Almost every mornings, pastors across this nation find brochure after brochure advertising some sort of new program that makes the claims to 'enhance' the worship in their church.
 

When we begin to realize and understand that we are living in the Laodicean Church Age, you would think that we would be able to see more clearly the conflict between what people in these contemporary worship services "feel" compared to what the Scriptures "say" about true Biblical Worship.

These modern Christians say, "Look at the increasing numbers, look at the smiles, look at the offerings, look at the fun activities, look at our new buildings, our new gym, our new sports complex, look at the great teen programs and concerts; this new worship must be right!"  May we remind them of Moses's second experience in providing water for his people. He received great results but he personally paid for his disobedience.  He didn't do it God's way - he did it his own way!

If Moses would have stayed with what worked the first time, he would have gone into the promised land!  The "new way" just got Moses into big trouble with God!

Warren Wiersbe states, "Most Christians are too busy to worship, and many church services are so filled with man-made promotion that God is almost forgotten.  People go to church to be spectators at a religious program, not participants in spiritual worship.  They spend their time in counting.  As long as there are results, nobody cares whether or not God was pleased as HIs people gathered to honor Him and offer Him spiritual worship... the missing ingredient is worship... ascribing to God worth and not 'using God' to produce the results we have already planned."

1)  There is definitely big money in it!  I Timothy 6:10
2)  Today's modern worship doesn't impress God as much as it impresses the people!  Revelation 3:18

A Scriptural truth to remember concerning 'rich & extravagant Christianity' is that those with great possessions usually don't want to follow Jesus on HIS terms, only their own.
Matthew 19:22-24  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
I Timothy 3:9,10  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
I Timothy 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

It already appears that instead of trusting the living God, today's highminded Christians who trust in those uncertain riches are jumping onto the modern worship bandwagon!  They are falling into temptation and a snare - they are falling into many foolish and hurtful lusts and will drown in destruction and perdition.

The truth is: while we should be seeking the living God Himself, He is knocking on our doors right now!  Revelation 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. He is knocking either for salvation or fellowship!

He is there - right now - knocking on doors... talk about a wonderful door knocking visitation program!  It seems that most Christians have gone away fishing on the 'Visitation' and are missing the very One they should be visiting with!

Do you suppose people really just don't WANT TO OPEN THE DOOR for fear they may actually find Him there - face to face!

Not just money, not just earthly possessions, but how about time, how about just ourselves!  Are we willing to give up ourselves - can we humble ourselves or do we consider ourselves a great personal possession that we just can't get rid of?

Linton Smith makes this comment, "We have become so 'laid back' that we think real worship is 'stiffnecked.'"

1.  Real worship is stiffnecked when you are lost and living IN your flesh!
Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
This kind of worship is often called formalism. My early days of Lutheranism was full of liturgical, ritualistic, repetitive, call & response, formal long robed, "stiffneckistic" worship.  That is the way most of the mainline denominations had been - until the latest modern contemporary revitalized worship services moved in.  However, even with that, the older folks never do 'catch-on' and some of the young folks do participate, but deep down there is someone missing.  GOD!

2.  Real worship is stiffnecked when you are living AFTER your flesh!
Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

3.  Real worship is stiffnecked when you have no knowledge of the truth.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

4.  Real worship is stiffnecked if there is no honest and sincere response to the preaching and teaching from the Holy Spirit!
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest;  and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.        I Corinthians 14:25

5.  Real worship is stiffnecked if you have a critical spirit.
Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

6.  Real worship is stiffnecked if you are full of worldliness.
Luke 8:12-14 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

7.  Real worship is stiffnecked if you are just too lazy to exert the energy needed to worship God.
Proverbs 15:19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
Proverbs 21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

8.  Real worship is stiffnecked if you let pride get in the way!
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

9.  Real worship is stiffnecked if there is no spiritual understanding following your biblical knowledge!  Stiffnecked worship shows a lack of wisdom - a lack of growth.  But give it time - it just hasn't arrived yet. God does have an order in all things and it all has to have a growing time!  Let all things be done decently and in order.  I Corinthians 14:40

Romans 10:13-15
Be Sent
Preach
They will Hear
They will Believe
They will Call Upon the Name of the Lord
RESULTS: People receive tidings of good things!

Ephesians 1:12-14
Hear the word of truth
Believe
Trust
Sealed
RESULTS:  the redemption of the purchased possession!

Romans 5:3-5
Faith
Grace
Tribulation
Patience
Experience
Hope
RESULTS:  Not being ashamed; recognize the love of God in your heart; justification, reconciliation and joy!

II Peter 1:6
Faith in Christ
Faith of Christ
Escape the corruption that is in the world through lust
giving all diligence, add:
virtue
knowledge
temperance
patience
godliness
brotherly kindness
charity
RESULTS: neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Philippians 4:8,9
Think on things that are:
true
honest
just
pure
lovely
of a good report
RESULTS: the God of peace shall be with you!

Maybe that is why the young people today just don't like 'real worship' - they don't have an understanding about it!  They may "know" about it, but they do not understand it.

Interesting thought, eh!

As A.P. Gibbs once said, "May there rise from every Christian's heart a constant flow of adoring worship which will delight the heart of God and bring glory to His holy name.   He alone is worthy to be praised; a great King of kings; God of gods; Lord of lords; the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and ending; the first and the last; that which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty; the Lord Jesus Christ; the way, the truth, the life; the door; the bread of life; the water of life; the lily of the valley; the Altogether Lovely One, the King of Israel; the Messiah; the Christ; the Anointed of God; My Saviour; My God; my Beloved and My Friend.  May his name be praised for ever and ever."

Especially right here from Touchet Baptist Church.