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, let us not forget that the spirit of Christmas is 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!
Blessed Christmas!
TPWC

ONE THING - After God's Heart

"One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple" (Psalm 27:4).

David's primary occupation was to seek God and His beauty. God declared David to be a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Imagine that? Wouldn't you love for God to say that about you? I know I would. David sought God when he was young and when he was old. He sought after Him when he was a young shepherd boy, praying and worshipping him in the fields where there was no human audience. He sought after God when he was a king and military leader when he was busy with responsibility and pressure. David sought after God's heart during times of victory and times of testing. It was the goal and focus of his life. Perhaps we could say that David was on a lifelong treasure hunt to discover the beauty of God - to find out the commands of God's heart and to fully obey them - to study God's emotions and encounter Him in intimacy - to discover the purposes of God's heart and contend in prayer for a breakthrough. David was one who loved to be in God's house. He even raised up 4,000 musicians and 288 singers to worship God in His house (1 Chronicles 23:5, 25:7).

David knew how to tap into the most important thing in life. Let us look at the examples of David through the Book of Psalm :

"O God You are my God. Early will I seek You. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for You ..." Psalm 63:1 (NKJV)

"My soul follows close behind you ..." Psalm 63:8 (NKJV)

"Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You." Psalm 73:25 (NKJV)

"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God." Psalm 42:1 (NKJV)


"Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells." Psalm 26:8 (NKJV)

"How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My Soul longs, yes even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Psalm 84:1-2 (NKJV)

"For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand ..." Psalm 84:10 (NKJV)

What is the primary ambition in your Christian walk & ministry? Your answer can make the difference between success or failure, strength or powerlessness, hope or defeat. David chose only ONE THING - to behold the beauty of the Lord. David was a Lifestyle Worshipper. What about you?

"I believe strongly that one thing the devil seeks to do is to sneak in and subtly distract our attention from the purity and simplicity of loving God. He doesn't mind if we exalt revival, healing, or anything else, as long as we lose our focus on the simplicity of heart-level lavish devotion to the Son of God." Mike Bickle - Director of International House of Prayer

Be a God chaser
TPWC

A CALL TO WORSHIP & INTERCESSION (The Harp & The Bowl - Revelation 5:8)

WORSHIP is an act and attitude of whole-heartedly offering ourselves to God (Romans 12:1). The Greek word for worship is PROSKUNEO, meaning to kiss like a dog licking his master's hand, to prostrate oneself in reverence and adoration.

INTERCESSION is prayer as a means of asking God day and night (Luke 11:13; 18:8) to release His blessing to touch others for salvation, healing, anointing or other personal needs.
When we incorporate the elements of WORSHIP and INTERCESSSION, we actually create cosmic spiritual effects that are mighty to the pulling down of spiritual strongholds. We have this clear evidence in Acts 16:25 where the prison doors were open and salvation was wrought through the combined effects of prayer and praise of Paul and Silas

Throughout the Bible, expressions of prayer and worship continually appear together. In the New Testament, those who made requests of God often came worshipping (Matthew 8:2; 9:18; 15:25, Phiippians 4:6). We are familiar with the passage in 2 Peter 2:9 that we are called to be a royal priesthood and as priests, we have two primary responsibilities as may be seen in Hebrews 5:1 "For every high priest chosen as he is among men is appointed to represent people in matters pertaining to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins."

1) To represent men in matters relating to God - speaks of intercession

2) To offer gifts and sacrifices - speaks of worship

Today, God is searching for both Worshipping Intercessors and interceding Worshippers. But sad to say, we are witnessing a great imbalance with many celebrations in praise and worship, pageantry and dance without significant time given to prayer and intercession. True worship comes from a relationship of love with the Father and prayer expresses that relationship because it is communion and devotion.

We find that in heaven, which is the true tabernacle, is one great worship service where there is offering of unceasing worship (Revelation 4:8; 7:15) and intercession (Revelation 8:3-5). In Revelation 5:8, we read: "When He took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fall down before the Lamb, each of them having a HARP and holding golden BOWLS full of incense which are the prayers of the saints."

The HARP represents Worship and the BOWL represents Intercession.

