7 Words of Worship – Page 4

Lesson 4 Worship in Spirit and Truth

LESSON 4: WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
MAIN IDEA: True worship is expressed through spirit and truth — our spirit surrendered to God’s Truth.

In the last lesson we considered the importance of accepting God’s gift of grace in Jesus Christ. In this lesson we will see that having a relationship with Jesus is what makes it possible to worship in spirit and truth.

In the Gospel of John we read the story of a Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus, the Lamb of God. We know her as the woman at the well. Isn’t it interesting that when this woman realized she was in the presence of someone very special, she immediately turned the conversation to worship!

“Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, yet you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” John 4:19-20

Jesus used this encounter to explain what God requires of us as we worship. The woman knew enough about worship to ask Jesus about the right location, but He responded with a message about the right relationship — the relationship between God and the worshiper. Jesus made it very clear that the condition of the worshiper’s heart is always God’s primary interest.

Jesus told her, “Believe Me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:21,23-24

Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman at the well ring loudly to all believers. He made it clear that the place of worship no longer had to be the temple in Jerusalem — or the cathedral or the sanctuary of First Church. No matter where our place of worship may be, we can offer the Father the worship He desires as long as it flows from deep within our surrendered hearts.

Worshiping in Spirit
God is not impressed with outward expressions of worship that do not come from our surrendered and grateful hearts, no matter how excellent we may think our expressions of worship are. True worship comes from within, as this verse implies:

“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain.” Matthew 15:8-9

Worship that meets humanity’s “performance standard” is not the issue. God hears and receives only what is offered to Him in spirit. He is the One who sets the only standard of performance that matters. True worship is expressed through spirit and truth: our spirit surrendered to His Truth. Jesus made it clear that anything less is unacceptable.

I’m ashamed of the fact that in my earlier years in music ministry, there would not have been room for Seth in my choir. You see, Seth was a wonderful man — probably in his late 30s at the time — who loved God and loved to sing. But Seth was a victim of Down Syndrome. Seth could sing on pitch, but he couldn’t harmonize with the other tenors.

He simply would not have passed my “performance standard” as a music minister. But Seth passed the only standard that mattered: he was a worshiper of the Living God, who worshiped with all his heart — and God knew it!

Seth fit right in with our music team from the beginning. When he sang, he sang with joy on his face like no one else in the choir. Down Syndrome could not steal Seth’s revelation of who God is and what He had done in Seth’s life! Seth sang with joy on his face and tears streaming down his cheeks. His unashamed worship of His Savior challenged all of us to the core.

God used Seth in my life to secure this truth forever: people look at the outward expression of worship — what we see and hear — but God always looks at the inner heart of the worshiper:

The LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7, NKJV

Seth worshiped in spirit and in truth, and God chose to dwell there with him. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is what makes it possible for us to worship the Father in spirit. Although human beings can reproduce human life, it takes the Spirit of God to breathe divine life into the spirit of a man or a woman.

Worshiping the Father in spirit, then, begins with being born again. Salvation, a divine gift of grace, opens the doorway to the relationship that God deeply desires. The power and presence of the Spirit resides in every heart surrendered to the lordship of Jesus. And that Spirit of the Living God invites the spirit within each of us to worship from a pure heart.

“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” John 3:6, NIV

Worshiping in Truth
True worshipers worship the Father not only in spirit, but also in truth. Jesus is the Truth. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). All who worship the Father must do so through Jesus. Worship under the New Covenant is always through Christ, in Christ, and for Christ. Therefore, as the writer of the Book of Hebrews encourages us,
Through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name. Hebrews 13:15

The Truth is a person, and His name is Jesus. True worship is always our response to His revelation! God provided Jesus, the Living Word, to establish once and forever a secure foundation of true worship for us. You see, we must have a revelation of God — a correct view of God in relationship to who we are — if we are to worship the Father in truth, and His Word always provides such a view. God has never changed, and He never will.

Jesus is the perfect expression of the nature and character of God. God is fully revealed in Jesus, and Jesus is the one and only Truth:

God … has in these last days spoken to us by His Son … who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power … sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:1-3, NKJV

Worship that is Christ-centered and Christ-focused is true worship, and worship that comes from a heart filled with Jesus, the Living Word, will never be in vain.

What locations describe your regular place of worship
• Weekly church services
• Sunday School class
• Bible-study groups
• Special events
• Personal devotions

Location is never what matters most to God. What matters to God is that we worship in spirit and truth. And we can worship God in spirit and truth in all of these places! Jesus said that it is now time to worship the Father in spirit and truth.

Worship in spirit is defined by worship that comes from the innermost part of our hearts — hearts that are filled with awe and appreciation that can only come from our personal and intimate encounter with the Lord. Worship in truth occurs as we worship with an understanding of who God truly is and who we are by comparison. God and all His attributes are fully revealed in Jesus Christ, who is the Truth!

LESSON 4 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?

Lesson 3 Accepting God’s Gift of Grace

LESSON 3: ACCEPTING GOD’S GIFT OF GRACE
MAIN IDEA: Salvation is a matter of accepting God’s gift of grace by faith.

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

After spending my whole adult life in church leadership, I know firsthand just how easy it is to sing this hymn yet not be convinced that the message is completely true on a personal level. The Bible is filled with standards, principles, and challenges that call believers like you and me to live a godly life — and we often fall short of perfection. As a result, there are many in the church today who carry an unspoken concern that maybe, just maybe, there is something else they must do to be fully His.

Believe … Belong … Become
Often the unstated message of the church today goes like this: If you believe, and if you behave, then you can belong. The Bible, however, presents a different message: If you believe, then you belong to Christ; and you can become the person God created you to be.

