Worship & Thankfullness
Please also see: ‘Relationship with GOD.’
Seek the Truth with all your heart.
GOD is a loving GOD and wants HIS children to know and respect HIM for WHO HE is; just like any loving parent. HE seeks our praise, thanks, and appreciation, even if things are bad.
Exodus 20:4-6 ‘You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your GOD, am a jealous (lovingly possessive) GOD, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate ME, but showing love to a thousand generations, of those who love ME and have keep MY commandments.’
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is GOD’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’
Worship can represent one’s priorities in their life, in the context of what or who is the focus of your worship. True worship can be our lifestyle, including relationship, thinking about - meditating on - and loving GOD, and making ourselves available for HIS purposes.
Children, at a certain age, have the option by way of freedom of choice, to reject their parents, turn their backs on them, and go their own way; BUT there are always consequences, and it can be a very lonely place.
It is the same with relationship with GOD.
GOD wants our worship to be motivated by love, thankfulness, true appreciation, and delight in HIM. A life lived for GOD’s glory is a life of worship in everything we do. Loving all other people is glorifying and worshiping GOD, as is also developing a Christ-like character, serving others, telling people about GOD, and being open about your relationship with GOD.
David Brainerd, an eighteenth century missionary to the American Indians, wrote in his journal: “I would withdraw to my usual place of reflection in great tranquillity. I knew only to breathe out my desire to be perfectly conformed to HIM in all things. GOD was so precious that the world with all its enjoyments seemed infinitely vile. I have no more desire for people’s favour than for pebbles. At noon I had the most ardent longings after GOD which I ever felt in my life. In my secret place I could do nothing but tell my dear LORD in a sweet calmness that I knew that I desired nothing but HIM, nothing but holiness; that HE had given me these desires and only HE could give me the things I desired. I never seemed to be so unhinged from myself, so wholly devoted to GOD. My heart was swallowed up in GOD most of the day.”
Psalm 8:1 ‘O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is YOUR name in all the earth. YOU have set YOUR glory above the heavens.’
Psalm 19:1 ‘The heavens declare the glory of GOD; the skies proclaim the work of HIS hands.’
Psalm 24:1-2 ‘The Earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for HE founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.’
Psalm 29:1-2 ‘Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due HIS NAME; worship the LORD in the splendour of HIS holiness.’
Such worshipful love is reflected in:
Psalm 32:11 ‘Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all who are upright in heart.’
Psalm 42:1 ‘As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for YOU, O GOD. My soul thirsts for GOD, for the living GOD. When can I go and meet with GOD.’
Psalm 46:1 ‘GOD is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’
Psalm 66:1-2 ‘Shout with joy to GOD, all the earth. Sing the glory of HIS Name; make HIS praise glorious.’
Psalm 67:1-5 ‘GOD be gracious (merciful) to us and bless us and make HIS face shine upon us, that YOUR ways may be known on earth, YOUR salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise YOU, O GOD; may all the peoples praise YOU. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for YOU rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise YOU, O GOD; may all the peoples praise YOU. Then the land will yield its harvest, and GOD, our GOD, will bless us. GOD will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear (respect) HIM.’
Psalm 73:23-28 ‘Yet I am always with YOU; YOU hold me by my right hand. YOU guide me with YOUR counsel, and afterwards YOU will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but YOD.? And Earth has nothing I desire besides YOU. My flesh and my heart fail, but GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from YOU will perish; YOU destroy all who are unfaithful to YOU. But as for me, it is good to be near GOD. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all YOUR deeds.’
Psalm 89:1-2 & 5-6 & 8 & 14-16 ‘I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make YOUR faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that YOUR love stands firm forever; that YOU have established YOUR faithfulness in heaven itself.’
‘The heavens praise YOUR wonders, LORD, YOUR faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?’
‘Who is like YOU, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY? YOU, LORD, are mighty and YOUR faithfulness surrounds YOU.’
‘Righteousness and justice are the foundation of YOUR throne; love and faithfulness go before YOU. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim YOU, who walk in the light of YOUR presence LORD. They rejoice in YOUR NAME all day long; they celebrate YOUR righteousness.’
Psalm 96:1-13 ‘Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD all the Earth.
Sing to the LORD, praise HIS NAME; proclaim HIS salvation day after day.
Declare HIS glory among the nations, HIS marvellous deeds among all peoples. For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; HE is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendour and majesty are before HIM; strength and glory are in HIS sanctuary.
Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due HIS NAME; bring an offering and come into HIS courts.
Worship the LORD in the splendour of HIS holiness; tremble before HIM, all the Earth.
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; HE will judge the peoples with equity.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the Earth be glad; let the sea resound and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the LORD for HE comes, HE comes to judge the Earth. HE will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in HIS faithfulness.’
Psalm 100:1-5 ‘Shout for joy to the LORD, all the Earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness, come before HIM with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is GOD. It is HE WHO made us, and we are HIS, we are HIS people, the sheep of HIS pasture. Enter HIS gates with thanksgiving and HIS courts with praise; give thanks to HIM and praise HIS NAME.For the LORD is good and HIS love endures forever; HIS faithfulness continues through all generations.’
Jonah 2:8 ‘Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.’
Matthew 15:8-9 Jesus said “These people honour Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”
Luke 4:8 ‘Jesus answered Satan’s challenge with the words “It is written; ‘Worship the LORD your GOD and serve HIM only.”
John 4:23-24 ‘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. GOD is spirit, and HIS worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.’
Ephesians 5:18-20 ‘Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to GOD the FATHER for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Colossians 2:6-7 ‘So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.’
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is GOD’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’
Hebrews 12:28-29 ‘Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship GOD acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “GOD is a consuming fire.”
Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our LORD and GOD, to receive glory and honour and power, for YOU created all things, and by YOUR will they were created and have their being.”
Praise GOD.
Don’t allow fervent devotion, piety, and loving relationship, be replaced by hollow formalism.
Rejoice in your relationship with GOD and Jesus.
If you are a Christian – be a Christian.