WORSHIP - IITB 09.19

 

Chapter 9.19

Worship

What does worship look like? – Instruments, Drum - Lifting Hands

Singing Hymns – Praise - Clapping – Dancing – Shouting – Prayer

Bowing - Falling Prostrate - Singing in Tongues – Waving Banners

 

 

 

WHAT DOES WORSHIP LOOK LIKE?

     Worship is mentioned in scripture 158 times; Praise 339 times, Sing 122 times, Pray 226 times.  In this study I wanted to see what the Bible has to say about praise and worship without seasoning it with my Belief System, my BS; the way I was brought up in Church.  My momma told me in church I was supposed to BE still, BE quiet, BE reverent and BE solemn; a bunch of B’s; then there was a bunch of DON’Ts.

     So that pretty much leaves out singing in tongues, raising your hands, clapping, shouting, dancing, and waving banners; let alone beating a drum.

 

Images, Objects and Rules

     Objects: My very first observation was that God did not want any object in the heavens above or in the earth below to be worshiped.[1]

     Images: God will not share His worship with any object or image; this would include images of Mary the mother of Jesus, images of saints or images of Christ on the Cross; NO IMAGES.[2]

     Rules: Scripture goes on to say that we worship in vain when we worship through man’s rules.[3]

 

How and Where

     You can praise God Worshiping with joyfulness, gladness and thanksgiving[4] by standing up,[5] bowed down or on your face. [6]  Lift up your soul,[7] your head,[8] your eyes, your hands, [9] your banners.[10]   Worship Him in the sanctuary[11] or where ever you happen to be; worship at all times,[12] praying, singing hymns of praise,[13] worshiping with instruments; shouting,[14] clapping,[15]

dancing,[16] waving banners and singing in tongues.

     Did you see it? God does not have a preferred method of worship; He includes it all; don’t like dancing, don’t dance.  Don’t like to clap; don’t clap; worship before the Lord the way that is meaningful to you, there are no rules.

 

Prayer

     God’s house is a house of prayer;[17] prayer is a form of worship,[18] He hears our prayers and sees our tears, [19]  He hears us before we begin to pray and sends the answer before we finish.[20]  Spread out your hands in prayer and worship.[21]  Pray out loud with others in corporate worship[22] and thanksgiving.[23]  Privately fast and humble yourself before God as you plead your case.[24]

 

Close your eyes

     Interesting, out of the 550 times the Bible mentions eyes, nowhere does it say to close or shut your eyes.  We close our eyes not from a command, but to block out all the distractions that interfere with our worship, praise and prayers.  I often do that when children are playing during worship or when adults are talking.  I have a friend who prays “Open Face” prayers; hands uplifted and eyes upward.[25] It’s in the Book

 

Saying AMEN is worship

     The scriptures encourages the people to listen and say out loud “Amen” meaning “so be it.”[26]

 

Praise

     When we are in worship God is present; He lives within our praises.[27]   Praise Him for His counsel and instruction,[28] His wonderful deeds,[29] His mercy[30] and Greatness,[31] that He upholds our course in life,[32] He saves us from our enemies.[33]  Praise Him for His deliverance[34] and that He is worthy.[35]  Praise Him for all His wonders;[36] His benefits, His healing and His forgiveness.[37]

 

Singing

     We are told “sing the scriptures” as a witness to our children.[38]   We can sing in tongues if we have that gift and also sing in the understanding.[39]

 

Instruments

     Trumpets, cymbals,[40] Harps, Lyres,[41] flute, tambourine, strings.[42]  I don’t think there is a limit on the kinds of instruments that can be used to worship God, although some dislike the drums for some reason. Many churches enclose their drums in Plexiglas to keep them from being so LOUD.

 

The Take Away

     We are NOT to offer our prayers, praises or worship to images of saints, but only to the Father in heaven alone.  We are to praise Him IN everything we can think of, but not necessarily FOR everything we find ourselves in.

     There is not a specific method of worship; God uses everyone that comes with joy, gladness and thanksgiving.  The word says God lives within our praises whether we are standing up, bowed down or falling prostrate.  Whether we are praying, singing, playing instruments, dancing, waving banners, clapping, lifting our hands or speaking in tongues.

     We don’t have to close our eyes to pray or worship unless we want to.  We can use trumpets, cymbals, Harps, Lyres, flutes. Tambourines, strings or any other instrument of praise that warms our heart; SO  Waving banners, Shouting Amen, Clapping, Dancing, Singing Hymns, Singing in tongues, and beating the drums are all acceptable before the Lord.  

 

Worship the way that is meaningful to you.

 

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[1] Acts 17:23 – Objects of worship are an abomination -- Zephaniah 1:4-5 – I will cut off from this place those who bow down to Objects in the sky --  Romans 1:25 – Worship the creator not the creation

[2] Exodus 20:4 – The second commandment: You shall not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of anything -- Isaiah 30:22 - You defile yourself with images "Away with you!" -- Isaiah 42:8 – God will not share His glory with an image.

