25 June 2017: Pastor David Donnellan shared this in his message on Prayer and the time we spend with God.
He presented a model for spending time with God.
I have included this model here for you.
If you would like to know more, please contact David:
wendyanddave@xtra.co.nz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh0w8lEfoVo&feature=youtu.be
Why do we come to Church?
Sure we come to church to be a community and connect with our friends,
but the heading on our bulletin says: Worship Service - so we come to Worship God and Serve Him.
So… What’s worship all about?
Worship is about intimacy. It’s about love.
There’s a quote I just love that states, “I did not know how to worship until I learned how to love.”
God wants our love. He doesn’t need it. He doesn’t need our worship or fellowship either.
He’s in community. He had community before the earth was made.
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existed always.
The angels worship continuously around God’s throne singing, “Holy, holy, holy!”
All of creation (except us humans), are celebrating and worshipping God continuously by doing what they were created to do.
When God invites us to worship Him (love Him, put Him first, devote our lives to Him, adore Him,
spend our lives, time, resources, talents, skills, etc…for His glory),
He’s inviting us into something that will transform us.
He’s inviting us to know Him, be loved by Him, and be transformed by Him.
It’s not about ego; God is complete and confident in Himself.
True worship of God benefits us the most.
We were created to worship. If it’s not God, then an idol takes His place.
Those who worship money, become greedy.
Those who worship food, become gluttonous.
Those who worship pleasure, become enslaved to it
…needing more and more to be filled while leaving them emptier still.
Those who worship work, become workaholics.
Those who worship people, become people pleasers, fans, groupies, or lose their identity in their idol.
Those who worship another’s things, become jealous, envious, or covetous.
Those who worship themselves, become overly selfish, self-centred, and can’t help anyone else.
Those who worship God in spirit and truth, become like Him.
In worship He imparts Himself.
He says come, “I want to reveal more of who I am to you.
I want to deposit love, hope, peace, joy, and remove what’s been entangling you.
I want to meet with you; heart to heart, spirit to Spirit.”
Worship is not simply singing songs.
It’s love.
It’s intimacy.
It’s warfare.
In the Bible on many instances the worshippers were sent out first in battle.
Worship is more than songs. It’s encountering the beauty of the King.
It’s turning our attention towards heaven and our true Source, God Himself.