As we make a conscious decision to embrace God’s Word by faith — to believe what it says about Jesus and receive Him as our Lord and Savior — we truly belong to Him! Then as we put our faith into action and begin to follow the instructions God provides in His written Word, we really can become the persons we were designed to be, as the following verses affirm:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil excess, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you. James 1:21

Once we believe, we really do belong. And in order to become, we simply must walk in the light we have been given through God’s Word, fellowshipping with one another, confessing our sins, and setting our minds on things of the Spirit rather than on things of the flesh. As we read in the Book of Hebrews, we must …

Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25, NKJV

Today Is the Day
If there is any doubt in your mind that you have received God’s ultimate gift of grace by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior of your own life, today is the day to settle the matter once and for all. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth in order to make a way for you to be reconciled to God. It doesn’t matter what you have done or where you have been. Jesus is waiting to receive you right now.

The first question you must answer is this: Do I need a Savior, or is my life sufficient to obtain eternal life with God by its own merit? In other words, is there any other way to get to God?

Jesus made it clear that He is the only way to the Father, the only way to living an abundant life and spending eternity in the presence of Almighty God:

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

Your salvation truly is a matter of life and death. If you agree that you need a Savior today, He is available. Jesus is ready right now to welcome you into His glorious kingdom. And the Bible is very clear about how this happens:

“The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” This is the message of faith that we proclaim: if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:8-9

If you have any doubt about your salvation, you can be born of the Spirit right now, and you will never have to wonder again. You will be a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17-18). Jesus not only made it clear that no one comes to the Father except through Him; He also told us that no one comes to Him unless the Father draws that person to Him (John 14:6; 6:43-44). And the fact that you are drawn to Jesus is a clear indication that the Father has determined this is the day you are to repent of your sins — turn from them — and receive Jesus as Lord.

You can exchange your life of sin and failure for His life of righteousness and favor with God and man right now! Please read and repeat aloud the prayer of salvation at the end of this lesson. Be sure to tell someone you know who is a Christian about your decision so that he or she may help you walk out the next steps of your life in Christ.

Your Salvation Is Secure
If you have already accepted Jesus yet continue to have doubts about your salvation, He wants to give you unshakable confidence and peace in knowing that your salvation is secure. You don’t have to be a criminal or trapped in some sin pattern to doubt your position in Christ. In fact, many Christians carry around a nagging concern about their salvation, wondering if they “measure up.” But as we have seen, there is no way to work your way to salvation. Salvation is a matter of grace and faith alone. It is available by the grace of God and is received by your expression of faith in Jesus as Lord of your life.

By grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:10

Don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised. Hebrews 10:35-3

[God] Himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

If you are one who continues to struggle with doubts about your salvation, read Romans 8:38-39: For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! Which of the illustrations that Paul uses best demonstrates the permanence of God’s commitment to you?

Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (NKJV). As you declare the Word of God aloud, it will enter your heart and your faith will be strengthened. Once Jesus is Lord of your life, you can have confidence that you are always saved. And as Romans 8:38-39 assures us, nothing can ever separate us from the love of God!

Now that is revelation! Jesus is indeed Lord of your life, and He will never, ever “leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). As you meditate for a few minutes on who He is and what He has already done, worship will be your only reasonable and adequate response!

Prayer of Salvation
Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. Your Word says that if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that God has raised Him from the dead, I will be saved. I take You at Your word, Lord God. I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. I invite You to be Lord of my life, and I thank You for coming into my heart and giving me Your Holy Spirit as You promised. I believe in You and Your Son, Jesus, and I commit my life to You this day. Amen.

LESSON 3 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?

Lesson 2 God’s Ultimate Expression of Grace

LESSON 2: GOD’S ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF GRACE
MAIN IDEA: God’s grace comes to us through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

As we explored in Class 1, Lesson 3, God’s amazing grace comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and is available to all who receive Him as Lord and Savior. Our personal relationship with Jesus allows us to encounter His presence with faith and confidence and, as a result, to experience God in worship. The writer of the Book of Hebrews expressed it this way:

Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22, NIV

We have seen that the only access God’s people had to the holy of holies, where God’s presence dwelt and where the highest form of worship took place, was through the high priest. But when Jesus, our High Priest, came, He entered the most holy place once and for all by His own blood, obtaining our eternal redemption:

How much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve [worship] the living God? Hebrews 9:14

We just can’t miss this truth: All of us who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior are received into God’s presence through the One who purchased us with His blood. No amount of ritualistic cleansing or devoted actions could prepare us for God’s presence — and none is needed!

God came down to us in Christ Jesus. He is the spotless Lamb of God who was slain for our sins and our inequities. There is no further need for sacrifice; the price of sin has been paid in full. We are no longer separated from the presence of God. We read in Matthew 27:

Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split. Matthew 27:51

The commentary on this verse in the MacArthur Study Bible offers this explanation: “The tearing of the veil signified that the way into God’s presence was now open to all through a new and living way. … The fact that it tore ‘from top to bottom’ showed that no man had split the veil. God did it.”

Here’s a statement that will help you grasp this truth once and forever: Jesus broke down the barrier so you could have a breakthrough in order for Him to break into the broken places in your life.

This is pure grace! We deserved to die in our sins, but God made a way: a way for us to experience His very presence in our lives, a way to join Him in the Most Holy Place. Our only reasonable response is worship. And as we worship — as we break through traditions, doubts, and fears that have restricted our worship expression — God Himself has promised to break into our circumstances and repair what is broken. And when the King is present, all things are possible.

