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Why We Worship The Way We Do!
Singing: “Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His” Ps 30:4 “O come, let us sing to the Lord” Ps 95:1 “Sing praises to our King, sing praises!” Ps 47:6 Eph. 5:19, Col 3:16, Ps 27:6, 81:1 Kneeling: “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord or Maker.” Ps 95:6 II Chron. 6:13, Luke 22:41, Acts 9:40, 20:36 Standing: “Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord.” Ps 134:1 “Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God…” Ps 135:1,2 Lifting up hands: “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary…” Ps 134:2 “Therefore I desire that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands…” I Tim. 2:8 Ps 63:4, 141:2, Lam 3:41, Ex. 17:8-13, I Kings 8:22, II Chron. 6:13 Clapping: “Oh, clap you hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with a voice of triumph.” Ps 47:1 Ps 98:8, Is 55:12, II Kings 11:12 Dancing: “Let them praise His name with the dance…” Ps 149:3 “Praise Him with the timbrel and the dance.” Ps 150:4 “You have turned my mourning into dancing…” Ps 30:11 II Sam 6:14-16, Jer 31:4, 13, Judges 11:34, I Sam. 18:6, Ex 15:20, Eccl. 3:4, Luke 15:25 Shouting: “Let them shout for joy and be glad…” Ps 35:27 Ps 47:1, 32:11, 98:4, 132:9, 16 II Sam. 6:15, Josh 6:10, 16, 20 Musical Instruments: “Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!” Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with high sounding cymbals” Ps 150:3-5 “Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments…” II Sam 6:5 Gen 4:21, Ps 33:2-3, 71:22, 144:9, Isaiah 38:20 Sing a "new song": At some point during a worship service a member of the music ministry or an individual in the congregation may sing out with a spontaneous “New Song” from the Lord. At times the entire assembly may even join in and sing the “new song” to the Lord. “He has put a new song in my mouth…” Ps 40:3 “Oh sing to the Lord a new song” Ps 96:1, 98:1 “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints.” Ps 149:1 Ps 33:3, 144:9, Rev 5:9, 14:3 Prophecy: The Old Testament prophet Joel predicted: “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…” Joel 2:28 The gift of prophecy was first given to the church on the day of Pentecost (30 A.D.) when 120 disciples of Jesus were baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-8) and is still a vital part of the Church today. Therefore, during our worship service an individual in the congregation may be inspired to speak out a word of prophecy to be heard by the entire Church assembly. 1 Cor 14:31 The purpose of this inspired word from God is for edification (to build us up) our exhortation (to stir us up) and our comfort (to cheer us up) as is shown in 1 Cor 14:3 Tongues: Jesus said that one of the signs that would follow believers would be speaking in new tongues. Mark 16:17 This was fulfilled when believers in Christ were baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke with tongues – Acts 2:1-4, 10-44-46, 19:1-6 Paul the Apostle desired all Christians to speak in tongues and was grateful to God that he spoke in tongues more than anyone in the Corinthian Church. 1 Cor 14:5,18 There are two types of tongues: 1- Whenever a tongue, during a worship service, is distinctly heard above the rest of the congregation, it should be followed by an interpretation in the known language, English in our case, (1 Cor 14:27) thus building up the Church. 2- In our individual prayer life, a tongue spoken to God edifies (builds up) the believer. 1 Cor 14:2. We will at times as a body worship/sing in tongues as well. 1 Cor 14:15Our Goal in Worship: “Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord saying: “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.” II Chron. 5:13-14 We desire to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth and desire to so please Him with our worship that His Glory fills the place!
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