2021 em Adoration is the second post in the series How to Receive Today Your Daily Bread. The purpose of this article is to share with you how to assimilate the habit of worshiping God in your daily life this new year. And the result of this practice will be courage like you have never experienced before.
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The Bible says that we were created for the praise of God’s glory (Eph. 1: 3-14). A fundamental way to fulfill this purpose is through sincere and spiritual worship. And the only cost is your decision to open your mouth and allow words of praise and gratitude to God to flow from your heart through Jesus. The more you know him in the Word, the more inspiration you will enjoy.
Do not think of worship as a style of music or a practice to be observed by others. In fact, even when you are worshiping with others, your worship is to God only – or it will not be true worship (Deut 6:13; Josh 24:14; Mt 4:10).
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
Jesus, Gospel of John 4:23
2021 In Worship Anywhere, Anytime
The king, psalmist, and prophet David said that “his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Ps 34:1). That is, anywhere, anytime, there will be words of praise on my lips. I always remember that beautiful statement. And I usually start my day worshiping God. My first words are to him, expressing my recognition of him, my gratitude, and my love for him.
In the Old Testament, the people of Israel could not worship just as they wanted. There were rituals to be performed in a specific location with many rules to be followed. However, King David had a revelation of what worship is like before God’s throne in heaven. And regardless of current rules, he wrote songs, hired singers and musicians, and started a new style of worship even in a simple tent (1Ch 15:11-16; 1Ch 17:1; Ps 110:1; Ac 2:29- 35).
Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25
Every Morning in Worship
Why start your day any other way? You can open your Bible, printed on paper or in the app of your choice, to read some verses of the Word of God. So start your day by receiving the Word of God.
And then take a few minutes to honor God. We can all do this every new morning. I believe that in 2021 a radical change will take place in the way we view the church and the practice of worship, just as it was in David’s day. A paradigm shift will result in greater glory to God. And you can experience this in your own home, along with your spouse and children.
Sometimes I use a song, which I usually play on Spotify, and you can listen to it on your favorite platform or even on YouTube. Other times Rapha and I sing, read an entire psalm, or just a passage during our daily worship. And that brief moment in the early mornings makes a total difference for us to always be encouraged and more sensitive to the flowing of the Spirit of God.
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Hebrews 13:15
Exposing Your Children to the Glory of God in Worship
We also understand that our children are consolidated in the Gospel of Jesus when we expose them to the glory of God. It is certainly important to read the Bible to them, to go to church together often, to teach them how to pray. But nothing is so meaningful to them as the practice of family worship. God’s glory is manifested whenever we worship him in spirit and in truth. And so our children know the Lord, not because of what we or others can tell them, but how he decides to reveal himself to them.
Just as we are encouraged through the practice of worship, both privately and publicly, our children also have the opportunity to know God and stay in his ways. Allow your children to be immersed in the manifest presence of God while you worship him together. Sometimes they will sleep in this atmosphere of God’s glory. But even if they don’t understand, their spirit will be marked forever.
God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.
Hebrews 2:10
Proclaiming the Psalms
Another worship practice we share with you is the daily proclamation of Psalms. This is one of the healthiest habits we can develop. Note that the Word of God does not highlight the value of healthy eating and physical exercise – certainly of great importance – as much as a meditation on the Word of God. You will find many benefits from the proclamation of the Word of the Lord, especially the Psalms (Pr 3:7-8; Pr 4:20-22; Is 38:15-16).
Using our words to declare the Bible has a powerful impact on our families. God the Father is spirit. Jesus is the eternal Word of God. And something mysterious and very real occurs when the wind that comes out of your mouth, articulates the words of the Scriptures inspired by the Spirit of God.
In this sense, the Psalms are a precious gift that we have inherited from the people of Israel. And we can learn from them as well that biblical meditation should not be mental, but spoken – proclaimed in an audible voice (Deut 30:11-14; Rom 10:6-10). When we visit Israel we see the Jews reading the Scriptures aloud, moving their bodies back and forth. We learn that the Spirit of God moves through us when his words flow through our mouths.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Apostle Paul, Romans 10:10
How to Read the Psalms
A very interesting plan is to read 5 psalms a day, thus completing the reading of all psalms in just one month. You can read 5 psalms a day in the sequence. Or read 1 psalm, and add 30 + 30 + 30 + 30. For example, Psalms 1, 31, 61, 91 and 121. The next day, Psalms 2, 32, 62, 92, 122. And so on. There are many ways you can read the book of Psalms, proclaiming them in worship.
As the original Psalms are divided into 5 books, according to the first 5 books of the Bible – the Pentateuch, this allows for almost a distribution between different emphases. But you will notice many common themes each day.
Mike Massa notes in the Psalms that the chief musician, or choirmaster, is Jesus. Whenever you proclaim the psalms you are speaking directly to Jesus. He also points out that the Old Testament passage most quoted in the New Testament is Psalm 110, that is, the Holy Spirit especially likes the revelation of Jesus in the Psalms. And we do very well by proclaiming them frequently.
That way you will discover how much of Jesus’ revelation there is in these songs. “In the Lord” resonates in the Psalms prophetically. And the apostle Paul also uses the expression “in Christ” repeatedly in his letters. This is a mark of the Psalms with profound significance for the Christian’s identity. So don’t just see them as the psalmists’ experience. The Psalms reveal Jesus and describe him with absurd precision (for example 22, 56 to 60, 98, 110 and many others).
Conclusion
Good songs in your privacy will help you to enjoy boldness in the Spirit. Similarly, participating in corporate moments of praise, as in church meetings, will be an investment of courage for your life. So, advance 2021 in adoration.
Worship is a key component of God’s blessings for your life and family. But he does not seek worship, he seeks true worshipers. May you be found by God as a worshiper who will honor him with your time, treasures, and talents from now on.
Prayer: God, thank you so much for your love and kindness to me. I choose to worship you in spirit and in truth with each new day of my life. Please help me to develop worship as a healthy and constant habit in my life and family, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?
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“I will bless those people who bless you. But I will curse anyone who insults you.
Through you, I will bless all the families of people on the earth.” Genesis 12:3
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