CHRISTIAN WORSHIP (Part 1)

“I need to worship because without it I can forget that I have a big God beside me and live in fear. I need to worship because without it I can forget his calling and begin to live in a spirit of self-preoccupation. I need to worship because without it I lose a sense of wonder and gratitude and plod through life with blinders on. I need worship because my natural tendency is toward self-reliance and stubborn independence.”—John Ortberg

Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.”—Charles Spurgeon

In this last month of the year, December, I shall attempt to piping into Christian worship. It is the month of double favor and celebration of the birth of Christ. Also a quick reminder of the second coming of Christ.  This topic of worship has been my heart cry for while. As a Reverend and an Evangelist I visit and minister in many churches and also interact with many people especially on social media. Some are concerned with the true meaning of worship and the different worshipping styles. Others talk about what they can get from it especially when they feel bored or nonchalant and it does not follow known patterns. Again others talk about the loss of solemnity in worship and so on.  I can see that many go church, sing in the choir, listen to sermons and even serve in the ministries but they don’t worship. Don’t get me wrong, all these activities are elements of worship but they are not worship and of themselves, which means you can do all these and yet fail to truly worship God in truth and Spirit. Others find worship service irrelevant and often say they get nothing from it. Well in a sense you don’t need to get something out of it. Not everything is all about us, about our personal happiness, our gains and convenience, and time and commitment.  Worship is all about God, period. Worship should matter to you simply because it matters to God. And worship matters to God because He knows He’s worthy. Worship doesn’t begin with us. Worship begins and ends with God. And God is worthy of all praise, from all people, for all time. God is the center of everything that exists. Above all the little gods of earth, He alone is the Creator, Sustainer, Originator, Life Giver and Beauty Maker. That’s why every glimpse into God’s presence throughout the pages of His Word affirms that God dwells in endless praise.

In this era and age, we are experiencing i) a sharp fall or decline of church attendance in general due to the lack of the centrality of worship in many churches (and its resultant mediocrity); ii) the current overemphasis on social programs combined with the modern insistence on convenience. The result is that church becomes just one more consumer-driven arena which loses its customers when they don’t get exactly what they personally desire from the experience. iii) Worship is not meant to be entertainment, therapy, or a way for us to pat ourselves on the backs (although it can and sometimes effectively does, contain those elements). Iv) Evangelical worship becoming the norm. What drew the crowds are rock bands, large venues, and bite-sized inspirational messages taken as much from pop psychology as from scripture. The problem is when church looks exactly like everything else in the world — when the music sounds exactly the same as what you hear on the radio and commercials, as well as in pops, when you are shown slick videos just like you find on the web, when you are in a drab, concrete structure not much different than the architecture of your local chain store, when the ministers dress like tourists in Hawaiian shirts, then how is church different from anything else we do? And if it’s no different, then what’s the point? Why should I give up an hour or so of my Sunday when I’m working 47 hours a week (what the average American works) to see and hear exactly the same stuff I can see and hear anywhere else? – Kazimierz Bem, writing on faithstreet

Let’s attempt to define worship: Literally, the American Heritage College dictionary defines worship as reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol or a sacred object; the ceremonies, prayers or other religious forms by which this love is expressed. Also Merrian-Webster put it this way, “Worship as reference offered to a divine being or supernatural power; an act of expressing such reference; a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual; extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem. From the above definition, it shows we can worship God, idol, money, power, human beings or events and lifestyle. “You never go away from us, yet we have difficulty in returning to You. Come, Lord, stir us up and call us back. Kindle and seize us. Be our fire and our sweetness. Let us love. Let us run.”—Augustine of Hippo

According to Bishop T.D. Jakes:”….my understanding of worship comes from the Latin word “worth-ship” and it is where we express God’s worth to us in our lives. Worship is essential to really create an atmosphere for the word of God to flow and for God to move in our lives corporately and individually.” Darryl Eyb, on why we Worship writes, “It is our response to God as he reveals himself to us reflected by what we say and what we do both as individuals and together.  I believe that worship starts with God.  He is gracious enough to show who he is and we are privileged to be able to respond to him.  As such worship is first and foremost for God.  It is our recognizing God and giving ourselves over to him.” Another writer, Nancy Missler defines worship as simply a divine encounter with God. It’s coming into His presence, bowing down, falling down and showing Him our complete reverence. Worship is the place that God promises to “meet with us,” because worship is something that is done on the inside – i.e., in our spirit. In John 4:23-24, Jesus tells us “the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” Worshiping the Lord, then, means coming into His presence, adoring, praising and loving Him in the same nature as He – in the spirit.

