What is "True Worship"?

 In the life of Job, we see the heavenly and earthly in one view. The life story of Job is influenced by heaven because the heavens interact with the earth. The God of heaven allows the god of the world, Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4), to invade the life of Job. Through Job’s story of suffering, we learn that God is not far off but nigh to us (Acts 17:27) at all times. 

The attack of Satan upon Job comes to support Satan’s belief that man is selfish and will only worship God because of the benefits that God gives to humans. For Satan, man’s motive for worshipping God does not come out of man’s love for God. 

Satan views man through Satan’s own desires. His motives taint his understanding of others and cause him to charge them mistakenly as being like himself. In the temptation of Eve, Satan instructs her that by eating the fruit, she will become like God and know good from evil! Isaiah gives us the knowledge that this was the desire of Satan to be “like the Most High” (14:12-14). Satan’s desire was not to be as God in God’s nature, holy, pure, and truthful, but to have God’s position as the most powerful and mighty who receives worship from all creation! In Job, according to Satan, selfishness is why humans worship God. You worship Him so you can receive the benefits of prosperity, family, and health. Job’s action during his suffering disproves Satan! There are creatures that God has created that worship God for who He is, not what God gives to them. 

To worship God for “who He is” is a truth that saints of God must grasp and hang on to during times of suffering. Your suffering does not mean that God is afar off! We must reach for God and worship God at all times, even in moments of despair during suffering! Remember: “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:22). Let’s go to a higher level and become a people who worship God out of love! Worship that comes out of the “love” motive is “true worship.” True worship is the worship that the Father seeks (John 4:24). Let’s frustrate Satan with “true” worship to our Creator and Savior!

The Importance of Genesis 1-3

Genesis 1-3 are the foundation chapters of the Bible. These chapters hold the principles that will be important throughout the remainder of the Word of God. Here are some that I see:

• God interacts with the Universe, our earth, and the creatures that are on the earth, especially man (1:1).

• Without God, all of life is empty (void), wasteful, and dark (1:2).

• God’s work is always redemptive. He takes what He is given and brings beauty out of confusion (1:2).

• When our lives are empty and dark, God’s Spirit is nearby, desirous of moving on our situations to create order (1:2).

• The Word of God is the creative force that is needed in our lives. The Word will create wonderful things in our lives as we will allow it to speak to our minds and emotions, and guide our actions (1:3-25; Joshua 1:8). 

• We are fallen human beings that need to be recreated. We must make time to read, study, and memorize the Word of God to see the transformation happen. Attendance to the House of God is a must because when we attend, we listen to the spoken Word. This creates faith in our lives (Romans 10:17).

• The breath of God is needed for humans to have life (2:7). The sin of Adam brought physical and spiritual death to the human race (3:19). Through the receiving of the Holy Ghost, we get the breath of God. His breath gives us Spiritual and eternal life.

• God wants to bless humans. His blessings are understood as being enrichment and multiplication. He has supplied everything we need to be able to exist to fulfill His will (1:28-31).

• The test for humans is the same for all in every generation. Do you listen and obey God’s Word or do you listen and obey Satan’s word (3:1-5)? 

• Satan is a deceiver. He will always show you the good of temptation and never display the painful result of the temptation (3:6-19).

• Those closest to you might be your greatest hindrance to obedience to God’s Word. You must place God and obedience to His Word above all relationships (2:18-25; 3:6).

• Humans have made gods of the sun and stars, vegetation, sea and sky creatures, and animals of the earth. They do not realize that these so-called gods are created items. There is a power that is more powerful than the creature. It is the one who creates (Romans 1:25). Look to the Creator and serve Him!