Discuss: 1) Where in your life do you worship in spirit and truth? 2) What sometimes keeps you from authentic worship? 3) Write a prayer of worship—responding to who God is and what He has done. Keep your focus selfless and centered on God alone.
Knowing Him 50: Obedient Leadership
Introduction Peter leads a large group of disciples to an isolated (perhaps secretive) meeting where Jesus will once again give them their marching orders. Then they make their way back to Jerusalem to await the coming Holy Spirit as the movement switches into its...
1) I have come to a point of recognizing the ability to worship “in spirit and truth” in every aspect of my life, (though I must admit that I certainly do not always do it😔). Even the most menial, mundane moments of my daily life have the potential to be turned into worship, if I am willing. As our reading pointed out, any time that we “glory in His holy name,” we are worshipping- and that can be done anywhere, at anytime, under any circumstance! And in this, I have come to realize, that a life spent in worship of the one true living God Almighty is a life filled with “freedom, joy, and happiness,” regardless of what may come.
2) I have to say that what typically keeps me from real, authentic worship is, at its core, self-centeredness. Self can manifest in a thousand different ways, and for me, at this particular time in my life, it comes in the form of worry. There are many times throughout the day that I catch myself worrying about this or that, (even when I’m in the middle of reading God’s word, or praying,) and I have to revert my attention back to God, His sovereign goodness and faithfulness. In this, however, I have found the perfect antidote to all my worries- “casting all my cares upon Him,” for I have tasted and seen that He is good!!
3) Heavenly Father, You have been so good and so faithful all my days! I praise You and glory in Your Holy name, longing only to behold more of You! When I truly consider who You are, what You have done, and Your glorious redemptive plan and purpose as it has played out in the lives of Your people, I am in awe of You! Your love is immeasurable and steadfast, and Your mercy endures forever! You are perfect, holy, and just, and Your wisdom is infinitely deep! I love You, and praise Your name!
From Louise
I remember to worship on Sundays when I’m singing and praising God. My attention is on the truths in the songs we sing.
Busyness, fast paced lifestyle, packed schedules, to do lists, shopping lists, makes me forget to pause and thank God for where I’m at, what I’m doing, what God had done for me to be able to do what I do, His provision , protection, and love for me.
Dear God, you are protector, healer, savior. You redeem lives, give hope and wisdom. Your ways are unfathomable. You are Holy and merciful. You’re a creator of all good things. May your name be praised here on earth and to the ends of the earth. Amen.
I feel like I worship in spirit and truth is when I go on walks and runs. Feel like I’m at peace because I’m doing something healthy but it’d also a time where I’m alone. Things that keep me from authentic worship is not devoting time out of my day to worship. I tend to make it rushed at that point. Thank you Lord for the life you have given me. Thank you for putting in the school you lead my parents, thank for bringing me to Fullerton where I was able to meeting some friends from RP and I thank you for today.
(Brandon)
I worship in spirit and truth when I am at church and sometimes when I am at home. I try to recognize and avoid that I may sometimes be selfish in my worship and prayers. Sometimes I cannot authentically worship because of the distractions in my life. Sometimes I have too much to do in a day that I don’t have much time to just sit down and worship and listen to God. Dear Heavenly Father I thank You for loving us and forgiving us of our sins and I pray that You will continue to watch over us. I praise for all that You have done for Your children.
I worship in spirit and truth when I am alone and focused on God and His voice. When God taught me something new or helped me out of a situation. I was able to express my gratitude and admiration toward God. Other situations could be during the worship, the lyrics of the worship songs reminded me of God’s greatness and what’s my purpose, when I am praying for food and I thank God for keeping me out of hunger.
What’s keeping me from authentic worship could be distractions from the world like my phone is ringing, the test next day is all over my head, or maybe I was just not feeling God’s love that day because of something happened like I failed my test but definitely not because of God, probably because I didn’t study well lol.
Dear Heavenly Father, You are the one who saved me and brought me back to life. Your love and mercy filled me from time to time. I am sorry for not worshipping with all my heart. And I pray that you will open my heart when I worship you. I pray that you will help me to worship you with every opportunity I get. Amen.
1. For the first time in my life, I’ve been able to really worship God with all my heart, soul, and mind. Whenever I worship, I’ve been able to reflect on the good things God has done on my life.
2. It gets hard to worship authentically when I don’t feel the motive to worship, and this usually happens when the song is pretty boring and slow.
3. Dear God, Thank You for all of the things You have done for me this year. A lot of dark things have happened to me lately, but You were there and You comfort me. As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for I know You are with me, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You have prepared a table before me, in the presence of my enemies, and I shall dwell in Your house forever. I will exalt You, praise you, and glorify Your name in all the earth. I pray in Jesus Name, Amen.
Amy
1. When I feel alone and broken
2. When I need something from God selfishly and hope to get the answers that I want, not what God wants for me
3. Heavenly Father, thank You for Your immense love for me. I ask You for the grace to open my heart and receive Your love more and more each day. Please reveal to me any unhealed hurts or wounds within me that are impacting my full receptivity to the love You offer me freely at every moment. Please guide me to see more clearly the obstacles I create and the ways that I deflect Your love. Be with me Lord. I give You permission to restore my heart in You. Even though that may mean facing past hurts, I know I face them with You, strongly enfolded in Your healing embrace. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen!
For the first question, where in my life do I worship spirit and truth, I think I worship when I am praying after Bible study in my college group or when I am listening to worship songs. Sometimes what keeps me from genuine worship is when I am so busy with my assignments that I don’t have time to think about anything else. Dear God, you are an amazing being that I want to worship. Thank you for saving people and bringing love through you.
I worship in spirit and truth with my family right now. We worship together by praying together, being in gratitude, and being present with God together in our quiet moments. I think I also seek worshipping God in my work as I pray for the people in my life in that aspect. What keeps me from authentic worship is the business of life, where I focus on life events and just getting through the day sometimes that I can’t truly be present in worship. God, I thank you for all that you’ve done and I pray that my focus is centered on you.