Re: Is God egotistical for wanting us to worship and praise Him?

I was going to wait for Loquat's reply before I added my comments, but I changed my mind since he has no idea how long that will be. It could be forever. Also, I just started writing my thoughts down this weekend and have now finished so why not post them? I hope Loquat and others will still give us their thoughts on this very important subject. Here are mine:

Anybody who thinks that they are smart enough to judge God has to be a very egotistical person to begin with. Anyone who wants to be in a relationship where he wants the other person to love him, but does not want to love the other person in return is beyond selfish. God, who is a being so awesome that He actually created our universe, is offering human beings a way to be in a personal relationship with Him. That thought alone is mind boggling! This same awesome being loves men unconditionally. In order to provide a way for a relationship with God, He humbled Himself for our benefit. He did it because He loved us and not because He is egotistical. God is a giver. He is never selfish. Suffering for someone else is never egotistical or selfish.

We all know that a relationship where only one person does all the loving is not a good relationship. A good relationship with God is actually for our benefit. Who would want to marry someone who demanded that we love him, but refused to love us back? On top of that, he also thought we were egotistical for wanting us to expect him to love us. God has provided a way for us to love Him, not only by our obeying Him, but by our praising and worshiping Him. This is for our benefit. It is clear from scripture that God is the only being worthy of worship. If a man is not willing to be in a relationship with a being so great that He is beyond the comprehension of humans, he is indeed a fool. If a man cannot see that there are benefits for him to be in a personal loving relationship with His own creator he is indeed a fool. If a man cannot see that there are benefits to him for being in a loving relationship with a perfect being who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, he is indeed a fool. He died a torturous death so that we could be in a loving relationship with Him. When a person thinks it is okay to receive what God did for him, but does not want to do anything back for God, this person is the epitome of selfishness. I have to ask who is the egotistical one?

God has provided benefits for us through worship and praise to Him. Scripture shows us just some of the benefits of worship and praise. I have a feeling that we will never understand all of the benefits of this in our life here on earth. We may not understand why it is done this way, but we can be sure it is a perfect plan for us because it was a plan given to us by a perfect all-knowing being. Who in their right mind would reject it? Does not a person get benefits for himself when he loves another? How much more would be our benefits if we loved a perfect, all-powerful and all-knowing God? The person who wants to be in a relationship where he is the only person receiving the love has no idea of the benefits he would receive for himself if he were to actually love in return. A person with this mindset would be greatly egotistical, selfish and ignorant. How can a person with a finite mind expect to understand everything about a perfect being with an infinite mind?

God in His perfect wisdom uses praise and worship to Him as a way of providing for us some awesome benefits. When we praise and worship we let God know that He is welcomed by us. We create an atmosphere for Him to come to us. God does not want to go where He is not welcomed any more than we do. Those of us that know the presence of God know the beauty of that presence. Some of us may feel His presence with us all of the time, but there are degrees to His presence. Praise and worship brings a greater degree. The greater His presence the more we experience His beauty. The more we are in His presence the more we get to know Him. The more we are in His presence the closer we get to Him. Most people who are in His presence don't want Him to lift it because of the beauty of God that they are experiencing. The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of His people.

When we praise and worship God our enemies in the spiritual world (satan and his demons) are scattered. Praise and worship is a biblical way to immobilize the enemy in our lives. It is a way to stop the evil works of devils in our lives. Praise and worship is a powerful spiritual weapon given to us by God as a gift that we need to use against devils that are trying to destroy our lives, the lives of those we love, our country and all humans in the world. It is a gift given to us by God to help us fight this battle that we are in with the principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places per Ephesians 6. This spiritual weapon comes right out of our very own mouths! Praise and worship is a way for us to not allow demons to rule our lives. This is a brilliant plan by a perfect God, far from egotistical!

"Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." Psalm 8:2 NIV

In Matthew 21:16 Jesus refers to the OT verse in Psalm 8:2 "And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?" NKJV

In the Jewish Bible it says,"Have you never read, MIPI OLLELIM VYONKIM YISSADETAH oz (From the lips of children and infants You ordained strength, praise,"

Here Jesus is really saying that praise is strength ordained by God. When we praise God out of a sincere heart, we receive the strength of God. If our strength is weak, or if we are discouraged praise and worship is a way out of that and into the strength and joy of the Lord. The Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Psalms 149:6-9 definitely shows praise as a way of defeating our enemies:

6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
7 To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
8 To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints.
Praise the Lord!

Wow, does our country ever need this to help Trump drain the swamp.

These are just some of the benefits of worshiping and praising God. You can find more in scripture and I'm sure we will learn even more when we see Him face to face! He gave us praise and worship out of love for us. Don't reject what God has given you. You will pay a costly price if you do!

Is God egotistical for wanting us to worship and praise Him? A resounding NO!!! Shout it from the housetops!!!