Where is the Worship? Part 1

So recently I have found myself slipping more and more into sin almost to the point where I can not recognize who I am anymore. Now of course everyone around me looks at me and think nothing is wrong and that is because I am very good at wearing masks and can hide things from people very well. But as God began to break my heart and like the shepherd from Matthew 18 run after me to bring me back to the herd I began to notice why it is so easy for me and many others to go astray. This is because true worship is not happening!!!

I began to notice this because when getting turned around I longed for intimacy with Christ and to honestly Worship him for all he has done. I am talking about the Lord of All, the Alpha and Omega, the Sacrificial Lamb, the Bread of Life, the Deliverer, the Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ!! The one and the only one who deserves to be praised but yet when worshiping it seems like we are worshiping the wrong things. We look to a band and say that they are our source for worship and all the band is about is sounding good together and to get everyone to jump around and go crazy versus experiencing Christ. It seems like we are not letting the Holy Spirit move in a mighty way and when the Holy Spirit does begin to move we quench it. We are more about singing a song then about falling on our faces in prayer and adoration to the Lord.

Before you start complaining and saying I am wrong and all that jazz I want you to stop for a second. I want you to take a deep look into your heart. When is the last time you honestly worshiped God whole-heartily. What I mean by this is when you worship is it just you and God or is it you and the band, you and the person next to you, you and wondering what is for lunch or how long the line is going to be at O'charleys. Or Maybe even wondering why the person across the room is raising there hands, or maybe you are the person who raises there hands even though in all honesty your mind is not focused on Christ at all.

You do understand that you do not have to have music to worship God right? Look at John 4:21-24 it says that true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth. This means we worship from the heart and the way God has designed. Worship can include praying, reading God's Word with an open heart, singing, participating in communion, and serving others. It is not limited to one act, but is done properly when the heart and attitude of the person are in the right place.

I look at these verses and notice a few things about worship. True worship is only acceptable to God. So many times we stand and sing songs but in all honesty our heart is not actually in it. For example we will sing the song Holy is the Lord. The words are :
We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He

How many times have we sang that song but yet not really even thought about the words? We sing a song saying that we will lift up our hands for the Joy of the Lord is our strength but yet we stand there and just sing the words but not truly read them. It says we raise our hands, if we sing these words and do not raise our hands are we in a sense lying? Understand I do this, i sing this song and stand still and don't actually think about what it is that I am singing. I also do this to the song We Fall Down.
We fall down
We lay our crowns
At the feet of Jesus

I don't lay my crowns down to Christ, I like to hold on to things and not truly surrender it all over to Christ. I understand that song is looking at Heaven and what it will be like when we see Christ but currently I cannot even follow Him 100 percent so honestly can i truly fathom laying all my crowns down at the feet of Jesus?

Another point I see from John 4:21-24 is that, that true worship only comes from Jesus Christ. I think the reason why do not truly come into honest worship with Christ is because we are unrepentant. In my life personally I find it impossible to truly come before God in worship when I am holding on to sins or not wanting to repent for things. When we bow before God and repent and let God restore our hearts it is then I am able to truly worship him in Spirit and Truth. That is why i say that true worship only come from Jesus Christ. Because only He can restore ones heart and make a person whole again.

So i have never wrote this much before on a blog and my thought process is not over, So i will call this Where is worship? Part 1. I long to hear your thoughts on this but please understand this is not an attack on anyone so if you are reading this and for some reason think this is attacking you calm down, it is not. Part 2 will be coming soon.