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| Posted by Phemyte |
Praise And Worship
Praise and Worship - A Natural Desire
Praise and worship seems to be universal. Have you ever heard of an explorer
finding a new tribe or culture that doesn't worship? Worship is a natural
instinct and a basic need for every person. A simple definition of worship is
to regard with great devotion or to honor as a divine being. Take a second to
think about what you are most devoted to in this life and ask yourself,
"Is it worthy of my devotion; do I worship a divine being?"
We don't all worship the same God, but everyone worships something or someone.
Since we all worship, we should question the reason for this desire. The most
logical conclusion is that we were created by a higher being for the very
purpose of worship.
The ongoing quest of man is to find answers to the fundamental questions of
human origin, human nature, and human destiny. There is one book that has the
answers to all these questions, including our questions about worship. The
Bible is the wonderful and mysterious book that God has chosen as a way to
communicate with us.
God is the focus of our devotion in both the Old Testament and the New
Testament. In Exodus 20:2-3, God says, "I am the LORD your God...You
shall have no other gods before me." In Matthew 4:10, Jesus says, "Worship the Lord your God
and serve him only." So, worship is not merely a natural instinct, it's a
command from God.
Praise and Worship - Why Should We do it?
God alone is worthy of our devotion, praise and worship. He is God, our
Creator, and we are commanded to praise and worship Him. Psalm 96:9 says, "Worship the Lord in the splendor
of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth." Psalm 29:2 says, "Give unto the Lord the glory due
his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."
A.W. Tozer said, "Without worship, we go about miserable." God
doesn't want us to be miserable -- He has a perfect plan for our lives. He has
done so many things to show us that He loves us and doesn't want us to be
miserable. He wants us to have hope for a future with Him --he wants us to have
eternal life in heaven with Him.
A life of praise and worship fills our deepest needs, and amazingly, it also
brings great joy to God. Zephaniah 3:17 states, "The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with
his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
Praise and Worship - How Do We do it?
God tells us how to praise and worship him in His Word. John 4:23 says, "Yet a time is coming and has now
come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for
they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." In order to worship God
in truth, we need to know that Jesus said "I am the way and the truth and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." So, before you
can worship in the way that God desires, you have to develop a relationship
with Him through faith in Jesus, His Son.
The best way that we can praise and worship God is with our every thought and
action. Romans 12:1-2 states, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers,
in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and
pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any
longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good,
pleasing and perfect will."
Praise and Worship - Love from the Heart
Many people think that praise and worship is only singing songs at church, but
it is so much more! It is also a condition of your heart -- a willingness to
exalt God and yield to his will. Worship is an expression of love and awe to
the God who gives us more than we deserve. Whether you express your worship by
singing, playing music, dancing or in some other way, remember that you are called
to worship God with your every action, every day of your life. God is holy,
loving, and worthy of all our worship and devotion.
