THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS - WORSHIP

Christmas is a time of joy and giving. Christians all over the world commemorate this occasion because "God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ ..."

In our celebration, we proclaim the Good News with carols on the streets and we expressed the loved of God to the world with our gifts to the needy and the orphans. In the midst of all these activities, do you know that the spirit of Christmas is also WORSHIP? All those who came to meet Jesus at the manger WORSHIPPED ...

The Wisemen
"Where is the one who has been born king of Jews? we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." (Matthew 2:2)
"On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh " (Matthew 2:11 - note: worship before gifts)

The Angels
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appreared with angel praising God saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men ..." (Luke 2:13)

The Shepherds
"The shepherds returned, glorifying God for all the things they had heard and seen ..." (Luke 2:20)

Simeon The Godly Man
"... Simeon, who was a righteous and devout ...took Him in his arms and praised God ..." (Luke 2:25-33)

The Prophetess Anna
" ... she gave thanks to God ..." (Luke 2:36-38)

As we celebrate this year's Christmas, let us reserve the best gift for our Lord - WORSHIP.

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

TPWC

ARE YOU A WORSHIPPER?

Profile Of A Worshipper

If someone ask a teacher what he does for a living, he will reply, "I am a teacher." He says that because he works or spends most of his time teaching. Similarly, you know you are a worshipper when what you do the most is worship.

Worshippers don't just worship on weekends. They don't need a bulletin, or a "call to worship" or a worship leader to encourage them to go vertical. They can worship in any place and at any time because they are worshippers.

Continual worship is central to the life of a worshipper. A worshipper offers the sacrifice of praise to God continually. "From the rising of the sun to it's going down the Lord's name is to be praised" (Psalm 113:3). Endless eulogy, ceaseless celebration and perpetual praise are the earmarks of a worshipper.

Worshippers don't wait for perfect circumstances to worship, and they don't let current situations keep them from worshipping.

There is a song in the Bible that says, "Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls - yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

Though I have no money in the savings account and my cheque book is overdrawn, though the fridge and cupboard are empty and I just got laid off, yet I will worship and rejoice in my Lord.

The first step in becoming a worshipper is worshipping in spite of bad circumstances.

An extract from - Exploring the Mysteries of Worship by Larmar Boschman

TPWC

WORSHIP THOTS - FOR WORSHIP LEADERS

Just the other day, I was asked a point-blank question what I thought was the single most important quality that a success worship leader should possess? "Be a LIFESTYLE WORSHIPPER," I answered.

"Worship Is Not Something We Do, It Is A Lifestyle We MAINTAIN! Worship As A Way Of Life Goes Beyond Formulas And Techniques." - John Stevenson

"If You Cannot Worship God In The Midst Of Your Responsibilities On Monday, Then It Is Very Unlikely You Were Worshipping God On Sunday!" - A.W. Tozer

" You Cannot Be Doing On Sunday What You Have Not Been Doing All Week Long." - Kent Henry

"A Worshipping Church Is Not A Church That Incorporates Certain Worship Expressions, But It Is A Group Of Worshipping Hearts. To Have A Worshipping Church, You Have To Have Worshippers. Unless There Are Worshippers In A Worship Service, There's Isn't Going To Be True Worship, Only Worship Mechanics! - Greg Mira

To Be A Lifestyle Worshipper It Begins With A Daily Disciplined Attitute Of A Thankful Heart (The Outer Court) - "In Everything Give Thanks For This Is The Will Of God." (1 Thessalonian 5:18). Secondly, We Must Exercise And Practise Personal Private Praise (The Inner Court) - We Must Learn How To "Put On The Garment Of Praise" (Isaiah 61:3) And Also Offer Sacrifice Of Praise (Hebrews 13:15). Only Then Can We Experience Continual Communion And Anointing Worshipping The Father (In The Holy Of Holies) In Spirit And In Truth (John 4:24) - TPWC

As A Worship Leader, You Cannot Lead Where You Have Never Been. Today, The Lord Is Seeking For The Heart Of Worship Rather Than The Art Of Worship.

TPWC

WORSHIP THOTS

Have You ever wondered, what does God think of our worship?

"The revelation of God is the fuel for the fire of our worship." - Matt Redman

"Worship has a purpose. We don't worship for worship's sake. We don't sing, clap, pray and rejoice for our enjoyment or fulfillment but for the Lord. The Holy Father, the Holy Son and the Holy Spirit are the objects of our worship." - LaMar Boschman

"Worship is our reason for being." - Tom Kraeuter

"Worship is the believer's utmost priority and highest occupation." - LaMar Boschman

"Worship is a verb." - Robert Webber

"Worship is an attitude expressed." - Judson Cornwall

"Worship is always a now activity." - Judson Cornwall

"Worship is an exercise of the Holy Spirit directed primarily to God." - Ralph Martin

"Where feelings for God are dead worship is dead." - John Piper

"Regardless of how magnificent the musical moments are, unless your heart is fully engaged in the worship being expressed ... it is still only music." - Darlene Zschech

"Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." - Jesus

TPWC

THE UNQUENCHABLE WORSHIPPERS

Bible is full of Unquenchable Worshippers - people who refused to be dampened, discouraged or distracted in their quest to glorify God.

1) The Prophet Habakkuk

His heart attitude was to make a choice to respond to God's worth, no matter how bleak a season he found himself in :
"Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop falls and the fields producr no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

2) Paul & Silas (Acts 16)

Sitting in their jail cell you would have forgiven them if they weren't in the mood for singing. They'd been unjustly arrested, beaten, severely flogged, and thrown into the deepest part of prison, with their feet in stocks. Yet, somehow, refusing to let their souls be dampened, Paul & Silas found it in themselves with everything they had left to sing out praise & worship to God. (We all know the result .... the glory of God fell, there was an earthquake, prisoners were set free and salvation came upon the jailer & his family.)

