There is power in harmony. When everyone works together and does their part to contribute to the whole. I am blessed to be part of an amazing worship team. We have sang together for 8 years now. It is so fun!
According to the Dictionary,
HARMONY is:
noun, plural harmonies.
1.agreement; accord; harmonious relations.
2.a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity.
3.Music.
any simultaneous combination of tones.
the simultaneous combination of tones, especially when blended into chords pleasing to the ear; chordal structure, as distinguished from melody and rhythm.
the science of the structure, relations, and practical combination of chords.
4.an arrangement of the contents of the Gospels, either of all four or of the first three, designed to show their parallelism, mutual relations, and differences
Our drummer Doug Anderson compiled this MP3 of some of our worship songs. Thanks Doug! We are blessed to sing four part harmony many times.
Being in a worship band is one of the best things ever. Using music to lead people in the presence of God and worship the King of Kings together. People get healed, tears fall, hearts are renewed, hope is reborn. I am so blessed to be able to sing with my husband and my friends. We are not professional musicians, we are just seekers who love to encounter a great God! It is an honor and a priviledge to lead people into the presence of God. God inhabits the praise of all who seek Him. Come and worship with us, no matter what country you are in!
“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 inquire at His temple.” (Psalm 27:4 NKJV)
We pray with one another aloud because the Bible tells us, “They lifted up their voice to God with one accord” (Acts 4:24)
We lift up our hands in worship because in the Bible it says, “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.” (Psalm 134:2)
We sing because in the Bible it tells us to, “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” (Psalm 98:4)
We clap and shout unto our God because in the Bible we read, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.” (Psalm 47:1)
“Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.” (Psalm 150:4)
We play musical instruments because the Bible declares, “And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments” (II Samuel 6:5)
We testify publicly of God’s goodness because in the Bible we read, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” (Psalm 22:22)
We anoint with oil for divine healing because the in the Bible we read, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:” (James 5:14)
We allow the operation of spiritual gifts because in the Bible we read, “When ye come together, everyone of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” (I Corinthians 14:26)
One of the best posts ever about praise and worship. Thank you Pure Glory!
”We have so many programs, that sometimes, we’ve programmed God completely out of the equation. We have allowed the spirit of the world to come in, in lieu of the Spirit of the Lord. Competing against one another, idolizing one another, coming to be entertained, but not changed.”
God taught me something today – through the eyes of a little child. Let’s call him E. He is less than 1 – I think about 6 or 8 months. I play in a worship band every Sunday. We are all over 40-50+. Yet we have fun worshipping the Lord Almighty and bringing his people into the presence of God. Every week little E comes to dance. Sometimes he dances in back by his parents. Today was different. Little E came right onto the stage and started dancing! It moved my heart beyond belief. I scooped him up in my arms and brought him to my piano. He stayed for a moment and played. Praise God!
Then I went and visited my granddaughter. She is the same age. I brought her a little people farm truck that made music. Guess what she did? DJ started to dance! Oh the power of a dance. I truly believe that we bring God joy when we dance in His presence. I wish more of God’s people would let loose and dance before the Lord. David danced – and look what happened!
Let go today. Rejoice in His presence and dance for joy for all that He has done!
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, – Psalm 30:11
It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments. The women sang as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” 1 Samuel 18:6-7
Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.- 2 samuel 6:14-15 NKJV
Your worship is sacred and pleasing to God. Whether you are singing in your car to the radio, praising and thanking God, or worshipping with others – your worship ushers people into the presence of God. It’s like He just shows up and does stuff.
We are not saved for ourselves.
God wants His love to spill over onto others you meet everyday.
There’s that mom who is trying to make it on her own after her husband left. There is the elderly woman who feels so alone at night. There is the man who just lost his job and doesn’t know how to tell his family. There is the couple who smile on the outside but are one step away from divorce court. And the young teenage girl who hurts herself to stop the pain. These are people you meet everyday. They are hurting. They don’t know why or how to fix it.
We as Christians carry the Word of the Living God in us. Christ in us – the HOPE of Glory. Yet often we hole ourselves up in our buildings, go to our ‘church’ functions, and don’t reach out to the lost. I did this for years. It’s really easy to hide from the world when you busy yourself with function upon function. I learned the lingo, wore what I ‘should’, and followed the rules – for a bit.
Then the hurt squeezed out.