We Are Worthy of His Presence
Most of us have read what the Bible clearly says about who we are in Christ, yet many of us have missed the reality of what is being said. The Bible makes it clear: if you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are saved by grace!

You might have been a sinner, but you aren’t any longer. By grace and grace alone, you are a new creation, fully righteous in God’s eyes. To believe and say anything else simply contradicts what God has proclaimed in His Word about you. Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary really did tear apart any barrier between you and God. You are free to enter God’s presence and worship Him freely!

If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

There are undoubtedly many good things one could say about you. Which attributes in the following list apply to your life:
• Friendly (and a faithful friend to others)
• Kind
• Generous (freely give your time and resources to others)
• Temperate (not given to anger)
• Forgiving
• Devoted (to friends and family)
• Successful (at work, at home, etc.)
• Well-to-do (plentiful financial resources)
• Honest
• Humble
• Good character
• Servant (in church, community, elsewhere)

Now go back and ask yourself if any of these attributes are necessary to grant you entrance into the presence of Holy God.

God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved! He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation — created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4-10

All the attributes in the preceding list are simply “good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that [you] should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10), but they are completely insufficient to grant you access to God! Of course, God is very serious about good works. In fact, the entire Bible is designed to “thoroughly equip” us for every good work:

It is absolutely crucial that we settle the issue of worth once and for all: If you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, no further qualification is necessary for you to enter the presence of Holy God. There is no amount of work you can do to improve the fact that salvation comes by grace and grace alone. To further settle this truth in your mind, take a moment to remember any major failures in your life, but don’t dwell on them. Now, compare the list of “good” and “bad” for a brief moment. Can your good works ever really overcome the weight of your sin? Of course not! Grace is our only means to worship our holy God, and aren’t we glad!

LESSON 2 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?

Lesson 1 Amazing Grace

LESSON 1: AMAZING GRACE
MAIN IDEA: Entering God’s presence requires grace that only He can provide.

God is very serious about having a relationship with us and being our first priority in life. As we have seen, He continually told the Israelites, “I am the LORD your God.” He brought them out of bondage in Egypt, kept them fed and clothed for 40 years, and led them into a land that He had set aside for them. And they responded to God’s grace with great love, appreciation, obedience, and worship … well, not exactly!

In fact, they didn’t respond well at all. They grumbled and complained and worshiped other gods. Even while Moses was on Mount Sinai interceding with God on their behalf, they were creating a golden calf to worship. Yet God would not forsake His people — then or now. God was determined to show His grace and the holiness of His great name through His people, and He intends to do the same in our generation.

Becoming Aware of God’s Grace
The Israelites weren’t all that different from us today. Many times God is demonstrating His great grace in our lives and, frankly, we just don’t get it! I vividly remember when Teresa and I encountered God’s grace in that way. God’s grace was flowing with power toward us, but we just couldn’t see it at first.

The doctors later called it a medical fluke, but we knew better. Teresa had noticed something that later would be diagnosed as breast cancer. As you can imagine, it really was a shock and very frightening to both of us, but our doctor wasn’t concerned in the least. He didn’t even think a biopsy was needed.

Initially, I agreed with the doctor and tried to calm Teresa’s concerns. I just didn’t want to put my wife — the treasure of my life — and cancer in the same sentence, much less the same physical body.

It wasn’t an easy time. To make matters worse, once Teresa began to agree with the doctor and me that there really was no need for a biopsy, I began to argue that she really did need one! We went back and forth, back and forth, and finally the doctor agreed to perform the procedure as one of those necessary precautions to give us peace of mind.

As it turned out, the biopsy was necessary! And the decision we made to have the biopsy most likely saved her life. It was a life and death decision, and the intervention of the Holy Spirit led us to make the right decision.

Teresa is living proof that God’s grace is sufficient and that He actively pursues His people. God knows exactly what we need for every situation we encounter, and He wants to direct our steps, showering us with His grace all along the way. But first we must become aware of God’s grace and then choose to respond.

Read More About It
• “I am the LORD your God”: Ex. 16:12; 20:2; Deut. 5:6
• Deliverance from Egypt: Acts 7:35-36
• Forty years in the desert: Deut. 2:7; 8:2-4; 29:5
• Clothed and fed in the wilderness: Ex. 15:22-27; 16–17:7
• Claiming the promised land: Num. 33:50-53; Josh. 1:1-5

As noted in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, the Hebrew words used for “grace” in the Old Testament are chen (n.) and chanan (vb.). Chen means “grace” or “favor”; and chanan is translated “to be favorable or merciful.”

These words express a divine/human relationship whereby the lesser human receives undeserved or unmerited favor at the hands of the superior God.

Grace forms the basis for all of God’s relationship with man and His activity on behalf of man. The Bible is filled with example after example. Just consider this short list from the Old Testament alone:
• Grace delivered Noah and his family from the flood (Gen. 6:5-8).
• Grace delivered Lot from destruction at Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:15-19).
• Grace gave Moses a personal knowledge of God and His ways (Ex. 33:12-13).
• Grace assured Moses of God’s presence with Israel and His forgiveness of their sin (Ex. 33:17; 34:9).
• Grace caused Moses to see the glory of God (Ex. 33:18-23).
• Grace chose Israel for God’s inheritance (Ex. 33:16).
• Grace preserved the remnant from captivity (Ezra 9:8).

God did all this and so much more for the Israelites, but often they just didn’t get it. We in the church today are often in danger of missing it as well. Though we know of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, we fail to grasp or truly appreciate the depth of God’s amazing grace. Pause just a moment and give this statement some serious thought: The sovereign God of the universe reached down from His holy throne and took on real flesh and blood in order to redeem sinners like you and me. That is indeed unmerited favor and an act of overwhelming kindness on His part. God really has made you and me alive — alive forever! Is there a time you feel like grace worked in your life but you failed to recognize it at the time?

