Progressive Baptist Church's Website
One of the most important functions of the Christian church is that of worship. What does worship mean? Worship means to regard with extravangant respect, honor, or devotion. When worship takes place, we participate in giving honor or tribute to whatever we claim as valuable, essential, and beneficial. When we praise God, an act of worship takes place. When we sing songs, an act of worship takes place. One of the important lessons every Christian should learn is that although there are certain places designated for worshiping, God can be praised through worship wherever we are.
One of the essential aids for worship is the Scriptures. In the Scriptures, we find the necessary guidance on how we are to worship God and what He expects of us. The Scriptures also provides us with rebuff, correction, teaching, and training guidelines for our daily living. We cannot enter into the worship of God without first examining ourselves. Scriptures provide the context for such an examination.
Other aids that enable effective worship is in giving all that you are back to God. We should use our God given talents to praise and magnify the name of God. The role of music and musical instruments is another form of worship. I'm sure we've all heard the phrase, "When praises go up, blessings come down." A most beautiful picture of God honoring praise is found in Acts 16. Paul and Silas had just finished an open air meeting. The authorities arrested them, beat them, and threw them in jail. They were locked up in the deepest, darkest part of the prison where there wasn't even a dim ray of light. Paul and Silas were doing God's will, yet they found themselves in jail with no way out. The Bible says, they praised God, and they didn't do it in a whisper because the other prisoners heard them. Through praise and worship, Paul and Silas were delivered from the confines of prison walls. Paul and Silas gave us a pattern to follow: Pray, then worship and praise God!
Often the reason the power of God isn't working in our lives is because we aren't continually thanking God for what He has already done. We are not giving Him praise on a daily basis. There will be times when we must praise God even if we feel like nothing is going right in our lives. Just imagine if God chose to bless us for only the things we praised Him for. Would you praise God every morning for your sanity, or all your limbs, or your health? We must give God praise even if we don't feel like it because our praise could never exceed His blessings.
One of the basic requirements for adequate preparation for worship is understanding who God is. Once we understand this, we can make a simple decision; at all times, worship and praise God from whom all blessings flow.
