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Praise and worship is probably the most important aspect of the
Christian walk. It is through praise and worship that we as Christians draw near to God.
Psalm 100:4 says that we enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with
praise. Psalms 22 says he that He inhabits the praises of His people. In the old testament
people worshipped at Jerusalem in the temple. When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the
well He told her that the hour had come when all worshippers must worship the Father in
spirit and in truth and that the Father even sought such worshippers (John 21-24).
Praise and worship is not just a song service where we sing songs. It is not an outward
performance. It has to come from the heart. It is always better to sing songs to God
rather than about Him. There are lots of songs that sing about God. And I believe there is
a time where we need to declare God and make his praises known, but I believe it is more
important to sing songs that minister to the Lord. We can make song personal simply by
changing some of the words around and saying YOU instead of Him.
There are so many aspects of praise and worship. The most important one though, in my
opinion, is to make sure you have your own praise and worship time with God. There is no
need for musical instruments, although, that would be nice. Matthew 6:33 says to seek His
kingdom first and His righteousness and if you do that, all other things will be added
unto you. When people think of their own devotional time they usually think of prayer and
the word. That is important, but to get into His presence in the first place, we need to
do it God's way, which is to enter into His presence with thanksgiving and praise
according to Psalm 100:4. It's in His presence where we will find fullness of joy. It is
in His presence where we will be changed. It is in His presence where our understanding
will be opened.
If you have never done this on your own before, it might be awkward to sing to the Lord
just by yourself. First of all, be fully persuaded that it is God's will for you to
worship Him and to make this of utmost importance and part of your daily routine. Here are
some guidelines to follow.
Shut yourself in a room if you feel awkward. You will need to be free to worship Him. Just
start telling Him how much you love Him. Put those words to music, in other words, sing
it. If you know how to play an instrument (piano, guitar), you can get by with just a few
simple chords, like C and G or D and A. You really only need two chords! If you can't
think of words to say, look for some words from the Psalms. The Psalms are filled with
praises. Start singing the words that speak of the glory of God in your Bible. Start off
with about 10 to 15 minutes. Soon you will look forward to your time in praise and worship
with the Lord, and before you know it, it's not a duty, it's an awesome privilege to come
before His presence with singing!
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before
his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us,
and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his
gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless
his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all
generations. (Psalm 100:1-5)
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Highly recommended