Open the Eyes of My Heart

1
When Worship is Difficult!
Job 120-22 210
2
During the centuries of Roman persecution,
Christians fled to the catacombs
3
Archaeologists estimate somewhere from one to
four million Christians were buried in the
catacombs. It was over a basic principle of
Christianity that resulted in these deaths
4
Ever find your worship offered to God difficult?
Lets be honest, there are moments we all find it
hard to worship the Lord. Why? Various reasons
5
Purpose
to identify three hindrances that makes worship
difficult
6
I WORLDLY Hindrances
7
Life often throws curves making worship difficult
8
I WORLDLY Hindrances
A. Job the Man
9
Job 118-19
While he was still speaking, yet another
messenger came and said, Your sons and daughters
were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest
brothers house, when suddenly a mighty wind
swept in from the desert and struck the four
corners of the house. It collapsed on them and
they are dead, and I am the only one who has
escaped to tell you!
10
Things got worse for Job Satan was allowed to
take Jobs health away Then his wife turned on
him
11
Job 29-10
His wife said to him, Are you still holding on
to your integrity? Curse God and die! He
replied, You are talking like a foolish woman.
Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
12
Job 176
God has made me a byword to everyone, a man in
whose face people spit.
13
I WORLDLY Hindrances
A. Job the Man
B. Job the Worshipper
14
James 410
humble yourselves before the Lord and He will
lift you up.
15
Job 1925-27
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the
end He will stand upon earth. And after my skin
has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see
God I myself will see Him with my own eyes I,
and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
16
II SPIRITUAL Hindrances
A. Failure to Repent and Confess
17
Psalm 321-5
Blessed is the man whose transgressions are
forgiven, whose sins are covered I said, I will
confess my transgressions to the Lord.
18
II SPIRITUAL Hindrances
A. Failure to Repent and Confess
B. Failure to Forgive
19
How can we meditate on or rejoice in Gods
forgiveness, IF we refuse to do the same to
others?
20
Ephesians 432
Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as God in Christ
forgave you.
21
II SPIRITUAL Hindrances
A. Failure to Repent and Confess
B. Failure to Forgive
C. Failure to Control Anger
22
Unholy anger is never conducive to worship of God
23
James 119-20
everyone should be quick to listen, slow to
speak and slow to become angry, for mans anger
does not bring about the righteous life that God
desires.
24
III PERSONAL Hindrances
A. Examples Vocalized
B. Biblical Example of This
25
2 Samuel 612-15
Now King David was told, The Lord has blessed
the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has,
because of the ark of God David wearing a linen
ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might,
while he and the entire house of Israel brought
up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound
of trumpets.
26
2 Samuel 616-20
As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of
David, Michal, daughter of Saul watched from a
window. And when she saw King David leaping and
dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her
heart How the king of Israel has distinguished
himself today, disrobing in the sight of slave
girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would.
27
2 Samuel 621-22
David said to Michal, It was before the Lord.
Who chose me rather than your father or anyone
from his house when He appointed me ruler over
the Lords people Israel I will celebrate
before the Lord. I will become even more
undignified than this, and I will be humiliated
in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you
spoke of, I will be held in honor.
28
Grady Nutt (preacher and humorist) told of the
time when he was growing a beard in ministry. 2
weeks into it he had a lady in the church put her
finger in his face saying
29
III PERSONAL Hindrances
A. Examples Vocalized
B. Biblical Example of This
C. Personal Response
30

1. Is it true?
2. Does it honor God?
3. Is God pleased?

31
Application
1) Learn to Worship Privately
2) Prevent Opinions/Tastes from Interfering with
Worship to God
3) Prepare for Corporate Worship
4) Identify Whats Keeping You from Worship
5) Seek the Lords Wisdom/Strength
32
Conclusion and Summary
What hinders you this morning from worshipping
God? More importantly what hinders you from
accepting grace and making Christ the Lord and
Savior of your Life? ...