Most of us don't own a fig trees and haven't been in prison for being a Christian, but the principal is the same for us as it was for Habakkuk, Paul & Silas - we can always find a reason to praise. Situations change for better and for worse, but God's worth never change!

3) Fanny Crosby (www.nyise.org/fanny)

This contented worshipper was borned blind has written 9,000 hymns of praise has this say : (Some of her hymns ... To God Be The Glory ... Blessed Assurance ... Close To Thee)

When about six weeks old she was taken sick and her eyes grew weaker ... the lack of knowledge and skill of the doctor then could not save her eye sight. As she grew older she was told that she would never see the faces of her friends, the flowers of the fileds, the blue skies ... soon she learned what other children possessed, but she made up her mind to store away a little jewel in her heart which she called "CONTENT"

Those thousand of songs were simply the result of a fire that burned in her heart for Jesus and could not be put out. Someone once asked her, "Fanny, do you wish you had not been binded?" She replied, in typical style, "Well, the good thing about being blind is that the very face I'll see will be the face of Jesus."

Many might have chosen the path of bitterness and complaint as their response to God, but she chose the path of contentment and praise. The choice between these two paths faces us each day, with every situation that's thrown our way. Bitterness dampens and eventually destroys love for God. It eats away at the statement "God is love" and tells us He is not faithful. But contentment does the opposite: it fuels the heart with endless reasons to praise God.

Extract from - The Unquenchable Worshippers by Matt Redman
TPWC

WHAT IS WORSHIP?

Would you be able to give an immediate on the spot answer to this question? Found this interesting lighter side of worship about people's spontaneous respond to this question

I would like to invite you to give your personal input and comments.

Blessings

TPWC

thepraisenandworshipconnection@gmail.com

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 8

PART 8 - WORSHIPPING GOD WHEN DEPRIVED OF EVERYTHING

Greetings readers, this will be the final part (Part 8 is one of my favourite) on the subject on worshipping the ways of God. I trust that you have be challenged and trust that the lessons on God's sovereign rights will not be just mere knowledge. I pray that Holy Spirit will impart it into your spirit as a "revelation" so that from now on your worship will be for Him and and all of His perfect ways!

WORSHIP IS BOWING DOWN TO THE WAYS OF GOD

TPWC

Unlike the case of King David where God's holiness demanded His vindication of His sin (see Part 7); the case of Job was upon a righteous man. God in the mystery of His ways permitted him to be deprived of everything he possessed thought He Himself declared that "There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shun evil" (Job 1:8 NIV).

How did Job react to the sudden calamities and disasters that stripped off all of his wealth? " At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" (Job 1:22-21). Job first's first act was to worship God. In Job's case there was no question of God having to vindicate Himself because of sin in his life. It was purely a question of God acting as He deemed well. Though Job in a matter of hours had been stripped of all his possessions, he could instantly fall down and worship God. Here was a man so utterly subjected to God that he could unhesitatingly bow to all of God's ways. Where there is true worship, there is no complaint. Whatever God's dealings with you maybe, whether they seem reasonable or unreasonable, they are invariably good (Roman 8:28). In David's case they were reasonable for he had sinned. But at times, as in the case of Job, they seemed unreasonable.

May He grant us grace from this day forth to offer Him not only worship that is as a result of revelation, but worship that expresses itself in an unreserved acceptance of His ways. May we learn these two aspects of worship: those who worship Him for what He has by revelation made known of Himself, and those who dare worship Him by their willing submission to His ways with them. Let us cease questioning God's dealings with us and let us cease asking any explanation of His dealings, however baffling they may be. Let us in simplicity of heart accept it as a settled fact that all His ways are higer than our ways and all His ways are perfect. Amen!

Twelve Basket Full Vol 2 - Watchman Nee
Copyright (c) TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 7

PART 7 - WORSHIPPING GOD FOR HIS VINDICATION OF HIMSELF

God's way does not always involve His answer to prayers. The reverse is often experienced. What should be our attitude in such circumstances?

In 2 Samuel chapter 12 we have the record of King David's sin in connection with Bathsheba. God sent the prophet Nathan to him with the message that the child would surely die. David had sinned, but he loved his son though the child was the fruit of his sin. He had a father's heart and he pleaded with God for his son's life. But God said, "Because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die" (verse 14 NIV). But David continued to seek the Lord and he sure knew how to pray. We see in verse 16 that he fasted and all night long he laid prostrate on the ground before God, but the child died! Anyone who has not learnt how to be subjected to God's way would have charged Him with harshness when his request was not granted. Many Christians have controversies with God when His ways conflict with their ways. Other might rebel or loose heart but not David. When the child died, his servants feared to break the news to him. They reasoned among themselves that if David was almost overwhelmed with anxiety when the child fell sick, his grief would be unbearable if he should learnt of his child death.

What actually happened? "Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, he put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and WORSHIPPED. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food and he ate" (2 Samuel 12:20 NIV).

What is worship? It Is bowing to the ways of God. It is not a dull kind of submission. It is not lapsing into hopelessness or passivity. It is a positive recognition of the sovereignty of God's ways.

It is often necessary for God to vindicate Himself in relation to us. It means that if we sin He has to justify Himself by making it clear to the angels, to the devil, to the world and to all His children that He has no part in our sin. He has to make it plain to the principalities and powers, to the world and to the church that He cannot be involved in our iniquity. When we are found guilty before Him, His govermental hand comes upon us and we are tried in fires of affliction. How do we react at such a time? Worshippers who know His ways will say: "If my affliction can vindicate Thy holiness, then I say, amen! If You can make known Your righteousness by my suffering, then I acknowledge that You do all things well and I gladly accept Your dealings upon me."

