This has nothing to do with exercise so everybody can take a sigh of relief (WHEW!).
I was reading Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest" this morning and want to share with you some of his words. Chambers said, "A private relationship of worshiping God is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness...If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God's work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you. God's training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of a saint."
I must admit that a part of me wanted to save this for our Missions Pastor's blog but it was just too good to pass up (sorry Ron).
When you think about worship what comes to mind? Is it an exercise that only takes place in the public sphere of the church? Is it simply the practice of singing songs together as a congregation? Or do you think of your own private times of getting before the Lord and reading His Word, praying, and singing your own praises to God? I truly believe that genuine worship is a lacking ingredient in the life of many churches because the people of God have not learned how to build up their own lives in private celebration of who God is and what He has done for them.
If we never learn the importance of worship by ourselves then we can never truly engage God in worship as a corporate body. In fact, many believers only sing to God on Sunday morning, only read His Word along with the pastor before the preaching, and only pray in connection with the body of Christ. What happens next in our services is that worship becomes a dry/dead experience with a group of people rather than an exciting engagement with a holy God. Not only that, but our personal lives are never enriched apart from our experiences within the church environment.
David became a man after God's own heart long before He entered the public position as King of Israel. It was during his time of watching over the sheep that he learned to pray and sing praises to God. Can't you just see David sitting upon a large rock penning those famous words: "The Lord is my Shepherd..." It is during the private times with God that we are able to experience God in a way that is different than the corporate experience. God has our undivided attention to speak, to move, and to mold our lives. I agree whole-heartedly with brother Chambers that it's in the private relationship that we find the greatest element of staying spiritually fit.
Dear brothers and sisters - learn to worship God without the help of a praise leader...learn to dive into God's Word without the help of the preacher...learn to pray without the need of someone telling you to bow your head. God's training ground is always found in the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint. Paul knew that when after his conversion and God raised him up to be one of the most influential of all the apostles.
If you and I want to be of use to God's kingdom and if we really want to know what genuine communion with God is all about then we must take the time to turn our private times into incredible moments of worship.
Here are some spiritual exercises that I want you to try out:
Read His Word Daily - take some time to give your spiritual body the nourishment it needs. Jesus said that man shall not live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
Pray Daily - I have found that people who do not pray privately will never pray openly. Not only that, but a lack of prayer is one of the greatest hindrances in the life of a believer and the church.
Sing Privately - For some of you this isn't a problem because you would much rather be alone when it comes to singing. But I want you to understand that it's not about the noise but the words that we sing. Sing to the Lord from a heart that is thankful for the goodness of God. Learn to express yourself in song to the Lord. If there isn't a song that you know that works then make one up.
Learn to Express Your Worship - Lift those hands, clap, dance, etc. Don't be ashamed to get excited when the Lord speaks to your heart. Get up on that mountain top and shout your praises to God. Get in that vehicle and make it a place of great communion with God. Take that study/office in your home and turn it into a tabernacle of praise.
Chambers also says, "If your worship is right in your private relationship with God, then when He sets you free (to do His will), you will be ready."
May you experience His presence today! Don't wait until Sunday.
1 comment:
Romans 12 Worship is offering OURSELVES as a LIVING sacrifice. We see in the old testament that the priest had to bring an animal for sacrfice before the Lord and lay it on the alter. With Christ, all He asks is that we put ourselves on the "alter" as a living sacrifice. In other words, we don't have to die to be the sacrifice to God, but it's about how we live. A living sacrifice is the ultimate act of worship because it's about devotion to the Lord. It's about bringing our BEST before Him and asking HIM to receive it. He gives us free will and yet we are to turn our lives over to Him...we are worshipping. We show ourselves to be REAL followers by how live our lives. What do others see...and what does God see when no one is looking. Thanks for the GREAT blog on worship Neal! It's timely and always great to be reminded of it's ultimate importance in our day's walk with Him.
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