PORTERVILLE POST | The "RIGHT" Word © ~ with Brother Scott

| “IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH”

The Right Word^© - Sep 27, 2026
with Brother Scott : scott@portervillepost.com

Listen :
(† John 4:19) The [Samaritan] woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh [for what God has planned], and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. [As born-again ones, we have become the temple of the living God and it became no longer incumbent on true worshipers to go to Jerusalem.]

On the heels of our discussion on praise unto God, today we will look at worship. True worship stands higher and stronger in its focused gaze in the direction of the One and only that is worthy of our worship as partly defined in today’s message.
Praise and worship are very close in their relationship and (for me) can easily move back and forth between one and the other during certain times of thoughts and love for God, especially in the singing times of our meetings.
I find that the songs we sing often release me from the tentacles of the natural world that wrap themselves around my mind, emotions and spirit, often hindering me from true worship of my God and Savior Jesus.
Throughout my life and in many years in church meetings both in other churches and in service to our own gatherings now for 28 years, I’ve observed this (these observations are not intended to cause condemnation on those that these points may describe but are intended to reveal that there is much more a believer can and should participate in when it comes to praise and worship of our great God and King):

Throughout my life ... I’ve Observed This

(these observations are not intended to cause condemnation on those that these points may describe
but are intended to reveal that there is much more a believer can and should participate in
when it comes to praise and worship of our great God and King):
1. There are those that will sing the songs of praise and even the more worshipful ones but can hardly relate to the words they sing nor (perhaps) have never even (from the heart) been moved by those songs to actually help them praise the Lord God of Heaven and even move into a few minutes of genuine worship of Him. Many in churches are in this category.
2. There are those that can relate to and appreciate the words we sing but have never openly praised the Lord or freely worshiped Him because it feels unnatural or awkward or they are hindered by caring what others think about him or her in their public expressions of love, praise and worship of God.
3. As a percentage of all in a meeting, very few are moved in their sincere thanksgiving and joy in the Lord to use their own words in addition to the lyrics of choruses and hymns; words that involve their personal expressions such as ...
“Thank You, Jesus”, “I praise You, my Lord”, “I bless You, Father”, I love You, Lord”, or the simple and unscripted, “Hallelujah—praise ye the Lord!”.
There can also be spontaneous physical actions in response to the Presence of God in the meeting. Not many lift up a hand or hands during such times in either surrender or as a wave offering of sorts, and rare are ones that will gently clap their applause of God or unashamedly weep or voluntarily kneel under the weight of heartfelt love and worship of His very Presence right there, right then.

( † † † )
† Psalm 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. . .
† Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word [at Cornelius’ house]. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify (megalyno: make great, enlarge, extol) God. . . [perceived as praise and worship]
† Psalm 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

Is there a difference between praise and worship? I believe there is.

Praise: The expression of approval, commendation, or admiration. A form of social interaction expressing recognition or admiration. The extolling or exaltation of God. To laud (to praise highly, glorify). To extol (to place on high, lift up; to elevate, magnify). To glorify (to confer honor and distinction upon; to elevate to power and significance) [God’s rightful place in our lives]. See Psalm 63, Psalm 95.

The expression of a man or angel that comes deeper from and lifted higher from the heart is that of worship, which word comes from ancient words meaning “worthiness or worth-ship”.

How are “worthy” and “worship” to be understood?

Worthy modern definition: Having worth, merit, value or importance, such as being honorable or deserving of respect [and giving it as praise or worship].
The Bible’s “Worship”: Hebrew—shaha: to stoop, do reverence, bow down, crouch, prostrate Greek—proskyneō: to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand, to fawn or crouch to, (literal or figuratively) to prostrate oneself [stretched out with face to ground in reverence to adoration or in submission]
Extra-biblical definition of “worship”: The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity. The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms [through songs, kneeling, raising of hands and can involve joyful weeping] by which this love is expressed. It is not about emotion, it is more recognition of God.

( † † † )
† 2 Samuel 22:2 And he [David] said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. 4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy [Greek: deserving the reward of, deserving] to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
† Revelation 4:9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy (deserving the reward of, deserving), O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Praise is both good and needful and perhaps the common ground of our daily walk before God but our personal worship and what is to be worship for the gathered church is that which comes from deeper within the believer and rises higher than that of praise.

