GOD DESPISES HALF- HEARTED WORSHIP

THOSE WHO KNOW THEIR GOD Part 45

“Those who know their God will be strong and do great things.” Dan 11:32

WHAT DO PEOPLE DO TO KNOW GOD?

God is all about communion with us! More than anything, he wants to bless us, and it is during our times of intimacy with him that he can download into us the glory of who he is! To God, true worship is much more than singing a song or lifting our hands; it is a life of surrender to his precious leading.

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

True and proper worship pleasing to God is a life where self-trust and all self-will are crucified and where we lived utterly dependent upon him. Complete trust in God opens the door for God to bless and anoint us with all that he is. This is his greatest desire! This is why God does not like half-hearted worship. Jesus spoke to the apostle John regarding lukewarm worship; here’s what he said.

Revelation 3:15-16 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Because God’s greatest desire is to bless us, lukewarm Christianity is something he despises. Lukewarm speaks of the pursuit of a righteousness that is based upon self and good works. Lukewarm is when we have things in our lives that are more important than our relationship with God. When there is something we value more than God (including our desire and striving to feel right about ourselves), it hinders God from fulfilling his greatest longing – blessing us with all that he is. God knows that only faith (complete dependence upon Him) can tap us into the abundant life Jesus came to give us.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second is like it; love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27  Loving God with intensity like that is not possible unless God lives his life through us. I love that Scripture because it speaks of what God longs for us to know – a love that is so deep and so precious that it consumes everything we are – heart, soul, mind, and strength!

Becoming utterly dependent upon God is a process. Learning how to fly for the baby Eagle is also a process. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not flying perfectly at this point – none of us are! God has allowed the body of Christ to go through many struggles so that it can learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

My dearest partner in Christ, now that you understand what lukewarm is really about, I think you will see clearly why…

GOD DESPISES HALF- HEARTED WORSHIP