May God deliver us from our controversies with Him. When we meet with disappointments and frustrations we shall choose to worship Him if we see His ways.

Watchman Nee - Twelve Basket Full - Vol 2
Copyright (c) - TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 6

PART 6 - WORSHIPPING GOD FOR THE GIFT OF A CHILD

In Samuel chapter 1 we truly meet the spirit of worship in the story of Hannah. Peninnah had children but Hannah was barren, and "her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her" (verse 6 KJV). Hannah in her distress sought the Lord for a son, and her request was granted. As soon as the child was weaned she brought him to the temple in Shiloh and presented him therewith these words: "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him to the him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord" (verse 27-28 KJV).

Let us note two phrases here: "The Lord has granted me ... I give him to the Lord." The Lord gave her the child and she gave the child back to the Lord. The sum total of her request was for this child and when she had received all she had craved for, she gave ALL back to the Giver!

Hannah's offering can be truly written that she "WORSHIPPED THE LORD." It is not the person who wants God's grace, but the person who wants God Himself, who can worship Him wholeheartedly! Hannah shows us what was supremely precious to her ... not the answer to prayer, not the grace given but God's way with her in the giving of His gift. God gave Samuel to her and she gave Samuel back to God; and as Samuel passed out of her hands into God's hands, worship emerged from her heart to God's heart.

A similar classic example can be seen in the life of Abraham. Note his remarks to his servants when he was on his way to offer up Issac: "I and the boy go over there. WE WILL WORSHIP ..." (Genesis 22:5 KJV). To Abraham the offering up of his son was not a matter of sacrifice, but it was a matter of worship. For him to worship God was to give his son to God. Abraham recognized this as God's way of receiving worship, so he offered worship in the way that God desired.

To worship God, we need to consecrate our all on His altar. True worship is found in one place - at the altar. When our hands are emptied of all we hold dear, the focus shifts from self to God, and that is worship. It is necessary that "Samuel" pass out of our hands.

WORSHIP IS BOWING TO THE WAYS OF GOD

Watchman Nee - Twelve Basket Full - Vol 2

Copyright (c) TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 5

PART 5 - WORSHIPPING GOD AS THE LORD OF HOST

The book of Joshua opens with God's commission to Joshua to lead His people into the land of Canaan. God's aged servants Moses and Aaron has died. Now Joshua, a young man, was faced with this enormous task. If Moses, with all his years of experience was unable to bring the people into the land, what hope was there for him? How would he be able to cope with the seven tribes that inhabited the land, all of them formidable foes? And how could he lead people like the children of Israel, with their fear of death and constant complaints? Faced with such a challenge, Joshua must have felt overwhelmed.

At that point he saw a vision. A man with a drawn sword appeared before him. Not recognizing the Man, he asked."Are you for us or for our enemies?" (Joshua 5:13 KJV). The Man answer was, "Neither." He was neither for one side nor for the other, He has come for one purpose, "As Commander of the army of the Lord I have come." (verse 14). Praise God, this is the purpose of our Lord Jesus! He has not come to help us, not our enemies, but to take His place as Cpatain of the Lord of host. If you belong to the Lord's host, then He is your Captain. The question here is not one of receiving help, but of accepting leadership. He has not come to offer assistance, but to demand SUBJECTION.

How did Joshua react when he heard that this Man has come as Commander of the Lord's army? "Joshua fell on his face down to the ground in reverence (worship)" (Joshua 5:14). Do you see the ways of God? The issue is one of submission to His leadership. God does not stand in the midst of the conflict giving a little help here or there. When He is in command all is well! You do not know God if you think He can occupy a subordinate position in your battle. It is His place to lead and it is your place to submit. It is only when you are in your right place under His command that you will know what it means to worship and what it means to have the drawn sword wielded on your behalf.

Twelve Basket Full Vol 2 - Watchman Nee
Copyright (c) TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 4

PART 4 - WORSHIPPING GOD FOR HIS SOVEREIGN WAYS

In Exodus 32 to 34 we read of a difficult situation Moses encountered. Alone on Mount Sinai with God, the ten commandments written on two tablets were committed to Him. Meanwhile, trouble had broken out on the plain. The people had made a golden calf and worshipped it. This provoked God to great displeasure and He said to Moses: "Go down, because your people, which you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupted. They have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' I have seen these people," the Lord said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave Me alone so that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them." (Exodus 32:7-10 KJV)

When Moses saw that God's wrath was stirred against His people he entreated God for them, then went down to deal with the situation on the plain. Thereafter he ascended the mount again and in obedience to God's command hewed two stone tablets like the first which he had broken, and with these in his hand he went to the top of Mount Sinai where God made a solemn proclamation, "The Lord, the compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness and our sin." (Exodus 34:6-7 KJV) At this point, it would have been most appropriate for Moses to bow down and worshipped God: but it was after the second part of the proclamation that he did so, and the second part was totally different from the first. The earlier part spoke of God's compassion, and grace, and mercy and forgiveness; but the latter was this: "Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." (Exodus 34:7 KJV) It was when God had proclaimed His awesome majesty and holiness that "Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshipped." (verse 8). It is not merely grace that stirs worship; if we are to be worshippers of God we need to know His holiness.

Comparing verse 8 and 9 of Exodus chapter 34, Moses first worship, then prayed. He first acknowledged the sovereignty of God's ways, then he seeks God's grace. He does not beseech God on the ground of His compassion, and grace, and plenteous mercies, and readiness to forgive to reverse His decision. Our prayer would be like that. We are always trying to persuade God not to do what He has said He would do. Moses was different. He took his right place before God and bowed to His ways.

