Can you think of something quite worthy to you?

• It may be intrinsic – my wedding ring – it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks it’s worth. It is priceless to me!
• You may have something of great worth to you because of the experiences you’ve had with something. Example – my fly rod
• Whatever you have of great worth, the question is, what do you worship?

The title is “Worth” but we’re talking about worship; today our personal worship. Next week we’ll look at corporate worship.

Worship – What is it?

People have different ideas of what worship is, so it is important for us to define.

• Worship means to ascribe worth to a being or object, to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.

The primary word for worship in the Hebrew means to bow down in worship. (Shachah)

The primary Greek word for worship, proskunow means “to kiss”, as in to kiss the hand of a superior. commonly associated with bowing down or lying prostrate on the ground with the idea of kissing the ground before someone.

• Both words speak of the attitude with which we view God and respond to him.
  • Humility is recognizing that God is greater than I am.
  • Submission is willfully and obediently placing myself under God and His will.

In the book of Genesis, we see a great example of worship – The story of Abraham and Isaac.

Genesis 22:5 (NIV) He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Notice – Abraham worshiped God because he trusted the promise maker over the promise.

• Abraham recognized God was sovereign. Even though he didn’t understand what God was doing, he humbled himself and submitted to God by obeying his command.

Isaac is the son that Abraham waited for, for many years!

• How could he bring himself to sacrifice his beloved son?
• God had made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would come from Isaac. So Abraham knew that even if Isaac died, God could bring him back from the dead!

The heart of worship is knowing and trusting God intimately!

It is important that we look at our time with God as an opportunity to simply be with Him, to worship and delight in Him. 

Worship comes from the heart

• It’s a time of intimacy with God. Do this in private. For me, I need to remove myself from distractions. “Squirrel!” I can chase rabbits with the best of them!
• True heartfelt worship focuses on who God is and what we can give to Him. Not on what we get from God.
• The beginning of worship has to do with our heart.
• True worship is not transactional. My struggle. Worship b/c I want Him to love me and be pleased with me. He already loves me, I worship because I love Him.

Matthew 15:8-9 (NIV) “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’

• When we really love and appreciate someone, we give them our complete love attention.

Ways to Worship Personally

Start with prayer – Acknowledge it’s only through what Christ has done that we have access to worship the Father.

• Lord I come before you in Jesus name…

Ephesians 2:18 (NIV) For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Matthew 6:9-14 (NIV) – The Lord’s Prayer can be a model.

Confess any sin in your life

• This requires honesty with ourselves, recognizing our sin is wrong. Then in submission to HIM, we ask for forgiveness.
• Confession and repentance bring us back into a right relationship with God.

Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Praise Him for who He is – praise His attributes and character. Wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace!

1 Chronicles 29:11 (ESV) Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.

• Tell Him how great He is, put Him in His rightful place above all your issues and distractions.
• Thank Him for His love, patience, kindness, goodness, knowledge and glory.

Psalm 107:1 (NIV) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Psalm 86:15 (NIV) But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Worship is having a heart of gratitude

Having gratitude for God’s many blessings is perhaps the greatest weapon we have against self-focus.

James 1:17 (NIV) 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Study and Memorize God’s Word

Psalm 119:97-100 (NLT) Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long. 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. 99 Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. 100 I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments.

Joshua 1:8 (NIV) Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

There are all kinds of resources to help us

• Bible Concordance
• Maps
• Sermons and podcasts
• Index cards
• Bible Memory App

Journaling

• Write out what God is showing you
• Write down prayer requests to review later

Giving – Giving is worship for us. We humble ourselves before God and remember that ALL we have belongs to Him. It is a joy to give back to Him what He blesses us with.

Serving – When we serve others, if we do it in the name of the Lord, it is worship. Romans 12:1-2

Worship through music – not JUST our singing together, but private worship.

Again, it starts with the heart. I must have a desire to worship in order to do so.

• When I focus on the lyrics of a song that describe who God is and all that He has done for me, it’s worship – Christmas carols – gospel centered.
• When I lift my voice in song to God because I realize who He is, or because of the gratitude in my heart, it’s worship.
• I can do that anywhere, not just in church.

When to worship

• We can worship God throughout the week, every day! Worship doesn’t need to be confined to 75 minutes at a weekend service.

HAVE SET TIMES FOR WORSHIP

Morning devotions

• • For me personally, If I don’t start the day with God, I’m usually playing catch up and soon need to repent for a bad attitude or action.

Nightly reflection

• • What brought joy?
  • What brought challenge?
  • What is God showing you?

Daily commute

Conclusion

• In less than a week we will be starting a new year. For many it is a time to start or recommit themselves to healthy habits.
• There is no greater priority you can have in 2022 than growing in your relationship with God.
• Worship keeps our eyes on God. As we worship, it draws us nearer to God. And that in turn transforms us to be more like Jesus.
• This week I encourage you to pray about a new habit of worship to be a daily part of your life in 2022.
• Then commit to doing that for 30 days and see what happens. 🙂