In the Holy of Holies, there is one piece of tabernacle furniture that is nearest to His presence - the Golden Altar of Incense where continual Worship and Intercession is offered up to God. The time of incense has come: God is raising prophetic worshippers who are willing to let Him ambush and invade their worship service with intercession. In response we will see God's judgement and power released on earth as we stand to minister to Him with the HARP and the BOWL (TPWC's logo).

Blessings
TPWC

Healing During Worship Intercession

This is the testimony by sister Pauline ... during CS Music's team (Singapore Christian Songwriters & Music team) pre-showcase prayer, praise and worship intercession (1 week ago)

My hand is 90% healed today!!! Never had it been healed in such a short span of time especially when the pain paralyzed 80% my right arm yesterday. The slightest movement brings a painful cringe on my body, with a totally distorted face. History of it... it's repetitive stress injury (RSI).

Today I woke up able to move my fingers without pain and I know God is in the process of healing. Tonight when CSMusic met for prayer, I felt that I should take off my hand splint and trust God for healing. As worship was going on, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to start flexing my wrist and rotate my arm gently. As I was doing it, the pain gradually decreased to a point whereby I could do most movements without much pain. At the end of it, they laid hands on my right wrist and prayed. I was able to play the guitar after that! By that time I knew it was 80% healed! I am trusting for 100% healing now. *

Just some background... there was a period when the pain lasted for almost a year, at times worse than yesterday, on better days I could move it but not without much struggle. Stopped playing the piano/keys during that time, tinkle a little on good days, but couldn't really play... the rate at which it healed is a miracle! Praise the LORD!! And all the saints who prayed for me...

Blessings
TPWC

* Note : sister Pauline's hand has been completely healed! \0/\0/\0/
TPWC invite you to share your experience & comments

PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

"Enoch walked with God" (Genesis 5:24)

The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the daily grind of everyday life when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. In the 1600's, there was a monk named Brother Lawrence who was a dishwasher in his monastery.

He made a profound discovery that is true for every believer in the workplace today. "For me the time of activity does not differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are calling together calling for as many different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as when upon my knees at the blessed Sacrament."

You see, he found no urgency for retreats, because in the common task he met the same God to love and worship as he did in the stillness of the desert. It is this kind of life that Jesus desires for each of His children. Enoch was also a man that practiced the presence of God. The Bible does not give detailed account of his life. All we know about him is that "He walked with God." In fact, it says in Gensis 5:22 that Enoch walked with God 300 years! Wow! That is faithfulness!

What does it mean to practice the presence of God daily? It means we are constantly talking to our Heavenly Father about the issues in our day. It means praying about things as they come up. It means singing a song in your car while you are sitting in traffic. That is practicing the presence of God.

Today, when God gives you times alone or there are needs that arise, stop and consult your Heavenly Father about the situation. Then you will be practicing the presence of God.

An extract from TGIF (Today God Is First Vol 2 - May 28) by Os Hillman
Blessings - 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 produce 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 fields, 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.

Shalom - TPWC

PRAISE - THE WEAPON OF OUR WARFARE (PART 2)

"Your hand will find all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You. Be exalted, O LORD, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power".

Psalm 21:8, 13

The Old Testament makes a distinction between taking revenge ourselves and leaving our enemies to God. Strength and power lie in Him, not in us, as Psalm 21 confesses.



Apart from many good reasons for glorifying and worshipping God, the role of praise in dealing with our enemies is also strange to many people. The Psalmist also praise God in the midst of facing adversity at the hand of an enemy. Do you wonder how such conflict and praise meet?



We continue with the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. Remember, Jehoshaphat and the kingdom of Judah are teetering on the brink of destruction - they are about to be attacked by horde far outnumbering them. You might compare their plight to a situation of your own in which everything seems to go wrong, or when the force of Satan's opposition threaten to overpower you. King Jehoshaphat's experience offers a way to do battle in such situations. He begins by simply confessing, "We have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us" (2 Chronicles 20:12).