Beloved, have we been guilty of asking God to do what we knew was contary to His ways of working? Have we sought Him to forgive a certain brother and cease to chasten him even when we knew that His dealings with that brother were right? That is not worshipping God. How often our prayers amount to requesting God to change His ways! Without considering His ways we just open our lips and ask Him to remove the pressure here, the sickness there and the domestic problems elsewhere. To pray after this fashion is seeking grace and ignoring the ways of God. Prayer is the expression of our will but worship is the acceptance of God's will.

How we need to learn from Moses! God made His ways known to him and seeing His majesty and holiness, he fell down before God and worshipped. He did not reason with God about the consequences of God visiting their iniquity to the third and fourth generation. Let us not only learn to accept God's will and do His work, we must also learn to acknowledge His sovereign ways and accept all that He does are for His own good pleasure.

Twelve Basket Full Vol 2 - WWatchman Nee
Copyright (c) TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 3

PART 3 - WORSHIPPING GOD FOR HIS SALVATION

In Exodus 12:27 (KJV) God instructed His people regarding the Passover - "It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our home when He struck down the Egyptians. Then the people bowed and worshipped." When God's people saw how God would destroy the firstborn in all the houses of the Egyptians and He would passed over all the houses of the children of Israel; the Passover became a memorable event which invariably provoked worship

Similarly, the Breaking of Bread, like the Passover, is a memorable feast to recall God's mighy works in separating us from the world and it should cause us to worship Him. Each time we partake of the bread and the wine, we should be arrested by His amazing grace and His wondrous ways by which He has brought us out of darkness into His marvellous light.

Note that the Israelities' action was not the result of Moses' instruction. It was their spontaneous reaction when Moses mentioned the significance of the Passover. Worship is not the fruit of mental exercise; it is a spontaneous expression as we behold the ways of God.

Twelve Basket Full Vol 2 - Watchman Nee

In my last post I received a comment from a reader pointing out that it is not easy to put into practice to worship the ways of God; to which I agreed. He asked if there are tips to help us prepare for such a lifestyle of worship to which I answered that the key is in our CHOICE. Yes we choose to worship Him and silent the enemy with our praise.

Actually with regards to the ways of God, to be more precise we have NO CHOICE ... because Worship Belongs To God (see post dated July 7, 2006) .... and because God is God, He will do what deems is right ... His ways & thoughts are higher than ours (see Part 1 dated September 7, 2006 on What are the ways of God?). If our hearts are set to worship God, He will give us unique opportunities (i.e circumstances & situations) to glorify Him. I must say that this level of worship if of a different league because we will not be able see His ways unless we have learn to discipline our life (see Discipline of Worship - posted on June 2, 2006) to live as a lifestyle worshipper. In other words in your daily walk, are you a thankful person? Do you praise God in all circumstances? Do you dare to offer Sacrifice of Praise in adverse circumstances?

We will see in later Part 8 how the righteous man, Job choose to worship God's Way when he was suddenly stripped off of everything. But for now I would like to encourage you to go back to all my past posts to digest on the area of Thanksgiving (posted on June 9, 2006), Private Praise (posted on June 16. 2006) and Sacrifice of Praise (posted on Aug 5, 2006)

Blessings (c) TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 2

WHAT ARE GOD'S WAYS?
WHAT DOES IT MEANS TO WORSHIP THE WAYS OF GOD?

Kindly read the answers posted on 7 September 2006

PART 2 - WORSHIPPING GOD FOR HIS CEASELESS CARE

In Exodus chapter 4 we read about the story of the Israelites in bondage in the Land of Egypt. When God sent Moses and Aaron to tell the children of Israel that He had seen their affliction and was about to deliver them from the bondage of the Egyptians, "they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipped." (Exodus 4:29 KJV)

Do you see the people of God worshipping Him for His ways? But the situation recorded here is very different from the first example (read Part 1 posted on 7 September 2006). No change had actually taken place in the condition of God's people when they bowed their heads in worship. They had only been assured that God had seen their affliction and was going to deliver them. They were told by Moses and Aaron that God had not forgotten them those four hundred thirty years and it was this assurance that provoked worship.

We are often unable to worship God because in our trials we think He has forgotten us. We are cast down because of prolonged domestic difficulties; but whose domestic difficulties have lasted four hundred thirty years? We have been sick and have long hoped for healing; we have been out of employment for months and still cannot find a job; the same old harrassing circumstances remain. So we come to the conclusion that God has not taken note of all our trials and has left us to our own resources. How can we worship Him? Our lips are silenced.

But a day comes when we see God and understand His ways, and immediately we know that He has never forgotten us. In that day our silenced lips are opened and with bowed head we acknowledge that all that we have gone through has been working for our good. (Romans 8:28) We see God's grace in everything and we worship His ways!

Extract From Twelve Basket Full Vol 2 - Watchman Nee

It is an easy thing to worship God in a mass gathering because there is no cost attached. What if one day, our circumstances are against us? Can we still give thanks and offer sacrifice of praise?

God is still seeking for worshippers who dare to worship Him in all His ways upon their lives. We must come to a point where all our entire future hinges on the matter of our worshipful acceptance of all His dealings with us. We must come to a stage where we worship Him for everthing it pleases Him to give and for everything it pleases Him to take away.

When we have really seen Who God is, we will fall before Him and acknowledge that all His ways with us are right ways, and we will worship Him because He has done all things well.

