Our society is at the risk of putting certain worldly material goods as a means for guaranteeing happiness, and as many individuals advance in years, our jobs can become the leverage of something that we worship, because of the benefit that are derived from the security, the awareness is been taken up by employers, and used as a key area of initiative. Low earners who pay basic rate tax also find themselves caught up in the misconception.
The question of what we worship is more akin to the exchange rate of what gives us better value for our interest, going to a rock concert to make a person's favorite rock star a deity, is a form of worship, screaming, shouting, giving heartfelt applause and getting involved as loud as it is justified, makes a person utterly convince that spiritual adoration is duly deserved.
Rather than paying homage to man, we actually should pray to God, that is who we should worship, our priorities should not be so conscious, that we make earthly individuals who gives us a moments pleasure the centre of all our dedication. With so many things in our lives demanding our attention, much care is needed not to be distracted and fall into lowering our standards, by exchanging our responsibility for what appears to be a brief enlightenment.
However, The early Christians would gather in believer's homes for prayer and worship, it would be a place where wisdom and knowledge was imparted for those in search of spiritual truth with receptive hearts, and if it were possible, certain individuals would be reading from the scroll of Isaiah, but to their credit, the apostles did not go around with new translations of the bibles that we now have at our disposal, they had firsthand experience of been with the savior, their pattern of worship seemed to have been part of a normal daily procedure of the early church.
Combining their strength together, they were united in faith and purpose, increasing in numbers, and going daily to the temple for worship with gladness and sincerity of heart, their working relationship guaranteed hospitably to each other presented in a and generous social manner, they invested in each other's company, by eating and drinking at each other's home, rendering a clear understanding that they were in complete harmony with each other.
It follows, that their daily pattern had included joining with the other believers, to make a conscious effort to devote themselves to the apostle's teachings, and in doing so; they shared in a more organized assembly and fellowship with each other, and sharing in the Lord's Supper in the atmosphere of prayer. Acts 2:42
Worship is forming a basis for communication with God, expressing different impressions of heartfelt styles, showing gratitude and reverence to God who is worthy to be praised, from daily dawn to sunset, the name of the lord is worthy to be praised, worship can be express in the form of singing, reading scriptures, lively testimonies, musical renditions, poetry and giving of financial resources, worship can also be consisted of praise and adoration offered by individuals privately or in public gathering.
Worship in the Old Testament, was distinctly different from the modern day formal improvisation, but the quality of worship that is offered to God should be largely based upon our relationship with God, some areas of worship are of a more personal nature, while others are less imposing and more in keeping with traditional rites.
New Testament believers promoted the practice of worship and renewal based upon a relationship, rather than making their Allegiance to God through the observance of religious effigies, or the prospect of following cultist figures, their worship was borne out of hearts filled with the Holy Spirit, and consecrated for service. In terms of competitiveness with other church believers, that prospect was almost none existence, because there was only one church, later it was purely down to chance when the persecution started, the gospel began spreading widely.
Worshipping God is an individual's personal choice, with reference drawn from the bible, however, God does not suggest that we worship the bible, but to reverence the word that became flesh and lives among us, God should ultimately be the focus of our interest, the word is Jesus who is our assured linked to the father, and as we worship God, Jesus becomes the central theme of the bible, the bible brings us to a deeper understanding of who God is and what is expected of us, we use its inspired contents as administration helps and government.
There is much confusion in the religious world today concerning how we auth to worship God. With over 500 different religious denominations, error and confusion are inevitable, God is supreme, and there is none other to whom we should pay homage. The Samaritans may have worship with some ignorance in decade of past history, but Jesus quickly corrected the woman he met at the well, by redirecting her to the real cause for worship.
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. John 4:22
What does it mean to worship God? It means to engage our heart in the word, a spiritual aspiration, which involves anointed hearts sharing with others the discovery of unique a fellowship, in this instance, there are no grand prizes to be won, only the further establishment of a greater recommendation, God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:24.
A large chunk of the scriptures makes this point abundantly clear, that Our Christian heritage will always seek to encourage worship from a tender age growing to transforming adulthood, where prayers and emotions are more deeply understood within the prepared path of the soul.
What does it mean to worship God, this would clearly be a reference to communication, practice and procedures, the misconception we have is that from time to time people will worship what appears to be representation of God, be it angels, or biblical forms of spiritual representation, for example, the worship of Baal, the groves, graven images, made from gold, silver, wood and stone, the work of mans handicraft, people sometimes worship well known figures, such as movie stars, musicians, court judges and other political figures who have contributed substantial increase of wealth to a country.
However, the bible speaks about God in reverence as the Supreme Being, regarding not the existence of any other form of gods but he, the first command says thou shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3 setting out instructional standards that we are to give the most earnest heed to, particularly in the light of the rising new age movement who have targeted nave believers.
The Samaritans had for a long time, believed they should worship God on Mt. Gerizim, near Nablus, instead of Jerusalem, the validity of their claims was wrong, God can be worship from any location, while the Jews anticipated a much lofty heights, and they understood from historical accounts, that in Jerusalem should be the place of worship.
Jesus had to make the assumption clearer. "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem, John 4:21
Jesus said the time was coming when mankind would embrace a different kind of worship, and it would truly be heartfelt, unconditionally, without falling back into the traditions of history, perhaps without bibles, and possibly with only the clothes they have on their backs, with many new worshippers emerging from designated continents, their immigration status will press them into other countries, where traditions will have very little loyalties.
With certain form of freedom, many different individuals would worship God not because of any specific location, but in plight of their given community condition, their circumstances will call for true worshippers to worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
To worship God from the heart, simply means using your complete inner spirit, with no half measures, this worship is directed according to God's word. Old Testament method of worshipping was different from the model we find in the New Testament, where the emphasizes is place more strongly on the heart, than in the elements of symbolic shadows, old testament worshipping of God was physical in nature without true remedy for the forgiveness of sin.
The Law with its strict code of worship was only a school master of better things to come, Jesus in his sacrifice for mankind made a better way, both by the cross and the example he gave us. Christ was the shadow of better things to come, today in worshipping God; it's more in keeping with the immediate context of the apostles doctrine.
The book of Isaiah is truly an enlightenment of messianic prophecies, bringing glad tidings of great joy to all the people of Israel, this worship would involve consecration and rededication of individual believers, and these meetings held spontaneous heart respond to the Holy Spirit, the apostle's lives were centered on a call to duty.
The bible is a light to lighten our paths, worship means to meditate in God's word, so the holy scriptures comes alive into our spirit, when we are feeling down, we can always turn to the psalms to find a suitable song or a verse of scripture for consolation, and those in desperate need of comfort, will find a balm for their wounds, all the way through the bible the Holy Ghost is the unseen person speaking to the hearts of mankind with sweetest of inspirations, sometimes in songs and at other times in allegories, examples of historical encounters and of course prophecy.
But, not all worship is accepted by God, some worship is devoid of spirituality, Based entirely on traditions of men, while completely ignoring the scriptures, you may find it hard to believe, but there are people who can also worship God without involving their heart, the scriptures records how the Greeks worship ignorantly, saluting the unknown God. Acts 17:22 they did not retain God in their spirit, but self imposing religion upon themselves.
God is looking for worshippers who will engage their heart, soul and body into fellowship with him, people who are not afraid to launch out into deep supplication, who do not have the desire to follow carnal practices, and not limited to one special place, unhurried by time, but feel secure in their faith.