We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Grace: The Transforming Power of God
But God doesn’t leave us there at the moment of salvation to work out the rest of life on our own. Instead, He provides grace, which is His transforming power to grow us into His likeness, to bring us to the fullness of His glory, day by day, as we submit our lives to Him.

In the New Testament, particularly in the apostle Paul’s letters to the churches, grace is defined by the Greek word charis. In the Book of Acts, charis is used to refer to the grace-filled power that flowed from God or the exalted Christ to both unbelievers and believers. It was God’s charis, God’s grace, that gave unbelievers the power to believe, believers the ability to be built up or transformed, and the apostles the capability to be successful in their mission.

Paul was so aware of the grace of God in his own life that he refers to it at the beginning and end of every one of his letters. The grace of God in Paul’s life was something that was always with him, producing labor, humility, and goodness and sustaining him in times of difficulty. For him, the Christian life was summed up in the grace of God — unmerited favor and transforming power for every believer.

God’s grace always has been sufficient, always is sufficient, and always will be sufficient for everything we face in this life. And He is worthy of our worship — always! Grace is indeed the unmerited favor that only God can provide and the transforming power of God for every person and every issue of life. But, just like the Israelites, it is always our decision to respond.

Read More about It
• Grace reveals Christ and gives faith (condition of salvation): Acts 18:27; Gal. 1:6; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:29
• Grace calls and equips believers for Christian service: Acts 4:33; 11:23; 13:43; 14:26; 20:32; Rom. 15:15-16; 1 Cor. 3:10
• God’s grace in Paul’s life: 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 1:12; 12:7-10

Preparing to Worship
As we have seen, God was present throughout the Israelites’ journey. He made it clear: “I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God” (Ex. 29:45, NIV). God even commanded Moses to build a place where He could be with His people:

“They are to make a sanctuary for Me so that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8

Still, the people could not enter God’s presence. Although they were created to enjoy intimate relationship with God, their rebellion made it impossible for them to have direct contact with God.

In the first class we discovered that only very well-prepared priests could approach God and come into His presence, and they could do so only once a year. These priests prepared extensively for their encounter with the Holy One of Israel. They knew that they were not worthy of God’s presence, and that every detail of cleansing and sacrifice was crucial if they were to survive their trip inside the holy of holies. Do you recall some of the purification tasks and rituals the priests had to carry out? Try to imagine yourself fulfilling even this brief list of practices they had to endure.

All this and so much more were required for them to enter the presence of the same God who makes Himself readily available to every believer today. Entering the presence of God is still a very serious matter — and grace makes it all possible! Do you do anything special to prepare for worship — whether it is a private time of worship or a worship service at your church?

If you answered no, you are not alone. Many times overcoming the distractions and difficulties of actually having a private time of worship or simply getting to church crowd out our focus on the actual worship opportunity we are about to encounter. Here is a list of ways that could potentially help you prepare for worship:
• Pray before every worship experience. When worshiping privately, make prayer the first thing you do. When preparing for a corporate worship service, pray as you’re getting ready for the service, traveling to the service, and/or waiting for the service to begin.
• Play worship music throughout your home while getting ready for church and in the car on the way. Make music part of your private worship times as well.
• Keep a journal of what God has done in your life and reference it often. Remember, worship is our response to who God is and what He has done! So write down the ways that God reveals Himself and His activity in your life, and review the impact of God’s grace in your life often.
• As you prepare for private worship or a church service, begin to expect that you will encounter God in a personal way. Allow expectation to grow in your heart!

LESSON 1 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?

Class 3 “Grace”

“Each of us was created by God for relationship with Him, but we can only enjoy that relationship by God’s grace.”

Let’s begin to connect with this class by considering the following questions:
• What does it mean to you to have been created in the image of God? How does that impact your day-to-day life?
• What are some ways that you have gone about subduing the earth? How does that relate to “purpose”?
• How did you think the seven realities of Experiencing God related to the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22?
• Did you make a commitment to lay aside some encumbrances? If you are comfortable enough to do so, ask someone to help you be accountable in keeping that commitment.
• Have you found a special place to worship God?

Watch and listen as Mike sets the stage for our study on worship by explaining God’s “Grace.”

Engage by reflecting on the following questions from the Word of God and Mike’s message:
• Read 2 Corinthians 12:9: He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. Can you think of a time when you experienced a particularly weak moment like Mike and Teresa in their cancer story? How was God’s grace sufficient for you then?
• Mike describes Wayne’s color blindness and the difficulty that created for him in his work. What are some ways in which you have been “color-blind” at times in life and needed God all the more?
• Some guys in Mike’s church stepped in on one occasion to particularly encourage his family by doing their yard work. Have you witnessed a similar act of kindness that was evidence of God’s grace at work?

Prayer:
“Lord, I thank You that You chose me before the foundation of the earth and that You have led me by Your grace and grace alone into relationship with You. I pray You will use me to share Your amazing grace with everyone I meet. Help us all to be ambassadors of Your grace. Amen.”

Preparation:
• Entering God’s presence requires grace that only He can provide.
• God’s grace comes to us through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
• Salvation is a matter of accepting God’s gift of grace by faith.
• True worship is expressed through spirit and truth — our spirit surrendered to God’s Truth.
• True worship requires that we understand who God is and who we are in comparison.

Lesson 5 A Place to Worship

LESSON 5: A PLACE TO WORSHIP
MAIN IDEA: God is in us and among us, and His presence is available every time we worship Him.