[3] Mark 7:6-7 – RULES TAUGHT BY MEN WORSHIP ME IN VAIN;

[4] Psalm 100:1-5 – Worship with Joyful singing; gladness, thanksgiving, worship

[5] 1 Chronicals 23:30 – Stand every morning and praise the Lord

[6] 1 Chronicals 29:20 – Praise the Lord; Bow Low and Fall prostrate

[7] Psalm 25:1 – Lift up your soul to God

[8] Luke 21:28 – Lift up your heads

[9] Psalm 134:2 – Lift up your hands in the sanctuary -- Psalm 28:2 – Lift your hands toward the Most Holy Place in heaven -- Psalm 63:4 – Lift up your hands in praise -- Psalm 119:48 – Lift up your hands, meditate on His commands and decrees -- 1 Timothy 2:8 – Lift up Holy hands in prayer -- Lamentations 3:41 – Lift up your heart and your hands -- Psalm 134:2 – Lift up your hands in the sanctuary -- Psalm 28:2 – Lift your hands toward the Most Holy Place in heaven -- Psalm 63:4 – Lift up your hands in praise -- Psalm 119:48 – Lift up your hands, meditate on His commands and decrees -- 1 Timothy 2:8 – Lift up Holy hands in prayer

[10] Psalm 20:5 – Lift up banners and shout for joy

[11] Psalm 150:1 – Praise the LORD in the Sanctuary.

[12] Psalm 34:1 – Praise the LORD at all times

[13] Psalm 40:3 – SING hymns of praise to God

[14] Psalm 71:23 – SHOUT and Sing for joy -- Ezra 3:11 – Give a great SHOUT of praise

[15] Psalm 47:1 – CLAP your hands and shout unto God with the voice of triumph

 

[16] Psalm 150:4 - DANCE and praise with tambourine and strings and flute -- Psalm 149:3-4 - Praise his name with dancing and make music  -- 2 Samuel 6:14-15 – David danced before the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets -- Ecclesiastes 3:4 – There is a time to dance

[17] Isaiah 56:7 – God’s house is a house of prayer. -- Psalm 88:13 – Offer prayers first thing in the morning --  James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective

[18] Psalm 141:2 – Prayers with Lifted Hands ascend like incense before the Lord

[19] Isaiah 38:5 – God hears and sees our tears. -- Acts 10:31 God hears our prayers.-- Luke 1:13 – God hears the prayers of the Believer

[20] Danial 9:21 – GOD SENDS THE ANSWER WHILE WE ARE STILL IN PRAYER

[21] Exodus 9:29 – Spread out your hands before the Lord in prayer-- 1 Timothy 2:8 – I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer

[22] Acts 4:24 – Pray out loud your own prayer together with others

[23] Pray with thanksgiving and present your requests to God

[24] Philippians 4:6 Danial 9:3 – Plead with God in prayer and FASTING

[25] Psalm 121:1 - I LIFT UP MY EYES to the hills--where does my help come from?  -- Psalm 123:1 – I LIFT UP MY EYES to you, to you whose throne is in

[26] Psalm 25:1-2 – Then the woman is to say, "Amen. So be it."  -- Deuteronomy 27:15-26 – Then let the people say “Amen” So be it -- Nehemiah 8:6 – They Lifted their hands; bowed with faces to the ground and responded, "Amen! Amen!"

[27] Psalm 22:3 – God inhabits the praises of His people

[28] Psalm 16:7 Praise Him for His counsel and instruction

[29] Psalm 26:7 – Praise Him for His wonderful deeds.

[30] Psalm 28:6 – Praise Him for His mercy

[31] Deuteronomy 32:3 – Praise Him for His greatness

[32] 1 Samuel 25:39 – Praise Him because He upholds our cause -- Psalm 71:22 – Praise Him for His faithfulness

[33] 2 Samuel 22:4 – Praise Him; He saves us from our enemies -- Psalm 66:20 - Praise Him because He does not reject our prayers

[34] 2 Samuel 18:28 – Praise Him for His deliverance

[35] 1 Chronicals 16:25 – Praise Him because He is Worthy

[36] Psalm 138:1-2 – Praise Him for all His Wonders  -- Psalm 150:2 – Praise Him for His Acts of power; His Surpassing greatness

[37] Psalm 103:2-5 – Praise Him for all His benefits, forgiveness, healing, and redemption

 

 

[38] Judges 5:3 – Sing music to the Lord -- Psalm 27:6 – Sing and make music to the Lord. -- Psalm 59:16 - Sing about God’s strength and love -- 1 Chronicals 15:16 – Sing joyful songs with musical instruments -- Psalm 33:3 – Sing to Him new songs -- Deuteronomy 31:19 – SING THE SCRIPTURES TO EACH OTHER TO LEARN THEM -- Colossians 3:16 – Sing Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts -- Psalm 59:16 - Sing about God’s strength and love -- 1 Chronicals 15:16 – Sing joyful songs with musical instruments.

[39] 1 Corenthians 14:15 – SING IN TONGUES AND THE UNDERSTANDING

[40] 2 Chronicals 5:12-13 – Praise with Trumpets and Cymbals

[41] Psalm 33:2-4 – Worship with the Harp and Lyre.

[42] Psalm 150:3-6 – Praise with the Tambourine, flute, strings, cymbals, flute and Dancing;

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD