Activity does not indicate that a church is alive. Many churches have activities, but activities without the Holy Spirit's blessing cannot satisfy the soul. His blessing comes when people are willing to walk with God and obey Him. Many churches are not in this category.
Yesterday, the text was from Acts 2:46, and 47. The first-century Christians were united in their worship and met daily. They had "gladness and singleness of heart, praising God."
Part of the purpose of the local church is to praise God. Certainly He is worthy to be praised for the fact that He thinks about humans at all and loves us enough to send Christ to live among us, and then to die for our sins. As if that were not enough, He also gives believers eternal life, lives in their hearts, and makes them His own children.
In the Bible, true praise was powerful. God is good and He is certainly worthy of our ongoing praise. David praised God daily and it helped keep his focus in the right place:
Ps 7:17 "I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high."
Ps 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."
For those who may wonder about Who to praise, the believer praises God the Father and God the Son. No one else is worthy.
When God is praised in holiness, it is sure to bring joy to a church and they will see God work. When preachers or singers want glory for themselves, God will not work mightily there. God wants to show His power and blessing and to bring revival where it is needed. When God blesses, it does not matter if the congregations is large in number or if the building is fancy.
David talked about praise to God and how it can affect others. In Ps. 40:3, he said: "And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."
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Keywords: church, important, God, praise, blessing