Garden Valley Community Church
March 20th 2022
Pastor Shane: (509) 680-2334
SERIES: 10 Commandments
PART 2: Accept No Substitute
Exodus 20:4-6 NLT
“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything
in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.
You must not bow down to them or worship them,
for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods…”
IDOL: anything / anyone that takes your focus off God
John 4:23 NLT
“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.”
WORSHIP: is our heart responding to the truth about God ~ through our attitudes, actions, thoughts, words
#1: Pharisees know God’s WORD ~ they had TRUTH
but lacked SPIRIT ~ failed to take truth to heart
Mark 7:6 NLT
“… these people honor me with their lips,
But their hearts are far from me”
- “spirit” here refers to your inner person
- 10,000 miles from head (truth) to heart (spirit)
DEEPER TRUTH: worship flows from the inside ~ out
#2: Samaritans believed a mess ~ but were
enthusiastic ~ but lacked truth
Psalm 145:18 NLT ~ John 17:17
“The LORD is close to all who call on Him,
Yes, to all who call on Him in truth”
- Purpose of Preaching: bring God’s people
to the place of worship
- WORSHIP: must be ONLY to please God
NOT to entertain the worshiper
DEEPER TRUTH:
sincerity & experience & excitement
does NOT make it God’s Truth
Acts 2:42 NLT
“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper) and to prayer”
How to Prepare for Worship
Hebrews 10:22 NLT
“Let us go right into the presence of God
With sincere hearts fully trusting Him.”
#1: “sincere heart”
- Single minded heart focused on God
#2: “fully trusting Him”
- “without faith it is impossible to please Him”
Hebrews 11:6
WARNING: a decline in authentic Worship is a sign of
#1: failing to know God personally ~ Psalm 34:8
#2: ignoring God’s WORD ~ Joshua 1:8
#3: tolerating sin ~ Psalm 66:18
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