This confession of weakness doesn't mean that Judah is passive and does nothing - nor should we. A prophet of Judah delivers a word from the Lord. God tells them that the battle is His, not theirs. For their response, the people " (stand) up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high:" (2 Chronicles 20:19). Then instead of hurling spears or boulders, the army marches out boldly hurling phrases of praises, singing, "Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever" (2 Chronicles 20:21). The result? The Lord Himself sets ambushes for the enemy, causing confusion and fighting to break out among their ranks.



So what attack should believers mount against Satan and his hordes? We are to take up the weapons we wield best - the weapons of praise. As the apostle Paul teaches us, "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4).



Faced with the forces of evil, God's people are not to fear. Our greatest resource for resistance doesn't arise from any arsenal known to human wisdom or device. It comes from knowing that the battle is the Lord's. We are never to react from a position of weakness, but from one of strength. That strength is found in faithfully remaining at our post of praise. Our best defense is to do what we should know how to do best: offer praise and glory to the Living God, whose enemies, ultimately, will always flee before His might and power



Quite sure most of you would know this powerful song - Desert Song by Brooke Fraser from Hillsong (see below youtube). With the knowledge of our weapon of warfare we can now sing and praise Him in the desert, in the fire & in the battle ... PRAISE THE LORD!

Blessings

TPWC

PRAISE - THE WEAPON OF OUR WARFARE (PART 1)

Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.

Psalm 149:5 -6

Psalm 149 speaks of "the high praises of God" in the same breath as "a two-edged sword." Of course , we are dealing here not with weapons of carnal warfare, but with putting our words into action by boldly going on the offensive of faith - by acting on the promises of the God we praise.

Let us turn to the dramatic scene in 2 Chronicles 20. King Jehoshaphat, undermanned and relatively powerless, has been brought word that "a great multitude is coming aganst you" (20:2). This text gives direction on what can be done in such moments; something besides reigning to a passive prayer for strength. There are four action steps - four ways to take up the sword of praise.

1) The king proclaimed a FAST (2 Chronicles 20:3). Is fasting foreign to your experience? Don't let it be. Fasting is an aggressive way to affirmed the promised power of the spirit over the flesh. It is an explicit way to reinforce the priority of prayer and to seek God throughout each day. When facing crucial battles such as the one that confrnted Jehoshaphat, be ready to deny the flesh as a sign that your trust is not in human energy but in the power of the Spirit.

2) The king and the people PRAYED (2 Chronicles 20:6). And while their prayer confessed that "we have no power" (2 Chronicles 20:12), it wasn't a "poor me" prayer! In stead of whinning, their prayer roared, ascribing to God power and authority over the enemy. Such a prayer of petition is admittedly prayed out of deep need, but it nonetheless boldly affirms God's power within His will.

3) There was also a REMEMBRANCE OF GOD'S WORK in history (2 Chronicles 20:7). With praise they remembered the story of God's people - the Exodus from Egypt, God's care in the wilderness, the conquest of Canaan. Remembering is a mighty source of confidence that God is able and will again deliver and save. Reviewing testimonies at the Lord's Table is a great way for us to remember His tender mercies and enduring love.

4) There was a PROPHETIC UTTERANCE (2 Chronicles 20:14-17). We must be open to the Holy Spirit's prophetic word among us as a people. He's still assuring us, "The battle is not yours, but God's! (2 Chronicles 20:15) and He will faithfully unfold God's will for us to our own immediate situations.

Ultimately threatening situations call for an uncommonly strong response: taking up a two-edged sword in a spiritual sense - aggressively trusting God, forcefully throwing ourselves at His feet in worship, and boldly brandishing the spiritual weapons Jehoshaphat used. They still work to put doubt and fear and anxiety to flight.

PRAISE is not passive. It can be our boldest stand against the threats of the enemy.

Blessings - TPWC

THE CALL TO WORSHIP - PART 2

Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.

I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forvermore.

Psalm 86:11-12

People who truely worship God must become teachable people. Here, the psalmist looks up to God with complete openness, ready both to learn and to walk in the truth. To unfold this theme, we return to the account of Abraham's offering of Isaac. No passage in Scripture provides more fundamental teaching on the true meaning of worship. By being open to God's call, Abraham discovered a new place of worship. "Go to the land of Moriah," God told him, "and offer [Isaac] there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you" (Genesis 22:2). Abraham left the security of his caravan and his servants to go discover this new place - this new mountain of acceptable worship to God.