On the heels of giving the Israelites the Ten Commandments, God instructed the people to build a place for worship — a place where He would dwell. This place, the tabernacle, became the place where God would establish His residence on the earth — a place where God’s people could worship freely and spend time in His presence.

The Tabernacle: God’s Dwelling Place
The tabernacle was a rare and holy place. It was where God chose to dwell. It was where God met with His people and received their sacrifices. The tabernacle was the place God chose to live on earth:

“I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.” Exodus 29:45

The tabernacle — and later the temple — was the place where God would relate corporately to His people in worship. God set apart this place for Himself and His people.

King David is regarded as a great warrior and king. But perhaps he is best known for his role as a worshiper and worship leader. God continually revealed Himself to David — in both the good times and the difficult times — and David’s response was worship.

Meeting with God was crucial to King David throughout his reign. In fact, once he was established as king in Jerusalem, his first action was to prepare a place for the ark of God, the resident place of God’s presence, power, and Word:

David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.” David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. 1 Chronicles 15:1-3

King David knew God’s people needed to encounter God’s presence just as he had done his whole life. Their lives depended upon their relationship with God. There could be no true worship without a relationship between the One being worshiped and the worshiper. That was true in the Old Testament, and it is still true today.

Everything changed, however, when God provided Jesus Christ — the Lamb who was slain for all our sin and iniquity. Our relationship with God was sealed forever by the blood of the Lamb!

Our Hearts: God’s New Dwelling Place
Because of the price that Jesus paid, the place of meeting has been relocated. The mystery of the ages has been revealed: God is in us and among us. And His presence is available every time we worship Him — wherever we may be.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus made it clear that He was the One who came to establish relationship with God’s people in order for true worship to occur. He spoke these words:

“An hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24

What do you think is the difference between worshiping God in spirit and worshiping Him in truth?
Jesus knew that the Father had sent Him to redeem mankind — and to precede the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would reside in the hearts of all believers. God was about to “build” a new temple in the hearts of His people, and that would become a new place of worship. The time had come for true worshipers to be empowered to worship in spirit and truth!

You see, God created us for worship. Just as surely as He delivered the Hebrew nation from bondage in Egypt and provided a pathway to the promised land, God sent Jesus to redeem us and make a way for us to enter God’s presence. That Way is Jesus Himself — the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus declared a new covenant that could never be broken. His blood was shed in order that we might be redeemed and receive the indwelling Spirit of God. We are the temple, the holy place of God’s Spirit. When we gather, we know that He is present, just as He was present whenever His people worshiped in the Old Testament:

“Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the desert, just as He who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. Our forefathers in turn received it and with Joshua brought it in when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers, until the days of David. He found favor in God’s sight and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built Him a house. However, the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth My footstool. What sort of house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or what is My resting place? Did not My hand make all these things?’ ” Acts 7:44-50

When we are alone, we can still worship because He has chosen to dwell with us and in us. This is the divine mystery that was hidden from the ages — Christ in us, the hope of glory!

We were indeed created for worship. A lifetime of mistakes and failures can’t change that. Circumstances — good or bad — can’t change that. There is a deep need within each of us to know our Creator, recognize His goodness to us, and come into His holy presence to receive from His gracious hand of mercy. He alone is worthy!

Points to Ponder:
• God created us in His image so that we might have a relationship with Him and fulfill His purpose on the earth.
• God inhabits the praises of His people — He will always meet us there.
• Worship requires faith, and God always responds to faith-filled worship.
• Spending time with God to gain revelation is essential for worship.
• God is in us and among us, and His presence is available every time we worship Him.

LESSON 5 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?

Resources used for this class:
• “worship.” Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition (Cleveland, OH: Wiley Publishing, 2008), 1651.
• “shachah.” Warren Baker, gen. ed., The Complete Word Study Old Testament, King James Version (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1994), 114.
• “encumber.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2008, Merriam Webster Online (accessed 12 August 2008). Available from the Internet: www.merriam-webster.com.

Lesson 4 Revelation is Essential to Worship

LESSON 4: REVELATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR WORSHIP
MAIN IDEA: Spending time with God to gain revelation is essential for worship.

The story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 gives us a firsthand look at worship in response to God’s revelation. Abraham had a lifetime of interaction with God, and he had seen God’s intervention in his life repeatedly. When it came time for the “ultimate act of worship,” Abraham was ready to respond. Abraham had a clear revelation of God; he knew who was the greater and who was the lesser in the relationship because he had spent a great deal of time in God’s presence. Abraham had a correct view of God, and so must we as we worship.

Having a Correct View of God
When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, He made a very clear statement about His requirement for worship. Number one on God’s list was a clear understanding of His position as the one and only true God:

“Do not have other gods besides Me. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them or worship them.” Exodus 20:3-5

By His grace and mercy, God had delivered His people from Egyptian slavery. They hadn’t earned that deliverance; He had chosen them. God had called them to Himself, and now He was telling them how they were to live within the freedom He had given them. They were created for God’s purpose — to worship Him and dwell in His presence forever — and so are we.

However, God was dealing with a people who consistently complained about His intervention in their lives. God’s response was to write the Ten Commandments on tablets so there would be no doubt about His will for them. Just before God burned His commands into stone, He made this proclamation:

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.” Exodus 20:2

God wanted to remind His people who He was and who they were to worship.

Having a correct view of God is essential to worship. Without a clear understanding of God’s nature and supernatural power in relationship to our own human limitations, we simply can’t worship with our whole hearts. We must understand that we desperately need God and that He is willing and able to intervene in our lives here and now.

