A Life of Worship
Last summer I began working through a Women of Faith study entitled "A Life of Worship". It proved to be very timely as many of the things I was learning really helped me in the early days of Dennis' cancer diagnosis. I recently revisited the study and wrote out some notes from each chapter. I really wanted to wrap my mind around the concepts. Patsy Clairmont wrote on p. 91 "I know I want to be more than I am today. That means I'll have to use my time wisely, invest myself discerningly, and savor the flavor of every delicious moment assigned to me." These words offer a plan for fulfilling the desire of my heart . . . to lead a life of worship.
What were we made for? The answer is a life of worship. “Worshipping in all the moments of our lives changes us because we move from trying to be perfect to resting in the perfect will of a God who loves us passionately.” (Sheila Walsh)
God has created us to bring glory, honor and praise to Him. “To glorify something is to praise or honor it, acknowledge its excellence, give it homage, exalt, and worship it. In other words, we glorify God when we tell Him how much we admire Him, when we give Him proper honor, and when we acknowledge His perfection and power. Glorifying God draws attention to His character, lifts up His mighty deeds for others to see, and focuses our attention on Him.” (pp.1-2)
Though we are ordinary, we have been chosen by God , made righteous and holy and adorned with spiritual gifts to glorify Him.
Just as “Christ did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming High Priest” (Hebrews 5:5), so our glory is to be in God (Psalm 62:7). In other words, we do not bring glory to God by our own deeds, we glorify God by the work Christ has done in us through the precious gift of salvation and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is so “none can boast” (Ephesians 2:9). God deserves all the glory, honor and praise for everything in our lives.
*“All glory belongs to God. Glory is His to give, and when it is given, we need to return it to Him.” (p. 96)
“There is only One who is worthy of glory; all glory belongs to God.” (p. 10) God is worthy of honor because He is the Creator of all things. His glory is displayed in the heavens. Our response should be to praise Him for who He is. “Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1).
*“God is more precious than silver and more costly than gold. We glorify God because it is due Him. . . He alone is worthy of glory.” (p. 96)
God made people for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). But because “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), we have been diverted from our original purpose and we fall short of glory. Through the free gift of salvation we again begin to give God the glory due His name. Fortunately, God doesn’t stop there. He continues to transform us into His own image through the working of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).
*“The heavens declare God’s glory, and so can we. . . Our purpose (is) to bring God glory.” (p. 96)
We are to glorify (worship) God throughout all our days - morning, noon and night forever. Each day is a gift and to be celebrated. We will never exhaust our opportunities to glorify God. God requires our obedience to His calling. Should we choose to ignore it, God’s purpose will still be fulfilled, we will just miss out on the blessing of having chosen to glorify God. Let’s ask God to show us how to rearrange our lives to fit around His purposes.
*“When do we give glory to God? . . . All of our days belong to God, and every hour and minute and moment offers an opportunity to glorify Him. So make every second count!” (p. 96)
David was a man after God’s own heart. He glorified the Lord by accomplishing God’s purposes for his life. Like David, we may not be called to affect many generations, but we can affect the next generation by teaching our children.
Loving Jesus brings God glory. Our salvation (faith) brings God glory. Being faithful with the little God has given us will help us with the “much” that is to come. True spiritual fruit grows over time. Live in such a way that others are drawn to you, curious about what makes you different. Live a life worthy of your calling - following God’s path and using your gifts to accomplish His purposes. Do the job in front of you to the best of your ability.
“Sometimes we wish we could serve God on a grand scale. We long to do big things for Him, but more often than not He’s asking us to be faithful in the little things of life. . . We can’t rush spiritual fruit and we should avoid the temptation to tie false apples on our branches, pretending to be something we’re not.” (p. 97)
“There is no one right way to glorify God” (p. 42). Because we are each a unique creation, we will reflect God’s glory in different ways. The key to glorifying God is wholeheartedness. “What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statues which I command you today for your good” (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13). “Do the thing in front of you wholeheartedly. Give God your best, and He will receive the glory” (p. 46).
*“We all have such unique gifts and places in the body of Christ it’s difficult to establish a set of rules for service. So the only right way to glorify God with our lives is to serve Him wholeheartedly.” (p. 97)
“Glorying means triumphant rejoicing, exulting, boasting and being proud about something” (p. 49). When we do what God made us to do, we please Him. “Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:24). We cannot hang onto glory because glory is meant to be returned to God. It is unwise and even foolish to glory in the temporary things of the world. There is nothing else worth boasting about but to glory in God.
*“In this world, beauty and riches provide great temptations for us, but when it comes to glorying, we must glory in the LORD. . . Our true treasures wait for us in heaven.” (p. 97)
“Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious” (Psalm 66:2). “The worship services we attend in our churches are designed to pull the focus off of ourselves and onto the God we serve” (p. 57). Believers can glorify God together with one heart and one mouth (Romans 15:6). When you worship, be intentional and keep your focus on the Lord your God. Engage your mind and think about what the words mean.