Copyright (c) TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 1

If we truly intend to be worshippers of God, then a day must come in our lives when we realise that merely knowing Him as our Father and ourselves as His children is totally inadequate. We need to know God as God and ourselves as His bond servants. Until this revelation breaks upon us, we will not be able to experience the reality of worshipping Him in truth. Such a revelation of God will cause us to fall down before Him and it will lead us to acknowledge that His ways are higher than our ways; and we are but His subject called to accomplish His will.

WHAT ARE GOD'S WAYS?

His ways are His method of doing what He decided to do. And in relation to us they are His dealings with us whereby He accomplishes His purpose concerning us. His ways are higher than our ways and they leave no room for our choice. He deals with one person in this manner and with another person in that manner. Many Christians are often perplex with God's ways and His dealings; they usually ask: Why? For example when we read in the Bible the story of Jacob and Esau, our natural reaction would ask: "Why did God love Jacob and not Esau?" Jacob was a deceiver, yet God says, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hate." (Malachi 1:2-3)

To question why God loved Jacob and not Esau proves that we have not seen God as God. Those who have seen His sovereign right will simply acknowledge that God is God and He does what He does because He is Who He is. God's ways are the expression of His choice and the manifestation of His desire. What He has determined to do He does in the way that will secure His end. Hence His providential dealings with men vary according to the purpose He has for each life.

WHAT DOES IT MEANS TO WORSHIP THE WAYS OF GOD?

In order that we may learn this truth, let us consider a few of the Old Testament saints who, as true worshippers, learned to worship Him and His ways:

PART 1 - WORSHPPING GOD FOR A PROSPEROUS WAY

The first example is found in Genesis chapter 24. This is a story of Eliezer, Abraham's servant, who was given the responsibility to find a wife for His master's son, Issac. Abraham was then living in Canaan and to reach Mesopotamia involved crossing two rivers and a stretch of desert in between. It was a difficult task for Eliezer to travel to a distance strange land and to persuade a young woman to accept this offer of marriage.

But Eliezer was looking to God. He prayed, "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See I am standing beside this spring, and the daughter of the town people are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says,'Drink, and I will water your camels too' - let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." (Genesis 24:12-14)

Abraham's servant had not even finish praying when Rebekah arrived at the well, and in detail all his requests were transpired (imagine the time taken and amount of water needed to feed ten camels). But what if the girl was not of Abraham's family? So Eliezer asked about her connections. As soon as he was assured that Rebekah was a relative of Abraham, he "Bowed his head and worshippied the Lord." (Genesis 24:26)

Do you see the ways of God? if you request Him to do certain thing and begin to trust Him, and then things fall out as you asked, you will adore Him for His ways with you. What does it means to worship the ways of God? It is to render all glory to Him. When you are faced with some difficulty and He carried you through, do you just rejoice in the prosperity of your way? It was not with Eliezer, He did not even stop to talk to Rebekah, he straightaway worshipped. He did not feel embarrassed but instantly bowed his head and blessed the Lord.

There is a connection between glory and worship. To bring glory to the lord is to worship Him and it is our bowing before Him that is true worship. The proud in heart cannot worship Him because they will find it difficult to bow to Him. When their way is prosperous they attribute it to their own ability or to chance; they do not give glory to the Lord. To be a true worshipper is to offer without reservation all the thanksgiving, praise and worship to Him for everything we meet. At every turn Abraham's servant did so. When he went with Rebekah to her home and explained his mission and found Laban and Bethuel willing to let Rebekah go at once, again his instantaneous and spontaneous reaction was to adore the ways of God. "He bowed himself down to the ground before the Lord." (Genesis 24:52)

As worshippers, we must not only learn to recognise His works, but we must learn to acknowledge the way He works. Apart from from worshipping Him for Who He is, we must learn to worship the ways of His working in our lives. If our hearts are set to be worshippers of God, He will give us more and more opportunity to worship Him. God will orders all our affairs so that we may brin Him the worship that He desires. At times He will make our way so prosperous that we have to acknowledge it is He alone Who did it, and all the glory goes to Him.

Remarks - look out for the Part 2 - Worshipping God For His Ceaseless Care

Extract From Twelve Baskets Full Volume 2 - Watchman Nee
Copyright (c) TPWC

Singapore 24 Hours Worship Centre

I received an email from a passionate worshipper in Singapore. He said that the Lord has inspired him and a sister to start a 24 Hours Worship Centre in Singapore.

They are launching their first 24 hours worship and intercession:

ENTHRONE JESUS

(A Prayer & Worship Marathon)

22 September 2006

22/9 - 6pm to 23/9 - 6pm

Location :

Goshen Restaurant

(within The High Point Halfway House)

1 Lorong 23 Geylang

Singapore 388352

They hope that the centre will ultimately become a sanctuary where any believers can come anytime 24/7 to worship the Lord

For more information kindly contact John @ 81271855 or email him at hr24worship@hotmail.com

I have also decided to put up at tag-board to encourage worshippers to participate by giving their feedback and respond. The primary purpose of TPWC is to create a platform for worshippers to share and get connected with other worshippers. Look forward to your input.

Blessings

TPWC

FROM PRAISE TO WORSHIP

The principal definition of the word PRAISE is the Hebrew word "HALAL" which means to be clear in sound, to shine, to make a show, to boast, to be clamourously foolish, to rave, to celebrate. Praise is an expression of the soul. That is, it directly involves our mind, our will and our emotions. The Psalmist David repeatedly stated that our soul is to bless the Lord (Psalm 103:1), boast in the Lord (Psalm 34:2) and praise the Lord (Psalm 146:1). This expression of the soul is to manifest itself in many ways, as is seen in the Word of God. These ways include:

- Singing (Psalm 47:6-7)
- Shouting (Psalm 47:1)
- Clapping of Hands (Psalm 47:1)
- Lifting of Hands (Psalm 134:2)
- Dancing (Psalm 150:4)
- Bowing (Psalm 95:6)
- Musically (Psalm 150)

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PRAISE

a) Spontaneous Praise

King David exhorts us in Psalm 103 to praise the Lord because of what He has done. Just think! He:
- Forgives all our iniquities (v3)
- Heals all our diseases (v3)
- Redeems our lives from destruction (v4)
- Crowns us with loving kindness and tender mercies (v4)
- Satisfies our mouth with good things (v5)

DON'T FORGET HIS BENEFITS!

