Aids To Personal Worship
A seven-day devotional in the art of meditation and worship
Purpose: A seven-day devotional study designed to lay a foundation in personal worship, through the study of some of the characteristics (or attributes) of God. The material is cumulative and progressive. Each day you will be using what you learned the day before.
Suggestions: It would be well to refresh your mind regarding the meaning of worship, by reading again the last half of Chapter 7.
Use the Introductory Lesson, as your first study. Please do not read tomorrow's lesson. Keep each lesson fresh for that day. Please try carefully and slowly to follow all instructions in order to gain the maximum good. These you will find sometimes so simple that only by doing them can you understand why they are of any value.
History: Aids to Personal Worship was originally prepared in a small mimeographed booklet, and used in month-long camps, first for teenagers, and subsequently for adults. The material has been tested and proven of inestimable value in teaching personal worship.
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INTRODUCTORY LESSON
1. My motive: To meet Jesus Christ, my living Lord.
2. My preparation: Each night as you drop off to sleep, pray that you may awaken with real expectation and readiness to arise and spend the first freshness of the day with Him.
3. The place: Find a place to be by yourself, where your face is toward Him alone. This is important.
4. The books: Try one of the newer, modern translations of the Bible, as well as your favorite Bible. Take a hymn book with you.
5. Learn to use the hymn book as a means of worship. The hymns you do not know will become familiar friends as you read through the verses and worship your Lord.
6. Apart from the fixed and resolute determination of your will to meet Him, you will find it impossible to do this daily. Your will, mind, heart and body are involved in worship.
MEDITATION:
True worship is subjection to Jesus Christ.
Our Lord seeks worshipers (John 4:23). True worship comes from those who are His sons. Let us worship whether we feel like it or not. Christ is worthy to be praised for WHO HE IS, and for what He has done, and for what He is doing.
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DEFINITIONS FOR DEVOTIONAL STUDY
Worship . . . that honor, respect and adoration a small earthling like me can feel and give to the Almighty Creator.
Praise . . . to glorify God in worship. To speak and sing of His Person, and of His works. To give thanks.
Glorify . . . to make wonderful and great by the love and devotion of my whole self to . . . God.
Confession . . . to be willing to face honestly my own sins and sinfulness, and to put it into words.
Petition . . . to ask the Lord for whatever I need for myself.
Intercession . . . to pray for others, as I pray for myself.
Meditation . . . to think quietly about the Lord, turning over in my mind what I am reading, and letting it sink in.
Thanksgiving . . . to be grateful and show it. Not only for the gift received, but for the Giver. Be grateful and be thankful.
* * * * *
"Come to me . . . . Learn of Me."
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First Day
MEDITATION
1. Enter His presence with expectation. "I am going to see Him, to meet Him!"
2. Humbly prostrate yourself. "He is the Great God, I am His child!"
3. Words are not necessary all the time. Just these silent thoughts and others like them. Take one of these, repeat it over and over until the full meaning begins to take hold of you.
"He is the great Eternal yet I can approach Him."
4. Wait. Be Silent. Be reverent. Keep your mind on the above thoughts. Draw near remembering the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, makes you clean.
HYMN
"Great is Thy Faithfulness"
1. Read it. Sing it aloud. Choose another on the same subject if this one is not in your hymnal. Find out what it says about Him.
2. Select one verse. Underline the parts which describe our God.
3. Compare His faithfulness with yours. Confess your need.
4. Give thanks and praise to Him, now. Use the words of this hymn. Praise Him.
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BIBLE READING
Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart.
Memorize Psalm 119:18.
Read Names of God His Characteristics
1. Numbers 23:19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. James 1:17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Hebrews 13:8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Deuteronomy 7:9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Psalms 145:13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
146:5, 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Psalm 91: 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TESTING
The following words describe the central truth I learned about our God in this lesson.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PRACTICAL
Take with you all day these words and the ideas they convey. Recall them as many times as you can, with thanksgiving. This God is with you. Always. He loves you.
* * * * *
Real worship depends upon the kind of God you worship.
