BE SINCERE IN YOUR WORSHIP!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY DECEMBER 21, 2021.

SUBJECT : BE SINCERE IN YOUR WORSHIP!

Memory verse: "For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you." (Second Corinthians 1 vs 12.)

READ: Matthew 15 vs 8 - 9:

15:8: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

15:9: And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

INTIMATION:

Sincerity is the quality of being open and truthful; not deceitful or hypocritical. It is the quality or state of being sincere; honesty of mind or intention; freedom from simulation, hypocrisy, disguise, or false pretense.  Sincerity is a quality possessed by God, as that which is to characterize the conduct of believers. If your worship is correct but not sincere, it will not be accepted and if it is sincere but not correct it will not be accepted 

Sincerity is the virtue of one who communicates and acts in accordance with the entirety of their feelings, beliefs, thoughts, and desires in a manner that is honest and genuine. When we claim to honor God while our hearts are far from Him, our worship means nothing. It is not enough to study about religion or even to study the Bible. It is not enough to act religious. Our actions and our attitudes must be sincere. You may know a lot about God but do not know God, therefore, you’re insincere in your worship to Him.

Sincerity in worship has to do with our spirit's relationship with God. We have to first establish a relationship with God by inviting Christ Jesus into our lives as Lord and Savior. Now we have a relationship established with God. Thus, as we worship, we do this through our regenerated spirit, given to us after accepting Christ as stated above. Our spirit worship the Lord as we sing worship song, appreciate Him in our heart, praying to Him, declaring His glory, and exalting His name in our life.

The Bible, in Zechariah 7 vs 5 - 7, tells about the Israelites. While in exile they had lost their sincere desire for loving relationship with God. Zechariah told them that they had been fasting without a proper attitude of repentance or worship. The fasts of both the fifth and seventh months were fasts instituted by the people, not God. The fasts were based on their own desires, for both represented fasts in reference to the loss of their city and their rulers. 

The fasts were not over the loss of their faithfulness to God. It had nothing to do with repentance. They fasted and mourned during their exile with no thought of God or their sins that had caused it in the first place. Instead of fasting in repentance to take heed of the call of the prophets to repent, they were fasting over something they had lost. Consequently, their worship was insincere and not acceptable to God.

When you go to church, pray or have fellowship with other believers, are you doing these things from habit or for what you can get out of them? God says that an attitude of worship without a sincere desire to know and love Him will lead to ruin. 

Sincerity and truth are extremely valuable because they are so rare. Many people are deceivers, liars, flatterers, they think they will get what they want by deception. With God this will lead to ruin. When we feel as though sincerity and truth have nearly gone out of existence, we have one hope—the Word of God. God’s Word is as pure and flawless as refined silver. So listen carefully when He speaks to you through His Word. And do the same when you worship Him.

Sincerity is a mix of seriousness and honesty. If you do things with sincerity, people will trust you, and God will be pleased with you. Along with patience and compassion, sincerity is one of those qualities we all probably wish we had more of—and wish other people had more of, too. People who show sincerity are being serious, kind, and truthful. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to worship You in sincerity of heart at all times, knowing that it is pleasing to You, and in so doing You will answer me whenI call, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!