his ways, you will begin to cultivate a sensitivity to sin – as you become engrossed in the Holiness of God!
Isaiah 6:1-5 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Worship produces a satisfied heart!
When you focus on the worship of God, you will be secure in your spiritual journey and your future hope!
Psalm 16:8-9 I have set the LORD always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Psalms 29:11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.
My Friends, there will come a day....One glorious Day…when Christ will stand up from His Throne of glory and
He will put a stop to:
…all the sin & grief
…all of the pain & sorrow
…all of the evil
He will silence
…all of the critics & scoffers
…all of the skeptics & slanderers
…and all the persecutors of God’s children!
And EVERYONE who has
…ever breathed,
…ever existed
…every angel,
…every demon,
…every believer and unbeliever,
…every Pastor,
…every church member,
…every dad
…every mom
…every, Aunt, Uncle, Grandma, & Grandpa
…every child – sister & brother
…EVERYONE ONE DAY, will be placed upon their knees and they will exalt that name which is above every name...Phil. 2:10 “that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