Have you ever tried to stuff a pillow in a box? No matter how hard you try some of it spills over. You can get it almost all in and then the corner pops out. That’s what it’s like to just ‘go’ and play church. I am speaking to myself first. After a while I took a break. Just like I took a break from my biker days, and my preppie days, and my academic days. I was looking for acceptance and love in all the wrong places. The sad part is, so were all the other people going to church. Only we were afraid to tell each other because we didn’t want other people to know how messed up we really are.
The funny thing is though, God already knows.
He brings all of his kiddos to a place to be healed and loved and sheltered from the world.
Worship is a place where God can show us what real love looks like.
Yes it happens at church, but it also happens every time a believer ushers in His presence. God is with us – Emmanuel. He shows up whenever we praise and worship him. He is with you in the car. He is with you at the job. He is with you in your home. He shows up when we pray. He is there when you go outside for a walk. He shows up when we pray with others – they feel His love and presence. God isn’t confined to a building. He is not confined to a Denomination. Anytime or anyplace we worship Him, His love spills out onto others -just like that pillow!
Source: valeriesjodin.com
Thank Goodness God squeezes out of the box we try to put Him in!
I wish I was more transparent in real life. I can here in blog land, I just type what’s on my heart. I am still learning to share in real life. Feelings are so messy. Some days I am just a blubbering idiot I think. I have a few friends I reach out to, and for that I am grateful. I gave up ‘playing church’. I gave myself permission these days to be me, flaws and all. I gave myself permission to be free from other people’s opinions of who they think I am. Today God gets to tell me that. Our identity is hidden in Christ – I think it’s way safer there than anywhere else.
I have struggles everyday. I beat myself up for all the things ‘good little christian girls’ shouldn’t do. But then, as I learned today, God welcomes me in His house anyway. He meets me where I am and loves me through it all. As I confess my faults to God and to others I trust, He forgives me and grants me grace to get up and keep living.
His Word gives me hope – I have to read it – or die. I have been hospitalized for depression. I have tried multiple times to hurt myself. I have given up more times than I can count. I have given up on people, I have given up on myself, and I have given up on love. But the thing I learned today –
God never gave up on me. And He has not given up on you either.
God is for us and with us. He forgives us and loves us. He doesn’t want us to be ‘perfect’ – let it go. Just be you. He made you and He loves you anyway!
Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ – Deut 20:14 NKJV
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. – John 6:35-37 NKJV
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 NKJV
Some days we can just stand. The battle is real. But that armor we put on – it’s not just for the Defense. We wear our armor because we are on the Offense! And as we praise and worship our King – He moves mountains!
We have the Word of God which is full of living power. Let us speak and sing the Word. Watch and see what God will do as we echo what He has told us.
A warrior makes a choice to stand between the enemy and all they love or hold sacred. We stand and fight in prayer. Our battle is not with flesh and blood. The battle is won in prayer.
Watch what God does as we stand in the gap and pray for our families, our churches, our cities, and our Nation.
It’s victory time! We are seated with Christ in Heavenly places. The enemy is under our feet. Praise God!
Ephesians 6:13 AMP
Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to successfully resist and stand your ground in the evil day of danger, and having done everything that the crisis demands, to stand firm in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious.
I love how the new songs in Christian Music are so honest. I am so weary of the music that feeds the flesh. I don’t want to shout at God. My worship is not going to be just jumping around and clapping. Yes, that is fun, but I want to get beyond that.
It’s kind of like a relationship. You start out slow, laugh, talk, go to a movie together or out to dinner. But real intimacy doesn’t happen in the beginning. Sharing our shortcomings doesn’t happen on the first date.
As I learn more and more about who God is, I hunger for more. I want Him to tell me secret things. He said He would. What does He like? What does He do with his spare time? How does he take care of all those kids? Can He help me with mine? I need His wisdom here in life. And I want to share things with Him. I want to confess how much I need him in my everyday life. This new song by Jared touched my heart – it is so honest.
“The title track delivers a powerful message of being content of where we are at the moment. I’m called to be where I am right now/In the middle of a storm but I have no doubt/You are here with me/You are here with me/I won’t give in or second guess/I’m trusting you with every step/Father you are here with me.”
Behold the God of Wonders. He desires to meet you today. All is well, He is not mad at you. He loves you with an everlasting love. And He alone can heal all the broken places in your heart. Ask him in, He stands at the door of your heart and knocks. Open the door today to the God of Wonders. I pray that as you behold and look upon Him that He fills your temple with His glory and His goodness, in Jesus Name.
