Mike Mazzalongo BibleTalk.tv #1 Communication In Spirit & In Truth The Practice of Worship

Competition In Spirit & In Truth

You have to know the essential “nature” of something in order to understand/succeed/fulfill the purpose of that thing.

The Essential “Nature” of Worship is COMMUNICATION In Spirit & In Truth

Communication with God is the essential nature of every type of worship – not just Christian worship. In Spirit & In Truth

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, Jesus commanded it. Colossians 1:9 In Spirit & In Truth

So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; Colossians 1:10 In Spirit & In Truth

11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 1:11-12 In Spirit & In Truth

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, Colossians 1:13 In Spirit & In Truth

1. Make the means the end. Right Method = Communication Knowing the method and obeying the rules doesn’t guarantee communication with God Worship Mistakes

1. Make the means the end. 2. Make up our own methods. Pentecostal is 2nd largest “Christian” group. No restrictions as to developing “new” methods. Many churches of Christ copying this approach since they believe that method=communication. Worship Mistakes

Communication with God Requires... Realization that communication must exist personally before it can exist corporately. In Spirit & In Truth

Communication with God Requires... Recognition of God’s presence in worship. In Spirit & In Truth

Communication with God Requires... A sense of ourselves. In Spirit & In Truth

Communication with God Requires... Knowledge of the language of communication. In Spirit & In Truth

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4 In Spirit & In Truth

I said, “I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and loving kindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, Nehemiah 1:5 In Spirit & In Truth

let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. Nehemiah 1:6 In Spirit & In Truth

We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. Nehemiah 1:7 In Spirit & In Truth

Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; Nehemiah 1:8 In Spirit & In Truth

but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ Nehemiah 1:9 In Spirit & In Truth

They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. Nehemiah 1:10 In Spirit & In Truth

O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.”Now I was the cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah 1:11 In Spirit & In Truth

Prayer Languages 1. Praise - vs Supplication - vs. 6a 3. Confession - vs. 6b Confirmation - vs Protection / Mercy - vs. 11 In Spirit & In Truth

If our worship has not been satisfying it could be that we’ve not been communicating with God… OR …Trying to communicate using the wrong language. In Spirit & In Truth