Worship Devotional LV
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 1/2/2021.
Worship Devotional for 1/3/21
~ New Year's Day ~
What are your goals for this year? What are you waiting, hoping, or striving for? Do you approach the year with anticipation and excitement for new and good things to come, or do you feel only sorrow and disappointment and cynicism in the face of the bleak reality of all the difficult things that have gone on this past year and are still going on now? Are we focusing on ourselves and any idols we have allowed our hearts to turn to, or are we setting our hearts and minds on Christ?
There is both a time to rejoice and a time to grieve in this life. Whether we feel hopeful or sorrowful at the thought of another year ahead, there is purpose in both. If we experience grief and sorrow, let it be godly grief that results in repentance and faith in God. If we experience joy and eagerness for the future, let it be in the true hope that we have in Jesus and not in the lies and deceptive pleasures of the world. I find myself often conflicted, because I know that I have been forever redeemed and changed by the power of the living God who loved me and gave His own Son to die for me, but I also am constantly aware of my desperate need for sanctification by the Holy Spirit, to be cleansed from the wickedness and sin that lingers in my flesh. This year and every year, may we make it our resolution to bring God true praise in everything, with whatever circumstances and experiences we may face.
True praise and worship is offered in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24), and is focused on Christ, for He alone is worthy of all honor and glory and praise. This week we start the year off with a reminder that our times of praise and worship are not about just singing a song, or hearing a word or even merely feeling the weight of the truth deep inside, but about being changed from the inside out by the Spirit of God as we give glory to the One who is worthy with our voices, hearts, minds, and souls. As we grieve over our sins in a godly manner which moves us to repentance, we turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, fix our eyes on Him, and rejoice in the hope we have in Him. May we offer the truest praise of a humble and repentant heart toward God, set our hearts completely on Him to worship Him in spirit and in truth, and rejoice in the sure and eternal hope we have in Him.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10:
"Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn't experience any loss from us. For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death."
Romans 5:1-5:
"Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proved character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Here are the songs:
1) My Truest Praise by Jon Guerra
Psalm 51:15-17:
"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. You do not want sacrifice, or I would give it; You are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart."
We can get complacent sometimes with the way we meet as a church. We come in Sunday morning and sing songs and hear a message, and then we leave and go about our worldly activities the rest of the week. We all have heard and know that worship and praise is not only offered in our singing, but in how we live out every aspect of our lives. We know that it is about God and not about us. But all this hearing and knowing means nothing if it doesn't move us to action. Praising God is more than a word heard clearly, or a truth felt deeply, or a song sung sweetly with a crowd. True praise comes from a repentant heart. It is a lifestyle of repentance that produces fruit in our lives that glorifies God and not us. That is what pleases and praises God. May repentance be our truest praise.
2) The Heart Of Worship by Matt Redman
Repentance means turning away from our sin and turning toward the Lord. It involves a change in our minds and hearts, where our way of thinking is changed from self-focused and self-serving to focusing on, serving, and fearing God. As we begin a new year, may we look to the Lord and not ourselves. This is the heart of our worship gatherings. May we come together as one with our hearts prepared to worship God in spirit and truth.
3) All Glory Be To Christ by Dustin Kensrue
With another God-glorifying song based on the classic New Year's tune of "Auld Lang Syne", we declare as we turn our hearts to the Lord in repentance that all glory belongs to Jesus Christ. We don't sing to proclaim our strength or glory or ability, for that is hardly worth even mentioning. The rule and reign of Christ is worth not only mentioning, but surrendering ourselves completely for! His works stand forever, He has saved us from our sins, and in Him alone do we have hope for all eternity.
4) Christ Our Hope In Life And Death by Keith & Kristyn Getty
We conclude our set with this modern-day hymn that says no matter what comes, we will always have hope in Jesus. Let us sing, hallelujah! Our hope springs eternal! Christ is our hope both in life and in death. We can face this year with hope no matter what happens next, because our hope is in Jesus, who overcame death and who reigns forever and ever!
Scripture references:
1 Samuel 15:22
Psalms 19, 51, 81, 95, 127
Isaiah 55
Jeremiah 7:21-26
Lamentations 3:21-26
Matthew 3
John 4:23-24, 6:22-58, 7:37-39
Romans 2, 5:1-11, 12:1-2
2 Corinthians 7:6-11
Colossians 3:1-17
Hebrews 3-4, 12:1-2
James 1 (esp. vv. 21-25), 4:13-17
1 John 1:5-2:2