Psalm 89:15, ESV, says, "Blessed are the people who know the festal shout...." In the NLT it renders it: "Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship...." We are made to worship and will worship something or someone if not God---only God is worthy of worship and esteem and reverence (cf. Rev. 4:11). We are hard-wired for worship, though worshiping God is unnatural for the natural man, who is not in the Spirit. When we do worship "in the Spirit" (cf. John 4:24) as commanded by Jesus we make contact or enter another dimension (God's throne room). In some ways worship is an existential, even surreal encounter, whereby God becomes real to us in an experiential way, just like it says in Psalm 34:8, KJV, (cf. 1 Pet. 2:3) "O taste and see that the LORD is good...." The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
All of us need to be reminded of spiritual matters on a regular basis and touch base with God, to see if we're on the same page and in fellowship or walking in the Spirit. Jesus commanded us to "abide in [Him]." Worship can be considered a spiritual checkup or a spiritual workout for those who have grown lax, complacent, or need renewal in the faith and is not to be done in a lackadaisical manner, but wholeheartedly to the glory of God, as is everything we do in the name of the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17, 23).
We don't worship God passively, or vicariously, (i.e., you are not worshiping by observation of others doing it), but worship is active and involved, even demanding. Once you've experienced genuine worship you get addicted and develop a taste for it, but done in the wrong spirit (cf. Jer. 12:2; Matt. 15:8), or perfunctorily, halfheartedly, just going through the motions, or memorizing the Dance of the Pious is the same as "offering strange fire before the LORD," as did the sons of Aaron in Leviticus 10:1 (God is a God of order (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40), even in worship and proper protocol).
Worship is not to be mere lip service or lukewarm adoration and is one measure of spiritual growth. There is no "one-size-fits-all to worship and people have different tastes and inclinations from being a traditionalist and liturgical to being demonstrative and spontaneous, but one must avoid getting in a worship rut and getting stale and complacent in one's adoration and contemplation of God: It is not how much of the Spirit you have, but how much of you the Spirit has.
There is the so-called nod-to-God crowd that feels duty-bound to go to church, but the fact is we "get" to worship, not that we "have" to. Worship is a privilege and honor and worship leaders are to be shown respect. When you say you can worship God in the cornfield, you ignore the call to worship and to gather together in the name of the Lord (cf. Heb. 10:25), and to "worship God in the sanctuary." The importance of having the right attitude in our worship is expressed in Psalm 122:1, KJV, like this: "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." Church should never become blase or commonplace! The worship experience is always a measure of our surrender and is not a measure of any spiritual gift.
With true spirituality, comes the spiritual fruit of the "sacrifice of praise" (cf. Heb. 13:15, KJV): In fact, worship is the offering of "sacrifice of thanksgiving" (Psalm 116:17, KJV) for what God has done, and the "sacrifice of praise" for who He is: "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His court with praise!" (Cf. Psalm 100:4). "I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD" (Psalm 69:30-31, NIV). The more we worship the closer we get to God in Spirit, for there's power in praise. God "inhabits the praises of His people" (cf. Psalm 22:3). Worship and praise are a continual feast and a blessing of the presence of God--it's a transforming experience. Worship isn't informational, but formational! "Shout to God with a voice of triumph!" (Cf. Psalm 47:1). God is "enthroned on the praises of His people" (cf. ibid., ESV). God thrives on praise and deserves it.
In true worship, we focus on God, and get our eyes off of ourselves! Just as the definition of an Englishman says a self-made man who worships his creator: We must give God the glory; as the phrase says: Soli Deo Gloria! (to God alone be the glory!). The book of Psalms was called the Psalter or book of praises and the Puritans hymnal was called the Bay Psalm Book, which they used in worship. A point in fact: Psalms is the official hymnbook for private and corporate worship by tradition, as it's probably the most loved book in the Old Testament.
We must bear in mind that it's not about us, but all about Him! The heart of worship is all about ownership and surrender because He owns us. We seek His face (cf. Psalm 27:8) and presence in worship and God is with us whenever two or three gathers together in His name (cf. Matt. 18:20) as a community of believers--we need not wonder whether God is with us or not, as did Israel in the wilderness with Moses.
Worship is consecration: The offering of ourselves to God as a "living sacrifice." All in all, the heart of the matter is that it's a matter of heart and a measure of it! "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you..." (James 4:8, KJV). We all observe certain worship rituals in our comfort zones and get accustomed to what suits us (however, we should venture out of them and experiment and try something new), but worship makes our fellowship and relationship with God validated as we go on to practice the presence of God!
