Maranatha services always start with prayer the reading of the Word of God and Praise and Worship.

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Praise in the original Greek means to sing, to tell of, to give, or to confess.* In simpler terms, it means to be thankful for God’s blessings, and to declare that good news to God and to others.

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• Psalm 79:13 tells us to praise God by passing from generation to generation the knowledge of His goodness, grace, and mercy.

 

Worship, in both the original Greek and Hebrew, convey the idea of: “to prostrate oneself, to bow down, to fall face down, to pay homage and to pay respect.”* In other words, worship is the highest form of honor and respect that we can show towards God. While worship can be done in public, its main directive is very different from praise. Worship is a direct conversation between you and God. It is highly intimate and personal. Here are some examples in Scripture:

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• Luke 17:15-16, 7:36-38 explain that by worshipping, we are putting God first in our lives. This coincides with what Jesus said in Matthew 22:35-40 when He quoted the greatest commandment from the Old Testament.

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