Altus Christian Fellowship
Praise & Worship
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Conforming To God's Idea of Praise and Worship
Many want a worship service that they are familiar and comfortable with--a service of their choosing. The worship service that we must seek is one where we determine, through scripture, what God wants and the type of worship others in scripture have set as an example for us to follow.
However, we must seek a worship service where Christ is Lord and He determines how we are to worship Almighty God. Christ alone must, as the Absolute Sovereign, Ruler and Head of the Church, dictate and command His church in the ways He wants to manifest Himself by His Spirit.
He does not inquire of us as to what we want to do, how far we want to go, what we are familiar with, or what we are comfortable with. Jesus Christ sits as Lord and King issuing forth His commands revealing to us how worship takes place in heaven. So on earth we seek to grow in conforming to His will and ways of praise and worship.
1. Audible praise, speaking
Vocal praise should be audible. For the average member of the body of
Christ, praise must be manifest (demonstrated physically) before it
is praise. It is not simply thinking good things but the expression
of those good and grateful thoughts.
Ps. 26:7-"...proclaiming aloud your praise. " Ps. 34:1--"I
will extol the Lord at all times, His praise will always be on my lips.
"
Ps 149:6--'May the praise of God be in their mouths. "
2. Singing
This is the method of praise that is most familiar to people. The scriptures
are full of admonitions for us to sing praises to the Lord. To release
to God in song our love, gratitude and worship of Him who is the great
desire of our hearts.
Ps. 47:6- "Sing praise unto God, sing praises, sing praises to
our King. "
Ps. 104:33-- "I will sing to the Lord all my life, 1 will sing
praise to my God as long as I live. " Ps. 7:17--"I will praise
the Lord according to His righteousness: and will sing praise to the
name of the Lord most high. "
3. Singing in the spirit
This particular aspect of praise and worship comes under the heading
of "spiritual songs," 'which are simply "'songs of the
spirit"---spontaneous songs, of the moment that arise from our
hearts (spirits) to the Lord. These spiritual songs can either be in
a known tongueor they, can be in an unknown- tonguc(m a language where
we have no, formal education). This type of 9singing~ provides individuality
in a concerted. expression with others. Each worshiper is able to sing
his or her own unique spiritual song to the Lord. Eph. 5:19--"Speaking
to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.:." Cola
3:16--"...admonishing one another,,in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs singing with grace- in your hearts to, the Lord. ~f
,1 Cor. 14,,-15--"...1 will sing with the spirit, and I will sing
with the understanding also.'
4. Shouting
"Shaback" one of the seven Hebrew words translated as praise
in the Bible, means, "to address in a loud tone, to command, to
triumph, to shout."- Where ,the king James r
Version says, "Mae a joyful noise unto the Lord" ' in a number
of psalms, the New International Version-more accurately translates
the expression as "Shout for joy to the Lord" -(see Ps 66:1;
81:1; 95:-1-2; 98.x.4-6; 100:1).
One of the things that we must remember is that God does not want us
to be one dimensional, in our expressions of love to Him: Every' form
of , expression, that is scriptural, is a demonstration of reverence
and respect of Him. Even if it is the
expression, of shouting unto God. `
Ps. 47:1-"Shout to God with the voice of joy (triumph), "
Ps. 27:6-'And 1 will -offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy
"
1. Standing
The ' priests of the, Old Testament continually stood before the :Lord
as they fulfilled their. ministry. Standing serves°two particularly
strong functions in praise. First, it demonstrates respect and secondly,,
standing is an indication 'of attention to His presence. We see many instances
in the, Bible where- the people stood before the,Lord at His command.
Ps. 134:1--"Come bless the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, who
stand by night in the house of the Lord "
Ps. 135:2--"Praise Him ye servants of the Lord you who minister (stand)
in the house of the Lord... "
Ps. 24:3--"Who shall, stand in- his holy . place? ... He who` has
clean hands and a pure heart. "
2., Bowing,. kneeling, prostration ' '
The overwhelmingly obvious form of worship' that is seen in heaven throughout
the book of, Revelation 'is falling in prostration. . Throughout scripture
these forms of demonstrations are reflective of honor and respect given
to those in authority.
Ps. 95:6--"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before
the; Lord our Maker-"
Rev. 19:4--"The twenty-four elders and the- four living :,creatures
fell down and worshipped' Gad, who, . was seated on the throne. "
3. Dancing ,
To some this particular mo.de of praise and worship, may seem unusual
and strange when experienced in n -local Fellowship." There are many
forms of dance that the scriptures speak of that cannot be addressed in
this, short work. We.desire to express ourselves in total abandonment
ia.worsbip using. whatever form appropriate to express what, drodis saying.
Dane-, ing is a scriptural, truth, therefore, . we' need to be able to
function in this truth with a Godly sense of . responsibility And order
to those leading the praise and worship.
,.Ps. 30:11--"Thou has 'turned my mourning into,d~ncirig_"
Ps. 15.0:4-,"Praise Him with imbrel and dancing... "
Ps. 149.3-"Let them praise His name in the dance... "
Ex. 15:20-21; 2 Sam. 6:-14-16; Acts 3:8
l. Clapping
It - is important that we link the clapping of hands with an expressive
heart.. When our , heart is overflowing in praise to God, the normal
human response is to- try to give expression to that praise in a loud
: and `jubilant farm such as clapping. We do want -to be careful, however,
that our praise constitutes more. than just noise but also reaches a
depth of heart response to God.
Ps. 47;1--"Clap your hands all ye nations (people)... "
Ps. 98:8--"Lei the rivers clap their hands... "
Is. 55:12--"...and all the trees of the fields will clap their
hands."
2. Lifting of the hands
The raising of the hands signifies many different things. For example,
it 'may be a sign of surrender to God, , or a sign of reaching out to
receive -all that God wants us to receive of Him. 'There are many other
reasons for the lifting up of hands but _ in all things we are demonstrating
the - receiving and giving of ourselves to Hire who is our greatest
love.
3. Playing musical instruments
The Old Testament shows ,-that musical +instruments are for more than
'just accompaniment but are themselves Fa praise, and vvorshlp , unto
God. Over and over there are musicians with great sltills. who lead
. the people in the worship of God and , He has= created those instruw
menu to assist His people in. that ` worship of Him.
Ps. 33:3--"Sing to Rim a new song; play skillfully; and shout for
joy. " Ps. 150 3-6-"Praise Him with trumpet...harp and lyre,
' iimbrel and dancing, siringed instrument, sand pipe, loud symbols.
everything that has breath praise the Lord!