How do you tell God you love Him?
Prayer, reading the bible, going to church? Did you know that there are other ways to thank God for everything He has done for you? Singing, dancing, clapping, raising your hands and writing music and poetry are just a few of the ways that you can tell God you love Him. Remember the last nice thing you did for someone. Maybe you helped your little brother with his homework, or maybe you helped your mom get dinner ready. Did that person say “Thank you?” Maybe they gave you a hug and said “I love you.” It probably made you feel really good. But if they didn’t say anything, were you sad? God is the same way. It makes him happy when we show Him we love Him and are thankful for what He has given to us. Look outside. Everything you see from the sun, moon and stars to the grass and flowers was created by God just for you. God is so kind, He told us everything that we need to make it into Heaven. One of these ways is to praise God and show appreciation to Him. Praising God will make us stronger believers and better Christians. Every time we praise God and remember Him we grow stronger as believers. This Pathfinder will help you to learn about different kinds of praise and worship in order for you to grow closer to God. In the following pages you will find websites, CD's, DVD's and much more to help you. Electronic sources are more exciting and easier to use than books. What is Praise? Praise is an “expression of approval, commendation, or admiration.” For the Christian, praising God is a kind of worship. It is giving all of our attention to the Lord with love and thanksgiving. Praises bring us closer to God. True praise is more than going through motions. Jesus spoke about the sin of the Pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart. “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Real praise to God is a matter of true love for the Lord that comes from the heart. Praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the love and devotion of His children. According to the Bible, the different kinds of praise bring blessing to the Lord. “...the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).
In this Pathfinder you will find a wide range of information. Click on the links listed below to begin exploring all the wonderful material that is available to learn about God and worship. All of the sources have been recommended by qualified Christian teachers of youth or have been carefully examined by the author.
For those of you want to explore the World Wide Web on your own, I have created a cheat sheet to help in your searching. Click here to learn more- Search Hints
Created by Amber Sefton 2/19/2009 |