The Greatest Access to God! by Pastor Tim Burt

The Greatest Access to God!

John 4:24 “For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The world is filled with dog lovers. We always had one in our family growing up. Like children, they are a great deal of work. But like little children, they have this incredible innocence and give a great deal of love. When I think of the traits that most people universally love in their dogs, it’s their never ending out pouring of love, their loyalty, and that they absolutely know their masters.

In John chapter four, we read a story about Jesus encountering a Samaritan woman at a well. After engaging in conversation with Jesus, she knew that there was something special about Him. Supposing He was a prophet, she switched gears and began to seek answers to spiritual questions – one of them being, where is the right place where to worship God – our mountain or Jerusalem? Jesus told her that it would soon be understood that it wasn’t about worshiping God in just a place. It was about having a heart attitude of worship – everywhere all the time. He spoke the words of today’s Fresh Manna verse, “For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

I want to say this to you this morning realizing that some of you might not know or understand what I am talking about. What I want to say is this: you will never know God at a level of intimacy that you could unless you learn to worship God.

What is worship and how do we worship God? Books have been written and sermons have been preached on this subject so for me to help you understand in the limited space I have will be difficult, but – the Holy Spirit will continue to help you if you ask Him to.

In today’s Fresh Manna verse, the word worship is the Greek word proskuneo. It means to prostrate oneself in reverence and adoration to. The picture that this word also paints is that of a dog kissing his masters hand. It also paints the picture of a dog wagging its tail and whining for its master’s attention. This is an accurate picture of worship. Not that we are dogs in any sense, but in this way – understanding that dogs know their master. There is never any question about that. Dogs also seek the approval of their master. Dogs want to please their master. Dogs have an attitude of dependency upon their master. And dogs want to be loved by their master.

Whether you understand this or not, everything in this earth was created by God to teach us about Himself. Everything was created to point to God’s magnificence, His power, and His brilliance. Words just cannot properly describe God’s greatness. But, from micro-organisms, to dogs, to the stars and galaxies – they were all created to reveal things to us about God.

Dogs actually help us understand what people often fail to acknowledge – that we all have a master. God is our God. Jesus is our Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to help us know Him and His ways in this earth – and to equip us to live for Him. We worship Him because of who He is. We worship Him because of His love toward us. We worship Him to acknowledge our need for Him to help and instruct and lead us in every thought, action, and facet of life.

When we are willing to humble ourselves to this truth and prostrate ourselves in worship to Him, something happens. Our heart begins to become properly aligned. A right sense of humility and dependency begins to fill our heart. A closeness and intimacy begins to form within us that only causes us to hunger for more. Transformation takes on its greatest thrust within our lives. The word of God begins to open its greatest revelation and deliver greater understanding when we worship God. Strength to obey the leading of the Spirit of God increases and strength of spirit to resist temptation and refrain from fleshly activity surges. Again, transformation takes on its greatest thrust within our lives. All this is a direct benefit of worshipping God.

1 Chron. 16:28-30 says, “O nations of the world, recognize the Lord, recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory He deserves! Bring your offering and come to worship Him. Worship the Lord in all His holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before Him.”

There are many ways we worship the Lord. We worship Him acknowledging that His Word – the Bible is truth. We worship Him in song – whether singing songs of worship written about Him and to Him, or creating our own songs from our heart to worship Him. We worship Him with our tithes and offerings. We worship Him on our knees or when we are prostrate before Him, and when we are not – while we are working. We can worship in quiet places alone, and in all situations at all times as the Holy Spirit helps us and shows us how to worship the Lord.

If we do so out of obligation or duty – it remains empty and meaningless for Him and ourselves. If we do so because we meditate on His glory and spender and love toward us and that love flows from our heart to Him in word, song, and prayer – then He is truly worshipped and we are transformed and lifted up into special places in Him.

If you have never really tried or known how to worship the Lord – don’t let that stop you. Don’t let the awkwardness of your initial efforts stop you. You were created to and it is within your DNA to worship the Lord. It will come easily and naturally in a very short period of time if you are sincere. Open up the Bible to the Psalms and read how David worshipped God. Launch from there and your life and intimacy with the Lord will never be the same!

Psalm 103:1 “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!“

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
http://readfreshmanna.blogspot.com/