SOME WHY'S
Why do we clap our hands?
"All you people, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness". (Psalms 47:2)
Why do we lift our hands?
"For your kindness is a greater good than life; my lips shall glorify you. Thus will I bless you while I live; lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name". (Psalms 63:4-5)
Why do we have audible praise to God?
"Bless the Lord, 0 my soul; and all my being, bless His holy name". (Psalms 103:1)
"All raised their voices in prayer to God..." (Acts 4:24)
Why do we sing?
"Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you. In wisdom made perfect, instruct and admonish one another. Sing gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs". (Colossians 3:16)
Why do we pray and sing in tongues?
"If I pray in a tongue, my spirit is at prayer but my mind contributes nothing. What is my point here? I want to pray with my spirit and also to pray with my mind. I want to sing with my spirit and with my mind as well". (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)
Why do we have this type of worship?
"Yet an hour is coming and is already here, when authentic worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Indeed, it is just such worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth". (John 4:23-24)
What is Prophecy?
"The lion roars - who will not be afraid! The Lord God speaks who will not prophecy!" (Amos 3:8)
'The prophet, on the other hand, speaks to men for their up building, their encouragement, their consolation". (1 Corinthians 14:3)
"Seek eagerly after love. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts above all, the gift of prophecy". (1 Corinthians 14:1)
"The spirits of the prophets are under the prophets' control, since God is a God, not of confusion, but of peace". (1 Corinthians 14:32-33)
Why do we have speaking with tongues and interpretations?
"Set your hearts on prophecy, my brothers and do not forbid those who speak in tongues, but make sure that everything is done properly and in good order". (1 Corinthians 14:39-40)
"To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one, the Spirit gives wisdom in discourse, to another the power to express knowledge. Through the Spirit one receives faith; by the same Spirit another is given the gift of healing and still another, miraculous powers. Prophecy is given to one; to another, power to distinguish one spirit from another. One receives the gift of tongues, another that of interpreting the tongues". (1 Corinthians 12:7-10)
(Bible quotations from the New American Bible)
