WORSHIP

 WORSHIP

  Ecclesiastes 12:12-14 … Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.  [TSK cross references: Fear: Ecc_5:7, Ecc_8:12; Gen_22:12; Deu_6:2, Deu_10:12; Psa_111:10, Psa_112:1, Psa_145:19, Psa_147:11; Pro_1:7, Pro_23:17; 1Pe_2:17; Rev_19:5

  John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

  Romans [ESV] 12:1-3 I [the Apostle Paul]appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

  “Worship” is an interesting and unique word. It is a life-word, for our individual interpretation of it determines our life path. Every decision and action, with their results good and bad, flows out of our concept and practice of worship.

  Everyone worships.

  Worship involves attributing worth to person(s) or thing(s), doing so formally, as in church et al, or informally, as in a walk in the woods et al. This includes praise and glory expressed in church, sports events, and entertainment, or even a juice bar or some other such setting.

  Worship can involve diverse expression.

  Worship can be rigid or flexible, by rote or spontaneous, at times product of egocentric determination of needs, situations, star quality, personal emotions, and any capricious manners of man. (Ex.32:23-25)

  True worship is contrary to man’s natural self-centered erratic ways.

  With God worship is delightful and yet at the same time demanding; enjoyed in pleasant church or devotional setting, but most telling when elsewhere; driving along roads, assembling piles of widgets, organizing reams of paperwork, typing mounds of letters, answering scads of phone calls, telemarketing, diapers, mopping, scrubbing; at times plowing seemingly endless fields. (Lk.9:57-62)

  True worship is because of and unto God’s glory and power, love and mercy; Christ-like, flowing thru us to the refreshing or consternation of others. (Jn.7:37-38)

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