Believers Church of Statesboro

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BP&W For God – Worship According to Dr. Suess Believers Statesboro 07-01-12

For God – Worship According to Dr. Suess

The church leaders are not your SAM-I-AM’S

Is the church too hot or too cold? Is the music too young or too old? Would you like the lights down low? Am I allowed to play a song you don’t know? Try it, try it, you will see!! You will like to worship with me!!

I would not, could not, when it’s cold. I could not, would not, if the songs are old…just let

me be!!

Worship is when His Spirit touches Your spirit.

“We can use all the right techniques and methods, we can have the best possible liturgy, but we have not worshiped until Spirit touches spirit.” – Richard Foster (Celebration of Discipline)

John 4:23-24

23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. (NIV)

John 17:17

17 Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is truth. (NIV)

When His Spirit touches Your spirit, it will CHANGE you

God’s Spirit and Truth sanctifies us. If we are inviting Him in…the “you” has to go!

Galatians 5:16-17

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. (NIV)

The Holy Spirit is BATTLING with your spirit.

NEXT STEP: I will be ON TIME to service next week!!

The Holy Spirit can sometimes seem like THE CAT IN THE HAT

Are you being the fish?

NEXT STEP: I will make a list of examples in the bible that the Holy Spirit did something completely expected and a list of things the Holy Spirit did that were unexpected.

Galatians 5:16-18

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Expressions of worship are not about the kind you LIKE but the kind God

CALLS FOR.

“I can safely say…that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.” – A.W. Tozer

When it comes to worship, we could all be a little more like HORTON!

““Horton fought back with great vigor and vim but the Wickersham gang was too many for him.  They beat him they mauled him they started to haul him into his cage but he managed to call…to the mayor ‘don’t give up I believe in you all!’”

– Horton (from Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Suess)

Hebrews 13:15

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise… (NIV)

If praising God is a sacrifice, then it will COST YOU something.

Hebrews 11:4

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings…(NIV)

NEXT STEP: I will bring my best offering to God every day this week. I will make a sacrifice of my time, finances, and pride to praise Him.

Community Group Questions

What are some of the biggest obstacles to overcome for you to truly worship

Is “Worship Time” on Sunday morning the only time in the week you worship to God? How can you change this?

Make a list of examples in the bible that the Holy Spirit did something completely expected and a list of things the Holy Spirit did that were unexpected. Share your list within the group.

Based on the list (made in #3), is the Holy Spirit more like the fish or more like the Cat in the Hat? Which are you more like?

Galatians 5:16-17 tells us that God’s Spirit desires what is contrary to our spirit. Discuss this verse, what it means, and how it applies to our lives practically. How does our spirit hinder our worship? How do we overcome it (make this practical application)?

Galatians 5:16-17 tells us that God’s Spirit desires what is contrary to our spirit. Discuss this verse, what it means, and how it applies to our lives practically. How does our spirit hinder our worship? How do we overcome it (make this practical application)?