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Matthew 4:10 – Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" (NIV)
I love worshipping God. It's good to come among a group of like-minded people and sing together our praises of God. Being with church family week after week gives me the strength, encouragement, and challenges to face whatever takes place during the next seven days. Without church, I don't know how I could live. Without worship, I don't think that I would have any faith, hope, or love.
Worship to outsiders looks like a dull, religious thing. They don't understand the positive power and unique experience that being in God's house each week creates. They think that many worshippers are weak, unintelligent, and misguided people. They don't know about the spiritual pull that God gives to His people to come together to be with Him. It's a mysterious event where folks are drawn together by the bidding of the Holy Spirit and brought into the favourable, sacred presence of God. I think that it's a unique experience on earth because it is a foretaste of the joys we will know in heaven, when we finally join with the church triumphant in glorifying God forevermore.
Going to worship on a regular basis does not make us superior Christians, but it does build up our faith in Christ and our love of God. Worship helps us to humbly come before God to praise His name, to seek His forgiveness, and to look for His guidance. It's a filling station for empty spirits; it's a sacred haven for troubled souls.
When Christ confronted the devil about worship, He plainly and effectively stated that worship was meant to be directed toward God only. There is no other object of our worship; there is no other being that we are meant to focus upon. When we worship God, we are fulfilling our destiny and our purpose, as well as the meaning of our lives. We are created to worship God, so we are at our most complete when we come to church as believers and worshippers, as well as pilgrims and disciples seeking and receiving His love.
Questions for personal reflection:
What does worship mean to me? How do I humbly serve God through regular worship?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are called to worship Your Father, our Creator, to serve His purposes, and to find meaning in His kingdom. Thank You for boldly confronting the devil by declaring what true worship is. Help us to humbly and authentically worship God each day of our lives, as well as with Your gathered people. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.
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Thursday, September 21, 2023 – Worldwide — International Day of Prayer for Peace — Pray for our brothers and sisters in so many countries in the world where they are being persecuted, imprisoned, and killed for their faith. Pray that their faith will stand strong in the face of adversity.
Broken friendship-CB: "September 21,2023. Please pray for the restoration of a lifelong friendship. Their friendship has..." 
Please pray for Shawn: "September 21, 2023. Shawn has struggled to breathe for many years and is in the hospital again..." 
Mrs--a former devotional writer: "September 21,2023. I humbly request healing prayers, I am having some very serious health problems..." 
Amen John.
Thank you John.
Thank you for reminding us, John, about the chief end of man — to glorify God and enjoy Him forever — with extreme emphasis on the “enjoy”.
I find it quite amazing that I always recognize your daily devotional within the first paragraph without seeing your name at the bottom of the devotional. I really appreciate your messages.
Your meditation on the Daily Devotional page today re worship hit the nail on the head. I plan to share it at the “children’s time” where the average age of the congregants is about 75.
(NB)
John,
This is how I felt this morning. We had wonderful time of worship with a great preacher. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Thanks.’
(BC)
Wow, what amazing timing as our Women’s Missionary Society will be conducting a service and I have helped. I have been fussing and fretting. Your words have really helped me to focus and calm down. It is all about worshiping our God and I believe God has used you this morning to help me.
Thanks be to God.
What a great way to describe worship and how it makes one feel! Worshiping with other like-minded people gathered in one place gives a person a sense of oneness and renewal not found anywhere else! Added to that is the feeling that as we worship God, our soul is filled with the true joy of being in contact/communication with our Heavenly Father!
Do continue to write.
God bless.
Thank you so much for this devotional today. I LOVE attending and participating in worship. My husband has been quite ill and had started to improve. Today, he is slipping back. I have decided that I really do need to worship and am going to go to church.
I feel guilty about leaving him but you nailed it when you said that worship is most important to us as Christians.
Thank you.
Dear John: Of all the everyday Devotions that begin my days some bear a broader and more practical and meaningful significance for me than others. Yours happens to be one of them. I wish your words composing this morning’s topic of Worship could have been addressed from the pulpit in the sanctuary where I worship with others of like mind.
To worship? For no other reason than according to the very first words of the Holy Bible, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
Those two composing and enjoying our human home until the faithful believers receive their eternal rewards. Thank you, John.
So beautiful, I really loved your Devotional! And, I have heard that turtle lovers are really nice people.
A great devotional John I know when I miss a Sunday the next week feels empty. Thanks.
Hello John,
I appreciated this devotional about the beauty and blessing of worship. From a leadership perspective, I think it is easy to miss this aspect of worship as we get caught up in presenting good material and atmosphere to help others worship. After thirty-five years in ministry, I find I am learning more and more about the real value of worship. Thank-you for your thoughts and expressions.
May God continue to bless your writing. I often find your devotionals very helpful and meaningful.