*“Voices and music can be lifted together in glorious worship.” (p. 97)
We can glorify God by allowing Him to infuse our day “with His strength, His patience, and His love” (p. 66). God can be glorified through shame, insults, sickness, and death. By enduring these things we are promised eternal glory (2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 5:3; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 5:10). We glorify God by telling others about Him as well as sharing our gifts.
*“Our lives are interwoven with those of other believers, and when we use our gifts within the church, God is glorified. What’s more, our lives are interwoven with God’s through the Spirit, and it is His strength and patience and love that allow us to minister to one another.” (p. 97)
“God wants to be a part of (our) normal, ordinary, run of the mill, everyday routines” (p. 74). We glorify God by trusting Him to lead and guide us (Psalm 31:3); through prayer (Psalm 69:13); studying the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 30:14); and by living a peaceful and quiet life (1 Thessalonians 4:11). God is also glorified when He keeps His promises and answers our prayers (2 Corinthians 1:20; John 14:13).
*“As Christians, we aspire to a quiet life and everyday glories, with God as an active participant in our days. When we quiet our hearts and settle our minds, we can hear . . The still, small voice of God leading us in His ways.” (p. 98)
The Scriptures teach us that we must live intentionally and wisely. Barbara Johnson wrote, “don’t let your life speed out of control. Live intentionally. Do something today that will last beyond your lifetime” (p. 82). Colossians 3:2 says we are to “set (our) minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
If we were to make a “to do list” for how to live a life of worship, it might look like this. . “Item number one: Glorify God today. Item number two: Study the Scripture to find out what will please God. Item number three: Obey God” (p. 84). Luci Swindoll wrote “When we ask for wisdom, all kinds of things begin to happen. Things we hadn’t planned on. God comes in like a flood, altering our world - changing the things we once valued, restructuring relationships, taking away this desire and adding that one, putting our priorities in a new alignment. God grows us up!” (p. 85) “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
*“If we are to live for God’s glory, we must set about it in intentional ways. . . We must be wise in our decisions, choosing to set our minds on things above.” (p. 98)
In order to live our lives for God’s glory, we can model our “behavior after two people: Jesus and the English butler. . . Jesus for His focus, His compassion, and His dependence upon the Father. And the butler for his quietness, his readiness to serve, and for his humility” (p. 90).
Our faithfulness brings glory to God. “When the time comes for us to leave this earth and see our Heavenly Father face to face, I hope we can echo the words of Christ” (p. 91). “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4).
*“Our part is that of a servant. Your life is spent entirely for God. Your willingness to serve, your cheerful service, your faithful obedience, your readiness to act on His behalf - all bring glory to His name.” (p. 98)
What were we made for? The answer is a life of worship. “Worshipping in all the moments of our lives changes us because we move from trying to be perfect to resting in the perfect will of a God who loves us passionately.” (Sheila Walsh)
God has created us to bring glory, honor and praise to Him. “To glorify something is to praise or honor it, acknowledge its excellence, give it homage, exalt, and worship it. In other words, we glorify God when we tell Him how much we admire Him, when we give Him proper honor, and when we acknowledge His perfection and power. Glorifying God draws attention to His character, lifts up His mighty deeds for others to see, and focuses our attention on Him.” (pp.1-2)
Though we are ordinary, we have been chosen by God , made righteous and holy and adorned with spiritual gifts to glorify Him.
Just as “Christ did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming High Priest” (Hebrews 5:5), so our glory is to be in God (Psalm 62:7). In other words, we do not bring glory to God by our own deeds, we glorify God by the work Christ has done in us through the precious gift of salvation and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is so “none can boast” (Ephesians 2:9). God deserves all the glory, honor and praise for everything in our lives.
*“All glory belongs to God. Glory is His to give, and when it is given, we need to return it to Him.” (p. 96)
“There is only One who is worthy of glory; all glory belongs to God.” (p. 10) God is worthy of honor because He is the Creator of all things. His glory is displayed in the heavens. Our response should be to praise Him for who He is. “Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1).
*“God is more precious than silver and more costly than gold. We glorify God because it is due Him. . . He alone is worthy of glory.” (p. 96)
God made people for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). But because “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), we have been diverted from our original purpose and we fall short of glory. Through the free gift of salvation we again begin to give God the glory due His name. Fortunately, God doesn’t stop there. He continues to transform us into His own image through the working of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).
*“The heavens declare God’s glory, and so can we. . . Our purpose (is) to bring God glory.” (p. 96)
We are to glorify (worship) God throughout all our days - morning, noon and night forever. Each day is a gift and to be celebrated. We will never exhaust our opportunities to glorify God. God requires our obedience to His calling. Should we choose to ignore it, God’s purpose will still be fulfilled, we will just miss out on the blessing of having chosen to glorify God. Let’s ask God to show us how to rearrange our lives to fit around His purposes.
