Adoration: Prayer as Worship

       Adoration is simply looking at God and loving Him for who He is. Although I have spent considerable time learning to incorporate praise and worship in my daily prayer life, new insights continue to come.  I want to learn more. God's Word abounds with
commands, examples, and encouragements to praise the Lord.
    
        Matthew Henry pointed out that we can never add to God's perfections; therefore, our praises do not make God any greater than He already is.  Praise does not change God, it changes us—and causes us to want to walk with Him and trust Him.
   
        In my own experience, I have found that praise is not something that comes natural.  It is awfully easy to incorporate praise into praying only to discover that it is not genuine, but is only a routine practice.

        Do you know what I mean?
  
        In the twelve studies on Adoration: Prayer as Worship, I have attempted to share both a Biblical base for praise and  practical ideas to follow. 

   

         It is significant that every glimpse we are given into Heaven, praise is the dominant activity. One day each of God's children will join the multitudes of saints gathered around God's throne to worship Him in His presence.  It is wise to get into practice down here so we will feel at home in Heaven's activity of praise. One key verse related to praise and the consequence of worship provides remarkable insight: "But the people who know their God shall be strong and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32).  We are to praise God for who He is and there is only one source of information to guide our knowledge and understanding—the Bible.  Worship is our response to who God is—His attributes, His character, His essence.  In fact, prayer reveals God.  Prayer is my response to who God is—whether it is adoration, confession, thanksgiving, petition, or intercession.   

   

        My prayer is that the studies on praise will bless you as you study and that you will be a better worshiper as you put into practice what you learn.

Yours in Calvary love,

J. Gordon Henry