This opening session examines the core activity of public worship - communication with God, and how this essential component can be enhanced by learning the language of communication with God. Watch, listen or download: http://bibletalk.tv/the-nature-of-biblical-worship-communication

1. In Spirit & In Truth
The Practice of Worship
Communication
#1
Mike Mazzalongo
BibleTalk.tv

2. In Spirit & In Truth
Competition

3. In Spirit & In Truth
You have to know the essential
“nature” of something in order
to understand/succeed/fulfill
the purpose of that thing.

4. In Spirit & In Truth
The Essential “Nature”
of Worship is
COMMUNICATION

5. In Spirit & In Truth
Communication with God is the
essential nature of every type of
worship – not just Christian
worship.

6. In Spirit & In Truth
For this reason also, since the day we heard
of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and
to ask that you may be filled with the
knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom
and understanding, Jesus commanded it.
Colossians 1:9

7. In Spirit & In Truth
So that you will walk in a manner worthy of
the Lord, to please Him in all respects,
bearing fruit in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God;
Colossians 1:10

8. In Spirit & In Truth
strengthened with all power, according to His
glorious might, for the attaining of all
steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving
thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to
share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
11
Colossians 1:11-12

9. In Spirit & In Truth
For He rescued us from the domain of
darkness, and transferred us to the
kingdom of His beloved Son,
Colossians 1:13

10. Worship Mistakes
1. Make the means the end.
Right Method = Communication
Knowing the method and obeying
the rules doesn’t guarantee
communication with God

11. Worship Mistakes
1. Make the means the end.
2. Make up our own methods.
Pentecostal is 2nd largest “Christian” group.
No restrictions as to developing “new” methods.
Many churches of Christ copying this approach
since they believe that method=communication.

12. In Spirit & In Truth
Communication with God Requires...
Realization that communication
must exist personally before it can
exist corporately.

13. In Spirit & In Truth
Communication with God Requires...
Recognition of God’s presence in
worship.

14. In Spirit & In Truth
Communication with God Requires...
A sense of ourselves.

15. In Spirit & In Truth
Communication with God Requires...
Knowledge of the language of
communication.

16. In Spirit & In Truth
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept
and mourned for days; and I was fasting and
praying before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 1:4

17. In Spirit & In Truth
I said, “I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven,
the great and awesome God, who preserves
the covenant and loving kindness for those
who love Him and keep His commandments,
Nehemiah 1:5

18. In Spirit & In Truth
let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open
to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am
praying before You now, day and night, on behalf
of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the
sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned
against You; I and my father’s house have
sinned.
Nehemiah 1:6

19. In Spirit & In Truth
We have acted very corruptly against You and
have not kept the commandments, nor the
statutes, nor the ordinances which You
commanded Your servant Moses.
Nehemiah 1:7

20. In Spirit & In Truth
Remember the word which You commanded
Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are
unfaithful I will scatter you among the
peoples;
Nehemiah 1:8

21. In Spirit & In Truth
but if you return to Me and keep My
commandments and do them, though those of
you who have been scattered were in the most
remote part of the heavens, I will gather them
from there and will bring them to the place
where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’
Nehemiah 1:9

22. In Spirit & In Truth
They are Your servants and Your people whom
You redeemed by Your great power and by
Your strong hand.
Nehemiah 1:10

23. In Spirit & In Truth
O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be
attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the
prayer of Your servants who delight to revere
Your name, and make Your servant successful
today and grant him compassion before this
man.”Now I was the cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah 1:11

24. In Spirit & In Truth
Prayer Languages
1. Praise - vs. 5
2. Supplication - vs. 6a
3. Confession - vs. 6b - 7
4. Confirmation - vs. 8-10
5. Protection / Mercy - vs. 11

25. In Spirit & In Truth
If our worship has not been satisfying it
could be that we’ve not been
communicating with God…
OR
…Trying to communicate using the
wrong language.