According to Jim Hawkins, “Worship includes proclamation of God’s Word, yet worship is more than Scripture lessons and a sermon. For some people, music is their favorite element of worship; yet even for music lovers, worship is more than a collection of songs. We pray during worship, yet worship is more than prayer. People need to gather for worship to happen, yet worship is much more than just a meeting. Clearly worship is more than the sum of its parts. In his book on Worship, John E. Burkhart writes, “The heart of worship, at least for Jews and Christians, is the celebration of God,” He continues, “True celebration of God is quite festive, sometimes almost playful, and conspicuous in its gladness as it takes delight in what God is about … Such worship celebrates God, the God known by prophets, psalmists, and apostles, and by multitudes of Jews and Christians, for whom worship is not a duty but a privilege, not a burden but a delight. Worship gladly celebrates the God whose character is caring and sharing, the God who is indecorously gracious.” He adds, “People of faith have realized for millennia that in worship, we remember who God is and who we are to be as God’s people. Worship was crucial to the first Christians. The Acts of the Apostles describes the early days of the church this way: “The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47).

Hawkins informs, “This passage describes an amazingly vibrant community life, including worship. They met together every day in the Temple for worship, and most likely their home gatherings were not only shared meals but also a home-based worship service that included celebrating Holy Communion. They were following Jesus’ direction during the Last Supper to share the bread and the cup “in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:14-20). The apostles understood the importance of worship for each individual believer and for the nascent community. It was together as a worshipping, praying, sharing, learning, serving community that they were able to continue the work of Jesus Christ. He went further to say, “John Wesley also believed that worship was crucial to the Christian life. Wesley was concerned that people grow spiritually. He wanted Methodists “to evidence their desire of salvation” by keeping the General Rules, three easy-to-remember guidelines for the Christian life: (1) Do no harm. (2) Do good. (3) Attend upon all the ordinances of God. These ordinances of God are also known as means of grace or spiritual disciplines, practices that help us to grow spiritually. Wesley understood these means of grace to include “the public worship of God; the ministry of the Word, either read or expounded; the Supper of the Lord; family and private prayer; searching the Scriptures; [and] fasting or abstinence.” Wesley understood that worship, including participating in Holy Communion, is vital for spiritual growth.

For this reason the Ten commandment urges us, “I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves. Do not worship any god except me” “Do not bow down and worship idols. I am the Lord your God and I demand all your love” (Deuteronomy 5:6-7, 9). Also Read Deuteronomy 6:13-15. Again Remember the Solemn Agreement with the Lord…”Do not worship any other gods! Do not bow down to them or offer them sacrifice. WORSHIP ONLY ME! I am the one who rescued you from Egypt with my mighty power. Bow down to Me and offer sacrifices. Never worship any other gods. Always obey my laws and teachings……and I will rescue you from all your enemies (2 Kings 17: 35-39) CEV. “Worship is the believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, body – to what God is and says and does.” – Warren Wiersbe

Ezra praised the great Lord God and the people shouted, “Amen! Amen! With lifting up their hand, they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground– Nehemiah 8:6 (KJV)

Honor the wonderful name of the Lord, and worship the Lord most holy and glorious (Psalms 29 vs 2); Your faithful people Lord will praise you with songs and honor your holy name (Psalms 30 vs 4); I will thank you from my heart and I will never stop singing your praises, my Lord and my God (vs 12).

Come to worship Him with thankful hearts and songs of praise (Psalms 95:2); Bow down and worship the Lord our Creature! (vs 6).

And the people believed and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel….they bowed their heads and worshiped (Exodus 4:31) See also Exodus 32:8 “…..made them a molten calf and have worship it.”

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; fear before him all the earth (Psalms 96:9).

…I will make them to come and worship before thy feet…. ( Rev 3:9b); ….and the four and twenty elders fell down and worship him that lives forever and ever ( Rev. 5:14); And the angels stood round about the throne…….and fell before the throne on their faces and worshiped God (Rev 7:11).

