The Godly Gazette (Prayer and Worship)

Prayer and Worship

Prayer

Prayer is a very powerful and important practice for opening your life to God, and needs to be added to your daily routine. Prayer, of course, is much more than a daily spiritual disciple, but treated as such, will enable you to attain the single-mindedness needed to ward off the many distractions that can interrupt, or keep you from prayer.

Colossians 4:2 - Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. NIV

Prayer is conversing and communicating with God. Most people consider prayer to be talking to God, but is really much more than that. Prayer is also listening to what God has to say to you.

Prayer is not a complicated or pumped up version of “saying the right words”. God does not want you to pray like the pagans to impress or manipulate, but to use simple, straightforward talk, as Jesus taught His disciples. (Matthew 6:9-15).

Matthew 6:7/8 - “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” NIV

Prayer is not something that is done only before meals or during church services. It is not limited to bowed heads, clasped hands, and closed eyes. It is paying attention to God (listening, watching), and being aware that God is ever present.

God says in His Word to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 says - pray continually. NIV) This means that wherever you go and whatever you do, you go and do with the awareness that God is always present.

Your prayers can be hours of listening in silence and solitude, or quickly said for someone in a passing car. They may be spoken as you kneel at your bed, or silently voices as you walk into a meeting.

When you add the discipline of continuous prayer to your life, you will be able to see more clearly what Gods will is, giving you insight and knowledge on how to pray, and what to pray for. Talking and listening to God is a vital part of your spiritual growth and recovery.

Worship

Worship is experiencing the greatness of God. It goes way beyond singing songs in Sunday morning service. It is the engagement of one's entire being with the God who is. It is breathing in (inhaling) the presence of God wherever you are.

Hebrews 12:28 - ..let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. NIV

Worship is your response to who God is. It is putting Him first in all you do, and it is committing all you do to Him. It doesn’t matter if you are cooking dinner for the homeless or cleaning a toilet bowl, if you have committed the work to God, it is a form of worship.

Revelation 14:7 - Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water. NIV

Worship is not limited to music, guitars, pianos, and dancing. You worship wherever and whenever you experience the greatness of the living God. It can happen when you see Gods beauty in the stillness of a glistening pond, in the laughter of innocent children, or in the aroma of fresh baked bread.

Romans 12:1 - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship. NIV

Worship can be praising Gods holiness, yearning for knowledge of His Word, growing in compassion for others, or surrendering your desires to Gods will. Worship is being made perfect by God through drawing near to Him.

Hebrews 10:1 - …make perfect those who draw near to worship. NIV

Tithing and Offerings

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