The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. John 4:19-25 (KJV)
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah 58:1-14 (KJV)
The Westminster Shorter Catechism has as its first two questions and answers as follows?
Q1 What is the chief end of man? A. Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
Q2 What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? A. The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
Greeting the King
Noblemen were gathered together in London waiting for the King of Great Britain. They all knew him personally, yet they all honored him as their king. When he entered, they stood solemnly to their feet. "Take your seats, gentlemen," he said, "I count you as my personal friends." And then joking he added, "I am not the Lord, you know!" Immediately one of the noblemen, a Christian, said, "No, sir, if you were our Lord, we would not have stood to our feet; we would have fallen to our knees."
HOW CAN WE GLORIFY GOD?
1. We Can Glorify God By Our Good Works!
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matt 5:16 (KJV)
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 1Pet 2:12 (KJV)
2. We Can Glorify God In Our Bodies!
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1Cor 6:20 (KJV)
3. We Can Glorify God In Our Every Day Activities
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1Cor 10:31 (KJV)
4. We Glorify God When We Suffer As Christians!
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 1Pet 4:16 (KJV)
What comes to mind when you hear the word worship?
Do you come to church expecting to get something out of the worship? Are you the person that sometimes says "I got nothing out of that worship?" Was the worship for you to receive or was it for you to give?
A pastor told the story of his visiting his old great aunt, in her 90s, at her farm house, while he was quite young. As soon as his feet hit the floor he ran squealing with delight throughout the house. His parents, embarrassed at his lack of restraint, ran to control and hush him. But they were stopped by the aunt saying, “This old house has been far too quiet for too long!” Some of us have spiritual houses way too quiet way too long Chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
HOW DO WE ENJOY THE LORD?
What do you think of when you refer to enjoying yourself?
People enjoy themselves by feasting, having parties, dancing to music, among other things. Is it possible to also enjoy God?
Do we follow God through fear or because of love?
When the Bible says to fear God how does it compare (or contrast) with the statement God has not given us a spirit of fear? Are we expected be be afraid of our Father?
DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD SAYS THE WORD!
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4 (KJV)
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Psalm 37:23 (KJV)
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8 (KJV)
REJOICE IN THE LORD AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE!
Philippians 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Rejoice evermore. 1Thess 5:16 (KJV)
Psalm 16:5-11. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. Psalm 5:11 (KJV)
Psalm 144:15. Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
ENJOYMENT OF THE LORD WILL MOTIVATE US TO SEEK HIS PRESENCE!
What made the prodigal son return home?
Was there something about his father's home that permitted him to return after the horrible way he had treated his father?
Does the sound of His voice fill you with dread or delight, fear or faith, listlessness or love, heaviness or happiness...?
Are you living in fear of the big hammer falling or living in anticipation of the sound of His voice? Does His appearance delight you or distress you?
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.. 2Tim 4:1- 8 (KJV)
Revelation 21:3-4. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Our relationship to Christ defines our affection for Him. What we feel for God determines how we treat Him. Do we treat Him as the LOVE of our life or do we ignore Him until it’s convenient to us?