As we realize what a mighty God He is and what He has done for us, we are stirred emotionally and we spontaneously erupt with praise! Spontaneous praise is therefore BIRTHED IN OUR EMOTIONS. Spontaneous praise is enjoyable, emotional, brimming with enthusiasm. And rightly so! We should praise the Lord for all that He has done.

b) Sacrificial Praise

But then there are other times when praise is the last thing we want to do. Unfortunately, by acting, or rather reacting only according to our feeligs, we rob ourselves of real fulfilment in the other aspect of praise - THE SACRIFICE.

Hebrews 13:15 exhorts us to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. The word "sacrifice" means the action of slaughtering, killing or slaying. In other words, we are required to kill those emotions, slaughter those feelings that are opposed to praising the Lord. Many times I don't feel like praising the Lord. It is during those times that I can fulfil my obedience to the Scripture and exercise the "Sacrifice of Praise"

Therefore sacrificial praise is BIRTHED IN OUR WILL! The most repeated phrase in the Psalms is "I WILL". (over 200 times)

The results of both spontaneous and sacrificial praise are awesome! God responds to praise! Psalm 22:3 tells us that He inhabits, He dwells in the praises of His people. And as a result of of God's response, something supernatural takes place. we transcend from the dimension of praise into the dimension of worship

THE DIMENSION OF WORSHIP

Whereas PRAISE is an expression of the SOUL, WORSHIP is an expression of the SPIRIT. The word "worship":

- In Hebrew is "shachah" which means to depress, prostrate, bow(self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop.
- In Greek the word is "proskuneo", which means to kiss, to fawn or crouch to, to revere, to adore.

By this we can see that in worship there is a divine, intmate communion, a closeness of relationship that occurs between God and man, the Creator and the created. Worship is an expression of the spirit, because "God is Spirit: and they that worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)

As we spontaneously and sacrificially praise the Lord we are lifted into the realm of the spirit, where a pure and holy, love relationship is developed with God. At such moment of transcension, you realize that you are on holy ground. Time is of no importance. Nothing else matters and you are intensely aware of the fact that you are communing with God in spirit.

As you worship the Lord, He reveals Himself to you in a precious, loving way. As the definition, "to kiss" suggests, there results an intimate spiritual union with the Spirit of God. There is a strengthening, a refreshing that occurs in your spirit. Nothing can be compared to that type of communion, which is a result of your spontaneous and sacrificial praise.

An extract from : Restoring Praise & Worship To The Church - by Howard Rachinski

TPWC's Remarks:

For the many previous posts, TPWC has been challenging and inspiring you that the way to His holy presence is through our daily choice to cultivate the spirit of thanksgiving & exercise the practise of private praise (both spontaneously and sacrificially). It is an upward spiritual progression ... by walking into ... standing in His presence and then sitting in the holy of holiest beholding His glory. It is a blessed journey! It is opposite to the often downward path where many believers tend to take in their daily encounters ... to walk in the the counsel of the wicked ... stand in the way of sinners ... and sit in the seat of mockers. These are path of degeneration and there is no blessing!
Whereas if we choose daily the path of progression; yes no matter what our circustances may be, we will stand strong in the Lord like the tree that is planted by the waters. Because in His presence is fullness of Joy and the Joy of the Lord shall be our strength. So come what may - even the storms of life, "we shall be a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers" (Psalm 1:3). Life in the inner courts is stable and victorious!

For the next the coming posts, TPWC will be touching on Life in the inner courts - a series of worship topics. Like to encourage that while we receive the truth & learn the secrets of the inner of courts, that we do not forget that the way to the Father still begins with the spirit of thanksgiving and the daily choice of praise (both spontaneous and sacrificial - God dwells in our praise). This is the way to maintain our lives as disciplined lifestyle worshippers!

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PRAISE QUOTABLES

"Praise is the greatest work God's children can ever do. It is the loftiest expression the Saints can ever show. The highest manifestation of spiritual life is seen in men praising God." Watchman Nee - Assembling Together

"Praise is not something we experience occasionally, but is a garment which will be worn constantly by the last-day church (Isaiah 61:1-3). The garment of praise is the perfect answer for the depressions which are common to this generation."
E. Charlotte Baker - On Eagles Wings

"The sacrifice of praise is the choice of every believer. You cannot be a successful worshipper without recognising the importance of your will in offering a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving."
Terry Law - The Power of Praise and Worship

"Praise is a door to God's presence."
Warren and Ruth Myers - Praise is a door

"To praise the Lord for something He has done for us is easy, to praise God after we have been emotionally stirred toward Him is not difficult, but to praise the Lord as a sacrifice is a different matter. The way we feel from day to day fluctuates and changes, but God's Word is unchanging. We do not rely upon feelings to be in an attitude of praise but rather we recognise that His unchanging Word and His constant characteristics demand a people with a constant and unchanging attitude to His Word and commandment. We are therefore enjoined to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips (not our feelings), giving thanks to His name."
B. Maureen Gaglardi - The Key of David