I support the belief and opinion that human beings had worship God from the beginning of time. They were aware of the existence of the Supreme power that created the universe and governs it and worship Him in different ways. Some were attempting getting to Him through the created things like stone, the earth, idols, and human beings. In their submission and honor to God, they lifted up everything to God in thanksgiving and praise before using it or eating. How can they forget the God that brings fruitfulness and healing to their farmlands? They made sacrifices to God in worth and honor of Him and power. Biblically, Adam and Eve had regular fellowship and worship with God in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:8). Cain and Abel learned from their parents and brought offerings of plants and animal to sacrifice to God (Gen. 4:3-4).  Noah built the boat and offered sacrifice of thanksgiving to God after the flood descended.  Our Father of faith, Abraham, made an altar and offered sacrifice to God.  The children of Israel offered daily offerings and corporate burnt offerings especially on Sabbath and festivals. Early Christian’s worships took place in the temples and in private homes in Jerusalem and outside Jerusalem they built synagogues and in public halls as well as in homes Church leaders (Acts 2:46-47; 18:7; Col 4:15).

TRUE WORSHIP: “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

(What is not worship): Worship is not the slow song or hymn that choir leads; not that big amount you place in offering box. It’s not how loud you sing or the outward posture you take. It’s not volunteering in Children service or being an usher and leading someone into Church or leading in bible studies, etc. These are acts or expressions of worships but true worship is to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission. True worship is a matter of the heart expressed through lifestyle of holiness (Psalms 29:2). “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through music.”—Martin Luther

 “Worship is the proper response of all moral, sentient beings to God, ascribing all honor and worth to their Creator-God precisely because he is worthy, delightfully so.”—D.A. Carson                       Put simple, True worship is offering praise to God, (i) for who he is (the greatness of His person); (ii) for what He has done and will continue to do for us (the greatness of His works). Worship is more than an act of reference. It’s an attitude of the heart. “When we pray, we often kneel down; when we worship, our souls are kneeling down before God. When we worship, we give to God, not ask from God.” When Church leaders say let us worship God or this is time for praise and worship, we sing songs, clap hands and play music. At other time, people sing songs to God with their heads bowed and eyes closed or hands lifted up in the air as they sing or in leading of the music team. Whether we sing a hymn or a song – all are part of worship service. what matters is what the singing or music played do to our emotions and lift up our hearts, to help us feel closer to God and be willing to lose ourselves totally; empty our hearts before and in the presence of the most High. This act of total loss of self is what makes our hearts to frustrate before Him and give Him glory.

“No man gives anything acceptable to God until has has first given himself in love and sacrifice.”-A.W.Tozer

 

Different ways to worship God:

• Worship with fear and reference – Psalms 5:7; Isaiah 6:1-7;
• Worship with music    –  Psalms 57:7-8; 150
• Worship with new song   – Psalms 33:3; 96:1; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10
• Worship with dance  –  2 Samuel 6:14-16; Psalms 149:3;
• Worship bowing down  – 1 Chronicles 29:20; Psalms 95:6; Matthew 2:11
• Worship God through fasting and prayers – Luke 2:36-37
• Worship through sharing with other  –  Acts 2:47
• Worship in reading and meditating on the scripture – Luke 4:16.

“The worship to which we are called in our renewed state is far too important to be left to personal preferences, to whims, or to marketing strategies. It is the pleasing of God that is at the heart of worship. Therefore, our worship must be informed at every point by the Word of God as we seek God’s own instructions for worship that is pleasing to Him.” — R.C. Sproul

Authentic (True) worship: (John 4:19-26). The Greek word translating worship (proskunes) means to “fall down before” or “bow down before” worship is a state of the spirit. It’s further derived from old English word “worth-ship” and constitutes those actions and attitudes that scribe honor and worth to the great God of heaven and earth. During worship, we draw near to God with joy and gratitude for what He has done for us in Christ Jesus and through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. In worship we express love (attempt to return God’s love expressed in Christ Jesus to us), faith (reach out to Him believing He is able to saved and rescue us according to His promises in His word) and devotion (total surrender to Him who is our Redeemer and worthy of our praise and totality of our worship). Whether you are a preacher, singer, salesperson, truck driver or a judge, whatever you do that gives glory to God is an act of worship (1 Corinthians 10:31).

The nature of true worship is from the inside out and has two key principles: We must worship “In spirit” and “in truth” (John 4:23-24). Worshiping in the spirit has nothing to do with our outward posture. It has much to do with our inner most being residing within us. So whatever the posture: kneel down, bow down, stand up, lying down; it’s what goes on in the heart that matters.

