Calvary Temple Christian Center

Two weeks ago, we began our study of worship with a Sunday morning message on worshiping in spirit and truth.  In John chapter 4, Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that there was coming a time when they would “worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.” Further, the Samaritans, He said, “worship what you do not know...”.  Jesus then revealed that the time had now come when, “the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth”: in spirit, regardless of external issues, such as “where?”, and truth, not as those who do not know what, or whom, they worship.  (If you missed last week’s message, you can listen to it on our website.)

How have the points of that message resonated with you during the past two weeks as you’ve spent time with these daily devotionals?  Tonight we will gather together for a Spirit and Truth night of worship and praise.  How will you approach this service?

When you enter the Sanctuary tonight, commit to worship God with more than just your flesh and emotions.  Let your worship be from your inmost being, your spirit.  David wrote in Psalm 103.1, “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name .” (NIV) Tonight, don’t focus on the externals: song selections, style of music, volume, standing, sitting, etc.  Resolve that you will make every effort to worship in spirit, with your inmost being, or, as the King James Bible reads, “all that is within me.”

And don’t enter the Sanctuary tonight as a person who worships what you do not know.  God wants you to know Him; He wants a relationship with you.  Now is the time for you to put away the other “gods” you have had in your life, and resolve to serve Him only.  2 Kings 17 describes the Samaritans as a people from diverse nationalities who worshiped not only the God of the Jews, but also the false gods of their homelands.  Our God, however, is a jealous God.  We are to worship Him and Him alone. And those who attempt to worship Him while still clinging to their old gods do not really know Him.  Surrender all of your old “gods” to the Lord and seek to know Him alone.  Then, you can truly worship Him in truth.

Examine yourself to see if you have been focusing your worship on external things, instead of simply worshiping God in spirit.  Ask God to reveal the old “gods” you have left in your life, putting them aside so that you can worship God alone in truth.  Then enter the Spirit & Truth service tonight prepared to be the kind of worshiper the Father seeks.