Worship With A Pure Heart?

Chilling passage of scripture I was reading this morning:

1 Sam. 19:20-24 tells us that, in his attempt to take David's life, Saul sent three different groups of men - and then went himself - to capture David in order to kill him. In the course of their action, all three groups of men, as well as Saul, came to a "company of prophets prophesying", at which time "the Spirit of God was upon them and they also prophesied".

While the word here prophesied is widely used - with varying definitions - throughout the Scripture, the passage here indicates that, rather than a group of literal prophets who were foretelling unseen events, or declaring "Thus saith the Lord", this was a group of students of Samuel, the prophet, who were caught up in exuberant worship of God. Their worship was so infectious, and the Spirit and Presence of God so strong, that Saul's messengers, and even Saul himself, became caught up in the passion of the moment, offering up their own worship to God.

Yet Saul's heart was not changed, even during his moment of worship. He still had every intention to take David's life.

Ladies and gentlemen, you can stand in the very real, very powerful Presence of God and get so emotionally caught up in the passion of the moment, and the flow of the Spirit, that you, too, can worship like those around you. However, from what we see in this passage in 1 Samuel, it is very possible to worship God - even to "prophesy" and utter His Word - yet still have murder and hatred in your heart.

Jer. 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; and who can know it?"

Search your heart; just because you lift your hands and feel a tingle when the church is popping doesn't necessarily mean everything is right with God. We need to ensure we are worshiping God with clean hands, and a pure heart.