1. a) Worship in spirit:
2. i) No one calls Jesus Lord except by the spirit (1Cor. 12:3b); No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:11b). The Holy Spirit within us energizes worship because He glorifies Himself and gives ultimate glory to God.
3. ii) Worshiping in spirit requires a mind centered on God and renewed by the truth. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship….. but transform by the renewal of your mind (Rom 12: 1b-2b). We only worship in spirit when our minds changed from being worldly centered to being Christ (heavenly) centered. Our minds could be flooded with distractions of many kinds when we are trying to praise and glorify God thereby hindering our true worship. Are you worshipping or warshipping? While you think you are in worship, the distractions you allow swim (wandering) in your minds take away your focus and ability to hold on into the essence of His presence.

iii) We worship God in spirit by having a pure heart, open and repentant. When our hearts are filled with guilt’s of sin, it is impossible to truly worship God. You will be afraid to even approach God. If you bear iniquities in your heart, the Lord will not hear your payers (Psalms 66:18); also if the Lord should mark iniquities, Oh Lord who can stand (Psalms 130:3). When we confess our sins and ask for God’s mercies, fellowship with God is restored and the heart is refreshed. Join the Psalmist and cry to God, “Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me” “The sacrifices of God are a broken heart, a broken and contrive heart …(Psalms 51:10, 17). When God see the broken heart, He sends His spirit to restore the person. .Un-confessed sin and un-forgiveness hinder true praise and worship.

“From your heroes you pick up mannerisms and phrases and tones of voice and facial expressions and habits and demeanors and convictions and beliefs. The more admirable the hero is and the more intense your admiration is, the more profound will be your transformation. In the case of Jesus, he is infinitely admirable, and our admiration rises to the most absolute worship. Therefore, when we behold him as we should, the change is profound.”—John Piper

1. b) Worship in truth (in our mind). “The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service.”—Billy Graham
2. i) This has to do with the integrity of the mind. All worship is a response to the truth, contained in the Word. Jesus affirmed, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17b). “Thy law is truth” (Psalms 119:142b). “Thy word is true” (Psalms 119:160 a).You may stand up or kneel down and speak all the fallacies in your mouth except it reams with the truth in your heart according to the word; you’re in warship (battling to lies). If what you say is not in agreement with the words or promises of the scriptures, you are not worshiping or praying but playing. That is why you must first be saved, accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord of your life. By so doing He put His spirit in you and that spirit within you is what relates and attunes with the spirit of God.
3. ii) Worship entails more than singing and dancing; a better understanding of Who God is and His wondrous works. You can only find these facts (TRUTHS AND PROMISES) in the scriptures, where records of His acts are placed for us to read, learn and hold unto, and even prove God as being who He says He is. For Example: God hears and answers to as well as inhabits our praise and prayers; He heals and delivers from satanic bondages, protects us from dangers and intervenes when we are not aware of.

iii) There are no rules whether to sit, stand, kneel or fall down, be quiet, sing or pray loudly; wear white or red clothes; appear in suits or traditional dresses in corporate worship. These are all man’s made. The most important (crucial) thing is that we worship God in spirit (in our hearts) and in truth (in our minds.)

“But just as your body needs sleep, your soul needs time to rest in God. To learn more about Him. To talk to Him. To worship and praise Him. To fellowship with other brothers and sisters.”—Craig Groeschel

Why worship is important:

1. We worship God because He is God and He first loved us (Psalms 96:5-6). God is Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent one not because God is wealthy and able to meet our needs. We must focus our practice of worship on the worthiness of God and not his
2. God created us to give Him glory (Isaiah 43:7). The chief end or purpose of man is to give glory (praise and honor) to God and enjoy Him forever. We are saved so that we might bring honor to God (Eph 1:2). Christ went to the cross and died for all mankind so that heaven and earth might be filled with worshippers (saved souls).

• Our Father, God wants us to worship Him (John 4:23). Only those who are children can worship the Father. “As we come before our Creator in worship, we are changed with the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” He constantly inspects our hearts……when we offer God our true worship; it’s our invitation to God to inspect our hearts for anything that is not like Him.

