There is a well defined path for a people to forget God.

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • There is an age old battle about the nature of worship. Will it be God-centered or man- centered? (Jer 25:6-7)

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • Jeremiah 25:6-7 (NKJV) - Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.’ 7 Yet you have not listened to Me,” says the Lord, “that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • The essence of the battle can be defined by the battle between flesh and spirit. (Rom 8:5-8)

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • Romans 8:5-8 (NKJV) - For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • Worldly people will have certain tastes and spiritual people will be different!

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • Worldly people will have certain tastes and spiritual people will be different! • Worldly people like worldly ways and worldly wisdom. (1 Jn 4:5-6)

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • 1 John 4:5-6 (NKJV) - They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • A sure sign of a falling away from God is when worship becomes centered upon man’s flesh (desires).

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • The idol worship of Jeremiah’s day was popular, considered modern and intelligent and would easily keeps one’s attention.

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God. • The idol worship of Jeremiah’s day was popular, considered modern and intelligent and would easily keeps one’s attention. • What it spectacularly failed to do was impact the heart for the true God.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • What is worship? (Jn 4:23-24)

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • John 4:23-24 (NKJV) - But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • 1. proskuneo (Verb) - from a basic sense bow down to kiss someone's feet, garment hem, or the ground in front of him; (2) in the NT of worship or veneration of a divine or supposedly divine object, expressed concretely with falling face down in front of someone worship, venerate, do obeisance to; - Friberg Dictionary

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • God is the audience and to Him worship must be found to be acceptable.(Lev 2:2; Mal 1:9)

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Leviticus 2:2 (NKJV) - He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Malachi 1:9 (NKJV) - “But now entreat God’s favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably?” Says the Lord of hosts.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • God’s desire is to have a people that cling” to Him for “renown, praise and glory.” (Jer 13:10-11)

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Jeremiah 13:10-11 (NKJV) - This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • 11 For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the Lord, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Worship must be based on an acceptable relationship with Him.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Worship must be based on an acceptable relationship with Him. • It is the people that ultimately God finds acceptable. (Ezk 20:40-41)

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Ezekiel 20:40-41 (NKJV) - For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • 41 I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • If the heart is untouched then the worship is vain. (Mt 15:8-9)

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Matthew 15:8-9 (NKJV) - ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Do worldly men desire a worship that challenges them to change?

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Without reverence for God worship becomes boring and “traditional” and must be changed. (Mal 1:13)

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Malachi 1:13 (NKJV) - You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it,” Says the Lord of hosts. “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” Says the Lord.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Israel changed worship by making their nationality and the place of the temple the key for acceptable worship. (Jer 7:2-7)

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • Jeremiah 7:2-7 (NKJV) - “Stand in the gate of the Lord’S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the Lord!’” 3Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • 4 Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.’ 5 “For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, 6 if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt,

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • 7 then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.

Worship must come from a reverence for God and His word • That was a lot easier than “amending your ways.”

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • Since the purpose of worship is to place ourselves before God, then that act will cause our hearts to be exposed. (1 Cor 14:24-25)

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 (NKJV) - But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • True worship is both painful and joyful.

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • Worship helps us see the unseen and put life in its proper place. (Ps 73:16-17)

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • Psalm 73:16-17 (NKJV) - When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me— 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • Worship cannot take place unless the ear is open to God’s word. (Jer 26:1-6)

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • Jeremiah 26:1-6 (NKJV) - In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the court of the Lord’S house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • 3 Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings.’ 4 And you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, 5 to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded),

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.”

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • “Do not diminish a word.” Respect for the word of God is key.

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • “Do not diminish a word.” Respect for the word of God is key. • Basic reverence for God causes us to stand only in what He teaches.

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • Consider what Jesus taught about handling God’s word. (Mt 4:4; Jn 5:19; 8:28)

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • Matthew 4:4 (NKJV) - But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • John 5:19 (NKJV) - Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • John 8:28 (NKJV) - Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and thatI do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • It is basic reverence to God that we do nothing when God’s word is silent!

Worship must pierce and challenge man’s rebellious heart • It is basic reverence to God that we do nothing when God’s word is silent! • In both Old and New Testament worship had to be chosen (authorized) by God.

There is a well defined path for a people to forget God.