"Praise releases the power of God into our lives and circumstances, because praise is faith in action. Praise is a permanent acceptance of what God has brought into our lives. We enter this attitude of praise by an act of our will, by a decision to praise God regardless of how we feel."
Merlin R. Carothers - Power in Praise

Until the practice of praise in private is continuous and free, the practice of corporate praise will be inhibited by fear, self-consciousness and discomfort. The practice in the corporate sense is absolutely indispensable to the maximum worship experience."
Jack R. Taylor - The Hallelujah Factor

"Praise is not a mass function, it is the response of an individual to His God. When a group of individual choose to unite in praising, their individual praises may blend into a group response, but every expression of the praise comes from a separate individual."
Judson Cornwall - Let Us Praise

"Warfare through praise does not dictate to God what He should do ... it praises Him for His wisdom and might, recognising that He is capable of setting the problem in the best possible manner. We do not focus on the battle or the enemy; we look only to the solution - God!" - "But the people taht do know their God sahll be strong and do exploits." (Daniel 11:32)
Bob Sorge - Exploring Worship

"Praise is born in faith, is an instrument of war and a method of creating an atmosphere for the presence of the Lord. Praise requires effort, will power and boldness." - TPWC

Copyright (c) TPWC

SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrew 13:15

The Principle Of Sacrifice Of Praise Is In The Bible
- Cain & Abel (Gen 4:3-5)
- Noah (Gen 8:20-21)
- Tabernacle of Moses (God demanded the shedding of innocent blood for the covering of
man’s sin)
- Calvary became the final sacrifice but God continues to require a sacrifice from His children

The principle of sacrifice originated in the heart of God. What is important to notice, however, is that God required a sacrifice. When God asked for a sacrifice He asked the people to bring the very best of their substance and to present it in a very specific manner to the Lord as an offering.

The purpose for each sacrifice was the same. God demanded the shedding of innocent blood for the covering of man's sin. Although the need for blood sacrifce was fulfilled at Calvary, the principle of sacrifice has not been abolished in the New Testament. God continues to require a sacrifice from His children (Heb 13:15)

God is not interested only in the praise that we give Him in times when things are going well. He is after that praise that comes in the midst of great trial, great difficulty, grief, sickness, temptation, relational difficulties, and financial problems. He still requires praise. He still demands it. When we give it to Him in time of difficulty it means all the more to Him. We are operating according to the principle of sacrifice, and God is pleased.

Difference Between Praise And Sacrifice Of Praise

Praise – Praise flows easily when we are in a right relationship with God. It is a spontaneous flow when we think of all that He has done for us

Sacrifice of Praise – The sacrifice of praise is offered to God when things do not seem to be going right. It is:
- Praise offered in spite of the way things are going
- Praise offered in faith and obedience
- Praise offered because of who God is

Sacrifice of praise is continual praise & is audible (Psalm 34:1 – I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth)

Examples In The Bible

1) Paul & Silas (Acts 16:22-34)

Physical Situation - Severely flogged (stripped & beaten) and thrown into prison for their faith. No reason to praise God

Spiritual Situation - At midnight (darkest moment) they started to pray and praise God

Result - A violent earthquake shook the place, prison doors were opened, chains broken and jailer & family received salvation

2) King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:1-22)

Physical Situation - A vast army invading Israel

Spiritual Condition - Inquired of the Lord and proclaimed a fast. The Spirit of God assured them that the battle belong to the Lord. They obeyed the Lord by sending the choir ahead of the army into the battlefield.

Result - The Lord set an ambush against the enemy and they were defeated.

How To Offer Sacrifice Of Praise?

1) Make A Decision
- Determine beforehand that you are going to praise God at ALL TIMES AND IN EVERY SITUATION.

2) Start Now
- Praise God every day – all day
- Cultivate the habit of praise

3) When Troubles Come
- Remember your decision
- Put on the garment of Praise – An act of your will
- Remember that praise in the difficult times allows God to work on your behalf
- Praise in times of trouble brings glory to the Father

4) Begin By Faith
- The way you begin to offer the sacrifice of praise is by faith. Praise Him for Who He is and what He has done. Then offer thanks to God for the situation even if you do understand it
- Acknowledge that He is in control of your situation and praise Him for making a way of deliverance, even though you can see no way out of the problem. Then set your mind on Him and on the promises of His Word
- Once you have started to make the sacrifice of praise – CONTINUE. Declare aloud the Word of God that proclaims victory and deliverance
- This offering of praise in obedience (& faith) will set your mind on Him and not the circumstances. As you keep proclaiming His power & glory to your circumstances, you will see how small it actually is.
- Soon you will find yourself joyfully entering into the full dimension of His Presence as you continue to release your spirit in the sacrifice of praise. Then start to sing, to dance, to glorify & magnify Him and He will make a way of salvation & deliverance for you!

copyright (c) TPWC

GATES OF PRAISE

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is Good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations"
Psalm 100: 4-5

How important it is for each of us to know the way into God's presence! How do we enter His gates? How do we come into His courts? The psalmist points out the way that God has ordained: We enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. It is only as we come to God with thanksgiving and with praise that we have access into His presence.

The prophet Isaiah likens the presence of God among His people to a city, concerning which he says: " You will call your walls SALVATION and your gates PRAISE" (Isaiah 60:18). The only way through those walls of SALVATION is by the gates of PRAISE. Unless we learn to approach God with praise, we have no access into His presence.

Confronted with this requirement, we are sometimes tempted to look around us at our situation and ask: " But what do I have to thank God for? What do I have to praise Him for?"
There may be nothing in our immediate circumstances that appears to give us cause to thank and or praise God. It is just here that the psalmist comes to our help. He gives us three reasons to thank and praise that are not affected by our circumstances: first, the Lord is good; second, His love endures forever; third, His faithfulness continues through all generations. All three reasons are eternal, unchanging facts. If we truly believe them, then we have no alternative but to praise God for them CONTINUALLY!

