What is worship? Really?

Do a word study. Look up/read every appearance of the word in the Bible.

Hint: Often done alone and at times prostrate.:wavey:

 

Worship in its simplest definition is the glorification of God by His children. It's not just the music. It's the preaching, the offering, the prayer, and the fellowship. If we are trying to get something out of worship for ourselves, like the "warm fuzzies" or an "experience with God" we're there for the wrong reason. Worship is for God and God alone. It's great if you get those feelings, but it's not like I'm going to listen to the sermon and make some deep theological connection that makes me feel like I'm on the edge of understanding God's purpose for everything.

We worship God by song, sure. And various people have various opinions about how song should be conducted and how it should be implemented. Some people want to sing 1600s Gregorian chants. Some people want to wave their hands and clap to the latest Christian rock. I personally prefer hymns. I believe God gets worship out of all of it if it's done correctly. However, any style of song can become less about God and more about man if implemented incorrectly. I often don't like contemporary Christian music's similarity to secular music, but it's just as bad to sing 50 verses of Just as I Am and not mean it, or to make it about the choir or the praise band, what have you. It must remain focused on God.

We worship with giving our tithes to God. I saw a CNN article recently that said most religious leaders don't believe the Bible specifies we must give to God. Certainly not! It is a commandment to give to the church and missions and the poor. Done in God's name, it is worship to God. Glad giving is one of the pinnacles of worship. Recall the poor woman's two pennies?

We worship listening to the sermon. We learn from God's word, and hearing it taught and expounded. If everyone falls asleep, then it's not very good worship, is it? You may not be moved by the Spirit (though you certainly can be!) but learning and growing as a Christian glorifies God.

We worship through prayer--I'd wager prayer is one of the most important ways, because instead of singing lyrics someone else wrote, we say what we want to say to God. Again, it must be done properly. Reciting chants or prayers and doing it emptily is likely not worship--it's just a person saying something. Praying to God by pouring out your heart, whether it's emotional or not, is worshiping God. We praise, thank and intercede during prayer. It's commanded of us.

Worship of God extends beyond Sunday morning. It even extends beyond Sunday night and Wednesday night. We worship God during our daily devotional. We worship God in our own prayers. We worship God by being a light in the world in our daily lives. All of this is worshiping God.

To answer your other question, you have to like and want to do what you're doing to worship God. If you hate the music, you're going to tune it out, not sing it, or just go through the motions. You're not worshiping God. That's why you need a church that worships with you. If you can't stand the pastor, you aren't going to be edified. It's important to be in a body of believers that worships in a way you can worship God and not be distracted or bored. It's not a sin to like a style of worship, be it music, sermon, or Sunday school, over another.

 

Good topic, I've wondered myself, do we truly experience pure worship in our services. I think individually we can, but corporately we probably do not. We can have great spirit filled services and experiences, but we will probably never know what it really is like to truly WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH, this side of heaven.

I like this verse, this is where true worship starts.

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:15-17 KJV

 

True worship is a lifestyle not an event...

 

I don't think you are alone. The problem is that the answer is just too simple for many and for many of the same many it is just too confining and sadly very few pastors understand what it is themselves. Listen to what the Lord says;
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

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.

Notice that Worship is not done in a place or done because of pre-set singing or liturgy it is not about prayer, not what we give or fellowship. All those things the lost can do and they are not acepted as worshippers. True worship is done only by true worshipers and it is only done by them when done in spirit and truth.

So first let's look at what spirit is. In John 6:63 it says;
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.

So first the person has to be a believer, brought about by the word of God. That is spirit, we must first be saved.
Second what about truth;
Titus 1:1
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness.

So a true worshipper is anyone who is born again (John 6:63) and they worship according to godliness by the word of God with their lives, or how they live (titus 1:1)

Worship is not raising our hands falling on our knees, singing, or any other thing. Worship is living our lives as holy unto the Lord. Yes while we are worshipping with our lives we can sing, raise hands and fall on our knees, as being part of a true worshipper, but unless our lives are godly those things are not accepted as the Father only seeks and accepts those who worship in spirit and truth, not just spirit. Worship is how we live. So if a person s not saved they are not a true worshipper and are rejected. If they are saved and not living godly their worshp is not accepted as God seeks those who worship in spirit and truth.

 

We worship God by putting Him first. Think of how people worship money or sex or food. Those things become idols in their lives. God is jealous of our affections and we are to love Him above everything else. We show this by our behavior and attitudes. Jesus said there are 2 commandments: love God with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. If we do these, we are worshiping God.

 

Bravo Amy!!!!!!!!!!!! When we get those two things right everything is right!:love2::thumbs::love2::thumbs:

 

True that.

 

Jkdbuck76, most people don't consider this but Tithing is a form of worship.

While there is probably a much more eloquent definition of worship than what I can provide, to me, worship is doing for the Lord that, which makes Him pleased with us.

Just as little children often make an effort to seek that word of praise and appreciation from their parents, we should follow their example.

 

I wish I could remember the source of this: "Worship is telling God the truth about himself."

I think it could also be telling each other the truth about God.

 

This is one of the best questions I've read today. In my humbled opinion Worship is the highest form of Loving there is. It's absolute dedication. It's servitude, It’s forsaking everything for the object of your affection. Of course it's praising and praying and it is also complete dependence. It's forgiving and forgiveness. It's all of these things and more.
MB

 

A modern fallacy is that true worship revolves around the "church". Listening to a sermon is not Biblical worship. Worship is as individual as salvation. It is the individual expression of love, adoration & gratitude toward God.