Worship & Promise

"Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had father Abraham. I am one of them and so are you! So let's just praise the Lord! Right arm, left arm ..."

     How many times have I sang this song and by the end your spinning and flailing every limb you've got until you plop down exhausted begging for more! Why? Why did Abraham have many sons including me & you so that we should "just praise the Lord?" I'd like to share that Abraham, who started out as Abram, enjoyed the promise of God through a way of life, worship.

Abram worshipped by obeying

These days, people often equate "worship" with the singing of songs, the raising of hands, the shouting of praises, or some other demonstration of adoration to God. But true worship begins with obedience. Without it, every song is meaningless and ceases to be worship. In fact, if we are not eager to obey what God asks of us, we are not even ready to worship. It is worship's very foundation.
When we look at Abraham, we see a man who was ready to obey, no matter what God told him to do. Leave your country. Yes, God. Sacrifice Your Son. Yes, God. If we are to worship God, we must be ready to obey.

Worship doesn't begin with a perfect vessel

And all God's people said? AMEN! Don't forget that Abraham was a two-time liar. "She's not my wife, she's my sister," twice! (Gen. 12 & 20) He was an adulterer, all to eager to at the mere suggestion, to sleep with a woman who was not his wife. And he was a doubter. He doubted God's loyalty to His promise for a son. In fact, laughed at God. "It's a terrible thing when we imagine that the Almighty needs our help. But we often do." That's what Abram & Sarai did when they plotted their own way to conceive a child. Ishmael was born of Hagar, a slave, and that baby became the father of the Arab nations and today, his descendants live in hostility with their "brothers."
BUT...God still loved Abram and God loves you too. He can make a vessel of honor if we humble ourselves and worship Him. God can take all of our weaknesses and shape us, as pottery, into something beautiful. Look at what He shaped out of Abraham: the nation of Israel? What could He shape out of you?

Worship Involves Routine

Authentic Worship requires a regular worship routine. Abraham built altars. It was his custome, his routine. We need altars too. And while it's true we can worship God anywhere, at any time, God is not impressed when we worship Him only while we're on the go. A set apart time & place for private worship where you sing, pray, praise, read His word, dance, etc. Sound unreachable for you? Does God deserve anything less?

There's More Than One Way to Worship

Abraham worshipped God by Obeying, at altars, and he also worshipped by giving a tithe. (Gen. 14:8-20)
Abraham worshipped through sacrifices, and he worshipped through complete surrender. Can we, like Abraham, meet with God at an altar? Can we give of our substance? Can we surrender our all? Isaac was Abraham's all, and yet he was willing to give him up for the love of God. Certainly we can offer God our lives to His service.

Worship begins in the presence of God

Every time Abraham was faithful to God through Worship, God made His presence knownand reaffirmed His relationship with Abraham by revealing more of Himself. Remember, God is all about relationship. As we worship Him, He will favor us with His presence, and as our relationship with Him grows, He will reveal more and more of who He is.

Worship brings reward

Abraham was blessed for his unceasing worship of the one true God. God promised him a son, a nation, a people, decendants. And He delivered. It will be the same for you. You worship through obedience, routine, tithe and surrender and God will deliver, and you will reap the promise of God.