And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. (Ezekiel 43; 4-6 NKJV)
Also He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; so I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord; and I fell on my face. (Ezekiel 44:4 NKJV)
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. (John 17:24-25 NKJV)
Here is an awesome video by Pastor Kevin Kringle of Life Church in Roscoe IL. I listened to this yesterday when I was working out at Planet Fitness. You should have seen all the people looking at me when I was on the Elliptical laughing! The Glory of God is not magic halos or smoke…listen to find out what the Glory of God really looks like.
Spring Training Lesson #4 – Honoring the Holy Spirit
You sense the presence of God when you wake up…
You hear something that ‘pricks your heart’…
You see a beautiful sunset and wonder…
You start crying at church when they sing that song…
The Pastor preaches a Word that opens your eyes…
All are signs that the Holy Spirit has something to share with you. Something to teach you. Do you slow down and listen? Do you stop what you are doing to see? Do you write it down to meditate on later? I confess I am guilty of moving so quickly that I do not stop. I am learning to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit in my life. I want to acknowledge His presence in my everyday life more. And I want to stop and listen, stop and see, just STOP when He says to stop.
The Bible says that the Holy Spirit lives IN US and He will be with us forever – Jesus promised. Let us all be more aware of His presence and His prompting. Here is an excerpt to one of my friends blog that helped me see today. Even the Demons stop and worship in His presence.
“We have the honor of entering into the presence as much as we like and yet so many of people take it for granted. How many times have people stood in church and the presence of God is surrounding them, yet they do nothing.
Not even the demons could have stopped this afflicted man from worshiping Jesus. Likewise no pain, situation, affliction or trial should stop us from worshiping when we’re in the presence of God.”
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:15-21 NIV)
“All this I have spoken while still with you.But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:25-27 NIV)
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 16: 12-15 NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV)
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Romans 8:26 NIV)
“When we lift our hands in praise and worship, we break spiritual jars of perfume over JESUS. The fragrance of our praise fills the whole earth and touches the heart of God.”
-Dennis Ignaius
“Without worship, we go about miserable.”
-AW Tozer
“It is in the process of being worshiped that God communicates His presence to men.”
-CS Lewis
“Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped.”
-Jack Hayford
“When you sing something that you believe with all your heart, people will feel that – it’s contagious.”
-Jenn Johnson
“Wherever His people gather and worship Him, God promises He will make His prescience known in their midst. On the other hand, where God’s people consistently neglect true spiritual worship, His manifest presence is rarely experienced.”
-Ralph Mahoney
“Worship is love on its knees before the beloved; just as mission is love on its feet to serve the beloved.”
-NT Wright
“Worship songs can’t just be rooted in culture – they won’t be deep enough. They have to be rooted in scripture.”
-Matt Redman
“As we see the beauty of God and feel His weightiness in our hearts, our hearts begin to desire God more than we desire sin. Before the Bible says, “stop sinning,” it says “Behold your God.”
-JD Greear
“Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father.”
-Richard J Foster
“We pursue God because, and only because He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit.”
-AW Tozer
Tell us about the last experience you had that left you feeling fresh, energized, and rejuvenated. What was it that had such a positive effect on you?
That would be yesterday morning – playing Worship Music at church with my husband Bob, our Worship Team and our Church Family. Worship with our church family at Janesville Apostolic Ministries always brings me back to the place where I belong. No matter what my worries, trials, tribulations, etc. When a body of believers gets together and worship Jesus in Spirit and Truth He invades our present. He is there, you can touch Him, you can receive from Him – just by looking at His face and lavishing your love on Him.
Quotes on Worship
“When we lift our hands in praise and worship, we break spiritual jars of perfume over Jesus. The fragrance of our praise fills the whole earth and touches the heart of God.”
― Dennis Ignatius
“Worship gatherings are not always spectacular, but they are always supernatural. And if a church looks for or works for the spectacular, she may miss the supernatural. If a person enters a gathering to be wowed with something impressive, with a style that fits him just right, with an order of service and song selection designed just the right way, that person may miss the supernatural presence of God. Worship is supernatural whenever people come hungry to respond, react, and receive from God for who He is and what He has done. A church worshipping as a Creature of the Word doesn’t show up to perform or be entertained; she comes desperate and needy, thirsty for grace, receiving from the Lord and the body of Christ, and then gratefully receiving what she needs as she offers her praise-the only proper response to the God who saves us.”
