Why are we to worship God?

Many people couldn't answer us. They would be troubled by whyone would ask such a question. In fact, it helps us reach to the real problem. For the reason we would tell people does not match what we most often experience. It is okay if we realized this and confessed our sin, but instead we just go on.

We act if this problem is a public worship problem where in fact it is a personal worship problem. we might differ on instrument and song, but they are vehicles. But far greater than the songs is the LORD Himself. Just one glimpse of Him and reminder of His works would cause all of our complaining to quickly dissipate. But because God is not there, we focus on the instruments, the time, the style.


Does this mean we should not have standards for public worship? Certainly not. The scriptures are full telling us what should happen and why it should happen. We need to measure what does happen that we might please God. Worship is not for us but for God. If our worship is not pleasing to Him, it still might be pleasing to us. This is going to lead us into poisonous chambers. We must insist on God and His ways.

What we treasure privately in our homes is what we will treasure

How are we to prais ethe Lord? Does God tell us how to worship or praise Him?

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.
(Psalms 150:2b).

Indeed we see that God calls us to worship Him with passion. Our praise is to be according to His excellent greatness. In a sense, we just cannot measure up to this standard. It lifts us far beyond our capacity. However, the Lord wants us to respond in praise and adoration for who He is and what He has done.

What kind of heart does God say that is necessary to worship Him?

What part does the instruments (3-5) and songs of men (6) play in worship? Can we play these songs and yet not glorify God?

We see that instruments and voices help intensify praise. The whole creation is to echo back God's glory. We need all the help we can to broaden our adoration of God's holy person. The music is a vehicle. It can express worldliness if the heart is not adoring God's person and ways. God will detest this religiosity that has not worship at its heart. . In Isaiah 1 God criticizes other religious disciplines because they are not coming from our hearts.

1. Who should lead worship?

2. What place does congregational singing have in worship?

3. What place does instruments have in private or public worshp?

4. If ot changed, can we worship?

5. If not impressed ith God's glorious person or great and awesome ways, can we indeed worship?

6. Shoudl we focus on music, sounds or the Lord?

7. Why should spiritual discipline be important for leading and participating in worship?

8. Is practice more important than prayer for public worship?

9. What do you like most about praise times? Is it that you have been able to know God more or loudness, friends, feelings, etc?

10. what motivates you to worship? It must be hard to be honest, but we are not fooling God. Our meetings with God where we become more acquainted with Him and awed over God's ways are two things that only should move us to worship. If we do not have these things, then we simply cannot worship God in spirit and truth. What is the root of our passion?

11. Sometimes the music goes on, but the worship doesn't. What should we do?

Conclusion

We need to begin to demand a worship and praise time that goes beyond what we are familiar with on earth. The styles and songs are important, but the reason we choose different songs and styles is even more important as a leader. Many times we have been unconsciously influenced by past leaders and friends. More important is how have we been shaped by God Himself.

True worship demands change from being in God's presence. We worship Him in spirit. Our communion with Him shapes our lives. He becomes the fixed point around which our whole lives change. We worship Him in truth. Our understanding of His faithfulness in space and time causes our hearts to be charged with excitement and adoration about the things which He has done. Our means of praise might change but they must be consistent with these two points above. Public worship adds the essence of grandeur that we cannot by ourselves immitate. Instruments and voices add to this praise a sense of compulsion by creation that we all ought to praise and worship Him.

Praise comes from worship; it cannot exist without it. Praise is prayer. Those who are not praying at home cannot publically worship. Those that are a distance from God at home cannot rightly praise God at church. We dare not lead worship if we have sin in our hearts.

Worship leaders must

• Have no conscious sin in their lives
• Regularly pray and meditate on God's Word at home
• Pray for the spiritual work of worship to be done at church
• Be moved by God's person and works rather than the songs.

The issue is not whether we use the organ or guitar. Each have their fatal flaws. They each can be used in ritualistic songs with impure hearts. They both can be used to tantalate the worshiper into a focus on feeling and self rather than God and His glory.