*“When do we give glory to God? . . . All of our days belong to God, and every hour and minute and moment offers an opportunity to glorify Him. So make every second count!” (p. 96)
David was a man after God’s own heart. He glorified the Lord by accomplishing God’s purposes for his life. Like David, we may not be called to affect many generations, but we can affect the next generation by teaching our children.
Loving Jesus brings God glory. Our salvation (faith) brings God glory. Being faithful with the little God has given us will help us with the “much” that is to come. True spiritual fruit grows over time. Live in such a way that others are drawn to you, curious about what makes you different. Live a life worthy of your calling - following God’s path and using your gifts to accomplish His purposes. Do the job in front of you to the best of your ability.
“Sometimes we wish we could serve God on a grand scale. We long to do big things for Him, but more often than not He’s asking us to be faithful in the little things of life. . . We can’t rush spiritual fruit and we should avoid the temptation to tie false apples on our branches, pretending to be something we’re not.” (p. 97)
“There is no one right way to glorify God” (p. 42). Because we are each a unique creation, we will reflect God’s glory in different ways. The key to glorifying God is wholeheartedness. “What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statues which I command you today for your good” (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13). “Do the thing in front of you wholeheartedly. Give God your best, and He will receive the glory” (p. 46).
*“We all have such unique gifts and places in the body of Christ it’s difficult to establish a set of rules for service. So the only right way to glorify God with our lives is to serve Him wholeheartedly.” (p. 97)
“Glorying means triumphant rejoicing, exulting, boasting and being proud about something” (p. 49). When we do what God made us to do, we please Him. “Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:24). We cannot hang onto glory because glory is meant to be returned to God. It is unwise and even foolish to glory in the temporary things of the world. There is nothing else worth boasting about but to glory in God.
*“In this world, beauty and riches provide great temptations for us, but when it comes to glorying, we must glory in the LORD. . . Our true treasures wait for us in heaven.” (p. 97)
“Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious” (Psalm 66:2). “The worship services we attend in our churches are designed to pull the focus off of ourselves and onto the God we serve” (p. 57). Believers can glorify God together with one heart and one mouth (Romans 15:6). When you worship, be intentional and keep your focus on the Lord your God. Engage your mind and think about what the words mean.
*“Voices and music can be lifted together in glorious worship.” (p. 97)
We can glorify God by allowing Him to infuse our day “with His strength, His patience, and His love” (p. 66). God can be glorified through shame, insults, sickness, and death. By enduring these things we are promised eternal glory (2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 5:3; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 5:10). We glorify God by telling others about Him as well as sharing our gifts.
*“Our lives are interwoven with those of other believers, and when we use our gifts within the church, God is glorified. What’s more, our lives are interwoven with God’s through the Spirit, and it is His strength and patience and love that allow us to minister to one another.” (p. 97)
“God wants to be a part of (our) normal, ordinary, run of the mill, everyday routines” (p. 74). We glorify God by trusting Him to lead and guide us (Psalm 31:3); through prayer (Psalm 69:13); studying the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 30:14); and by living a peaceful and quiet life (1 Thessalonians 4:11). God is also glorified when He keeps His promises and answers our prayers (2 Corinthians 1:20; John 14:13).
*“As Christians, we aspire to a quiet life and everyday glories, with God as an active participant in our days. When we quiet our hearts and settle our minds, we can hear . . The still, small voice of God leading us in His ways.” (p. 98)
The Scriptures teach us that we must live intentionally and wisely. Barbara Johnson wrote, “don’t let your life speed out of control. Live intentionally. Do something today that will last beyond your lifetime” (p. 82). Colossians 3:2 says we are to “set (our) minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
If we were to make a “to do list” for how to live a life of worship, it might look like this. . “Item number one: Glorify God today. Item number two: Study the Scripture to find out what will please God. Item number three: Obey God” (p. 84). Luci Swindoll wrote “When we ask for wisdom, all kinds of things begin to happen. Things we hadn’t planned on. God comes in like a flood, altering our world - changing the things we once valued, restructuring relationships, taking away this desire and adding that one, putting our priorities in a new alignment. God grows us up!” (p. 85) “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
*“If we are to live for God’s glory, we must set about it in intentional ways. . . We must be wise in our decisions, choosing to set our minds on things above.” (p. 98)
In order to live our lives for God’s glory, we can model our “behavior after two people: Jesus and the English butler. . . Jesus for His focus, His compassion, and His dependence upon the Father. And the butler for his quietness, his readiness to serve, and for his humility” (p. 90).
Our faithfulness brings glory to God. “When the time comes for us to leave this earth and see our Heavenly Father face to face, I hope we can echo the words of Christ” (p. 91). “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4).
*“Our part is that of a servant. Your life is spent entirely for God. Your willingness to serve, your cheerful service, your faithful obedience, your readiness to act on His behalf - all bring glory to His name.” (p. 98)
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