Although God had proven His faithfulness to the Israelites repeatedly, they didn’t get it. God had to make the statement “I am the Lord your God” many times throughout the days of the Old Testament because His people were distracted by other things, which would become the gods they worshiped.

We still need to be reminded today that God is “the Lord our God” because we, too, face so many distractions. The allure of other gods is all around us. Every form of communication and entertainment is calling us to worship something or someone other than the true King of kings.

Spending Time in God’s Presence
Our worship must always be in response to God’s revelation, and the only way to understand who God is and what He has done is to spend time in His presence. We must be intentional about spending time with God and keeping our focus on Him. Unless we position ourselves to hear from God, we can receive no revelation from Him. And without revelation, our worship will be hindered.

In the Book of Hebrews, we read this about Abraham’s faith:

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; he who had received the promises was offering up his unique son, about whom it had been said, “In Isaac your seed will be called.” He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, from which he also got him back as an illustration. Hebrews 11:17-19

Did Abraham have any proof God could raise someone from the dead? What does that say about his faith? How did Abraham develop that kind of faith? By spending time in God’s presence! Abraham had a clear revelation of who God is and what He had done in his life. He believed that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead, and he knew God would respond to his expression of worship. Abraham was a successful man with a large family and many possessions, yet he didn’t allow the encumbrances of life to interfere with his personal relationship with God.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines encumbrance as “someone or something that weighs down or burdens an individual.” Encumbrances also include things and activities that distract us from our focus on God. Encumbrances restrict us from the abundant life that Jesus promised in John 10:10: “A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.”

Take a look at this list of potential distractions we all face. Which are a significant part of your life? If you were to trade just one of these time-users for time spent with God Himself, which one would you choose?
• Entertainment
• Books
• Debts
• Career obsession
• Material gain
• Competition with others

Hebrews 12:1 instructs us to lay aside our sins and encumbrances. Is there anything that keeps you from doing this?
• People
• Habits
• Fears and doubts
• Possessions
• Things from my past

Are you ready to hand any encumbrances you have over to God?

Since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us. Hebrews 12:1

Spending time with God on a regular basis requires intentional action on our part. The process of life is filled with responsibilities, and many are good and necessary. However, no good or necessary part of life can replace the deep need we have to spend time in the presence of God Almighty.

It is in God’s presence that we really come to know Him — and ourselves. God makes many precious promises to His children throughout Scripture, and their value to our lives is based on our ability to believe all He has promised. But how can we believe One we do not know? It’s simply not possible!

Spending time in God’s presence — getting to know Him in the most intimate parts of our heart and soul — gives us the foundation to believe all He has planned for those of us who love Him. There is no substitute for time spent in God’s presence. It is always time well spent.

Lesson 3 Faith Filled Worship

LESSON 3: FAITH-FILLED WORSHIP
MAIN IDEA: Worship requires faith, and God always responds to faith-filled worship.

As we have seen, revelation is crucial to worship. True revelation comes only from God (Matt. 16:16-17), and faith is always required. There is perhaps no better example of faith than Abraham. He certainly failed from time to time as the rest of us do, but his faith in God consistently produced obedience — and he was continually rewarded. His story begins in Genesis 12 with a journey to an unknown place that God would later reveal.

Abraham Steps Out in Faith
When we first meet Abraham, his name is actually Abram:

The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Genesis 12:1-4

What would your immediate response be if God asked you to leave your home and family? Why do you think Abram was so willing to go right away?

Abram took his family and his possessions and left Haran, a prominent trading center, and headed for unfamiliar and dangerous territory. Can you imagine such a decision? He must have known there would be severe challenges ahead. After all, there were plenty of tribes and nations occupying the land that God promised to give to Abram, and they weren’t going to leave voluntarily.

To make matters worse, once he got to Canaan, the land of promise, there was a severe drought. In fact, it was so severe that Abram fled to Egypt where he tried to pass his wife off as his sister in order to save his own hide!

There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me but let you live. Please say you’re my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account.” Genesis 12:10-13

Ultimately, Abram returned to Canaan, parted company with his nephew Lot, and turned his attention to making the best of what looked like the least part of the land of promise. Abram continued to step out in faith as he rescued Lot and Lot’s family from certain death in Sodom. His exploits are recorded in Genesis 14. But one thing was missing: Abram had no direct descendant to fulfill God’s promise to make him a great nation.

Yet God had a plan and a promise for Abram that was almost impossible for him to believe:
After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:

Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great. But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Abram continued, “Look, You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.” Now the word of the LORD came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:1-6

God made an everlasting covenant with Abram, and ultimately Abram became Abraham, the father of many nations and the father of our faith. Yet there was another test of faith that Abraham had to face — perhaps the ultimate test of his faith. Abraham had had a lifetime of relationship with God, a lifetime of revelation of who God was and what God had done; and that revelation was about to lead to the ultimate act of worship in the midst of the major test of Abraham’s life.

Abraham’s Ultimate Test of Faith
The first mention of the word worship in the Bible is found in Genesis 22. In this chapter, Abraham faced the ultimate test of his dedication and obedience to God. He was about to climb the mountain to sacrifice his son, Isaac, as God had instructed him:

“Take your son,” [God] said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” Genesis 22:2

Abraham was ready to obey God before he knew what would happen. He was about to experience God in worship — faith-filled worship!

Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” Genesis 22:5

Abraham knew what he was about to do; he was going to sacrifice the child of promise. Can you imagine what it must have required for Abraham to have the faith to obey God? His sacrifice would be an act of worship, and he believed by faith that God would meet them at their point of faithfulness and need. What’s more, he expected Isaac to worship God as well.