DIFFERNCE BETWEEN PRAISE AND WORSHIP:

Praise is a joyful recounting of who the entire God is and has done for us through His son Jesus Christ. It’s closely intertwined with thanksgiving that we offer to God in appreciation for His mighty works. Praise is universal and the Psalms are filled with different praise and thanks to God. Even angels and heavenly hosts are commanded to praise the Lord (Psalms 89:5; 103:20; 148:2). All inhabitants of the earth are urged to praise the Lord (Psalms 138:4; Rom 15:11). We praise God by singing (Isaiah 12:5; Psalms 9:11); with shouting (Psalm 33:1; 98:4); with dancing (Psalms 150:4); with musical instruments (1 Chron. 13:8; Psalms 108:2; 150:3-5). Praise is an acknowledging of the righteous acts of another, to family, spouse, boss, friend, house help, etc). Since God has done numerous, uncountable wonderful deeds, He’s worthy of our praise (Psalms 18:3).

Worship is an attitude of the heart and comes from within our spirits. Worship should be reserved for God alone (Luke 4:8). Worship is the art of losing self in the adoration of another. Praise can be part of worship but worship goes beyond praise. Worship gets to the heart of who we are, letting go our self-worth and humbling ourselves in total submission before God, (by surrounding every part of our being) to His total control and honor for who He’s beyond what He has done. Worship is a lifestyle not just occasional activity. The Father is seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:23).

Just as praise intertwined with thanksgiving, worship is intertwined with total surrender. Praise could be boisterous, joyful and uninhibited. However worship demand sobering humility, contrition and holiness (Psalms 96:6; 2 Chron. 29:28; Hebrews 11:21; Rev. 19:10). It is impossible to worship God and anything else at the same time (Luke 4:8). It’s through true worship that our spirit man reach out to the Holy Spirit to speak to us, convict us, reveal to us and comfort us. We empty ourselves and allow God to take His rightful place as the Lord of our lives. In this place and act that God’s Spirit comes down in the midst of His worshipping people and begins to touch and mend lives; refreshed and restored His people again; healing and intervention take place and His glory is revealed.

“Worship is the proper response of all moral, sentient beings to God, ascribing all honor and worth to their Creator-God precisely because he is worthy, delightfully so.”—D.A. Carson

HOW TO WORSHIP: Two ways we worship are: Private and Corporate.

1. Private Devotion (Personal – alone): Worship is essential in all prayer session. Every time you pray, you appreciate and thank God for the gift of His son, Jesus Christ and His grace to us. When we believe in Him as the beloved Son of God and the work of salvation and deliverance He did on the cross, on our behalf we become Christians (John 3:16; Gal 4:4-5). The scripture says, “In everything by prayers and supplication (earnest asking) with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God” (Phil 4: 6). “Examining our motives for following the Lord will show if we are authentically believing in His word“ – Sper (Our Daily Bread). Whether in joys or celebrations, trials or tribulations, praising God, expressing His love and grace, releases faith that turns trial into blessings. If you learn to dwell (one-to-one) with God, talking to Him as child talks with the Father, you will prevail in most of your life’s battles. Solemness in worship is lost and has given way to speaking and shouting.

“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

There are many rich hymns of worship in our hymnaries, some have been discarded but their meanings and depth of worth are common place; others are still in used: 

HIS EYES IS ON THE SPARROW

Why should I feel discourage?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is he;
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me
I sing because I’m happy
I sing because I’m free,
For his eye is on the sparrow,
And I know he watches me.
RCH: 694: (Tune: Stand up, stand up for Jesus)

I lay my sin on Jesus,
The spotless Lamb of God;
He bears them all and frees us
From the accused Load,
I bring my guilt to Jesus,
To wash my crimson stains,
White in His blood most precious,
Till not a spot remains.

I lay my wants on Jesus
All fullness dwells in Him,
He heals all my disease
He doth my soul redeem,
I lay my griefs on Jesus,
My burdens and my cares,
He from them all releases,
He all my sorrow shares.
                           {Horatius Bonar, 1808-89}

“When we worship together as a community of living Christians, we do not worship
alone, we worship ‘with all the company of heaven.'” – Marianne H. Micks

1. Corporate Worship: We can worship God with other people; family worship, Fellowship or cell group worship, Church worship, etc. Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be there (Matt 18:20); Let us consider one another in order to stir love and good works; do not forsake the gathering of believers (Heb 10:24-25). “For every house is built by someone but he that built all things is God” (Heb 3:4). We have worship when the Church gathers to Baptize new converts and celebrate Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper or breaking of bread. In acts one such worship service brought in 3000 new convert.

