Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for Worship
Organizing the Inside – Day 327 An Invite To Worship God Freely
1Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. 3For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. 4He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. 5The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. 6Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, 7for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:1-7 (NLT)
Freedom to worship.
This particular Psalm seems to show a stark contrast between those who openly and freely praised God and those who were set on doing things their own way. When your heart is open to the loving will of God, worship comes easily. When you have been freed from the fear of punishment resulting from your rejection of God’s plan, you can lift your hands without hesitation. This signals to God that your true heart’s desire is toward Him. We’ve all seen children drop their most prized toy when Dad walks in the room as they abandon self interests; desiring more intimacy and closeness with him their hands naturally go up. As a child lifts her hands toward her Dad wanting him to lift her up, so worshippers everywhere whose heart safely trust God lift their hands in a spontaneous expression of love and desire toward their heavenly Father.
Is your heart free to worship?
If the answer is no, there could be many reasons why your praise is hindered. God will reveal the truth. In the last verses of Psalm 95 we read about how God wouldn’t allow the Israelites to enter the promise land because of the hardness of their hearts. If someone keeps rejecting God’s will and continuously decides to ignore His ways, eventually that person’s heart becomes so hard that it is useless. Whether it’s anger or fear or a mere unwillingness to trust God, these feelings are normal. Normal, but unacceptable just the same, because they hold you back and keep your heart from the freedom to worship and serve God. If you’re thinking you’ve told God “not yet” or “no” far too many times (if you’re reading this) there is still time to get it right. There’s always time to change. If you are still breathing, you can trade in all of those past mistakes and bad choices for the bright future God wants to give.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for worship. Please look at our hearts. Remove anything that would cause us to turn from you. May we find the peace that true obedience brings. May we abandon ourselves in exchange for a deeper and more meaningful relationship with you. Teach us to not allow our own selfish desires to interfere with our worship, because you alone are worthy of all praise, honor and glory. Forgive us Lord, and lift us up to where you are. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Organizing the Inside – Day 274 Knowing God Intimately
“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NLT)
Prepare for service by knowing God intimately.
David gave his son instructions to prepare him for the work that he was charged with. David knew that the huge project that was before Solomon would require the right frame of mind. Solomon would be responsible for the building the Temple of God. If you are a leader and servant of God knowing Him intimately is essential for success. The opposition, jealousy and resentment that you’ll have to face from others must be met with a heart of love.
God sees far beyond our outward appearance.
He considers the condition of our heart, and He never stops loving us. As Christians do we honor God with our work, but have hearts that are far from His purpose? Are we truly committed to the work that God has placed before us, or do we complain because we have grown weary and our heart is no longer in it? Decide today to know God more intimately and you will find that His plans will become your plans as you discover the true meaning of joyful devotion. God hears our internal conversations; He knows exactly what we’re thinking when we put our hands to do His work. By connecting with God on an intimate level, you will experience freedom in worship and service. When you raise your hands in worship your mind will not hinder your honest praise, because your praise comes from a heart of love. God wants your heart, your mind, your hands, and your all.
But the time is coming–indeed it’s here now–when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. John 4:23 (NLT)
Are you ready to worship and serve God with your whole heart and a willing mind?
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 