TRUE WORSHIPPERS

23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Jesus said ... '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. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.' (John 4:23-24) I’m sure we all read this verse before, but how many of us actually do what it says? Do you know how to worship God in spirit and truth? Are you sure God accepts your current form of worship? church, we are living in the end times of earth's history and satan is doing all he can to deceive God's children and cause them to compromise their faith. But if we worship God according to the Spirit and the truth of His Word, then we will not be deceived by the evil one.

If there are true worshippers, then there are also false worshippers
There is only one way to worship, and God revealed from the beginning that He demands worship in a certain way when He accepted Abel's worship, but rejected Cain's. So we know that this is a very important issue, and a message that needs our full attention and understanding. If at this moment you don't know what this means or how to worship God in spirit and truth, then please pray first and ask God to give you wisdom and to open your eyes and heart to His Bible truth.

Why do we Worship God?
We worship God because He created us through and by Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. We worship God because He has freed us from the penalty of our sins, through the sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We worship God because of the promise of eternal life with Him, if we serve Him with all our heart, mind and soul. We worship God because He comforts us in times of distress. We worship God because of His unfailing love for each and every one of us. He loves us with a love that goes far beyond anything we know. Friend, we have an amazing God and He deserves all the glory and honour and praise and exaltation we can give Him. This is why He needs us to worship Him in spirit and truth and not just in any old way.

... The TRUE worshippers, worship our Heavenly Father in spirit and in truth. This doesn't mean just going to church once a week, singing some songs and listening to a sermon. This issue of worship goes much deeper in ourselves. This isn't about us. It's not what WE want to do; it's what God wants us to do according to His Word. Notice it says that 'God is a Spirit'. Think about it, He is an infinite Spirit being and is not subject to the limitations of material things. He's not concerned with where we worship Him or the type of building we worship in, how nice the building is, or how good the church band is. He is just concerned with how we worship Him. He is a Spirit and seeks those who worship Him in spirit. Notice also that He 'seeks' those who worship in spirit, which means He does not accept just any type of worship. So how do we worship God in spirit and truth?

Worship God in Spirit
Worshiping God in spirit means we worship Him from the heart. Do you remember the first and greatest Bible Commandment that Jesus gave? ... Mark 12:30 ...'And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.’... Most Christians will be happy to quote this Bible verse, but how many of us really does what it says? Just as the Bible verse in John says that we MUST worship God in spirit and truth, this verse in Mark COMMANDS us to love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. This verse means we must give our all to Him; all our time, all our money and possessions, all of ourselves. Not just some, but ALL. Now I'm not saying you need to hand all your money over to the poor and become poor yourself. I'm saying that we need to spend our money to further God's Kingdom FIRST, before we go out and spend it on ourselves. We hand it all over to God and ask Him to use it according to His will.

If someone were to tell you at the end of today that it was your last, would you be happy that you gave it all for Christ? How much time did you spend with Him in prayer and Bible study? Did you really worship Him in spirit and truth? Could you leave this life knowing confidently that you gave your all for Him? I doubt that most of us would have this confidence. This is why we need the Word of God in the Bible to guide us in all truth through His Spirit.

1 Chronicles 28:9 ...'And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.'

Revelation 2:23 ...'and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.'

God knows exactly what is going on in your heart. Do you see from the above Bible verses why Jesus commands us to worship Him in spirit and truth? Singing in church isn't the sole definition of true worship. Singing to God in church is a small part of our worship, but true worship in spirit goes much deeper. God searches your heart to see what you are really thinking and feeling. Do you give your heart in complete devotion to Christ each and every day? Is He on your mind constantly? He should be friend. True worship in spirit is to keep Christ in your heart and mind each day; to devote every thought to Him; to praise and glorify Him with all your heart and soul each day; to humbly devote all your time, possessions and self to Him as a living sacrifice each and every day ... Romans 12:1 ...'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.'

Worship God in Truth
Worshipping God in truth means to worship Him according to His Word in the Bible ...

 John 17:17 ...'Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.' ..
Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

We have an example in the Bible of how spiritual, Heavenly beings worship God?

Isaiah 6:1-3 ...'In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.'

Revelation 4:8-11 ...'And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.'

These beasts are heavenly beings, and how do they worship God? They do not rest day or night in worshiping God. And yet many people believe it is enough to worship God once a week in church! The twenty four elders are people who have been redeemed from the earth. We know this because they have crowns of righteousness and white robes. These elders throw themselves to the floor and cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus. Friend, we need to start really appreciating what He has done for us and worship Him in the same manner as the Heavenly beings above, in spirit and in truth.
Psalms 89:7 ...'God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.'

Hebrews 12:28-29 ...'let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.'

We must come to worship our Heavenly Father with Godly fear and reverence, which as we can see from Hebrews above, is the acceptable way to worship God. We should be in the right frame of mind to worship our Lord in spirit and truth.

True worship to God in spirit and truth requires commitment ... Matthew 10:37 ...'He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.’... God MUST come first in our everyday lives. If anyone or anything comes before God, then that becomes our god. We must give God our full commitment. It's no good giving Him worship once a week, we must do it every day and every hour of every day. Friend, please don't forget, this is the Creator God, who wants to give to each and every one of us eternal life. A life so amazing that no person can even imagine! He deserves nothing short of complete devotion ... Matthew 4:10 ...'Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.'

1 Samuel 12:24 ...'Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.'

Psalm 25:5 ...'Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.'

Psalm 86:11 ...'Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.'

2 Timothy 2:15 ...'Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’... We MUST walk in the truth of God's Word in the Bible and worship in spirit and all truth.

We must remember the day of Pentecost? The apostles relied on God to draw people. They did not rely on worldly music? They did not rely on putting on a show? They did not rely on telling a few jokes? But they preached the true Word of God and let the Holy Spirit to do its work in drawing three thousand people to God in one day.

Our worship to The Almighty Creator shouldn't stop when we walk out of the church building, it should carry on in our everyday lives. It should never stop! Every waking hour of our lives should be spent in full devotion to our Heavenly Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. Give your all to Him and study His Word each day, so that you may know how He wants you to worship Him. Remember, it's not what YOU want, it's what GOD wants. Will you heed the truth of God's Word and worship Him in spirit and truth? Psalm 34:1 ...'I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.'