True Worship

The 3rd installment of "The Four Pillars of a Man of God" was presented by Elder Art Parris on the 12th of April and what a revelation of sripture! It was simply inspiring to hear worship being presented the way it was. The text of the teaching follows....

The TRUE Worship of God - Elder Art Parris
April 12, 2008 – 7:30 a.m. @ Ryan’s in Warner Robins GA. 31088

CENTRAL TRUTH – We are a spirit, we have a soul and we live a flesh, bone and blood filled body. True worship must center around this truth! Genesis 2:7, Romans 12:1 Paul said you present your body, the YOU is your born again spirit man.

True Worship always has a GOAL – which is the heart of God, Acts 13:21-22 & I Samuel 13:14 – David was a True Worshipper! So True Worship MUST BE HEART FELT! Worship will often times reveal the condition of one’s heart toward God.

Introduction to WORSHIP – Revelation Chapter 4, John saw the throne of God, the crystal sea, 24 elders, the four living creatures and angels and tells of the worship in heaven both day and night for ever and ever – saying “Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is and is to come.”

This is a Foundational Teaching & Practical Teaching. (Here’s a thought) - If it’s not practical, why teach it?
Foundational Scriptures:
John 4:23”But the hour cometh and now is, when the TRUE WORSHIPPERS shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”
John 9:31 If any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Genesis 22:5 Worship is obedience to the Word of God. Abraham said, The lad and I are going to (obey God) and return again to you.
In John’s Gospel - WHO is speaking here? This is the disciple that Jesus loved – The one that:
1) Laid his head on Jesus bosom.
2) The one that heard Jesus Heart beat
3) The one that beat Peter to the tomb on resurrection Sunday!
4) The one that Jesus said from on the cross Mother behold thy son, Son behold thy mother – from that Day – John took in Mary as his own momma!
5) The one that wrote the Gospel of John, I, II, & III John and the Book of Revelation on the Island of Patmos - This is the man that wrote this text!
John 4:23-24 If there are TRUE Worshippers then it only stands to reason there must be a Counterfeit Worship, a miss-directed worship, worship that is OUT OF DUE ORDER which CAN NOT Glorify God!

TRUE New Testament Worship:
Has a prerequisite, which is a regenerated, surrendered life out of the born again spirit. This is (the inner man, or the hidden man of the heart). God told Samuel in I Samuel 16 around the 6 or 7 verse that the Lord seethe not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Lord looks on the heart – the hidden man of the heart is who God is looking at.




Ah yeah – True Worship, True Worship:
· Is directed toward God the Father, through Jesus Christ.
· Must into enter the realm of the Spirit – By Faith in Jesus Mighty Name, Here is where we see God Glorified - Hebrew 11:21 – Jacob worshipped by Faith when he was dying leaning on the top of his staff.
· Must be presented in Truth – Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6. TRUE WORSHIP is based on and in the Word of God.

B. Tabernacle of Moses stood in the CENTER OF THE CAMP of Israel. God wants to be the center of our lives. (Please see handouts of the Tabernacle of Moses - for the saints of the Most High in attendance)
· Outer Court 75 feet wide by 150 feet in length surrounded by a walls Gate was 36 feet wide lead to the Holy Place, which lead into the Holies of Holies.
· Brazen Altar – speaks of entering in with a sacrifice.
· Bronze Laver - to wash and see yourself before the Presence of the Lord
· Holy Place – Menorah (Lamp stand) – Jesus as the “Light of the World”, Table of showbread – Jesus is the “Bread of Life”, Golden Altar – burnt sweet incense day and night continually – Jesus as our Intercessor who receives the prayer and intercession of God’s People.
· Large Veil was located between the Holy Place and Holies of Holies. Veil was 60 feet high by 30 feet wide and was 4 inches thick of woven embroidered fine blue and purple linen fabric. Angelic beings were sown into this veil fabric as well. Veil represented the barrier between a Holy God and sinful, fallen man. Veil was ripped from top to bottom immediately after Jesus Christ was crucified on Calvary’s Cross by the finger of God. This represents that the middle wall of partition was done away in Christ. If we are saved and have experienced the new birth we have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ His only begotten Son.
· Holies of Holies represented the very presence of God as this was the place where the Ark of the Covenant was actually located. was a cube 15feet, 15 feet, 15 feet – here is where the Glory Cloud in Exodus 40:34-38 manifested. On top of the Ark of the Covenant was the Mercy Seat. The three items in the Ark where the golden pot of manna – Jesus as bread from heaven, Aaron’s staff that budded – Jesus live from death and 10 Commandments which represent the Word of God in the earth.