Sometimes we must go to a "new place" too, in order to discover the true meaning of worship. It will probably be to a new place our hearts or attitudes rather than to a new physical site, but we sometimes need to be guided away from the worn valleys of our familiar ways to a mountain of God's assignment. We can become so accustomed to tradition, to the same trappings of worship and the same forms, that the spirit of worship dies of familiarity. But let's open as the psalmist does: "Teach me Your way." Let's not fear discovering a new place of worship, where in finding new and fresh capacities for worship, we find new dimension of God's goodness and Person.

Abraham first discovered that surrendering to God's claim is at the core of worship ... Abraham thought Isaac was his, momentarily forgetting that Isaac was God's gift and thereby rightfully His to claim. And so it is with all of our own gifts. Everything we have has been "bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20), and you and I need to retain a readiness to return our "beloved Isaacs" at the center of our hearts - those things we cherish most dearly. Ever and always they must be kept before the Lord, to be sacrificed for His purpose. In the text for this reading, the psalmist promises to praise God with his whole heart, clearly meaning that nothing can be withheld. Can we begin to sense here the radical nature of true worship? It transforms our values from the beginning.

But further, Abraham discovered the true nature of God. He learned that God does not demand those things dearest to us because He needs them, but because He knows we need to be released from their controlling us. God never demands a sacrifice for the divine pleasure of smelling it's aroma or because He needs us to tickle His pride. The objective is our release - our growth. God asked Abraham to offer Isaac neither to exploit Abraham's emotions nor to destroy Isaac's body. But what He did do was to forever take away Abraham's fear that God might not have his best interests at heart. It is only in living worship that we will draw close enough to discern God's true nature and loving heart toward us.

Abraham also discovered the rewards of worship. Of course, God gave Abraham no immediate monetary reward for worshipping Him, but the reward was immensely grander - God Himself! "I am your ... exceedingly great reward" (Genesis 15:1). Until every corner of Abraham's heart was possessed by a trust in the greater love of God, God would be restricted from fully giving of Himself to Abraham. If he had been withholding anything from God, there wouldn't have been room in Abraham's heart to contain the wealth awaiting him in God. It's another way of saying, "No one can serve two masters" (Matthew 6:24). The sacrifice of worship establishes our servanthood to the true God.

We see then that worship has a "cutting edge" - one that cuts the flesh and prunes our preferences. Bowing before the Sovereign Lord introducs real demands but also opens new dmensions of promise. We begin to catch a glimpse of what we can discover about God and about ourselves when we are willing to be taught in worship by Him whom we worship.

An extract from - The Heart of Worship by Jack Hayford

Blessings
TPWC

THE CALL TO WORSHIP

O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.

Psam 95 : 6-7

Biblical worship is on God's terms, not ours. Psalm 95, in calling us to worship, says nothing about our rights. Instead, it summarily calls us to bow down, to kneel before this one whose creatures we are - the sheep of His pasture. And make no mistake, the call to bowing and kneeling refers to more than mere bodily posture. It focuses the surrender of our will and way to Him. It means that we are granting supreme authority to God; that in worship and in life we are giving up our will in favour of His. It notes a foundational fact about true worship: Once I choose the living God as my God, I give up the right to worship in my own way. In the very act of naming God "GOD," you and I are granting to Him alone the right to prescribe how He wishes to be worshipped.

For example, in Genesis 22, when God told Abraham to go to the land of Moriah to worship, we're introduced to God's ways in appointing the "worship program" for those He plans to grow up in faith's ways. Abraham had no occasion to say, "Sure, God! I will worship You - but how about my own way, OK?" Rather, when Abraham heard God tell him that he was to worship by offering his son Isaac on an altar of sacrifice, he knew that he had to choose between his way and God's way.

What a shock to have heard God's appointed worship plan! Offer Isaac?! Not only did this act apparently go against God's revealed displeasure with pagan practices of human sacrifice, but God had actually given Isaac as a special gift to Abraham and Sarah after they were past the normal age of childbearing. And now, to demand Isaac's life? Outlandish though it seems, Abraham was ready to obey, and he told his servants something very significant: "I and the lad will go yonder and worship" (Gen 22:5, KJV, emphasis added).

