Devotions and Prayers

Worship

"For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2)

For the Christian, everything begins and ends with worship. Whatever interferes with one's personal worship of God needs to be properly dealt with and dismissed. Keep in mind that above all else, worship is an attitude, a state of mind and a sustained act. It is not a physical attitude, but an inward act of the heart toward God. The mighty bestowment of God Almighty upon us who trust in Him is that we might be worshipers. Unfortunately, we have become everything else but worshipers. Sin robs God of this pristine pleasure of worship from those created in His image. Through the miracle of the new birth our alienation with God has been done away with; and through His atonement we have become friends of God and have been brought back again into the sphere of worship. Each day is a special call for all of us to worship God.

Awake, my soul to joyful lays,
And sing thy great Redeemer's praise.

My heavenly Father, I begin today in joyful worship. Thou hast called me, and I answer Thee in praise and adoration. In Jesus' name, amen.

~A. W. Tozer~
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Praise All The Day Long

"And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of right praise all the day long" (Psalm 35:28)

Worship embodies a number of spiritual and emotional factors. Worship is to feel in the heart I do not apologize for using the word "feel." As Christians we are not to be people without feelings. I certainly do not think we should follow our feelings alone, but I believe that if there is no feeling in our hearts, then we are dead.

Certainly, there is danger in relying only upon feelings.

If you woke up one morning with no feeling in your arm at all, you would call a doctor, because anything without feeling you can be quite sure is dead.

Real worship is, among other things, a feeling in the heart that is appropriately expressed. You can worship God in any manner appropriate to you by feeling in the heart and expressing that humbling but delightful sense of admiring love. Let your heart dictate your worship to the God you love, and who loves you.

Soon, the delightful day will come
When my dear Lord will bring me home,
And I shall see His face.

Oh, come, dear Lord, and fill my heart with blessed desire for Thee. I left my heart anticipating the shining of Thy blessed face. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~
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The Love of God

Our Father which art in heaven, we Thy children are often troubled in mind, hearing within us at once the affirmations of faith, and the accusations of conscience. We are sure that there is in us nothing that could attract the love of One as holy and as just as Thou art. Yet Thou hast declared Thine unchanging love for us in Christ Jesus. If nothing in us can win Thy love, nothing in the universe can prevent Thee from loving us. Thy love is uncaused and undeserved. Thou art Thyself the reason for the love wherewith we are loved. Help us to believe the intensity, the eternity of the love that has found us. Then love will cast out fear; and our troubled hearts will be at peace, trusting not in what we are but in what Thou hast declared Thyself to be. Amen
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A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

~Martin Luther~

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sided.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.