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Second Day
MEDITATION
1. Using the instructions of yesterday, wait in His presence . . . until your heart and mind are very quiet. Quiet. Very quiet.
2. Remember . . . praise and worship belong to our God. (Review your definitions p. 97).
HYMN
"Holy, Holy, Holy"
1. Sing it with your whole heart . . . remembering you are there before Him . . . offering your worship in song, in truth. Before His holiness I realize my unfitness . . . seeing Him, I am aware of my need. Yet, He bids me come . . . He accepts me because He is one with God.
BIBLE READING
My prayer: Psalm 119:18
1. Read Psalm 46. Go through it again, aloud.
2. Read it as though the whole world is listening and you are proud to belong to such a God.
Pause to give thanks again.
Pause to confess your own sinfulness before His pure holiness.
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3. Turn to the Book of Revelation. Read of the holiness of Christ. Take your place . . . in imagination with the great throng and sing with them.
Read the descriptive parts silently, and read the praise and adoration aloud.
Revelation 1:5-7) Keep
Revelation 4 ) your attention
Revelation 5 ) upon the Lamb.
TESTING
From your reading today, write down the words that describe the Lord, your God: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PRACTICAL
1. Give thanks that through the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, you are made right . . . in His sight . . . that His holiness is yours for today's needs. He is your holiness.
2. Share with one person today what your Quiet Times so far have meant to you. Be specific.
* * * * *
Accept yourself as being sinful. To meet God is to cry out, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man!" To meet God is also to cry out, "Thank You, LORD, because You have already taken full responsibility for me and my sin — forever!"
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Third Day
MEDITATION
1. Enter His presence . . . with PRAISE. He loves you. He wants to let His love pour over you . . . like warm sunshine. Open . . . open and just rest. Rest and wait in His dear presence. Use the ideas (and notes) of the past two days.
2. On your knees. Call Him by all the names with which you are familiar. Repeat them . . . with love and adoration.
3. Let your WORSHIP be sometimes silent, with your whole being just going out toward Him; sometimes vocal, with just broken phrases, half-sentences, repeating His Name . . . for He is worthy.
4. Spend five or ten minutes in meditation. Do not leave until His love has warmed you, touched you, transformed you. Remember, HE LOVES YOU. His love meant . . . His death.
HYMN
Choose one of these, or a similar one:
"The King of Love"
"Jesus, I Am Resting"
"O Love That Will Not Let Me Go"
Read it, sing it, think of the meaning.
Underline the words describing His love.
Try "praying through" the words, making them your prayer while you are singing.
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BIBLE READING
1. Write out Romans 5:8: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Circle the important words. Pause to thank God for the real revelation of Himself in the wonderful Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. I John 4:7-21. Read these verses. Form the habit of reading alone and aloud. Try it now.
What word is repeated here? How many times?
Meditate on the source of love . . . the progression . . . from whom to whom.
List the characteristics of love, as found in God:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ; as found in you: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TESTING
Is there any person you will meet today to whom you can show the kind of love Jesus showed on Calvary? With forgiveness and gentleness, pray for him now. Love him . . . now. Seek him out today. Show LOVE.
* * * * *
The first step in worship is learning to be alone with God.
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Fourth Day
MEDITATION
1. Combine the ideas of the first three days by writing down the phrases of praise and the names of the Lord from hymns and Scripture which you may remember.
2. Draw near . . . and let your whole being desire His presence. See how many of the things you have written can be recalled and quoted without looking.
3. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the real meaning of worship. Just ask Him . . . as you remember the words you have written.
HYMN
Choose a hymn, or select one of the following:
"O Sacred Head, Now Wounded!"
"When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"
"Hallelujah, What a Saviour!"
1. Read it aloud, slowly. Pray and praise with the author. Visualize the word pictures.
2. Find a few new expressions from this hymn to add to your growing list of praises with which you may adore your Lord.
BIBLE READING
1. Isaiah 53. Keep in mind that all this suffering was because He loves you.
Read the chapter, remembering the phrase from the hymn, "Thou hast loved us unto blood."
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2. Read Isaiah 53 again, aloud. Have you learned to pray and read aloud yet? Our living Lord is there with you. Speak to Him. Share with Him.
