TRUE WORSHIP

TRUE WORSHIP

Recently, I experienced an overwhelming sense of frustration in the midst of a so-called WORSHIP SERVICE. The praise and worship leader seemed more interested in showcasing her considerable repertoire of songs, with lyrics generally unknown or unfamiliar to the congregation. This was presented in a painfully l-o-o-n-n-g format, and in a manner designed to highlight her singing ability, more so than to render heartfelt praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

To be perfectly candid, even though I have been in church all of my life and have participated in thousands and thousands of services, I was shocked and appalled by this rank display of IDOLATRY. People of God, anytime we fail to provide paramount praise and glory to GOD (instead of to ourselves), it is indeed an act of idolatry.

Eventually, the guest preacher was presented. He rambled on and on for twenty minutes or so, then read a scripture text in a decidedly ‘obligatory’ fashion, never to really return to it or to present what the Holy Spirit would have intended as a vehicle of information and inspiration for the saints. He was grossly unprepared, had nothing to say, yet did so for a l-o-o-o-n-n-g period of time. There was a ‘blessed quietness’ in the house.

Afterwards, the Pastor admonished those in attendance that “we had lost our Amens.” My mind was reeling as I thought silently: “AMEN…to what?”

Nevertheless, the altar was filled and the Holy Spirit ministered to God’s people. The bottom-line of this service was that some souls were encouraged or edified as they sought God for themselves during an extended time of altar prayer. But ALL of this was in no way, shape, or form connected to this completely discombobulated and disjointed service, or its disorderly leaders. Undoubtedly, our God is sovereign and He reigns in power and majesty, so often in spite of us.

However, I left the church wondering: ‘What would have been the result IF there had been a TRUE WORSHIP experience, where the praise leader was more focused on lifting the Savior (instead of herself), where the preacher was prepared and anointed, where there was actual ORDER in the HOUSE OF GOD, and where JESUS CHRIST was truly exalted?’

It is high time for the institutional church to wake up and to realize the lateness of the hour. CHRIST IS SOON TO RETURN! Therefore, the stakes are much too high to shoot-from-the-hip. We no longer have time to play church games, or to ego-trip, or to fail (abjectly) to approach our God-ordained callings and ministries with the sobriety and faithfulness that HE requires of us.

Our mandate is most aptly described by JESUS CHRIST, Himself:

John 4:23-24
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

People of God, let’s return to TRUE WORSHIP. Let’s stop elevating ourselves and playing church. Let’s start exalting The Risen Savior, JESUS CHRIST. Sister and brothers, be continually blessed!