As a new and growing Christian, I was unaware of how absolutely POWERFUL it was/is to Worship The Lord! In fact, I initially thought there was no essential difference between the "Praise" of Our God and the "Worship" of Our God!
More time spent in the study of Scripture, along with Earnest Praying and the desire for significant change in my life has helped me to gain a more liberating understanding of the Powerful possibilities that avail me through the Worship of Our God!
All I wanted was to ENCOUNTER The Lord (as I continue to want today) and have the CORRECT view of God. I USED TO view and communicate Praise as "thanking God for the THINGS He has done", while Worship as "thanking God for Who He Is"
My view and understanding about the these have changed, and has empowered my view of God altogether!
Today, as a result of my study, I NOW believe in (what I personally call)...
The 7 Essential Spiritual Offerings....
1. The Offering of Thanks! In this, we encounter God when we offer thanks to God for ALL He has done... for us and/or otherwise!
We ACKNOWLEDGE GOD, in The Offering of Thanks, as the Sole Giver of ALL things!
"...GIVE THANKS in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus...."
1st Thessalonians 5:18 NIV
2. The Offering of Praise! In this, we encounter God when we Offer Praise to Our God for WHO HE IS within the experience of a personal relationship where God has Revealed specific aspects of His Nature to us through what He has done!
We Acknowledge God, in The Offering of Praise, as The ONE Whom we know intimately through the Personal Revelation of His Nature!
"...You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may DECLARE THE PRAISES of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light...."
1st Peter 1:9 NIV
3. The Offering of Worship! In this, we encounter God when we OFFER OUR LIVES in complete surrender to The One we have come to know intimately through the Revelation of His Nature!
We Acknowledge God, in The Offering of Worship, with the Sacrifice of Life altogether! We essentially GIVE OURSELVES wholly to God for His Sovereign and Divine use!
"...I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper WORSHIP...."
Romans 12:1 NIV
4. The Offering of Faith! In this, we encounter God when we OFFER OUR INABILITY to navigate our way through the human experience in every way.
We ACKNOWLEDGE God, in the Offering of Faith, as having THE ABILITY to fill and fulfill ALL Things on our behalf.
"...Without FAITH it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him MUST BELIEVE that He exists and that HE Rewards those who earnestly seek HIM...."
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
"...My Righteous one will live BY FAITH, and I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back...."
Hebrews 10:38 NIV
5. The Offering of Prayer/Meditation! In this, we encounter God when we OFFER OUR INTIMACY and efforts which concern our inner-most being.
We ACKNOWLEDGE God, in the Offering of Intimacy, as Father, Lord and The God of ALL Love!
"...On my bed I remember you; I THINK of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings...."
Psalm 63:7-8 NIV
6. The Offering of The Mind (The Spirit)! In this, we encounter God when we OFFER OUR THOUGHT-LIFE and very Control Center of our being.
We ACKNOWLEDGE God, in the Offering of The Mind, as ALL-KNOWING (Omniscient), SOVEREIGN (in Complete Control) and SUPREME RULER of ALL that concerns mankind!
"...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all YOUR MIND...."
Matthew 22:37 NIV
7. The Offering of Human Nature (The Soul)! In this, we encounter God when we OFFER THE WHOLE OF OUR HUMANITY in all its frailty and beauty!
We ACKNOWLEDGE God, in the Offering of Our Humanity, as CREATOR, SUSTAINER AND SOUL SOURCE of ALL Human desire and need!
"...Unto YOU, O Lord, do I lift up MY SOUL...."
Psalm 25:1 NIV
"...For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it... For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his SOUL?..."
Matthew 8:35-37 NIV
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
"...Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. Worship God if you want the best; worship opens doors to all his goodness. Young lions on the prowl get hungry, but God -seekers are full of God...."
** Psalm 34:8-10 (MSG Bible)
#KeepWINNING!!!
Roc
