Faith Food Devotional: Sunday 12^th May, 2013

Returning to the Heart of Worship

By Marie Grossett

"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." (John 4:24 MSG)

Often times we hear preachers encouraging saints to worship God when he blesses or is about to bless us, but God doesn't desire worship in this way, as it is not about what we can get from him.
The above scripture states your worship must engage your spirit in pursuit of truth. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, and their true selves in adoration. This means that whatever our circumstance, whether times are good or bad, we should still praise and honour God: lifting up our voices deep from the soul, this is what true worship is.
Which category of worshipers do you fall into? Now be honest.
1. Do you worship God in spirit and truth because you genuinely love and adore him?
2. Is your worship just lip service while in your heart you don't mean what you say?
3. Are you worshiping God only when he blesses?
Those of you who fall into category two or three have some self examination to do. Maybe you don't really have a relationship with God, or you're going through a situation believing God for something which hasn't arrived in the natural as yet, and this has caused you to lose faith.
There's a song by Odyssey entitled “Going back to my roots”, and that is the key you need. You need to go back to your Christian roots. Build up a relationship with God, get involved in church activities, read the Bible, be around other people that will help build and edify you. If you're going through a circumstance trusting God for something and are losing faith quote this verse, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24. Ask God to help you with your unbelief read scripture on trust, meditate and quote them whenever doubt starts to appear. Also don't keep focusing on the problem, focus on a solution, do what you can in the natural and just leave it in God's hand.
If you worship God only when he gives you a blessing then I suggest you go on your knees to repent and ask God to help you become less selfish. You are being selfish when you worship God just for a blessing as if it's all about you. You will be amazed at how God will take care of your needs when you come out of the 'it's all about me' bubble. It's annoys me when preacher's say praise the Lord for his going to give you this or that. What they need to remember is God knows our motives and if we want something for the wrong motive, I very much doubt that God will give it to us. All we need to do is just love, trust and obey our Lord keeping him first in our lives and the rest will follow.
Once we begin to self exam clearing our hearts, mind, and really start worshiping God in spirit and truth you will be amazed by the difference. Not only will you be refreshed spirituality, but also mentally and physically.
Let's make a decision to come back to the heart of worship where it's all about Jesus.
Be encouraged!
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“When every hope is gone, 'when helpers fail and comforts flee,' I find that help arrives somehow, from I know not where. Supplication, worship, prayer are no superstition; they are acts more real than the acts of eating, drinking, sitting or walking. It is no exaggeration to say that they alone are real, all else is unreal.” ― Mahatma Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments With Truth

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