We were created as Worshippers. And we will worship something. This is why in 2004, Americans spent $705.9 billion on entertainment, a figure equivalent to the entire gross national product of Canada — or Australia, for that matter.
In 2013, American Idol winners earned:
1. Carrie Underwood – $31,000,000
2. Kelly Clarkson – $7,000,000
3. Phillip Phillips – $5,000,000 (tie)
3. Adam Lambert – $5,000,000 (tie)
5. Daughtry – $4,000,000
6. Scotty McCreery – $3,000,000
7. Taylor Hicks – $2,500,000
8. Fantasia Barrino – $1,500,000 (tie)
8. Kellie Pickler – $1,500,000 (tie)
10. Katharine McPhee – $1,000,000 (tie)
10. Jennifer Hudson – $1,000,000 (tie)
Total 62,500,000.00
Jenifer Lopez earned 17,000,000 from American Idol in 2014. Her Net Worth is 322,000,000. All made because we need to worship something.
Professional Sports: $25.4 billion
Sports gambling is a 400 Billion Industry
We Worship and are more than willing to pay for it.
In 2000, Americans spent 3,333 hours consuming media — and most of that time (1,467 hours) was spent in front of the TV, according to Veronis Suhler Stevenson, a media-oriented money management company that supplied much of the media data used in the report. That’s over 9 hours a day. 4 hours a day, each year, on television.
From Rice University
America loves football because football reflects America. The journey of every player from Pop-Warner, to high school varsity, to college and beyond is a microcosm of the American dream that inspired the colonists to rebel, the pioneers to go west, our great-grand parents to conquer economic depression and our parents to endure a cold war. Football might only be a game, but it symbolizes much more. We all desire victory in our lives, and when it does not come easily to us we can turn on a TV and participate in the victory of an NFL team. If only for three hours, we become inspired by the idea that if we can only make the right block, or run the right route in our lives, the people around us will pull their weight and we will succeed together. This hope brings us back every Saturday or Sunday, and keeps us giddy in the Spring and Summer as we await a new season of American football.
What about God?
Time average American spends per day in religious and spiritual activities: 9 minutes or 54 hours a year.
What about our giving?
Tithers make up only 10-25 percent of a normal congregation.
– Only 5 percent of the U.S. tithes, with 80 percent of Americans only giving 2 percent of their income.
– Christians are only giving at 2.5 percent per capita, while during the Great Depression they gave at a 3.3 percent rate.
It isn’t that we do not worship, we just do not worship God.
However the creator of ALL things says;
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
We are all familiar with the account in the gospels about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness.
Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Throughout the Word of God, both old and New Testaments, The single most effective strategy of Satan is to distract us through our flesh from focusing our worship on the only one that deserves our worship.
“More popular than Jesus” (or “Bigger than Jesus“) was a controversial remark made by the Beatles‘ John Lennon in 1966. Lennon said that Christianity was in decline and that the Beatles had become more popular than Jesus Christ. The comment drew no controversy when originally published in the United Kingdom, but angry reactions flared up in Christian communities when it was republished in the United States five months later.
Lennon had originally made the remark in March 1966 during an interview with Maureen Cleave for the London Evening Standard, which drew no public reaction. When Datebook, a US teen magazine, quoted Lennon’s comments in August, five months later, extensive protests broke out in the Southern United States. Some radio stations stopped playing Beatles songs, their records were publicly burned, press conferences were cancelled, and threats were made. The controversy coincided with the group’s US tour in August 1966, and Lennon and Brian Epstein attempted to quell the dispute at a series of press conferences. Some tour events experienced disruption and intimidation, including a picketing by the Ku Klux Klan. The controversy contributed to the Beatles’ lack of interest in public live performances, and the US tour was the last they undertook, after which they became a studio-only band.
Today, almost anything takes preeminence over our worship of God.
What Is “Worship” as defined by the Word of God?
Depending on the context that the word Worship is used in, it can mean the following:
shaw-khaw – to prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God):–to bow down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship. 166 Places in the OT. Sometimes it is translated to “Bow”
pros-koo-neh’-o – (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand); to fawn or crouch to, prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, 54 Places in the NT always “Worship”
seb’-om-ahee – to revere, i.e. adore:–devout, religious, worship. 10 Places NT
dox’-ah – dignity, glorious, honor, praise, worship. 151 Places. Most of the time it is translated to “Glory”
lat-ryoo’-o – to minister (to God), i.e. render religious homage:–serve, do the service, worshipper. 21 Places NT. Most of the time it is translated to “Serve”
yoo-seb-eh’-o – be pious, i.e. (towards God) to worship, or (towards parents) to respect (support):–to show piety. 2 Places NT
eth-el-oth-race-ki’-ah – voluntary piety, (sanctimony):–will worship. 1 Place NT
The following scriptures from the Bible give us examples:
Reverence
Exodus 3:5 and he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Leviticus 19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
1Chronicles 16:25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.
Psalms 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Psalms 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Isaiah 8:13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
Habakkuk 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
John 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise
Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Bowing
Psalms 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice,
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Ephesians 3:14 for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Giving homage – (special honor or respect shown publicly):
Psalms 9:1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works.
Psalms 42:5 why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
Psalms 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
Psalms 145:10 All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.
Psalms 146:2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
Matthew 21:15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
Luke 24:50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Adoration
1Chronicles 16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Psalms 96:2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Psalms 103:1 A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psalms 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
Psalms 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
Psalms 148:12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren..
1Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Revelations 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Revelations 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Giving of Glory
Psalms 30:1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
Isaiah 44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
1Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Giving Praise
Psalms 33:1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise
Psalms 61:8 so will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.
Psalms 145:10 all thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.
11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Servitude
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mark 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Piety – (the quality of being religious or reverent – sacredness, holiness)
1Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
1Timothy 5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
2Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: