Worship

Hard times come to everyone, but for believers, the journey through life’s dark valleys looks very different. Your ability to triumph amid adversity is going to start with your determination to “walk by faith and not by sight.”

The songs chosen for praise and worship services have a unique flavor and flair that is deeply reflective of how each church is comprised. Older congregations have a style. Younger congregations have a style. Traditional churches have a style. Contemporary churches have a style. Pentecostal churches have a style. Baptist churches have a style.But when it comes to the songs used in a praise and worship service at church, are there guidelines for what is and is not appropriate? Is it just a matter of personal preference, or does the Bible provide any insight? How can you discern if a song is appropriate for worship at church?Think about this:There are plenty of songs that are musically or emotionally attractive but are not theologically sound.There are plenty of songs that have solid theology, but are long and wordy, or hard to sing.There are plenty of songs sung in churches that were written by unbelievers or people whose lives are being lived in disobedience to God’s Word.There are plenty of songs sung in church that aren’t even about God!The truth is, both natural wisdom and spiritual discernment are necessary in choosing which songs are appropriate for worship at church. Remember, praise and worship are holy to the Lord. That’s why it is important that—above all else—His plan for praise and worship is put first.Photo Credit: Unsplash/John Price

Here is a secret that Satan doesn’t want you to know about worship: It has the power to defeat him.Of course, you have many spiritual weapons to use in every fight of faith you’ll ever encounter in your life—the most powerful one being the Word of God. However, while prayer and the Word were given exclusively to the people of the Kingdom, worship was Satan’s before it was ours.Satan understands the power of worship. He understands its purpose more than many Christians do. Satan understands that worshipping God draws you closer to Him—and above anything he ever tries to do, He wants to keep you apart from God!Of course, nothing can separate you from God’s love, but plenty of things can separate you from connecting with the Spirit of God in worship. Well, it would be more accurate to say this: Plenty of things can make you feel separated from God in worship.The truth is that you have as much access to God’s holy presence in worship as you ever did. But sometimes we feel like we can’t because we aren’t “worthy.” Satan expects that your natural inclination will be to avoid worship altogether or to just go through the motions when life gets hard, or when you’ve messed up, or when your emotions don’t “feel” like it...so he will throw everything he can at you to keep you trapped and disconnected.If you want to throw Satan off his game in worship, here is your 5-part winning strategy:Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/FatmirBajrovic

What is worship? Can prayer be an act of worship? Today we will look at Scripture to answer these questions and understand how the Bible defines worship.

Here are 10 Thanksgiving hymns to uplift you and your family this November, with scriptures to back them up.

Worship and thanksgiving are deeply connected. Worship is more than just a religious duty; it’s a profound act of gratitude to the God who blesses us in countless ways. When we worship God as we give thanks to him, we strengthen our relationships with God in important ways. Here are five reasons why worship is vital to thanksgiving.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/DjelicS

We sit in church on Sunday, singing as we read the words on the screen. Or maybe we look for the one mentioned in a hymnal or praise book. But there are songs I really wish we would sing—songs based on verses, that describe the God we love. Here are 10 Bible verses I wish we wrote songs about. Father, As we concentrate on your character and who you are, may we reflect on all the wonderful things you have done for us. God, if it wasn’t for you, none of us would even be here. But you didn’t stop by just giving us life. No; you provide for our needs, you guide, protect, and love us like no one else ever could. Help us to remind ourselves how great a God you are. We pray this in Jesus’ precious name, Amen. Photo Credit: ©Thinkstock

What really matters when it comes to the songs that are sung in church on a Sunday?

In our fast-paced, chaotic reality of what feels like increasing unknowns (and sometimes even panic)...it's truly comforting to lean on God's promises in scripture and song.Lifting your voice in praise and worship to the One who knows the way, can carry you through whatever may be stopping you from setting your mind on things above (Col. 3:2). Much like in any of our lives, there's a true story behind each of these songs that speaks of God's power and love.In no particular order of priority, here are 20 legendary lines from beloved worship songs that are worth revisiting—and even memorizing—to uplift your heart and soul.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/AaronAmat

It is hard to think that the praise and worship of the Lord would be anything other than genuine, heartfelt, and holy—but the reality is that plenty of people in worship services aren’t genuinely worshipping God.

God created music as a means for Believers to express our heartfelt adoration toward Him and share His praiseworthy deeds with others. The Bible contains over 180 songs that bear witness to His character, power, and future plans—and not all of those songs are found in the Book of Psalms. From hymns and prophetic songs to chants and dirges, throughout the Bible we see examples of our Biblical ancestors lifting their voices to honor our Creator and King.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/freedom007

Worship is a privilege only true believers can enjoy. As believers, God invites us into his presence and gives us the ability to come before the throne of grace. One way we enter his presence is through worship.In the church culture today, worship has become an enterprise. I often wonder if we have made worship nothing more than a musical genre and have missed the heart of worship? If this is the case, then what was meant to be God-honoring and spirit-enriching has become something that God never intended it to be. To help you understand this, I want to address some ways our worship can become sinful. By the way, many of these things are very subtle, which is why you must be on alert. In full transparency, I have engaged in some of these practices, so I am very familiar with how they can creep in.Photo credit: ©Getty Images/FOTOKITA

I was just reading Romans 12:1-2, where Paul says that total devotion to Jesus Christ is our spiritual worship. I sensed that Paul was talking about a level of worship that I have never experienced. I'd like to move deeper in my worship.

When you want to deepen your relationship with God, you need to move beyond simply knowing about Him and seek personal encounters with Him. The Bible’s Psalms can help you do that. The Psalms are full of honest expressions of what it means to relate to God. They describe faith in action while dealing with the tension between this fallen world’s realities and the hope God offers you. Here’s how you can deepen your relationship with God by reading and responding to the Psalms: (*Image Credit: upsplash)

“Sing to the Lord, praise His name, proclaim His salvation day after day” (Psalm 96:2). So declared King David, the author of most of the songs in the Old Testament hymnbook—the Psalms.From King David on, writers and composers have continued to string together words and musical notes to proclaim the truth of God through song, and some of them have amazing stories that led to their creation!Here are the inspiring stories behind 5 of the most well-known hymns and worship songs.Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Jantanee Rungpranomkorn