Of course, today we know the story's end: God provided another sacrifice - a ram caught in the thicket - and spared Isaac's life. Yet the New Testament says that Abraham really "offered" Isaac, because faith's living worship was found in his obedience and willingness (see Heb 11:17). He demostrated the basic meaning of worship: totally giving over our human will to the will of God.

As lifestyle worshipper, we are wise to expect to be shaped in understanding and practice as we answer God's call to worship. We'll find it not only a privilege but also a challenge. Be aware and be prepared: To grow in praise and worship is to discover new dimensions of saying to God, Not my will but Thine be done.

An extract from - The Heart of Praise by Jack Hayford

Blessings - TPWC

PRAISE HIM FOR HIS WONDERFUL NAME

Genesis 2: 4 - Praise Him our Lord God
Genesis 14: 18-20 - Praise Him our God Most High
Genesis 15:2 - Praise Him Our Master, Lord
Genesis 16:13 - Praise Him our God who Sees
Genesis 17:1-2 - Praise Him our Almighty, All Sufficient
Genesis 22:13-14 - Praise Him our Provider
Genesis 49:24 - Praise Him our Mighty One
Exodus 3:14 - Praise Him our Self-Existent One
Exodus 15:3 - Praise Him our Warrior
Exodus 15:22-26 - Praise Him our Healer and Restorer
Exodus 17:8-16 - Praise Him our Banner
Exodus 34:14 - Praise Him our Jealous God
Leviticus 20:8 - Praise Him our Sanctifier
Deuteronomy 4:24 - Praise Him our Consuming Fire
Deuteronomy 32:8 - Praise Him our Most High
Judges 6:4 - Praise Him our Peace
Ruth 3:9 to 4:14 - Praise Him our Kinsman - Redeemer
2 Samuel 22:2 - Praise Him our Rock
2 Samuel 22:29 - Praise Him our Keeper
Psalms 2:2 - Praise Him our Anointed One
Psalms 3:3 - Praise Him our Shield
Psalms 7:8 - Prasie Him our Judge
Psalms 7:9 - Praise Him our Righteous One
Psalms 10:16 - Praise Him our King
Psalms 18:2 - Praise Him our Horn of Salvation
Psalms 22:19 - Praise Him our Strength
Psalms 23 - Praise Him our Shepherd
Psalms 27:1 - Praise Him our Light and Salvation
Psalms 29:3 - Praise Him our God of Glory
Psalms 32:7 - Praise Him our Hiding Place
Psalms 94:22 - Praise Him our Defender
Psalms 121:5 - Praise Him our Keeper
Proverbs 8 - Praise Him our Wisdom
Proverbs 18:10 - Praise Him our Strong Tower
Song of Songs - Praise Him our Bridegroom
Song of Songs 2:1 - Praise Him our Rose of Sharon
Song of Songs 2:1 - Praise Him our Lily of the Valley
Isaiah 1:24 - Praise Him our Lord of Hosts
Isaiah 7:14 - Praise Him our Immanuel (Matthew 1:23)
Isaiah 9:6 - Praise Him our Counsellor
Isaiah 9:6 - Praise Him our Everlasting Father
Isaiah 9:6 - Praise Him our Prince of Peace
Isaiah 25:4 - Praise Him our Refuge
Isaiah 43:3 - Praise Him our Saivour
Isaiah 44:6 - Praise Him our First and Last
Isaiah 51:15 - Praise Him our Lord of Hosts
Isaiah 53:3 - Praise Him our Man of Sorrows
Isaiah 59:20 - Praise Him our Redeemer
Isaiah 64:8 - Praise Him our Potter
Jeremiah 23:5-6 - Praise Him our Righteousness
Lamentations 3:22-23 - Praise Him our Faithful One
Ezekiel 48:35 - Praise Him our God Who is There
Hosea 2:16, 19-20 - Praise Him our Husband
Micah 5:2 - Praise Him our Ruler
Haggai 2:7 - Praise Him our Desire of Nations
Zechariah 6:12 - Praise Him our Branch
Malachi 3:3 - Praise Him our Refiner
Malachi 4:2 - Praise Him our Sun of Righteousness
Matthew 8:20 Praise Him our Son of Man
Matthew 9:27 - Praise Him our Son of David
Luke 1:31 - Praise Him our Jesus
Luke 1:78 - Praise Him our Dayspring
Luke 4:23 - Praise Him our Physician
John 1:1 - Praise Him our Word
John 1:29, 36 - Praise Him our Lamb of God
John 1:32 - Praise Him our Dove
John 1:38 - Praise Him our Rabbi
John 1:41 - Praise Him our Messiah
John 6:14 - Praise Him our Prohpet
John 7:37-39 - Praise Him our Water
John 10:7-9 - Praise Him our Door
John 14:17 - Praise Him our Spirit of Truth
John 14:26 - Priase Him our Comforter (2Corinthians 1:3)
Acts 2:1-2 - Praise Him our Wind
Romans 8:15 - Praise Him our Abba
Romans 15:12 - Praise Him oue Root of Jesse
1 Corinthians 15:45 - Praise Him our Last Adam
Ephesians 1:22 - Praise Him our Head
Ephesians 2:20 - Praise Him our Conerstone
1 Timothy 2:5 - Praise Him our Mediator
1 Timothy 6:15 - Praise Him our Potentate
Hebrews 4:14 - Praise Him our Great High Priest
Hebrews 12:2 - Praise Him our Author and Finisher of Faith
Hewbrews 12:29 - Praise Him our Fire
1 Peter 2:25 - Praise Him our Bishop of our Souls
1 Peter 5:10 - Praise Him our God of all Grace
2 Peter 1:19 - Praise Him our Daystar
1 John 2:1 - Praise Him our Advocate
3 John 1:4, 8 - Praise Him our Truth
Revelation 1:8 - Praise Him our Alpha and Omega
Revelation 1:17 - Praise Him our First and Last
Revelation 3:14 - Praise Him our Faithful and True Witness
Revelation 3:14 - Praise Him our Beginning
Revelation 5: 5 - Praise Him our Lion of Judah
Revelation 7:2 - Praise Him our Living God
Revelation 15:3 - Praise Him our King of saints
Revelation 19:3 - Praise Him our Word of God
Revelation 19: 11 - Praise Him our Faithful and True
Revelation 19:13 - Praise Him our word
Revelation 19:16 - Praise Him our King of kings
Revelation 19:16 - Praise Him our Lord of lords
Revelation 22:16 - Praise Him our Morning Star