“If you come to worship for any reason other that the joy and pleasure and satisfaction that are to be found in God, you dishonor Him…God’s greatest delight is your delight in Him.” – Sam Storms

“Corporate worship is a regular gracious reminder that it’s not about you. You’ve been born into a life  that is a celebration of another.”- Paul David Tripp

In corporate worship we sing hymns and songs like:

RCH: 455:

O Help us Lord; each hour of need,
Thy heavenly succor give;
Help us in thought and word and deed,
Each hour on earth we live.
{ Henry Hart Milman 1791-1868)

RCH: 684:

Today thy mercies calls us
To wash away our sins
However great our trespass
Whatever we have been;
However long from mercy
We may have turned away,
Thy blood, O Christ can cleanse us,
And make us white to-day
{Oswald Allen, 1816-78)

RCH: 11:
Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord, for He is kind;
For His mercies aye endure
Ever faithful, ever sure
(John Milton, 1608-74)

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

Hindrance to worship: —(culled from Ken Weliever, The Preacherman)
“Worship is the believer’s response with all that he is–mind, emotions, will and body–to all that God is and says and does.” writes Warren Wiersbe.

This definition fits Jesus’ declaration to the Samaritan woman at the well.  “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.   God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth”  (John 4:23-24). The spirit involves our whole being.  The challenge is that we too often find ourselves fighting various hindrances to a total, complete and undivided response to scriptural worship.  It takes consecration and focus to worship properly.  And the reality is that each of us face certain hindrances to whole-hearted worship.

Here are four to consider for today. 

(1) Distractions Hinder.  There are many things that can distract us—a cute baby or a crying baby. Someone’s new clothes or hat, walking into the sanctuary during worship service; Kids laughing or cell phone ringing.  Some word said to you before service or even wrong choice or usage of word by the preacher.  I have seen people clipping their finger nails in worship.  Moreso, some are reading novels or magazines, while others are sleeping and texting. Then of course there are trips to the restroom and people whispering. Varieties of distractions occur.  We must try our best to filter them out and ignore them. Refuse to dwell on them and remain focused on God. (2 Cor. 10:5).

(2) Fatigue Hinders.  There are different kinds of fatigue: Physical, Mental, Emotional and even Spiritual Fatigue.  Sometimes the pressures and problems of life weigh on us heavily and hinder us from spirit focused worship.  In such cases, prepare as best you can.  Pray for God’s help.  Get enough sleep Saturday night.  Get up early enough Sunday to avoid being rushed. Refuse to let your mind wander.  Decide to leave your problems at home.

(3) A Critical Mind Hinders.  If you spend time finding fault with the song leader, announcer, the preacher message or approach to service methods and those leading prayer and the Lord’s supper, your worship will be greatly diminished. Sure people will make mistakes.  Pitch a song incorrectly.  Misquote a verse.  Misspell a word on the PowerPoint. Mispronounce someone’s name in the announcements.  Or use poor grammar in a prayer.  We must remember that we are present to worship God, not critique the worship leaders.

(4) Impatience Hinders.  We live in such a face paced world that is too easy to get in a hurry. To become restless, fidgety, and impatient.  If we are focused on how many verses of a song are led, how  long the prayers are, and whether the preacher goes “overtime,” our worship will be significantly diminished.   Forget what time it.   Concentrate on worship.  Center your mind on the things  of God.

(5) Doubts and unbeliefs: These two elephants have help to hinder worship in no little ways. There are people in the Church but doubts God promises and do not believe in miracles. They are the seeing is believing folks and cannot receive anything from God.  Worship takes effort.  It requires focus.  It demands dedication.  God wants our sincere, genuine worship.  Let’s give Him our best!