This suffering Saviour of Isaiah 53 is the same glorious Lamb of God who receives our praises in the Book of Revelation.
PRACTICAL
Spend some time in prayer today. Your growing love for your Lord means more love shown to your fellow man.
PRAY for your daily companions by name.
PRAY for members of your family by name.
PRAY for those you work with by name.
PRAY as the Holy Spirit leads you.
* * * * *
WORSHIP is meeting the living God and having my life changed by His presence.
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Fifth Day
MEDITATION
Enter His presence with anticipation and praise.
He is here.
Worship Him in spirit and truth.
He is faithful, never-changing.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God of Hosts!
Loving, faithful, Holy God! My Lord!
Lamb of God, my soul adores Thee,
While upon thy face I gaze.
Here the Father's love and glory.
Shine in all their brightest rays.
Pause. Wait. Be still. Think on the meaning of each of the above words as you say them.
Use parts of other hymns to voice your praise.
HYMN
Choose a resurrection hymn, perhaps one of these:
"Thine Be the Glory, Risen, Conquering Son"
"Christ the Lord Is Risen, Today"
1. Notice to whom the hymn is addressed. Read it aloud.
2. Sing it, learn it if it is new.
3. Worship the Lord with this hymn.
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BIBLE READING
1. John 19:19-31. Read it and see our Lord Jesus as the disciples saw Him at that time.
2. Psalm 33. Observe carefully all that He has done by His great, great power.
PRACTICAL
1. Make Psalm 33:18-22 your own prayer, by rewording the pronouns. Use the first person. "Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon me." Read it several times like this, adding your own requests, and enlarging them as the Holy Spirit puts them into your heart.
2. All your personal private prayer should be in the first person. We are talking to One who is a Person, and One who is alive forevermore.
PRAYER
For others by name.
Share today's plans with your Lord, and talk over all the details with Him.
* * * * *
Worship is the response of my whole self to God.
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Sixth Day
MEDITATION
Spend at least 10 minutes, including the hymn, in meditation. By this time you have many ways to worship your Lord.
Confess your coldness (when you feel that way), for this is being honest as you pray.
"Come to me . . . learn of me . . . and ye shall find rest." Let your heart pour out its silent gratefulness.
From the world of sin and noise,
And hurry I withdraw;
For the small and inward voice
I wait with humble awe;
Silent am I now and still,
Dare not in Thy presence move;
To my waiting soul reveal
The secret of Thy love.
— CHARLES WESLEY
HYMN
Choose one yourself for today. Choose one which expresses praise and worship to Christ.
BIBLE READING
Ephesians 1:15 - 2:10
Yesterday we read and thought about the power of our God, in creation, in becoming a man, in the resurrection.
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Today we want to see how that power operates in us, what that power does to us and in us.
Write what you find:
God's power in Christ God's power in us
PRAYER
As your conception of the greatness of our God grows, your faith will reach out in prayer for your friends. Pray for them by name.
* * * * *
". . . the immeasurable greatness of His power in us who believe.
. . . the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
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Seventh Day
MEDITATION
Your meditation will usually consist of one or all of these
WORSHIP . . . out of which proceeds
PRAISE
CONFESSION
PETITION
INTERCESSION
THANKSGIVING
My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord:
Early in the morning
Will I order my prayer unto Thee
And will keep watch.
HYMN
Choose your own hymn.
Why did you choose it?
What did you find in it?
BIBLE READING
Psalm 139
First Reading: To get the general meaning and to open my heart for instruction by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:12-15).
Second Reading: To notice all that is said about me, and God's knowledge of me.
Third Reading: List all the characteristics of the Lord God as stated or implied in this psalm.
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PRAYER
Be honest to the last detail.
This is the key which restores and maintains real fellowship between my Lord and me. Treat yourself to the luxury of real honesty in prayer. He knows it anyway, but He longs for you to be honest, for then you can hear Him speak to you. Have you learned to recognize His voice? (Proverbs 8:32-36; John 10:3, 4)
* * * * *
True worship is subjection to Jesus Christ.
Appendix 3 || Table of Contents