In the natural, Abraham’s act of worship could cost him everything — his hope, his future, his promise from God Himself. Surely Abraham experienced a crisis of belief! Surely he had his doubts. But Abraham knew by faith that he and Isaac would be back. He had had a revelation of God, and he knew his God would not let him down! Abraham’s worship — his act of obedience — was in direct response to that revelation.

The Hebrew word for “worship” used in Genesis 22:5 is the word shachah. It is used more than 100 times in the Old Testament, and it provides a picture of someone bowing, kneeling, stooping, or prostrating on the ground before God — the one who is lesser responding to the One who is clearly greater. The use of this word always indicated a physical action that was required of God’s people.

The Jewish people were consistent in the outward expression of worship, but the word shachah also has a great deal to do with the condition of the heart of the worshiper. Abraham’s act of worship made it clear: God’s acceptance of our worship continues to be totally dependent on our belief — our faith — that He is our only source, and that apart from Him we can do nothing. As Jesus said,

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:5-8, NKJV

Worship Is Costly … But the Reward Is Great!
Worship is not always easy and often costs the worshiper a great deal, yet the reward is great: we bear much fruit, prove to be Jesus’ disciples, and glorify our Father. At the very least, the “cost” of worship includes our time and attention. We all encounter the pressing issues of life daily, yet it is possible to abide — to live, remain, and dwell — in Christ.

Abraham is a great example to us all. As we’ve noted previously, he spent a great deal of time in God’s presence. As a result, he believed God’s promises. When the time came to act on his faith, Abraham responded with faith — the same faith that is available to us today as we spend time in God’s presence, receiving and believing His Word. When we see God for who He is, our hearts are forever changed, and we respond with worship. And God always responds to faith-filled worship!

We will further explore the crucial role of faith in worship later. For now, let’s conclude with a time of reflection and meditation.
• Do you ever set aside time to simply enjoy God’s presence and listen for His direction for your life? If so, how often? If not, what could help you to begin this practice?
• Do you have a special “place of meeting” with God? If so, where? If not, where might you create or find such a place?
• Read Genesis 22:2-3: Take your son,” [God] said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” So early in the morning Abraham got up, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. Once Abraham received revelation of God’s desire for Isaac’s sacrifice, how long did it take him to respond? If God revealed something that would require your ultimate act of worship and sacrifice, how long would it take you to respond?

Abraham is a great example of a man who chose to act on God’s invitation to join Him as He worked. God revealed Himself and His purpose to Abraham, yet Abraham still had to respond. Although Abraham must have had a crisis of belief as God revealed His plan for Abraham’s life, his response was worship!

Abraham went through the same process that we face today as we respond to God’s purposes in our lives. He is an example of a man who chose to believe God in the midst of challenging circumstances. Abraham knew God, and he responded in the moment of crisis with worship — and so must we.

LESSON 3 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?

Lesson 1 Created for Relationship

LESSON 1: CREATED FOR RELATIONSHIP
MAIN IDEA: God created us in His image so that we might have a relationship with Him and fulfill His purpose on the earth.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. John 1:1-3

The Bible makes it clear: God has always been the initiator of relationship, and we are designed and equipped to respond. God created heaven and earth. He created man and woman and provided for their needs — including a place to meet with God Himself. In fact, the entire order and depth of God’s creation indicates that we were created in God’s image so that we might have a relationship with Him and fulfill His purpose on the earth. Let’s take a look.

Created in His Image
The story unfolds in the first chapter of Genesis. God spoke, and amazing things happened. God spoke light and entire solar systems into existence:

God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:3

God spoke water and land into existence and created every living thing — every plant and every animal that has ever lived on the face of the earth:

God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it, according to their kinds.” And it was so. Genesis 1:11

God said, “Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:20, 25

But when it came to creating man, God reached down from heaven as a master craftsman at work, shaping the masterpiece — the centerpiece — of His creation. Yes, God created something very unique when He formed man from the dust of the earth — something above and beyond and quite different from all other created things.

He Created Us in His Image
The Genesis story tells us: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’ ” (Gen. 1:26). And the rest of the biblical story — from Genesis to Revelation — affirms that we are the embodiment of the image of God. God fully equipped us with His communicable attributes. He gave us intellect and the ability to reason. He made us with a will and emotions. Unlike every other part of God’s creation, God fashioned us in His own image. We have been given exactly what we need to fulfill His purpose for our lives.

Created for His Purpose
After creating man and woman, God bestowed His blessing on them and empowered them with a mission — a purpose:

God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” Genesis 1:27-28

God revealed Himself and His plans for Adam and Eve very clearly, just as He continues to reveal Himself and His desire for us today. Our role is to respond to His revelation with worship as we fulfill our purpose, both individually and corporately.

From the first lines of the Genesis story throughout the pages of the Bible, God communicates His desire for us to know who He is, who we are in relationship to Him, how we should respond, and what we can expect. God created us in His image, and He has chosen to work through us to tend to His creation and fulfill His will on the earth — to do the good works He has prepared or planned for us. God wants to reveal Himself and His will to us every day, and as we respond appropriately, we can experience God as He works through us. The Bible makes it clear that each individual is God’s creation, and that He created us with His purpose in mind.

According to Genesis 1:27-28, what is our purpose? Let’s look at some basic truths about purpose. Read the following five comments and Scripture verses that follow.

• Purpose precedes creation
Creation occurs in the mind and heart of the creator. The creator conceptualizes the reason for creating something before the creation ever exists. For example, when building a house, the architect (creator) must begin with the purpose for the structure before the design can be formalized. God knew exactly what He had in mind before He created you and me!

