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 worshiper offers the sacrifice of praise to God continually (Hebrews 13:15)."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

Worshipers 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)

May this song inspire you: 

THE HEART OF WORSHIP (PART 10) - HOW DOES THE HEART OF A WORSHIPER LOOK LIKE?

THE HEART OF WORSHIP

I love this song: The Heart of Worship by Matt Redman. The first I heard it and led in worship I cried a lot. It was tears of conviction because some time our worship can become so mechanical and stale. As a passionate worshipper, I have one guiding principle concerning the ministry of praise and worship:

"Worship is in the HEART and not in the art"

Jesus warns of heartless worship:
"These people draw near to Me with their mouth and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." (Matthew 15:8)
John Bevere in his book, Drawing Near, tells us that worship is not a slow song. The first time you find the word "worship" in Scriptures is in Genesis 22. It reads:
"Abraham said to his young men, 'stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship ...' " (Genesis 22:5).
Abraham was not going up yonder with a guitar o sing a slow song. He was going up there to put the most treasured possession in his life to death, simply because God asked him to do it! Worship from the HEART, at time requires our act of faith, sacrifice and obedience.
One such worshipper in the Bible is none other than King David whom the LORD called a man after God's HEART. It's awe-inspiring the learn that most of David's psalm s were written during his exile in the desert places. Can we imagine him being in such an environment writing about the lovely dwelling place of God's temple (Psalm 84) and being able to see the LORD in His sanctuary in His power and majesty (Psalm 63)?
So how does the HEART of a worshipper look like?
1) A Worshipper Has An Obedient HEART:
"Has the LORD great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat rams." (1 Samuel 15:22)
2) He is PASSIONATE  About God's Presence - A God Chaser!
"How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of host! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my HEART and flesh cry out for the living God." (Psalm 84:1-2)
3) A Lifestyle Worshipper Chooses To Walk In God's Purposes With A Spirit of Gratitude:
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16)
4) The Word "HALLELUJAH" Is  A Worshipper's Choice Vocabulary:
"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:1)
5) He Continually Offers Sacrifice of Praise; This Is More Than Enjoying And Singing Praise Songs:
"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." (Hebrews 13:15)
6) You Will Find That A Worshipper Often Exercises Faith And Puts His Trust In God Through The Storms of Life:
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your FAITH produces patience." (James 1:2-3)
7) Like The Three Hebrew Children, A Worshipper Will Not Be Afraid of The Fiery Fire - Even if God Chose Not to Answer!
"Sharach, Meschah, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar; we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18)
8) A Worshipper is Willing to Bow Down to God's Sovereign Ways (Dealings) Even if He Does Not Understand Them:
"For Mt thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,'says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'" (Isaiah 55:8-9)
"The Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and fell to the ground and worshipped. And he said:'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.' In all of this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." (Job 1:20-22)
9) A Worshipper Has An Undivided HEART in The Fear (Reverence) of The LORD:
"Teach me Your ways LORD, that I may rely on Your faithfulness; give me an undivided HEART, that I may fear Your name." (Psalm 86:11)
10) A Worshipper is One Who is Vigilant About Keeping His HEART Pure And Free From Idols:
"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure HEART, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol deceitfully." (Psalm 24:3-4)
11) A Worshipper is One Who is Quick to Repent to Keep His HEART Clean:
"Create in me a clean HEART, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:10-11)
(An extract from: The Unguarded Heart by Ricky Sim - http://theunguardedheart.blogspot.com)                                                             

THE HEART OF WORSHIP (PART 9) - A HEART AND A SONG

" My HEART is steadfast, O God

my HEART is steadfast;

I will sing and give PRAISE"

Psalm 57:7 (NKJV)

