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View Entire Lesson Series
 | | The Gaither Vocal Band - I'll Worship Only At The Feet Of Jesus |
 | | worship service at church in Haiti |
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These first few lessons for new Christians are designed to assist you in forming habits and disciplines whereby you can succeed in your new life as a follower of Jesus Christ. One of the most important habits you can develop is to engage in regular times of praise and worship. Worship and praise are both inspired by, and lead to, a hunger for God. The writer of Psalms says:
You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1)
Other examples of this hunger for God are found in
Psalm 42:1 & Psalm 84:1-2 |
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What does it mean to praise worship God?
Thanksgiving
Whenever someone does a good thing for us we are always quick to say thank you. The same is true with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has done so much for us. He deserves our thanksgiving. We thank Him for His goodness. We thank Him for His love and mercy; His kindness and His faithfulness. Psalm 100:4
Thanksgiving is an act of our will and determination. It is not always based on our good feelings. It is based on the reality of who God is. The Lord is always good. His love and mercy is everlasting. His faithfulness, kindness, and truth endures to all generations. Make a list of things you are thankful for. Keep that list and add to it as more things come to mind. Read through the list often.
Worship
To worship is to adore reverently, to feel deep devoted love for, to regard with respect and with great awe and devotion. One of the words translated from the Bible is "proskuneo", which means, "to kiss the hand, to bring honor or reverence". Biblical worship implies intense adoration for a greater being.
Thanksgiving
One dictionary definition of praise is, "to command, applaud, express approval or admiration, to extol in words or song, magnify, glorify. (to honor, celebrate)" simply put, praise is proclaiming or declaring the good things about God. We praise God directly by expressing our admiration to Him. We praise God indirectly by declaring His goodness to those around us. Praise is based on, and focuses on, both the character of God and the acts He does towards us. God is worthy to be praised just because of who He is.
Praise should be based on God's greatness, not our feelings. Psalm 103:1 says, "bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name". Psalm 43:5 says, "I will bless the Lord".
When we truly understand and recognize God's greatness praise comes easily. The Bible uses different names to describe God. In those names we discover the character of God and find reason to give Him praise.
- Ex 15:26 "Jehovah rapha" the Lord the healer
- Gen 22 "Jehovah jireh" the Lord will provide
- Ezek 48:35 "Jehovah shammah" the Lord is there
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Ways we worship God.
- Worship should be based on God's greatness, not our feelings.
- We should worship with enthusiasm. Psalm 103:1 says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name".
- We are to move towards God. Take the time to read and meditate on Psalm 100. These verses tell us that we are to move ourselves into the presence of God. We are to enter His gates and to come into His courts. God invites us to come to Him with a heart of praise.
- We should worship with skill and excellence (Psalm 33:3). Even though we may not be "the best". We should give God OUR best.
- Our worship must be authentic. (John 4:23-24)
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How can we offer praise and worship to God?
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| Worship and the Heart of an Artist
Did you notice how many of the verses listed above include artistic expression?-- Singing, poetry dance playing of musical instruments, etc. God is, by His very nature, creative and "artistic". When an artist uses his skill and talent in worship he glorifies God and reflects the image of God. The heart of the artist expresses the goodness of God in many ways. Here are a few ways art could be used in worship.
· Drama or musicals
· Poetry reading
· Video
· Artistic dance
· Murals and paintings
· Special musical presentations; solos, ensembles, instrumentals, etc.
· Craft shows or special craft projects for children or adults
In the same regard, people who are good with their hands (building and construction, mechanics, cooks, repairmen, etc.) can use their skills and talents to serve others and worship God.
(Colossians 3:23)
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