Reality London

This is a long one...

We had a blessed time at the prayer meeting this last week focusing on the power of true worship and its place in our lives. God has been so faithful to meet up with us during our prayer meetings, and its really been refreshing and encouraging. 

Lately, we have wanted to, and have already started a little (a few blogs back) posting the focal point of our prayer meeting each week. This way people can know the heart of what's goin' on with us and can join in our prayer and discussion. Actively speaking, there is nothing more valuable and powerful then prayer in the life of the church. Not mere monotonous, dry religious prayer, which flows from a heart preoccupied with the worship of things created; But pure and true prayer that pours out of a heart of worship to God,  from a reservoir filled with the life and presence of God the creator. We want to see the power of God move through our prayer, and it surely will if it is truly a response of worship to God. Otherwise we are wasting our time and energy, not to mention our entire existence.

Which leads me to the point of worship. Here's a definition in general concerning all people:

   

Worship is our (anyone's) response to what we BELIEVE will bring TOTAL satisfaction in life, which can and should be a single object (i.e. Jesus), however for many it is a plurality of things. 

Every human being that walks this earth worships, simply because we were created for that purpose. Worshiping isn't just something we do, it's what we are. We exist for God's glory, and God is glorified through our worship, therefore our existence is continually made up of worship, either of the creator or the created.  

It's in the action of worship that we give (offer or submit) ourselves fully to the object of our worship (that which we believe brings total satisfaction), ultimately exalting and giving glory and authority to that object, and sacrifice everything in relation to ourselves for the object of our worship (i.e. time, money, relationships, work etc.) naturally making glory, worship, and sacrifice all bound up together, but glory is the ultimate end and thirst or desire of the initiator. 

Our Conclusion then: God alone is Glorious, we were created to give glory through worship to that which is worthy of glory, therefore all of creation must worship the true and living God to reach complete fulfillment. For us to worship anything else in any other way would fall short of God's glory, which is idolatry, and the essence of sin. 

Romans 1:18-23 - The crux of all sin is that created man has taken God's glory and has given it to something created.    

This brings us to the heart of the matter. Are we fulfilling our purpose and existence by being completely fulfilled and satisfied in God? Do we believe that only God can satisfy and fulfill us completely?(Psalm 16:11 - "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.", Psa. 34:8 "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!") Are we living lives of worship to God, seeking and being satisfied completely in Him, enjoying and experiencing Him through Jesus? Or are we living in unbelief, looking and giving ourselves to created things for comfort and satisfaction, thus giving worship and glory to things that fall short? Here is the truth: The world, flesh, and the devil tell us to look to ANYTHING but Jesus for satisfaction, but God says NOTHING will satisfy and complete us but Him. 

And so our prayer is that God would lead us in identifying the idols in our lives and culture, recognize that they fall short and will not satisfy us, and turn ourselves and return to the fountain of living waters in Jesus. 

If our worship of God is not satisfying and completely fulfilling then we are missing the mark, living in unbelief, and worshiping idols. As John Piper is renown for saying " God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in HIM"