WHY DO WE WORSHIP?

Here at Deep Waters, we place an enormous emphasis on worshipping the Lord. Why? Because it's cool? Because we like nice music? NO! Because it invites the very presence of God and prepares our hearts to hear the Bible, His living Word, come alive through the Holy Spirit. Look at what Psalm 22:3 says, "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel" (NLT). God's Word tells us that when we praise Him, He makes His presence known to us. Worship is such an important part of coming together as the body of Christ because our God is absolutely worthy to be praised! Let's worship Him together and invite the very presence of God with one voice, as one church, and with one purpose - to lift up the precious and mighty Name of Jesus!

"AND I, IF I AM LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, WILL DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF" (JOHN 12:32, NASB).

what is worship?

Worship is any and every time we give God thanks and praise! Worship takes many forms for the follower of Christ. When we hear worship, we mainly think of music. BUT, this is a major limitation! Look at what the Apostle Paul says inspired by the Holy Spirit in 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" (NIV). We see then that music is not the only way we worship God, we worship Him by the very way we live our lives! Whether we are praying and begin to give God thanksgiving for Who He is and all that He's done, or we are treating our spouse, friend, father, mother, brother and sister in Christ with His divine love, it is ALL praise and thanksgiving to the Lord!

"SO WHETHER YOU EAT OR DRINK, OR WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD" (1 CORINTHIANS 10:31, NLT).

What if I don't feel like worshipping

Not once in the Word of God does the Lord equate Worship with "feeling" anything. Though we absolutely can feel and experience the awesome presence of the Lord, "feeling" His presence or "feeling" good and tingly does not define worship. Look at what the prophet Habakkuk says when the Lord had told Him about the coming disaster and restoration in Israel, "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights" (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NLT). As we can clearly see, Habakkuk did not "feel" like praising the Lord, but he decided to praise Him anyway! Habakkuk recognized that while everything around him wasn't going the way he would have liked, God was still worthy of His praise, simply because He is God. the Bible commands us to worship the Lord and give Him praise. "Wait a minute," you might say, "why are we commanded to worship? Is God prideful and full of Himself or something?" NOPE. The reason the Bible tells us to worship the Lord is because the God of all creation is worthy of all praise, and, as we saw earlier in the "Why Do We Worship?" section, it invites His very presence to come and move among us. It is for our benefit!

So don't fall into the trap of Satan who lies to us and tells us that if we don't "feel" the Lord then He isn't there or that He must be busy doing something else. That is completely and utterly FALSE. Listen to this promise from the Lord whenever you feel like He isn't with you: "...God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Worship Him at all times! Because He alone deserves it!

"AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE" (MATTHEW 28:20B, NIV).