Zondervan - Worshiping God with Our Lives

Copyright 2004 Thomas Nelson.

Previously published as A Life of Worship.

The publishers are grateful to Christa Kinde for her collaboration and writing skills in developing the content of this book.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV). Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NCV are taken from The Holy Bible, New Century Version (NCV). Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by W Publishing Group, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT). Copyright 1986 by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 60189.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message (MSG) by Eugene H. Peterson. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-0-3106-8247-9

ISBN-13: 978-0-3106-8248-6 (eBook)

First Printing February 2016

CONTENTS

In this ebook edition, please use your devices note-taking function to record your thoughts wherever you see the bracketed instructions [Your Notes] or [Your Response]. Use your devices highlighting function to record your response whenever you are asked to checkmark, circle, underline, or otherwise indicate your answer(s).

When my son, Christian, turned seven in December of 2004, Barry and I bought him a puppy. The first time he held this fluffy little Bichon Frise I could tell he had fallen in love. He named her Belle. I watched how they interacted for the first few days, not wanting his boyish enthusiasm to scare her and overshadow his loving, tender heart. They learned each others ways, and within a week she slept at the end of his bed at night. When I asked him what it felt like to have his own puppy, he replied with passion, Mom, I was made for this!

I believe in a profound, spiritual way we all long for that sense of purpose. We want to know what we were made for. We want to know that our life matters and we are living it as well as we can. Perhaps, like me, you often fall into bed at night amazed that another day is over, and it seems as if all you have managed to do is corral the daily chaos in your home. The laundry is done again! Food has been cooked, consumed, and cleared up one more time.

You didnt fit in the twenty minutes of exercise you had hoped to do or read more than a few lines of the book on your bedside table. Those are things that only you will notice if they are missed. The other list affects our families, and skipping them is not an option. We want to be good wives, good mothers, and trusted friends. But these things do not, in themselves, fulfill our passionate longing to know what we were made for.

I have found the answer, the glorious treasure, in a life of worship. I dont know what comes to your mind when you reflect on a life of worship. Perhaps you think of the fifteen minutes or two hours, depending on your denomination, that you spend on your feet on a Sunday morning in church. You may think of the music you play in the house as you attack the daily chores. Those are part of my life too, but they are not what I mean by a life of worship.

Jesus lived a life of worship. He lived every moment of every day with a Yes! in His spirit to His Father. His declared intent was solely to do the will of His Father. Jesus worshiped as He healed the blind and the lame. He worshiped as He cleansed the Temple, driving from its holy halls those who would turn it into a Wal-Mart for worshipers. He worshiped in the Garden of Gethsemane as He prayed that the cup of the wrath of God might pass from Him. He worshiped on Calvarys brutal tree of death. In every way, at every moment, Jesus lived a life of worship.

If you long to know what you were made for, you can find that peace and purpose in a life of worship. There is no more liberating way to live than to wake up every day with a Yes! to God. Worshiping in all the moments of our lives changes us because we move from trying to be perfect to resting in the perfect will of a God who loves us passionately.

I pray that as you travel through this book you will be able to say with my son, I was made for this!

Sheila Walsh

I know few people who take adequate time for reflectionand many who regret that they dont. Who said, The important always gets sacrificed on the altar of the urgent? Taking time is a better way to live. Lets reflect on who we are, where were going, and the life God has given us.

Luci Swindoll

Let me put a question before you: Whose job is it to glorify God? Of all of the things God created, what beings were especially designed to give God glory and praise and honor? The image that leaps immediately to mind involves radiant light, white robes and halos, beating wings, and uplifted voicesHoly, holy, holy. Cherubim and seraphim surround the Fathers throne, worshiping and praising. They give God glory 24/7, and they will for all eternity. When it comes to giving proper honor to God, the angels are perfectly suited to their task.

But wait! Are the angels the only ones created to give glory to God? Of course not. So were we. God especially designed us to bring glory and honor and praise to Him too. Now, most of us wouldnt want to be the act following the angel chorus. Can you imagine? After all that majestic beauty and pure light, wed look pretty small and dim. Alone on the stage, we feel insignificant in our abilities, feeble in our efforts, and unsure of our next move. But we neednt fear. Angels just do what angels are meant to do. We shouldnt try to be angels. We are asked to be women who do what women were made to do. And when our lives glorify our Heavenly Father, we captivate our audiences. Even the angels stand in amazement.

We are not able to wing our way into heaven and add our voices to the celestial choir. We cant be expected to set aside our responsibilities and spend all day in worshipcan we? In this study, we are going to take a careful look at how we can glorify God in our everyday lives.

Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.