Adoring God for Who He Is

Adoration begins with the truth that God loved first. First John 4:19 places his love before every human response. Christ loved enough to die, and his blood made a way for his bride to come near. Acceptance rests not on human goodness but on his greatness. Gratitude rightly thanks God for answered prayers and provision, but adoration loves him for who he is, even if nothing more is given.

The difference becomes clear when the hands are empty. Job lost his children, wealth, health, and reputation, yet still blessed the name of the Lord. God remained worthy when life no longer looked the way Job wanted. The heart that seeks God’s face rather than merely his hand offers the very thing Christ died for: a life surrendered to him.

David’s wonder beneath the stars, Isaiah’s vision of the holy Lord, and the elders falling before the Creator all point toward worship rooted in God’s own worth. His majesty does not depend on the latest answered prayer. Nothing compares with him, and nothing else can fill the empty place in a wounded soul.

Such adoration has to move into the secret place. David’s thirst in Psalm 63 is not merely a request for escape from the wilderness. His soul longs for God because God’s steadfast love is better than life. Private worship makes room for peace even before circumstances change.

Political parties cannot save, and the church’s hope belongs to the Lamb rather than the donkey or the elephant. Corporate worship and faithful ministry can encourage believers, but neither replaces time alone with God. Holiness comes from Christ within, not church attendance or good behavior. Like David speaking to his own soul, believers are called to turn their whole inward life toward blessing God’s holy name.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Adoration Reaches Beyond Gratitude For Gifts. Gratitude recognizes what God has provided, while adoration treasures who he is. Christ’s love and the price he paid give his bride a reason to draw near that reaches deeper than the latest answered prayer. A heart seeking his face does not make affection depend on receiving something more. [54:43]
• 2. Empty Hands Can Still Bless God. Job’s losses stripped away the things that often make life feel secure, but they did not strip God of his worth. Blessing the Lord in that place does not require calling the loss good or pretending that nothing hurts. It means that disappointment does not get the final say over whether God deserves adoration. [55:35]
• 3. The Secret Place Cannot Be Replaced. Corporate worship can lead believers toward Christ, but private adoration cannot be borrowed from a worship team or supplied by church leaders. Time alone with God makes room for love without a grocery list of needs or an audience watching. Peace is found there, and holiness comes from Christ within rather than the appearance of religious activity. [1:10:20]
• 4. The Lamb Alone Can Save. Political noise can pull the heart toward promises that neither party can fulfill. The donkey and the elephant cannot provide the salvation, peace, and joy that belong to Jesus, the Lamb of God. Believers live in this world, but their deepest confidence belongs to the ruler of the kingdom and the lover of their souls. [1:08:50]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [50:18] - God Loved First
• [52:44] - From Gratitude to Adoration
• [54:43] - Seeking God’s Face, Not Just His Hand
• [55:35] - Job’s Worship With Empty Hands
• [56:29] - God’s Majesty, Holiness, and Worth
• [1:01:00] - Nothing Compares With God
• [1:02:35] - Worship in the Secret Place
• [1:04:22] - God’s Love Is Better Than Life
• [1:07:25] - Bringing Trouble Into God’s Presence
• [1:08:50] - The Lamb, Not Political Saviors
• [1:10:20] - Private Adoration and Holiness
• [1:12:19] - Calling the Soul to Bless God

Bible Reading

1 John 4:19
“We love because he first loved us.” [51:47]

Job 1:21
“And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” [55:48]

Psalm 63:1-4
“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.” [01:04:38]

Observation questions

1. In 1 John 4:19, what comes before human love for God? How does Christ’s willingness to die show the depth of that love? [51:47]
2. What distinction is made between thanking God for his gifts and adoring God for who he is? [54:04]
3. In Job 1:21, what does Job acknowledge about receiving and losing possessions, and how does he respond to God in his loss? [55:48]
4. In Psalm 63:1–4, what images describe David’s longing for God, and what expressions of worship follow that longing? [01:04:38]

Interpretation questions

1. How does God’s first love in 1 John 4:19 challenge the belief that a person must become good enough before drawing near to him? [53:33]
2. How can Job’s response in Job 1:21 help a grieving believer understand the difference between honoring God and pretending that loss does not hurt? [56:05]
3. In Psalm 63:1–4, why is David’s longing for God more than a desire for better circumstances? What difference might that make for someone whose prayers remain unanswered? [01:05:17]
4. How does David’s seeking God in the wilderness help explain why corporate worship, though valuable, cannot replace a believer’s time alone with God? [01:10:36]

Application questions

1. When you feel unworthy to approach God, what usually lies behind that feeling? How might remembering Christ’s love and sacrifice help you draw near rather than withdraw? [53:33]
2. Think about your prayers over the past week. How much space was given to requests, gratitude, and simply loving God for who he is? What quality of God’s character would you like to linger over this week? [54:13]
3. If you are comfortable sharing, where does life currently look different from what you hoped? What might honest worship look like there—without hiding your disappointment or calling the pain good? [56:05]
4. What most often crowds out your time alone with God? What realistic time and place could you set aside this week to be with him without rushing through a list of needs? [01:03:21]
5. When political news or public conflict unsettles you, what do you notice happening to your peace and your treatment of others? What practical step could help you place your deepest confidence in Christ rather than a political outcome? [01:08:53]
6. When you feel spiritually dry, do you tend to lean on church attendance, serving, or appearing to have everything together? What would it look like to receive encouragement from others while also making room to seek Christ privately? [01:11:24]