― Matt Chandler, Creature of the Word: The Jesus-Centered Church
“As John 4:23 says, Its time, as worshipers of God, to give him all we have. For when he is exalted, everything about me is decreased. So many times we stand in the
way of really stepping into the secret place of worship with God. Just abandon tradition and the “expected” ways of Praise & Worship and get lost in the holy of holies with the
sole intention of blessing the Fathers heart.”
―Jessica Leah Springer
“Corporate worship is a regular gracious reminder that it’s not about you. You’ve been born into a life that is a celebration of another.”
―Paul David Tripp
“When we worship together as a community of living Christians, we do not worship
alone, we worship ‘with all the company of heaven.”
―Marianne H. Micks
My husband and I are blessed and privileged to lead the worship team at our local church. I am humbled how God can and does meet us where we are at. And how God can overcome our inadequacies. Pastor Jeff Hanson taught an amazing lesson on how God doesn’t make mistakes. How all things work together for good, and how some things just happen so God can get the glory. I’ll put the link up when it’s ready.
From: blueeyedennis-siempre.blogspot.com
About a year or so ago our Church bought an iPad to record the sermons and worship to share with the world. It has been an amazing outreach and God has blessed it. We have been recording the Worship service and the Sermon as separate videos. The sermons are on Vimeo. We have not put up the Praise and Worship Service yet. And right now I don’t think we can. Recently I have been watching the Worship Service Videos and noticing a few things. It makes me so sad. I weep over it.
Can I tell you that not everyone who comes to church wants to worship God? Really. There are some who just want to make noise and distract the true worshipers. I have seen it – on the video.
I have been honored to be a part of Christian Praise & Worship for over 10 years now. I have served at 4 different churches during that time. 3 of the four churches have chosen to broadcast video. It has been my experience that every church that chooses to share the Word with a larger audience will have these same challenges.But it breaks my heart.
12 Distractions During Praise and a Worship Service
1. People talking so loudly while we are worshiping God. Or people will be overly vocal to distract you from an intimate conversation with God.
2. People walking right in front of camera and making funny gestures while you are recording a service. We are recording this to bless others, not to give you a stage for your inappropriate behavior. Grow up – it’s not about you.
3. People walking up to you or someone else and interrupting your worship of God. For me, my worship is intimate. I pour my heart out before my God with my fellow brothers and sisters. I don’t want to hear about your personal things right now – I am talking to God. Please wait until later to tell me whatever you think is so important.
4. Busy bodies going from person to person getting them to talk about whatever. There are those who go from person to person during a worship service and just get them talking to take the focus off God. Just watch. You will see it. All when we are supposed to be talking to God.
5 People who get up and leave when the presence of God is present. This breaks my heart. He came to meet us here, and they just walk out. I pray they meet Him in the parking lot and He floods them with love and healing.
6. People who run into camera to distract others. It’s on the tape. Really.
7. People who stand in front of camera to distract others. Some will pace back and forth right in front of the camera just to be seen.
8. People who walk up to those who are worshiping God at the alter of His Presence and start talking to them about whatever. They walk right up to the Alter of Grace and Mercy and interrupt other people’s prayer and conversation with God.
9. Singers who get so caught up in the music and push so hard they go flat. Musicians who play every note – loud. None of us is perfect. We do the best with what we have. But can we get rid of the ego? None of us should sing every note. None of us should play every note. This is not a performance. It’s worship. We are a team and we should take turns. Let others lead, follow sometimes. Again, it’s not all about you. The best leaders are those who know how to follow.
10. There are people who will run the computer in back and not keep up with the words so the congregation gets lost. Or they will put up the wrong song. Anything to bring confusion and chaos. Some people will mess with the sound board to mess things up. Really. It has happened everywhere I have been.
11. Some people will talk all during the Worship Service and they position themselves right by the camera. I wonder if they realize that every idle word they are saying is being recorded?
12. Disrespect is disrespect. Whether it is to me, to our worship team, or to God. God knows. God sees. God hears. And you aren’t stopping me or our team from worshiping the King of Kings. I love my Lord and I will lavish my love on Him, whether others choose to or not. I am not better than you. But I am not worse either. I am a fellow sister in Christ. And just like you, I need this time to talk to God. So please – shut up for a minute ok?
P.S. I think the camera will be off during worship now. No more stage for the enemy. No more microphone. I will not magnify that. I rebuke it, in Jesus Name. Let the Lord be magnified, in Jesus Name.
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