First giving Honor to God, who is the head of my life, to my Lord Jesus Christ, who is my Savior, and to the Holy Spirit, who is my keep. I would like to use the subject from which I will attempt to teach, “True Worship and Worshipers”. As I sat on my front porch I asked the Lord our God to bring back to my remembrance the text what it said that to truly worship God is in spirit and in truth. With that being said, let’s take a look at our text. In the book of St. John the 4th chapter and the 23rd and 24th verses you will find these words, “23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth for such doth the Father seek to be his worshipers. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. As I began to study this text, I came to realize that there is no such thing as fake until you make. I have discovered that it is only those that worship our Lord and God in spirit and in truth obtain the favor of God. A believer that worships God in spirit and in truth goes through a life time of pain. I have stopped by here to let you know that even though there is pain in your life there is a reward that is far better than any man on this Earth can give you. When I think of a true worshiper, I am reminded of a book that read back in high school called “Jesus Freaks,” by DC Talk. In this book there was a story about a young girl that was only 5 years old that died for Jesus Christ. While this young girl attended Sunday morning service at her church, the church was taken over by some masked men with guns. They told the members of the church that if they wanted to walk out of the church they had to spit on the bible. Well, it saddens me to say the pastor of the church was the first on to spit on the bible. When he spat on the bible he said, “Please forgive me.” After he left the church this young girl went to the bible and wiped the spit off with her dress. She then said a pray and asked God to forgive the pastor for betraying him. After the young girl did this, one of the gunman walked up to her and shot her in the head. She died instantly. When I read this story tears began to form in my eyes and my heart became heavy with sorrow and grief.
This child was only 5 years of old when she died. I am here to tell you that her death was not in vain. She was so bold in her faith that she was willing to give her life for Jesus Christ. I do recall that Jesus Christ himself said in Luke 18:16, “But Jesus called them unto him saying, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” He went on to say in verse 17, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall no wise enter therein.” My brothers and my sisters, I want to let you know that I doesn't matter how old or how young you may be, true worship begins within you as a child.
Praise is something that God has ordained of all the Redeemed. It is a response that is initiated from the innermost parts of your very being. I need you to understand; you cannot be depressed and praise God at the same time. You can be suicidal and praise God at the same time. You can’t be sad and praise god at the same time. You know what the bible says, “If you want to make an exchange; I’ll give you a garment of praise, for your heaviness. Let me tell you what God is saying, “You can chose to be sad or walk in the joy of the Lord. And all you have to is start surrendering and lifting your hands up to the Lord. The Lord say from the rising of the sun till the going down of the same, the Lord is to be praised. It is a command that the Lord is to praise. I need to tell you this because when you praise God, it is your action. It originates with you. There is a difference between praise and worship. Praise is initiated by you, but while you’re in praise, God in worship responds to your praises. Some people say that when the praises go up blessings come back down. I’m looking at the flowers, beautiful flowers that were once seeds in dirt. I want to talk to some folk that’s been in dirt. God use nature and these plants to show us the importance of praise. That seed says that even though I am a seed in dirt, even though I am buried in darkness, I am going to continue to lift myself up to the hills from which cometh my help. You need to understand that it might take a day, it might take a week, it might take a month, but I know that weeping endureth for a night and joy cometh in the morning. If the flower didn’t give up in dirt, if the tree didn’t give up in the dirt, if the grass didn’t give up in the dirt, if they didn’t give up in the dirt how dare you walk around with your head down. God deserves all of our praise. Bless him as he elevates you from the dirt to the marvelous light.
May God continue to bless you
Elder Stephon Hogan Sr.
Sr. Pastor/Founder
Trinity House Ministries
This child was only 5 years of old when she died. I am here to tell you that her death was not in vain. She was so bold in her faith that she was willing to give her life for Jesus Christ. I do recall that Jesus Christ himself said in Luke 18:16, “But Jesus called them unto him saying, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” He went on to say in verse 17, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall no wise enter therein.” My brothers and my sisters, I want to let you know that I doesn't matter how old or how young you may be, true worship begins within you as a child.
Praise is something that God has ordained of all the Redeemed. It is a response that is initiated from the innermost parts of your very being. I need you to understand; you cannot be depressed and praise God at the same time. You can be suicidal and praise God at the same time. You can’t be sad and praise god at the same time. You know what the bible says, “If you want to make an exchange; I’ll give you a garment of praise, for your heaviness. Let me tell you what God is saying, “You can chose to be sad or walk in the joy of the Lord. And all you have to is start surrendering and lifting your hands up to the Lord. The Lord say from the rising of the sun till the going down of the same, the Lord is to be praised. It is a command that the Lord is to praise. I need to tell you this because when you praise God, it is your action. It originates with you. There is a difference between praise and worship. Praise is initiated by you, but while you’re in praise, God in worship responds to your praises. Some people say that when the praises go up blessings come back down. I’m looking at the flowers, beautiful flowers that were once seeds in dirt. I want to talk to some folk that’s been in dirt. God use nature and these plants to show us the importance of praise. That seed says that even though I am a seed in dirt, even though I am buried in darkness, I am going to continue to lift myself up to the hills from which cometh my help. You need to understand that it might take a day, it might take a week, it might take a month, but I know that weeping endureth for a night and joy cometh in the morning. If the flower didn’t give up in dirt, if the tree didn’t give up in the dirt, if the grass didn’t give up in the dirt, if they didn’t give up in the dirt how dare you walk around with your head down. God deserves all of our praise. Bless him as he elevates you from the dirt to the marvelous light.
May God continue to bless you
Elder Stephon Hogan Sr.
Sr. Pastor/Founder
Trinity House Ministries