The Law of Praise & Worship ???

(DID I JUST SAY LAW?)



But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9

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I know this doesn't sound really appetizing but hey, neither are instruction manuals fun to read! ...but they make something work, right?!

I originally did this study years ago when we went through a significant shift in our church with regards to how we would  worship God in our corporate settings.  People who had been doing the same thing for generations were asking hard questions as to why we were changing things.  Why was change was so important?  I could, as the worship pastor, have given pat answers that came from my convictions but in all honesty, I had to face the fact that the foundations for what I believed in were possibly based on the traditions I was raised in.

I needed to be able to give our congregation respectful answers; answers based on truth.  I needed to know what God wanted.

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"We seem to have determined that church is all about us when God - the Divine Customer -
has this incredible idea that church is all about Him."
- Tommy Tenney, God's Eye View

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And this is what I found. Enjoy the manual...

Who should worship?

• all His people   (Revelation 19:5)  
  
• children   (Matthew 21:16)  
• angels   (Revelation 7:11)  
• heavenly hosts   (Psalm 148:2)  
• all creation  (Psalm 148)  
• appointed worship leaders  (2 Chronicles 8:14, Nehemiah 12:46)

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What should we bring?

• new songs  (Psalm 40:3)
• songs that proclaim His salvation  (Psalm 96:2)
• songs of praise & thanks   (Psalm 100:4)
• songs that show His acts of power & excellent greatness   (Psalm 150:2)
• psalms - literally, the words of David & Asaph  (2 Chronicles 29:30)
• songs of honour, splendour & glory (Psalm 66:2)
• with skill and with joy (Psalm 33:3)

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WHEN?

• forever and ever!  (Nehemiah 9:5)
• all day - from one day to the next!  (Psalm 71:8, 96:2)
• at night  (Psalm 149:5)
• in suffering, in grieving, when distraught  (Psalm 42:5, Isaiah 61:3, Jeremiah 20:13)
• in His faithfulness & abundance  (Psalm 148)
  

When should I praise?

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And why should we?

• He requires that we praise Him  (Psalm 135:20)
• because His name is good  (Psalm 54:6)
• it is beautiful (sorry guys:)  (Psalm 33:1)
• He is worthy  (2 Samuel 22:4)
• satisfies our soul  (Psalm 63:5)
• it is good  (Psalm 92:1)
• reminds us of what He has given us (Psalm 103:2)
• gives us entry into His presence  (Psalm 100:4)
• out of respectful fear of the Lord  (Psalm 135:20)
• to do spiritual warfare  (2 Chronicles 20:22, Psalm 8:2)
• it's what we are created for (Isaiah 43:21)
• to bring healing & strength where there is grief & despair  (Isaiah 61:3)
• it is God breathed & ordained  (Isaiah 61:11)
• to give thanks for His provision  (Isaiah 62:9)
• for God's glory & honour  (Revelation 5:12)
• shows our allegiance to Him & that we bear His name  (1 Peter 4:16, Hebrews 13:15)

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But, I don't know how?

• with music - songs, new songs, psalms, instruments, percussion  (Judges 5:3, 2 Chronicles 29:30, Psalm 150) 
  
• with our hands - lifted up, clapping, playing musical instruments   (Psalm 134:2, 33:2-3; 47:1)
• with our voices - speaking, singing, shouting   (Isaiah 38:19, Judges 5:3, Luke 19:37)
• with our posture - bowing, standing, dancing   (Nehemiah 8:6, 9:5, Psalm 149:3)
• through our obedience  (1 Peter 4:11)
• through our suffering  (Job 1:21, 1 Peter 4:16)
• in repentance - we must come clean before God (Psalm 24:3-6)
• in unity with our fellow believers  (Romans 15:7)
• with our whole heart  (Psalm 9:1)
• with joy* - shout for joy  (Psalm 47:1, Luke 19:37) 

           *joy is the one emotion that is mentioned for praise & worship

• with skill  (Psalm 33:3)
• with extravagance**  (Luke 7:36-38, 2 Samuel 24:24)

           **Going beyond – ‘a wandering beyond proper limits, boundless

• with abandonment (2 Samuel 6:21-22, Jeremiah 29:13)

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If you are still reading at this point, either you don't get out enough or you are really searching for God's heart.  I hope you've found it!  I am praying for you...

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 4:23,24