Increasing Your Depth Of Worship

If you have come to faith in Jesus and are now living out your faith, all of us at some point want to grow in our depth of worship. I have recently been reading Play The Man by Mark Batterson. There is a passage in the book in which he writes about how we grow in depth about certain subjects, which he then correlates to us growing in our depth of worship.


.....During a rather fascinating TED talk, an expert in visual perception named Ed Seckel showed the audience a wide variety of images. One of them was a stenciled drawing of a couple intimately embracing. The audience immediately recognized what it was, but according to Seckel, children have no clue ! Why ? Because they have no prior memory to associate with it. Some of the kids said they saw nine dolphins!

You can't see what you don't know !

In his mind- bending book Mozart's Brain and the Fighter Pilot, Richard Restak shares a profound truism: learn more, see more.

The richer my knowledge of flora and fauna of the woods, the more I'll be able to see. Our perceptions take on richness and depth as a result of all the things that we learn. What the eye sees is determined by what the brain has learned.

When astronomers look into the night sky, they have a greater appreciation for the constellations, stars, and planets. They see more because they know more. When musicians listen to a symphony, they have a greater appreciation for the chords, melodies, and instrumentation. They hear more because they know more. When sommeliers sample a wine, they have a greater appreciation for the flavor, texture, and origin. They taste more because they know more.
Now , juxtapose that with this:
 You Samaritans worship what you do not know.
John 4:22

The Samaritans were worshiping God out of ignorance. And when we worship out of ignorance, our worship is empty. We don't even know who or what or why we're worshiping!

Have you ever been guilty of apologizing to your wife without really knowing what you're sorry about? You just want to end the argument ! I've been guilty of this a time or two, and sometimes my wife calls my bluff. Lora will ask me what I'm sorry about, and she's got me dead to rights. I have no clue what I'm sorry about. I'm just sorry !

That kind of apology is disingenuous, isn't it? If you don't even know what you're sorry about, it's an empty apology. And many of us worship God the same way. We sing the words on the screen, but do we really know what they mean? If God interrupted our singing and asked us why we're singing what we're singing, we'd be speechless.

Jesus offers a solution:
God is Spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the spirit and in truth.
John 4:24 

We think of spiritual and intellectual pursuits as mutually exclusive endeavors, but they are one and the same. Great love is born of great knowledge. In fact, your knowledge is your worship ceiling!

Knowledge does not automatically translate into worship. But in some respects, quality of worship is determined by quantity of knowledge. The more you know, the more you have to worship.

Learn more, worship more.

Our Words

I don't know about you, but every now and then I come by a passage in the Bible that troubles me. Not because I don't believe it , but because I know it's something that's true and the thought of it being true makes me have to address the issue that is being said in the Bible. So here is a passage that does that to me :

“But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:36-37‬ ‭


Yep , there it is........ our words!!!!

How often have you or I said something to someone or about someone that we shouldn't have? How often have we when we go to say something mean to a person or about a person try to throw this disclaimer in there ......... just kidding!!!

According to the verse above the whole just kidding thing isn't going to fly before God.
See, we can say just kidding , but the Bible teaches that God knows what's going on in our hearts.


“Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭44:21‬ 

“And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; 
‭‭Luke‬ ‭16:15‬a

He knows whether we are really kidding or not, and I guess the bottom line is that if it comes to putting someone down or making fun of them, does it really need to be said?

Read this next passage from Proverbs 26 and notice how often there is a reference to words being used.


“Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.” Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood. Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils. While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public. If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead. A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭26:18-28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Our words matter! I’m not saying God needs to get in agreement with our words; our words need to get in agreement with God.

Here are a few closing thoughts.

Our Words Connect Us To God

Psalm 107:20 says, He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.

God sent His word.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is also known as The Word, The Logos.

There was a chasm—a grand canyon—between God and man called “sin.” So, God sent His Son—the Word—to span that chasm. Do you know how we receive salvation?

Romans 10:8a says, The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.

The Bible connects the mouth and the heart many times. So, God reaches us by sending His Word. Words are how we connect with God.

Words Can Either Connect Us Or Disconnect Us


The way we connect with God is through our words, and the way we connect with people is through our words. Think about whenever you have had a disconnect with someone. Words were involved. They were either involved with what you said or what they said. Words were involved.

If you want a good marriage, watch your mouth. Some people have a bad marriage because they have a bad mouth.(I'm not speaking of using bad language, but of always complaining or putting down their spouse) You’re speaking death over your marriage.

Now I'm not a name it claim it person or don't speak this or that otherwise it will come true for your life ( like some people who are sick go to the extreme that they don't want to admit they are sick) But, be careful of the words you use concerning your finances, your family, or your health.


 I like to rib my buddies and all of that stuff, but putting others down for the sake of a few laughs is never good.

Transition from speaking words of consistent sarcasm or putting people down to using language as a blessing for your spouse, co-workers, family members, and everyone else.


 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. 
Colossians 4:6

 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear
Ephesians 4:29

I close by telling you this story: Over my 20 years of ministry I have seen many gifted people. What is sad is when you see someone who has been gifted by God and yet their mouth/words keeps them from being effectively used for the kingdom of God. But, it's not just ministry. There are those who could advance in their jobs to a place of leadership but , they always have to joke, they put others down. Whatever it is, once again in all these situations words are being used.


Of course Jesus himself gives the final zinger:
For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.
Matthew 12:34b

Now hopefully you can see how all of these things connect and why I am constantly asking for forgiveness and trying to watch what I say........ Jesus says it all comes down to the state of our hearts.

Let's go to God and ask Him to deal with our hearts so that our words will reflect that His Spirit is inside of us.

Whether it’s a family member, a coworker, or a stranger, when we talk to or about others,  let's use words that edify and encourage!

Troy