Hosting the presence by grace | Raph Fernandes

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Hosting the Presence by grace

- Worship starts with grace.

(Ephesians 2:8-9) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Worship must start with grace.

The more one understands the love of God, His forgiveness and grace, the more one will worship.

Review:

-What is worship and why we do it?

Worship is to give full devotion.

Worship is more an act of the heart than of the lips. Whoever sits on the throne of your heart will be worshiped.

Fame, money, worry, work, service... whatever sits there, it will be worshiped .

( Matthew 6:24)“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

The word service and worship are very close in the Bible.

If it is not full heart, is not worship.

(2 Kings 17:33-34 - NLT) And though they worshiped the LORD, they continued to follow [ served their own gods - ESV] their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came. 34 And this is still going on today. They continue to follow their former practices instead of truly worshiping the LORD and obeying the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands he gave the descendants of Jacob, whose name he changed to Israel.

From verses 2 Kings 17:35 to 41 (NTL).

[...] “Do not worship any other gods or bow before them or serve them or offer sacrifices to them. 36 But worship only the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt with great strength and a powerful arm. Bow down to him alone, and offer sacrifices only to him. [...] You must not worship other gods. 38 Do not forget the covenant I made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39 You must worship only the LORD your God. He is the one who will rescue you from all your enemies.”

Don't think it is a small thing. It passed on to the next generation.

(2 Kings 17:40-41 - NLT) But the people would not listen and continued to follow their former practices. 41 So while these new residents worshiped the LORD, they also worshiped their idols. And to this day their descendants do the same.

Why do we do it?

( Isaiah 43:21) The people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

Worship is for what God is, not for what He does. Here lies the secret for a vibrant worship life. What do you know about your God?

God is love.

(1 John 4:16) "16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."

Worship is the only gift we can give to God.

Everything else we do in the church ends up returning something to us. Prayer WE can talk with God. Give is that God can bless US. We listen to the message so WE can have guidance for the week.

- Worship must be expressed

Worship is a loving expression of gratitude like a little child to his father.

A little child can't give anything to his father that he did not give first.

Worship is our love expressed to God as a response to His grace toward us. - Mike Todd.

Our lives should express God's worth.

It's not worship if it's not love. It's not worship if it's not expressed.

Loving relationships don't survive without clear expressions of care and passion.

A husband that trusts his altar vows as the only words he ever expressed toward his wife, he will be single faster than any famous NBA or Soccer player you know.

(Psalm 34:1) I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my

mouth.

(Psalm 71:8) My mouth is filled with your praise,

and with your glory all the day.

(Psalm 71:14-15) But I will hope continually

and will praise you yet more and more. 15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.

You worship with your words. When we can't we use our bodies. Or both. But It must have expression.

(Romans 12:1) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

But also we must reflect that in our conduct.

(Ephesians 4:1) I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a

manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

Our conduct counts. But I don't want you to think that your conduct will be changed by yourself. Paul is clear where worship as a lifestyle should be expressed:

"Humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"

But he ends reminding us:

(Ephesians 4:7) But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

-The results of worship

- Worship results in more grace.

It starts with grace and ends in grace.

Here resides a test, to not think the grace of God is something common.

(Hebrews 12:15-16) See to it that no

one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

I need to say that if you don't use the grace of God as the fuel for a life of worship, God will give that blessing to somebody else. I'm sorry, but if you can't worship Him for all the blessings upon your life, for His grace upon your life. God will raise even the stones to do that job.

(Luke 19:39-40) And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

This is what they were doing:

(Luke 19:18) saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

- Worship changes us.

(Psalm 135:18) The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.

16 They have mouths, but do not speak;

they have eyes, but do not see;

17 they have ears, but do not hear,

nor is there any breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them become like them,

so do all who trust in them.

(2 Corinthians 3: 17-18) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

That's why worship is essentially spiritual, but the result of that "beholding" and "contemplation" will change us in practice. The best way we can honor

God is by expressing a life that reflects our relationship with Him.

(1 Peter 2:9) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

-Worship results in freedom and

salvation

Who gets grace will worship no matter the circumstances. But the result is always freedom and salvation.

(Acts 17:25-26) About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

(Acts 17:30-31) Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”