An extract from Praise Him - by Vivien Hibbert

Blessings - TPWC

WORSHIP INTENSIVE - BY DARLENE ZSCHECH

WHAT IS WORSHIP?

Darlene gives a truthful and passionate 4 parts message about true worship to our God. This can be purchased if you buy the Mighty to Save CD with bonus DVD from Australia.

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

Blessings
TPWC

THE 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!

Blessings - 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 and into 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 about entering into His gates and you can listen it at http://www.reverbnation.com/rickysim

BLESSED BE YOUR NAME

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

Blessings

TPWC

WORSHIP "UN-BOXED"

We have a tendency to limit our Christian experiences by “boxing” them in a confined space. We label our spiritual boxes, both large and small, and place our boxed experiences neatly on the shelf of our minds ... along with other boxes we’ve collected over the years. It all makes for a tidy intellect, an organized life, manageable encounters with God and man.

There’s only one problem with all this. Spirituality and all of life is organic. When the Spirit of God breathes life on something, it grows. Sometimes, life oozes out of our tidy little boxes, drips down the sides of the boxes in our minds we can no longer contain them. If you’re like me, I foolishly try to control matters by simply placing them in newer, larger boxes! But sometimes, we experience such explosive growth that our boxes literally burst and there we stand — with real spirituality splashed all over our faces and dripping down our arms. It’s a truth that many times God is not tidy with us. He cannot be contained in our mental boxes despite our best efforts. When He breathes life on something, it will grow … and many times in ways we cannot manage. The problem with all our boxes and labels is that we think of a given spiritual experience in terms of the label and the dimensions of its box.

