Steve:
Interesting that the thread today is discussing worship, as this is the topic our pastor has been discussing for three weeks now. I can't do it justice, but here is an outline and a few comments:
I. The Priority of Worship:
Ps 119:164; Ps. 34:1, Ps 89:1, Ps 150:6 Praise the Lord at ALL times
Paul and Silas: Acts 16:22-30, 1 Thes. 5:16, 18: Rejoice always and give thanks in everything.
Peter: 1 Pet. 4:12-13 James: Js 1:2 Phil. 4:6-7 Consider it all joy, whatever the circumstance.
Four Ways to Enjoy the Gift of Worship (worship is a gift to US, not the other way around. God doesn't really need our worship. Why did He give us this gift?
1. Worship makes a place for God's Presence. There is a DIRECT LINK between our worship and Gods Presence. Ps. 22:3, Isa 57:15;
Ps 113; Jn 4:23, 2 Chron 16:9, Ex. 33:13-17, 1 Chron 11:9, Acts 2:47,
Acts 16:25-31. We see that God INHABITS the praises of His People.
2. Worship restores the human soul. "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever" Ps. 16:11
Also, see Is 6:1-8, Ps. 42:1-5, Ps. 63:1-5
3. Worship helps us receive God's guidance. In my view, this is a very important point and one that few Christians realize.
"And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them', Acts 13:2
Notice in Is. 6:1-8: The prophet is worshipping the Lord. He says "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple". Then the prophet experiences the glory of the lord and he cries out, Woe is me! for I am a man of unclean lips. In today's vernacular that is "I'm History!" Then the Lord cleanses the lips of the prophet with the live coal from the altar of God. His sin is purged. It is then that the Lord issues the call to Isaiah, "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.
Worship often is the release point for what God wants to do in our lives. This is when He communicates His will for us.
4. Worship is a pathway to God's Purpose and blessing in our lives.
Gen 11:1-4, 8-9; 12:1-7,8; Exodus 3: 12-17.
The promise was given to the people. They were called to Worship Him in the WILDERNESS. That is when we must worship Him also, in our own wilderness.
God wants to communicate with His people, and we can only hear from Him if we truly enter into worship, individually and as a corporate body in our worship services. The natural order of things should be a praise service that leads the people into worship, that leads to a communication with God back to us through promptings of the Holy Spirit: words of knowledge, prophecy, scriptures brought to mind, and, yes, edifying blessings upon the church body through tongues and interpretations. All done in good order according to the ministering Spirit of God.
And, preferably not done in King James English, either. If the saints of God wrote the scriptures in the common language of the people at that time, Koinia (sp) Greek, we should not expect the Lord to speak to us using Elizabethan English. I have no problem with a few 'thees' and 'thy's, because I think it expresses a familiarity which is all too lacking in common English, however, this has been an inhibiting factor for people in many churches. Often, individuals hearing from the Lord have been reluctant to speak forth because they are not 'flowery of speech'. Such should not be the case. We should speek out using common english as understood and used today.
Let everything that has (or would you prefer hath) breath, Praise the Lord.
Lee |