(6) Hate, guilt pride and unforgiveness: If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. (Psalm 66:18). Sin and iniquity separate us from God (Isaiah 59:2); it will cause us to lose the fellowship that we may have enjoyed before. The perception that we have sin in our lives binds our tongues before the Lord. The only thing that we really feel free to speak of in these circumstances is confession of our sin. Pride refers to the concern with self-image, the constant desire to maintain a good reputation, to be seen doing what is considered right and appropriate (John 12:42-43; Luke 9:26). Pride must be overcome to be a true worshipper. Irreconciled Relationships – relationships where there is mistreatment or unforgiveness (Matt 18:21-35; Heb 12:15)

(7) Worldliness: Oliver Cromwell has been quoted to define worldliness as “anything that chills our affection for Jesus Christ”. Worldliness is the opposite of spirituality; it is the predominant condition when we centralize our minds and thoughts on the things of this world instead of on the things of God and his kingdom.  The cure for this problem is to become more and more focused on Christ. In the measure that our consciousness and appreciation for Him increases, worldliness will decrease proportionately.

(8 )Feeling of unworthiness: Many Christians live in condemnation and feeling of unworthiness. Even though God has graciously forgiven them, they cannot forgive themselves, which in general is the result of feelings of unworthiness. The freedom to worship has been blocked. The sensation of the presence of God tends to make them more conscious of their unworthiness than of His mercy and grace which has been freely granted to all of us (Rom 8;1-2; Psalm 103:12) Getting out of a life of self-condemnation to a life of worship is simply this: We stop thinking about ourselves and our failures, and we turn our heart’s attention and affection to the God who knows it all and loves us anyway. 

9) Wrong concept of God:  – either physical or mental misrepresentation of God. A wrong concept of God is a strong barrier to praise and worship. Many have a completely negative vision of God. They see Him as someone who is constantly trying to catch them in some fault in order to condemn them, someone who is against everything that they do. They think that there is little chance of pleasing Him and of enjoying His approval. They see God as a boogeyman, someone determined to prevent people from having any fun. Can anyone think of praising a God like that?

10) Religious traditions – self-styled worship rather than God’s method. In the days of Christ, many people allowed the vain traditions of man to invalidate the Word of God (Matthew 15:6). Unfortunately, many people do the same thing today. Many Christians who grew up in Christian traditions disproved of praise and worship, since traditions condemn praise as a mere manifestation of emotions. “Religion oppresses, but redemption liberates”. In general, those who have been imprisoned by the traditions of men also have wrong concepts of God. To them, God is extremely negative, severe, totally devoid of emotion and a deity that prohibits everything.

11) Your Heart: Your heart could be a hugh hindrance. Prov. 4:23 – Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Isa 6:5; Ps 15:1-2). 1 John 3:21 says, “Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God. Do you ever find yourself paralyzed by what you think of yourself? Do you beat yourself up over things? As Christians, we know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). But even though there’s no condemnation coming from God, sometimes there’s condemnation coming from us. And if we stop beating ourselves up, we can live in the freedom of this truth. John wants you to know that your assurance isn’t based on your performance. (We can all breathe a sigh of relief!)Your assurance is based on your union with Christ. It’s not our behavior that establishes our identity in him

According to Jacob Hudgins, “Insecurity is an age-old problem that makes us question our relationship with God. It is not new and did not begin with our time. Some New Testament Christians struggled with questions like whether “we know that we have come to know him”(1 John 2:3), or “who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil”(1 John 3:10) or how to “know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error”(1 John 4:6).  How do we know we have assurance of salvation? Even people who knew apostles like John—and perhaps John himself!—sometimes felt that “our heart condemns us”(1 John 3:20).Even today, we ask one another how we can be sure of our salvation.  Preachers regularly field questions about when sin becomes sin, or how much sin leads to loss of relationship with God, or about the proverbial man who curses while being hit by a car. Hudgins reflects, Just this week I have found myself selfish and angry—and it’s only Tuesday!  While I try not to let evil thoughts, attitudes, words, or actions linger (or go uncorrected), the net impact of my weaknesses and failures leaves me feeling utterly unworthy of a relationship with God.  With disturbing regularity my heart condemns me. It is refreshing to know that such thoughts are not wildly off-course.  Insecurity has always been an issue—an issue for which there is only one answer. God is greater than how I feel. This is the essence of the Christian life: put your trust in Christ, depend on him, and let him live through you. That’s it. 

The focus of worship is God. Yet worship also affects us. Worship has the ability both to inform us and transform us. When we worship, we remember who God is and who we are to be as God’s people. One of the blessings at the end of worship suggested in The United Methodist Hymnal states, “Go forth in peace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” May it be so.  “If you come to worship for any reason other that the joy and pleasure and satisfaction that are to be found in God, you dishonor Him…God’s greatest delight is your delight in Him.” – Sam Storms