Similarly, our box labelled “worship” hardly resembles the worship of the Old Testament and early church. The modern-day church has reduced the word to mean “praise and worship music”. If you don’t believe me, ask the average Christian about how the “worship” was at his church last Sunday and he will rattle on about the music. While music is a wondrous tool for worship, it is not itself worship per se. Our churches miss so much if music is the only thing in our “worship box”. This must be not only admitted by us as church musicians, but must be taught by us until we really believe it.

Here are a few things I’m certain we’d never hear from early Christians: “The worship this morning was just awesome!”, or “I just can’t worship when we use one of David’s new psalms,” or “The timbrel was so loud in worship this morning! Someone needs to talk to Asaph about it.” No, worship in the Bible is actually unaccompanied by music.

With the exception of the Psalms, which display much music associated with worship, the majority of worship stories in the Bible have no music involved at all. Worship did not require a song, it required a heart. Job laid in the dust and worshipped in affliction. Isaiah trembled and worshipped in awe. Jehoshaphat worshipped in warfare. David danced and worshipped in abandon (other times, he worshipped in laments). Hannah worshipped in perseverance through bareness. John the Revelator got to see the worship of heaven. To be sure, some of these stories had musical components. But worship was the central spiritual experience, not music.

This is a hard pill for me to swallow. I can embrace the concept of worship apart from music in the larger corridors of my intellect. But in the small, inner chamber of my heart I must admit I see my worship as primarily music. I am only beginning to understand what a beautiful gift of expression music is, by putting it in the context of worship among other God-ward expressions.

Maybe through embracing this truth we as church musicians become humble (The Holy Spirit finds humility in God’s children absolutely irresistible!). Maybe if we empty out our box of worship and ask Abba to breathe on us, worship will grow without restraint. Maybe by emptying our hands of instruments and microphones and conductor’s batons and by bowing down, we will begin to encounter a Beautiful Savior, a Loving Father, an Empowering Spirit.

An extract from - John Randall Dennis’ “Living Worship: A Biblical Guide to Making Worship Real in Your Life”

Blessings
TPWC

WORSHIP QUOTABLES - PART 3

Greetings Worshippers,

This will be third and final instalment on Worship Quotables .... the list is inexhaustible because worship is eternal (Revelation 4:10-11). Trust that you are enjoying these power worship quotes from people who are worship pastors, worship songwriters and worship authors.


"When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without heart." - Lamar Boschman

"We've made worship self-centred instead of God-centred. We lobby for what we want: 'I don't like the songs', 'I don't like the volume'. It's as if we're worshipping worship instead of worshipping God." - Geoff Bullock


"Worship touches God’s heart, and in turn, he infuses ours with his passion and compassion." - Bob Fitts

"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshipped - The heart of the issue in worship is this: My life needs God's presence to work God's purpose in my life." - Jack Hayford

"Worship is God's enjoyment of us and our enjoyment of him. Worship is a response to the father/child relationship." - Graham Kendrick

"It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men." - C.S. Lewis

"We must never assume that simply because people are gathered together in one place, they are necessarily ready to worship. They seem to be ready, but they must in fact be brought to a place of readiness. The people do not need whipping—they have been battered by the world all week long! Rather, through loving understanding and prophetic anointing, the leader should bring them to a place of open surrender to the Holy Spirit." - Bob Sorge

"Worship is an act of obedience of the heart. It is a response that requires the very core of who you are, to love the Lord for who He is, not just for what He does." - Darlene Zschech

"Worship is the love making expression between the bridge (body of Christ) and the groom (Jesus Christ). Worship is love freely given to God it is the expression of awe and respect to God." - John Wimber

"We can express our worship to God in many ways. But if we love the Lord and are led by His Holy Spirit, our worship will always bring a delighted sense of admiring awe and a sincere humility on our part. " - A.W.Tozer

"Worship is not a matter of skill and technique. It is not confined to just singing some songs during a weekend church service. It is a lifestyle and daily experience. True worship flows from the life of one who has an intimate relationship with God. It is the response of our spirit to the presence of God" - David Swan

"True worship changes people. If you’re not changed after you worship, you haven’t been worshiping. No one can draw nigh into the presence of God without changing - It can’t be done! If worship doesn’t propel you into greater obedience, call it what you will, but it isn’t worship. It isn’t worship unless you come out of it with a greater commitment to obedience. As worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy expectancy or it isn’t worship. The results of worship are that God is glorified, Christians are purified, the church is edified, the Lost are evangelized." - John MacArthur