Reading the Psalms, one gets the impression that life for it's writers, especially king David, was one tumultuous episode after another. There are psalms of PRAISE and JOY, of grief and defeat, of deep meditation and inspiring victory. But regardless of the focus of each psalm, it is hard not to notice that many of them - most, in fact - are written in the context of crisis (see Psalm 57:1). Cries to God come out of the crucible, and God's response comes into it.
One thing God looks for when we are in the crucible is a steadfast HEART - a HEART that will not, under any circumstances, fall away. No matter what uproar is going on around us, no matter how much pressure is applied, God will wait to answer us until it is clear to Him, to us, and to those who observe us, that our HEART is resolutely fixed on Him. And more that just steadfastness of hope is required.; it is a steadfastness of WORSHIP, too. The HEART that learns to make music in it's darkest moments is the HEART that is delivered.
The deliverance usually comes twice. First, a WORSHIPFUL HEART has risen above oppressive circumstances, even when the circumstances remain. It is an inward liberation that can find deep JOY regardless of what's happening on the outside. But resolved, singing HEART then finds deliverance in a God who responds. He frequently invades circumstances and scatters our enemies, sometimes dramatically. The wait may be long, but the victory is sure. God does not remain silent in His love when we do not remain silent in our WORSHIP.
When circumstances oppress, the battle rages, and the heat of the crucible rises, where is your HEART? Is it steadfast in it's WORSHIP? Does it sing of the God who reigns above every cloud? If so, expect deliverance. Expect it within and without. You can sing your song of victory before victory even comes. In the most important sense, it already has.
(an extract from: Walk With God Devotion by Chris Tiegreen)

THE HEART OF WORSHIP (PART 8) - MARY'S ANOINTING

Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume]

that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus' feet

and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

John 12:3 (Amplified Bible)

The account of Mary's anointing of our Lord is found also in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9. But it must not be confused with the account given in Luke 7:36-50, where a former harlot anointed Jesus in the house of simon the Pharisee. Mary was a virtous woman, and she anointed Jesus in the house of Simon the (former) leper (Mark 14:3). The Luke 7 event took place in Galilee, while the account we are now considering occurred in Judea. The fact that there are two "Simons" involved should not surprise us, for Simon was a common name in that day.
When you combine all three accounts, you learn that Mary anointed both Jesus' head and His feet. It was an act of pure love on her part, for she knew her Lord was about to endure suffering and death. Because she sat at Jesus' feet [A Worshiper] and listened to Him speak, she knew what He was going to do.
In a sense, Mary was showing her devotion to Jesus before it was too late. She was "giving the rose" while He was yet alive, and not bringing them to the funeral! Her act of love andworship was public, spontaneous, sacrificial, lavish, personal, and unembarrassed. Jesus called it "a good work" (Matthew 26:10; Mark 14:6) and both commended her and defended her. 
It would have required a year's wages from a common labourer to purchase that ointment. Like David, Mary would not give to the Lord that which cost her nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). Her beautiful act of worship brought a fragrance to the very house in which they were dinning, and the blessing of her deed has spread around the world (Matthew 26:13; Mark14:9). Little did Mary realize that night that her love for Christ would be a blessing to believers around the world for centries to come!
When she came to the feet of Jesus, Mary took place of a slave. When she undid her hair (something Jewish women did not do in public), she humbled herself and laid her glory at His feet (see 1 Corinthians 11:15). Of course, she was misunderstood and criticized; but that is what usually happens when somebody gives her best to the Lord.
What Mary did was a blessing to Jesus and a blessing to her own life. She was also a blessing to the home, filling it with fragrance (see Philippians 4:18); and today, she is a blessing to the church around the world. Her one act of devotion in the little village of Bethany still sends "ripples of blessing."
As we look at this event, we see some "representative people" who are examples for us.Martha represents work as she served the dinner she had prepared for the Lord. This was just as much a "fragrance offering" as was Mary's ointment (see Hebrews 13:16). Mary represents worship, and Lazarus represents witness (John 11:19-11). People went to Bethany just to be able to see this man who had been raised from the dead! Lazarus' miraculous life was an effective witness for Jesus.
Actually, the Christian life ought to be a beautiful balance of worship, work, and witness (in the right order). This event must have brought special encouragement and strength to the Saviour's heart as He faced the demands of that last week before the Cross. we should examine our own hearts and homes to ask whether we are bringing joy to His heart by ourworship, work, and witness.
(an extract from Be Alive by Warren W. Wiersbe)