Devotions & Worship

Disciplines of the Chrisitian Life:

Devotions and Worship

The goal of a follower, or disciple, is to become more like the person being followed. Therefore, as Christ’s disciples we should work to become more like him. There are a few basic disciplines that lead us toward spiritual maturity in our walk with Christ. In the next two weeks we’ll be going over some of the essential training that should be a part of your daily walk with Christ.

Devotions (also called quiet time)

·         Devotions are a discipline because they require time and effort (to do and to remain engaged).

·         What ought a devotion to include?

Bible reading

1.      Determine a specific time and place. Make sure your spot is free from distractions.

2.      Begin with prayer. Ask God to help you understand the meaning of the passage and how it can apply to your life.

3.      Read according to a plan or schedule—well, not always.

§  Suggestions:

·         Start in Genesis, Job, or Matthew

·         Use an EC, Journey, Stand Firm

·         There’s an APP for that. J

4.      Read a portion that’s comfortable for you, maybe 1-3 chapters. Don’t feel like you have the finish the book in one session!

5.      Take notes as you read—well, maybe you’re a note taker, maybe you’re not.

§  Find one thing you can get out of it.

§  Highlight/underline important verses.

§  Write down questions and comments to study further or discuss with someone else.

§  Note verses you’d like to memorize.

Prayer

1.      We already discussed the discipline of prayer. Remember:

a.       To approach prayer cognizant of whom you’re speaking with but remember He’s your friend.

b.      To pray continually (anytime, any place, any length).

c.       To check your motives. He already knows where your heart is; he just wants you to open it to Him.

2.      Use the ACT format:

Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication

3.      Start a prayer list. White board by your door—pray when entering, leaving, and everytime you pass it in between.

Worship

Worship Explained

·         What is worship? Focusing on and responding to God.

·         Worship is the act of displaying the worth or value of someone or something.

·         Any activity whereby believers display the worth or value of God.

·         Worship is the “boiling over” of a heart filled with praise and adoration for who God is and what he has done.

o   Psalm 95:6—O come… you are invited, never forced.

o   John 9:37-37—I believe! And he worshiped him… as our testimony.

o   Matthew 4:10—Serve only Him… our devotion.

·         Worship isn’t about US at all! Most people focus on getting something out of the worship service. Instead, we should come with the intention of giving our worship to God.

Worship Expressed

·         How can we worship?

·         Most people think of Sunday morning service when they think of worship. This is an important time because the primary purpose of a meeting church is to worship God.

·         However, a church can worship by preaching, singing, giving, praying, and serving.

·         We do worship independently and personally (Luke 5:16, Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer).

·         Whatever means we use to worship God, it must be done according to John 4:24.

Remember, worship is DEFILED when it is casual or lax. Empty worship is worse than no worship at all. The form of worship and the attitude of the worshiper are equally important.