Like to share with you a song I wrote (hope to upload the music soon) :-

Verse 1

I will enter His gates,

With thanksgiving in my heart

Enter His courts with praise

I will sing of His grace,

For all that He has done

I will rejoice and bless His Name

Chorus

Blessed be Your Name,

My strong and mighty Tower

Blessed be Your Name,

The Rock of my Salvation

Blessed be Your Name,

There is no other name

Jesus the Name above all names

Verse 2

I was glad when they said,

Let us go into His house

There I find peace and joy

The Lord He is good

And His mercies endure

I will rejoice and bless His Name

copyright (c) TPWC

The Joy Of The Lord

There is a great difference between JOY and HAPPINESS. Joy is the realm of the spirit whereas happiness is related to our emotions, feelings and circumstances. When things are going well, we have happiness. It is good to have happiness, but we cannot have it all the time.

To illustrate: If I lost my wallet, I would be very happy when the founder returned it to me. After a few days, I would no longer have the feeling of happiness although my wallet is still with me. What I have actually lost is the feeling of happiness at the time of finding it.

Joy on the other hand, is not dependent on feelings or circumstances. There is only one source of Joy and that is God - God Himself! That is why it is possible to "rejoice in the Lord always!" In Philippians 4:4-7, Paul actually commands the Philippians to "rejoice in the Lord always!" (verse 4) and they are able to do so because "the Lord is near" (verse 5). You will note that while submitting their petitions and prayers, they are also encouraged to include the spirit of thanksgiving. (verse 6) And the resultance is having "the peace of God" (verse 7) in midst of whatever circumstances.

Therefore, when our circumstances cause us nothing but grief, fear, doubt, anger ... we can still rejoice because our joy is not based on fluctuating circumstances, but has it's source in the One Who loves us and is the object of our love. Beloved, if we but exercise our faith and choose to "rejoice in the Lord", in the midst of our adverse circumstances, these negative feelings of grief, fear, doubt and anger will just melt away because we now have the Peace of God.

Therefore, we can "count it all joy even when we fall into divers trials or testings" (James 1:2) because it is "The Joy of the Lord" which is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) that will carry us through.

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WORSHIP BELONGS TO GOD

What are God's demands in His Word regarding Worship?

Exodus 20:3-6
v3 - You shall have no other gods before me
v4 - You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the water below.
v5 - You shall not bow down to them; for I, the Lord your God am a jealous God

Exodus 34:14
- Do not worship any other god. for the Lord, Whose name is jealous, is a jealous God.

It is from these verses in the scriptures that we learn that WORSHIP BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD DEMANDS IT!

What is worship? In Hebrew, the word SHACHAH means to kneel and worship. In Greek, the word PROSKUNEO means to go forward to kiss His Hand. In other words, to give EVERYTHING to Him. It is confessing Him as God.

What is the work of the devil? From the account in Genesis of the garden of Eden, we really cannot discern the devil's purpose. But in Isaiah 14:12-14 we see tthat the devil wants to be like God. Isn't that's what the devil said to Adam and Eve, that they too could be "as gods" when they partook of the forbidden fruit?

As we look into the New Testament, we read in the Gospel of Matthew:-
Matthew 4:8-10
v8 - Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
v9 - "All this I will give you," he said, "If you will bow down and worship me."
v10 - Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' "
It is in the third temptation of Jesus that the ultimate goal of the devil was exposed when the enemy finally came out with the confrontation, "WORSHIP ME!"

When we come to the book of Revelation, we see that God's purpose is worship and Satan's purpose is also worship. From chapter 4 to 19, we learn that the twenty-four elders and four living creatures worship in heaven. But in chapter 13, we see worship of the image of the beast on earth - worship of the beast is the worship of Satan. In chapter 14:7, we see that the eternal Gospel is preached. "Fear God, and give glory to Him, because the hour of his judgement has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

WORSHIP GOD - this is the eternal Gospel! In chapter 21 and 22 we have the new heaven and the new earth. Again we are commanded to worship God (Revelation 22:9)

(An excerpt from the book "Worship God" by Watchman Nee)

Believers, do you know that there is a spiritual war going on? It is a war between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of hell. It is a war as to which kingdom gets worship ... God or Satan? We have seen it from Genesis to Revelation ... every event throughout The Ages of the Patriachs, The Bondage in Egypt, The Conquest of Canaan, The Period of the Judges, The History of Israel, The Gospel, The Acts of the Church and The Revelation ... leads to one question: "Who gets worship?"

Today as we stand in anticipation of His soon return, that same question is being asked: "Who will you worship?" What is our duty as Christians? It is not enough just knowing salvation or serving Him. What is it that will satisfy God? Who will satisfy Him?

We must put worship into everything we do. Do you have difficulites? First worship God, Are you weak and weary? Worship God. we learn in Psalm 8:2 that the praise of a weak child has the power to silence the enemy. Satan fears the worship of God. Worship by the few today is giving God what He will one day have from all. What the world will one day give God, we first give Him. We do not need to wait till the new heaven and new earth to worship. NOW IS THE TIME TO WORSHIP! As the song goes ...

Come now is the time to worship
Come now is the time to give your heart
Come just as you are to worship
Come just as you are before your God
Come

One day every tongue will confess
You are God
One day every knee will bow
Still the greatest treasure remains for those
Who gladly choose You now

Brian Doerksen @ 1998 Vineyard Songs

Today the Father is still seeking (searching, yearning) for true worshippers.(John 4:23-24) What is our duty as Christians? Worship God!

copyright (c) TPWC