Part 4

Driven with Purpose

Vision! Proverbs 29:18; 18 Where there is no vision, the people perish:

Moving Forward! Philippians 3:13; I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing, forgetting what is behind and looking forward to what lies ahead.

5 Main purposes of Church!

1)Prayer

2)Fellowship

3)Teaching

4)Worship

5)Evangelism

Worship! Matthew 22:37-38; 37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38  This is the first and great commandment.

Created to Worship! Isaiah 43:21; 21  This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

It’s a Holy Passion – Holy Passion is a drive, a focus, a commitment, an energy that we direct towards the lord for the purpose of our life and the purpose of others. The core of all holy passion is the love of God!

Power of Passion! John 3:16; 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Worship is Foundational Acts 2:46-47; 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Worship is total submission to God!

Worship should be the foundation of every believer!

Worship is not an add-on or dispensable!

It should be the in the heart of every believer and Church!

Surrender of my will and emotions to God, Total submission!

Mind and thoughts! 2 Corinthians 10:5-6; 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Living the Life! Romans 12:1-2; Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Why Praise God? Colossians 1:12-14; 12  giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14  in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Its Gods will to praise Him 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; 16  Rejoice always, 17  pray without ceasing, 18  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

What will Praise do

Release God’s Strength! Nehemiah 8:9-10- 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

It will change the way you talk! Psalms 34:1- 1  I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Praise will stop the enemy Psalms 8:1-2- 1  O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who set Your glory above the heavens! 2  Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

Power of Praise! Acts 16:18-34; 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.  27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. KJV

Praise will release what is in Gods hand. James 1:16-17; 16  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Praising God will satisfy you. Psalms 103:2-5; 2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3  Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, 4  Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5  Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

How to be a Worshiper? Ps 100:1-5; 1  Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!2  Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing. 3  Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Which one are you? Luke 17:11-19-TEN LEPERS; 12  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13  And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14  So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16  and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17  So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18  “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19  And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (NKJ)

WORSHIP IS A CHOICE!