Caveat: Only God is worthy of veneration and of paying homage to others it is idolatry. In sum worship is a methodology and conduit to connect with the living God and touch base with the Divinity in real-time; we can worship God in whatever we do to His glory and in His name, as an example, Olympic runner Eric Liddell, from the film Chariots of Fire, said, "... [When] I run I feel God's pleasure." Soli Deo Gloria!
All of us need to be reminded of spiritual matters on a regular basis and touch base with God, to see if we're on the same page and in fellowship or walking in the Spirit. Jesus commanded us to "abide in [Him]." Worship can be considered a spiritual checkup or a spiritual workout for those who have grown lax, complacent, or need renewal in the faith and is not to be done in a lackadaisical manner, but wholeheartedly to the glory of God, as is everything we do in the name of the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17, 23).
We don't worship God passively, or vicariously, (i.e., you are not worshiping by observation of others doing it), but worship is active and involved, even demanding. Once you've experienced genuine worship you get addicted and develop a taste for it, but done in the wrong spirit (cf. Jer. 12:2; Matt. 15:8), or perfunctorily, halfheartedly, just going through the motions, or memorizing the Dance of the Pious is the same as "offering strange fire before the LORD," as did the sons of Aaron in Leviticus 10:1 (God is a God of order (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40), even in worship and proper protocol).
Worship is not to be mere lip service or lukewarm adoration and is one measure of spiritual growth. There is no "one-size-fits-all to worship and people have different tastes and inclinations from being a traditionalist and liturgical to being demonstrative and spontaneous, but one must avoid getting in a worship rut and getting stale and complacent in one's adoration and contemplation of God: It is not how much of the Spirit you have, but how much of you the Spirit has.
There is the so-called nod-to-God crowd that feels duty-bound to go to church, but the fact is we "get" to worship, not that we "have" to. Worship is a privilege and honor and worship leaders are to be shown respect. When you say you can worship God in the cornfield, you ignore the call to worship and to gather together in the name of the Lord (cf. Heb. 10:25), and to "worship God in the sanctuary." The importance of having the right attitude in our worship is expressed in Psalm 122:1, KJV, like this: "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." Church should never become blase or commonplace! The worship experience is always a measure of our surrender and is not a measure of any spiritual gift.
With true spirituality, comes the spiritual fruit of the "sacrifice of praise" (cf. Heb. 13:15, KJV): In fact, worship is the offering of "sacrifice of thanksgiving" (Psalm 116:17, KJV) for what God has done, and the "sacrifice of praise" for who He is: "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His court with praise!" (Cf. Psalm 100:4). "I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD" (Psalm 69:30-31, NIV). The more we worship the closer we get to God in Spirit, for there's power in praise. God "inhabits the praises of His people" (cf. Psalm 22:3). Worship and praise are a continual feast and a blessing of the presence of God--it's a transforming experience. Worship isn't informational, but formational! "Shout to God with a voice of triumph!" (Cf. Psalm 47:1). God is "enthroned on the praises of His people" (cf. ibid., ESV). God thrives on praise and deserves it.
In true worship, we focus on God, and get our eyes off of ourselves! Just as the definition of an Englishman says a self-made man who worships his creator: We must give God the glory; as the phrase says: Soli Deo Gloria! (to God alone be the glory!). The book of Psalms was called the Psalter or book of praises and the Puritans hymnal was called the Bay Psalm Book, which they used in worship. A point in fact: Psalms is the official hymnbook for private and corporate worship by tradition, as it's probably the most loved book in the Old Testament.
We must bear in mind that it's not about us, but all about Him! The heart of worship is all about ownership and surrender because He owns us. We seek His face (cf. Psalm 27:8) and presence in worship and God is with us whenever two or three gathers together in His name (cf. Matt. 18:20) as a community of believers--we need not wonder whether God is with us or not, as did Israel in the wilderness with Moses.
Worship is consecration: The offering of ourselves to God as a "living sacrifice." All in all, the heart of the matter is that it's a matter of heart and a measure of it! "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you..." (James 4:8, KJV). We all observe certain worship rituals in our comfort zones and get accustomed to what suits us (however, we should venture out of them and experiment and try something new), but worship makes our fellowship and relationship with God validated as we go on to practice the presence of God!
Caveat: Only God is worthy of veneration and of paying homage to others it is idolatry. In sum worship is a methodology and conduit to connect with the living God and touch base with the Divinity in real-time; we can worship God in whatever we do to His glory and in His name, as an example, Olympic runner Eric Liddell, from the film Chariots of Fire, said, "... [When] I run I feel God's pleasure." Soli Deo Gloria!
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