Or perhaps you can think of these two in this way:

Sincere praise is like stepping into the shallow-end of a swimming pool; it is safe, you’re in control, your feet still touch the bottom; your mind and heart are active in declaring the greatness of God for Who He is and in acknowledging what He has done for you.
But for those that will dare step forward in the direction of the other end of the pool in their praise, something happens as you move forward because you gradually move downward and into the deeper end of the water.
What happens is the mind with its memories and good reasons for praise begins to stand aside and from your spirit worship rises and fills the heart and usually involves a voice determined to declare His worth, a gushing forth of an inspired language of worship in one’s natural tongue, trembling hands, oftentimes tears, and with the help of the Holy Ghost, pure truth declared unto God.
For those fewer in number that are baptized in and stay full of the Spirit, in private times of praise giving way to worship, there can arise a joyful heavenly language speaking to God of one’s love and glorying in His Presence.

Do recall that Jesus said that the attention of God is drawn especially to those that worship Him in spirit and in truth. We are
a people invited, even called to worship our great God and King:

( † † † )
† John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
† Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the [true] circumcision, which worship (latreuo: minister to God, render homage, serve) God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

[The flesh can easily try to be part of praise and what many call worship but the regenerated human spirit indwelled by God’s Spirit is not influenced by the flesh; what comes
by the spirit in worship is true of the man or woman (“worship Him in spirit and in truth”).]
† Psalm 29:1 Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
† Psalm 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. 7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand…
† Psalm 99:9 Exalt (raise up, promote) the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

For those with ears to hear, last week and today is a summons served upon the true people of God saved through faith by His grace; these are the two-part declaration of a call upon our lives to offer the sacrifice of sincere praise unto the only Divine One, and at less often but precious deeply intimate times, to render heartfelt worship before our eternal God—a very personal, meaningful and fulfilling expression.

It is the way of a people given to holy appreciation, awe, and fear
of the Lord; indeed, it has much to do with our personal treasure.

In my opinion and personal experience, worship is the highest form of expression for a redeemed man or woman who fears the Lord; [worship] is the quintessential form of one’s pure moral reverence of the eternal God and our Father (the essence of a thing in concentrated form).
It is in worship that we allow our spirit—to use our voice and mouth—and the best of our God-given emotions—to bless and make happy the heart of God.

( † † † )
† Isaiah 33:5 The LORD is exalted (sagab: lofty, set on high); for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness. 6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear (reverence) of the LORD is his [a man’s] treasure.
† Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also [He is our greatest treasure!].

I can only adjudge this of myself, but I perceive that my times of worship are one of the several outgrowths (fruit!) of my love for God. I therefore wonder if that is why so many believers today have for their first time never stumbled into true worship—because they haven’t reached a level of love for God that is both possible and that He asks of us.

( † † † )
† Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

One more aspect of genuine worship of God
is that of the vulnerability of humility.

When I slip from praise and thanksgiving into true worship that is from my spirit, it absolutely requires that my focus be on God alone and not caring what others around me hear, observe or think-of my worshipful expressions.
When I worship, I am known to whimper and weep, gently clap my hands in the applause of His victory and greatness, my voice breaks-up as I mumble laudatory declarations, I may even kneel and bow and even openly cry as if overwhelmed by grief, although it is not grief.
I know from my experiences of real worship that it involves humility in the very real Presence of the eternal, holy God, and my Creator, Redeemer, and King. If you want to worship God, you will set aside poise-and-pride and shun the attempts of any fleshly distractions of the mind.
Not unlike what Paul says at (2 Timothy 4:8), for the few minutes of the ecstasy during true worship (“ecstasy” from ancient Greek: ‘outside of oneself’, an experience of total involvement with the object of their awareness), there is for me a sense of being fitted with a crown of righteousness by the pure love for my God that becomes evident by the act of sincere and selfless worship, for I am in His very Presence loving Him and basking in the glorious awareness and vision of my enthroned God.
I think maybe that worship is the prominent jewel set in the crown of righteousness—and you can have it also when you allow yourself to worship our wonderful God.

( † † † )
† 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness (from innocence, holiness), which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
[Or in the case of our true worship, having stepped into His Presence and responding
like the 24 elders do with their crowns in John’s revelation of Heaven’s worship.]

Praise is a principle thing in the life of a true follower of Jesus and child of God, and our genuine worship in spirit and in truth comes with its own unexpected reward. If you will allow the Holy Ghost to develop the “want to”, the desire to move into worship, real worship, He will surely bring it to pass.
Remember however, true worship happens because you love God through-and-through and will hold nothing back of yourself in your desire to kneel at His feet at least in spirit and heart and imagination in humble adoration. I close out these two discussions on praise and worship with an event involving another woman who came to worship Jesus, Who was and is God.
Notice the elements of what she did; are they not true worship?

( † † † )
† Luke 7:36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven [or as so many think they have had little to be forgiven of], the same loveth little. . . 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

This Lady Came to W o r s h i p J e s u s !

Let us each and everyone rise to true and higher levels of praise and the worship of our wonderful God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
the King of all kings and our Lord and Savior.

~ Brother Scott ... With ... The Right Word^© ... For Today~