It was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. Psalm 139:13-14

• Purpose determines design
Once the purpose is determined, a design is developed to accomplish that purpose. For example, the inventor (creator) of the fork and spoon clearly determined the purpose of each instrument before developing the design. The spoon was needed to transport liquids, and its shape dictated that purpose. Likewise, God determined our design before He created us!

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10, NIV

• Our purpose coincides with our gifts and abilities
God created ducks to float on water and fly through the air. He gave them the unique characteristics of buoyancy and flight. In the same way, God has given us gifts and abilities that coincide with His plans for humanity. We are the body of Christ, and God fulfills His purposes on the earth through us. We were made with the ability to create, reason, and communicate unlike anything else He made. And each of us has been given specific gifts and abilities to fulfill His purposes. Our design is not an accident!

As we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts. Romans 12:4-6

• Our purpose is defined in our nature
Because God made us for relationship, we have been given the ability and desire to relate to God. We are the way we are because of why we are!

As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:1-2

• Our purpose requires a disciplined response
Our overall purpose is defined in Genesis 1:28 — to populate the earth and rule over it. However, our unique purpose can be found only as we walk with God. This requires daily attention through prayer, study of God’s Word, and worship. That is where we find our unique individual purpose — in God’s presence.

Do not neglect the gift that is in you … Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. 1 Timothy 4:14,15

God desires a relationship with us. He continually searches for people who will respond to who He is and all He has done. God created us in His image, for His purpose, and for His presence. Our only adequate response is worship!

Lesson 2 Created For His Presence

LESSON 2: CREATED FOR HIS PRESENCE
MAIN IDEA: God inhabits the praises of His people — He will always meet us there.

As we have seen, God created us in His image to fulfill His purpose — His will. But God also created us simply to enjoy His presence.

Created for His Presence
God’s desire for relationship with man was evident from the beginning. God chose to speak many things into existence, but He chose to speak to man — and an eternal relationship was formed. God even provided a special place for Adam and Eve, a place where God Himself would come and meet with them. We read about this special place in Genesis 2 and 3:

The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He placed the man He had formed. Genesis 2:8

The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. Genesis 2:15

The man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze. Genesis 3:8

When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, the stage was set. Can you imagine what that must have been like? The atmosphere, the land, the air, the food, and the animals — the whole earth was made for them, and they were made for it. All the efforts of the Creator were made for their benefit and He actually chose to dwell there with them.

God’s desire was to provide a wonderful place for Adam and Eve. He loved them unconditionally and wanted to be with them and meet all their needs — just as He desires to be with us and meet our needs today.

Those of us who are parents want the same for our children. My wife, Teresa, and I didn’t have resources as vast as God’s, to be sure, but I still remember our efforts to create just the right place for our first son, Lee.

Our home at that time looked like any other tiny apartment in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; but to us, it really was a gift from God — and from a generous man who attended the church where I served. I was in my last year of seminary in New Orleans — a two-hour drive down the interstate — and there wasn’t a lot left in our bank account at the end of the month.

I was only days away from the final exam that would earn my master’s degree in church music, and I was about to become a father for the very first time! I hoped and prayed those two events wouldn’t happen on the same day. And God answered my prayer — but just barely!

Three days before my final exam, I became a dad. I can’t begin to describe how excited I was (and still am) to have a wonderful son like Lee. My professors were gracious, and in one week’s time I had a diploma and a new baby!

Teresa and I didn’t have much money, but we had family and friends. Together we had turned that spare bedroom into a special place for Lee. On the day he came home from the hospital, he was surrounded by much love.

That little apartment that had been God’s gift to us was a perfect fit. God had provided just what we needed to fulfill our role as new parents, just as He had provided everything we needed to fulfill our purpose in ministry. And just as with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, He chose to dwell with us there.

Created to Worship
Adam and Eve were given everything by God, including the privilege of dwelling in His presence. They had every reason to understand who God was and all He had done for them, but they turned their affections away from God and toward their own desires. They had firsthand revelation of who God was and what He had done for them, yet they chose to listen to the Enemy instead. Their improper response to God’s revelation made His presence frightening.

The man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8

Just as God was searching for Adam on that day, so He is searching now for those who will respond to His gift of life and worship Him. Worship is the place of enthronement for God, and He will always meet us there.

The eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His. 2 Chronicles 16:9

Adam and Eve made a choice that set the course of history in the wrong direction. They chose to respond to Satan’s lie rather than to what they knew of God. In one simple act of disobedience, they showed more reverence for Satan’s words of doubt than for God’s loving revelation and care.

Adam and Eve were made for worship, and so are we. The need to worship was inside them, just as it is inside us. We were created to respond to God’s revelation with worship, which is our show of “religious reverence and intense love or admiration” for God and God alone.

What is some evidence that the need to worship is ingrained in humans? Can you think of some examples outside of the church experience?

Whether it is at a concert, a sporting event, a Broadway play, a corporate boardroom, or a Las Vegas showroom, people will gather to worship someone or something. The deep need to respond to someone or something with our expression of appreciation and adoration is simply part of our DNA as human beings. We were created for worship!

It really isn’t hard to believe that we were created to worship something or someone, is it? The real question is what or whom are we worshiping? We can always identify what is “first and foremost” in our lives by taking a hard look at what attracts our attention the most.

Open your Bible and read the following Scriptures pertaining to God’s jealousy:
• Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9
• Joshua 24:19
• Nahum 1:2

How do you feel about God being jealous? As the Bible tells us, God is jealous of our time and our attention, and He deserves first place in our lives. As we grow in revelation of who He is and what He alone has done in our lives, we really will experience God in worship!