Today, reply is on the responses of praise and worship that must appear as aspects of acknowledging divinity. It is fitting that those who offer praise, service, and worship as gifts and expressions of love to an immortal, incorruptible Deity would want their oblations to have the highest, most enduring value. The blood and body of Jesus Christ—as well as his life and ministry from within our own lifestyle and daily routine—are regarded as the perfect offering and sacrifice for worship, because Jesus is Son of the Highest, and firstborn. For created beings and living creatures, praise and worship serve as communication, exchange, and outreach that amplify the spirit content within such features as consciousness, existence, life, and self-will. Thus, as with endowments of spirit substance from the makeup of GOD, praise and worship are essential for becoming joined in personal relationship with divinity. Autocrats, dictators, and tyrants are those who exercise dominion expressing cruelty and relying on violence to govern as a matter of ones own prowess and personal achievement, rather than a process of shared commitment, balanced exchange, and mature understanding that ensures the survival of a people. The fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers” forum using the ID “va2906” (Level 1 with 4 points, a member since July 30, 2016) posted the following:
Why would God want his followers to praise and worship him for eternity? Is he an autocrat or dictator?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. (Daniel 4: 28-37, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: “New Creation” and Life (01/01/2018); What Does Divinity Want? (03/13/2017); The Firstborn of GOD (01/02/2017); To Give Glory? (11/11/2015); GOD Inhabits Praise (01/27/2014); Face to Face Like Moses? (01/28/2014); Sacrificial Relationship? (10/23/2013); Relationship by Unselfish Giving? (10/24/2013)
“va2906”, Christian believers are willing to offer their lives in expression of love toward divinity. It is in line with mature love (we say, behavior to add value to another) to seek accountability as well as continuous and uninterrupted contact, freedom to freely respond, and opportunity to maintain intimate relationship. Just as receiving praise and worship are natural and “normal” to divinity, giving praise and worship are to be natural expressions of existence and life for those who willingly engage the fullness of divinity (we say, the GODhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) in continuing personal relationship. Where they are joined to divinity in oneness without sameness through baptism and rebirth, it is not unnatural or unreasonable that the living should praise GOD, for all created beings and living creatures also must have within their makeup somewhat of divine purpose and value that comes only from the Creator. Sinners may choose to receive a fresh endowment of spirit content imparted from the makeup and substance of Deity who is immortal and incorruptible. Included are faith, forbearance, forgiveness, holiness, longsuffering, lovingkindness, respect, wisdom, and wrath against sin. Thereby, they become heirs, offspring, and the sons and daughters of GOD.
As with prophecy (the declarations for comfort, edification, and exhortation to believers), praise often appears as celebration and thanksgiving displayed through music ministry and song. Genuine praise makes divinity active, known, present and “visible” among those who are vessels of divine spirit. Similarly, the acknowledgement of the active presence and sovereign ruler who is GOD, appears through specific sacred actions and practices to return glory put forth from GOD as well as through utterances (we say, breath, life essence, spirit, Word) to add to his exalted, singular station. Worship must convey divine substance, rather than only finite and temporal content from angels, men, and other living creatures. Consider again the following that uses language from the holy writings:
(1.) 1st Chronicles 29: 10-13, King James Version (KJV): 10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11 Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
(2.) Psalms 47: 5-9, KJV: 5 God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. 8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. 9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.
(3.) Psalms 22: 3-5, KJV: 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
There is far more to be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) John 4: 23-24, KJV: 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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