"To worship God . . . is to "glory in his holy name" (Ps. 105:3), that is , to revel adoringly in who he is in his revealed character. But before we can glory in God's name, we must know it. Hence the propriety of the reading and preaching of the Word of God in public worship, and of biblical meditation in private devotion. These things are not an intrusion into worship; they form the necessary foundation of it. God must speak to us before we have any liberty to speak to him. He must disclose to us who he is before we can offer him what we are in acceptable worship. The worship of God is always a response to the Word of God. Scripture wonderfully directs and enriches our worship." - John Stott

"A worship leader's purpose is to direct a congregation's worship toward the Father. If you know you are appointed by God to lead His people into wholehearted worship - whether you're a trained worship leader or not - God's anointing will be there. Don't allow your own sense of inadequacy to keep you from stepping out in obedience and dependence upon the Lord. " - Don Moen

"Worship is the act and attitude of wholeheartedly giving ourselves to God, spirit, soul and body. Evangelism is the activity of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and calling mankind to wholehearted devotion to him.
Worship Evangelism, then could be defined as: wholehearted worshippers calling the whole world to wholehearted worship. " - Gerrit Gustafson

Blessings
TPWC

WORSHIP QUOTABLES (FOR WORSHIP LEADERS) - PART 2

Just the other day, I was asked a point-blank question what I thought was the single most important quality that a 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.



Blessings

TPWC

WORSHIP QUOTABLES - PART 1

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 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 moment 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

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 that do know their God shall 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



Blessings

TPWC

THE CALL TO WORSHIP

O Come, Let Us Worship And Bow Down; Let Us Kneel Before The Lord Our Maker. For He Is Our God, And We Are The People Of His Pasture, And The Sheep Of His Hand.
Psalm 95:6-7

An essential fact about true worship: Biblical worship is on God's terms, not ours. Psalm 95, in calling us to worship, says nothing about our rights. Instead, it summarily calls us to bow down, to kneel before this One whose creatures we are - the sheep of His pasture. And make no mistake, the call to bowing and and kneeling refers to more than mere bodily posture. It focuses the surrender of our will and way to Him. It means that we are granting supreme authority to God; that in worship and in life we are giving up our will in favour of His. It notes a foundational fact about true worship: Once I choose the living God as my God, I give up the right to worship in my own way. In the very act of naming God "GOD," you and I are granting to Him alone the right to prescribe how He wishes to be worshipped.

For example, in Genisis 22, when God told Abraham to go to the land of Moriah to worship, we're introduced to God's ways in appointing the "worship program" for those He plans to grow up in faith's ways. Abraham had no occasion to say, "Sure, God! I will worship You - but how about in my own way, OK?" Rather, when Abraham heard God tell him that he was to worship by offering his son Isaac on an altar of sacrifice, he knew that he had to choose between his way and God's way.

What a shock to have heard God's appointed worship plan! Offer Isaac?! Not only did this act apparently go against God's revealed displeasure with pagan practices of human sacrifice, but God had actually given Isaac as a special gift to Abraham and Sarah after they were past the normal age of childbearing. And now, to demand Isaac's life? Outlandish though it seems, Abraham was ready to obey, and he told his servants something very significant: "I and the lad will go yonder and worship" (Genesis 22:5, KJV, emphasis added)

Of course, today we know the story's end: God provided another sacrifice - a ram caught in the thicket - and spared Isaac's life. Yet the New Testament says that Abraham really "offered" Isaac, because faith's living worship was found in his obedience and willingness (see Hebrews 11:17). He demostrated the basic meaning of worship: totally giving over our human will to the will of God.

As we begin the New Year, we are wise to expect to be shaped in understanding and practice as we answer God's call to worship. We'll find it not only a priviledge but also a challenge. Be aware and be prepared: To grow in praise and worship is to discover new dimensions of saying to God, Not My Will But Thine Be Done.

An extract from - The Heart Of Praise by Jack Hayford

Blessed New Year 2008!
TPWC