Why Praise & Worship?

​Marina brought today's message in the series "Why do we do what we do".
Primarily, it is not about the songs or the music - but about closeness with God.
God doesn't only want us to be saved. He wants growth and connection with us.

Revelation 21:3|MSG
I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, He's their God.
Psalms 22:3|WEB But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
Psalms 100:4-5|MSG
Enter with the password: "Thank you!" Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank Him. Worship Him. For GOD is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.
Hebrews 13:15|TPT
So we no longer offer up a steady stream of blood sacrifices, but through Jesus, we will offer up to God a steady stream of praise sacrifices — these are “the lambs” we offer from our lips that celebrate his Name!
Psalm 57:7-11|NLT 2007
7  My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!
9  I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations.
10  For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
11  Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.

John 4:23|MSG
But the time is coming —it has, in fact, come— when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him in their worship.
Psalms 51:1|NIV
A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Samuel 6:14,16|NIV
14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might
16 And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
Joshua 3:13|NIV
And as soon as the [Levitical] priests who carry the ark of the LORD —the Lord of all the earth— set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.