Praise & Worship vs. Noise & Entertainment

Today, in many parts of the church, the spirit of true worship has been virtually lost. When believers come together to worship, they are more often than not presented with an entertainment program of religious worship. The bodies of believers become spectators, the worship & music leaders’ performers, and the presence of God is not reached or touched.

Entertainment, however, has nothing to do with worship, is no substitute for worship, and cannot be blended with worship – without loss. The difference between entertainment and praise & worship is this:

Entertainment is performed to please an audience and to display the talent of the artist. The artist displays his talent, to delight the audience and to receive their appreciation. Man’s response to entertainment is pleasure and admiration of the artist. This admiration is usually expressed in applause. It is a response of the soul, rather than of the spirit. The focus of entertainment is on the skill of the artist and the pleasure of the audience.

Worship, on the other hand, functions entirely in the realm of the spirit. The believer’s focus is entirely on God as he expresses his praise, adoration and worship. Joy and repentance are often expressed through song, raised hands, clapping, shouting, and even dancing.

True worship cannot be learned or taught by musicians or choreographers. Music, dancing, clapping, kneeling, raising hands, etc. are not done to enhance worship, but rather to express worship. They are not means of Music, dancing, clapping, kneeling, raising hands, etc. are not done to enhance worship, but rather to express worship. They are not means of putting worship in our hearts but help to release the worship that is already there. The Christian singer, musician or dancer who performs for the congregation may be sincerely worshipping the Lord with his or her talent, but if attention is drawn more to the artist than to God, the congregation is no longer worshipping, but merely watching.

God is interested in receiving the expression of our heart. Entertainment is a vicarious experience where someone performs for us. Worship can never be vicarious, for no one can ever do it for us. To its loss, the church has permitted artistic performers to perform for them, in lieu of worship.

Worship is not in the realm of art. Art is a matter of the soul and has its own place. True worship is in the realm of the spirit – not in the realm of the soul. (John 4:23, 24)

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation
by Pastor Ford Porter

My Friend: I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?

God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.”

In the Bible God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?

First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.

“ . . . it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

But God loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. “ . . . He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). “ . . . without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]” (Hebrews 9:22).

“ . . . God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.

My friend, “God . . . commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross.

In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: “ . . . ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved . . . .’ ”

Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected. His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Savior.

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12).

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.

Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now, wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer.

In Luke 18:13, the sinner prayed: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Just pray: “Oh God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.”

Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

God’s simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, “Surely, it cannot be that simple.” Yes, that simple! It is scriptural. It is God’s plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive Him as Savior today.

If His plan is not perfectly clear, read this tract over and over, without laying it down, until you understand it. Your soul is worth more than all the world.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment.

God’s power will save you, keep you saved, and enable you to live a victorious Christian life. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God’s promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are three things to practice daily for spiritual growth:


Pray -- you talk to God.
Read your Bible -- God talks to you.
Witness -- you talk for God.
AFTER you are saved, you should be baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ as a public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with a Bible-believing church without delay. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord . . . .” (2 Timothy 1:8).

Please note that you DON'T have to be baptized to go to Heaven. It is a step of obedience for the believer.

“Whosoever therefore shall confess [testify of] Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).