A Biblical Study of Worship - Worthy Christian Forums

For the last year or so, there have been some subtle changes taking place within the body of believers…or so it seems so to me. It seems that we are losing our spirit of worship and becoming focused on the work at hand. The best example I think is how American Family Radio has transformed into talk radio with very little if any worship music played. I use to love listening to AFR for the contemporary worship music they played but I can no longer find a time of day when they have anything on but talk radio.

I understand these are crucial times and the Enemy is actively seeking and devouring the naïve and blind BUT are we all turning into Martha’s? Have we backed away from sitting at the Lord’s feet like Mary was doing in Luke 10:39 and rather gone to work in the kitchen focused on the work at hand? Remember what Jesus told Martha when she complained about Mary not helping?

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." [Luke 10:41,42]

So I had an idea.

Let’s have an ongoing Study of God’s Word sharing examples of Worship and examine the results of that worship. I will start out with the first example but I would hope that others post their favorite examples from God’s Word. Feel free to share some personal experiences too BUT let’s keep the focus on the Word of God for HE and only HE is worthy!

I will try and visit often but this study is for YOU to express your WORSHIP.

May the Lord Bless you richly,
wayne

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

Acts Chapter 16

22 The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods.

23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely;

24 and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.

27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!"

29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"


In spite of being beaten with rods and cast into a jail cell with their feet secured in chains, Paul and Silas (who both happened to be Roman citizens) were “singing hymns of praise to God.” Can you imagine that? While Luke and Timothy were on the outside, unable to help, these two men of God worshipped under the most severe circumstances of persecution and anti-Semitism. Yes…anti-Semitism, which is probably why Luke, a gentile, and Timothy, son of a Greek, were not dragged along with Paul and Silas and cast into prison.

Regardless, look at the result of their WORSHIP. When the earthquake hit and everyone’s chains were unfastened, NO ONE RAN AWAY! That for me is amazing…that not one prisoner ran away. They ALL stayed. Why??? The Word doesn’t really say…or does it? The writer Luke made mention in verse 25, “the prisoners were listening to them.” The prisoners who may have heard about Paul casting the spirit of divination out of the slave-girl the day before most certainly were shaken by the earthquake but was that enough for them to not take the opportunity of escape? I think what had them captivated was the spirit of WORSHIP that Paul and Silas expressed after having been beaten, imprisoned and put in chains.

We all know that day, the jailer and ALL his household were saved but I wonder how many of those prisoners were saved along with them.

Be Blessed Saints!

For me, one of the most powerful stories of worship in Scripture is found in Daniel 3, when King Nebuchadnezzar is demading everyone bow down and worship the image of gold or be thrown in a fiery furnance and Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego refused.
The king hears of their refusal and offers them another chance. He tells them, "Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp and sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?"
They responded by saying, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the glold image thou has set up."

You gotta love that response!

The king became so angry he had the furnace heated up seven times more than it already was. Then he had the three thrown into the furnace after they bound them. The furnace was so hot, that the men who threw them in died from the heat as well.
Nebuchadnezzar, looked in the furnace and said "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They(his counsellors) answered, "True O king."
He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the ifre, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, their clothes were not burned, their hair was not singed and the smell of fire was not on them.
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the kings word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God." He goes on to say "there is no other God that can deliver after this sort."

Amen, Amen, Amen! Now that is WORSHIP!

The most powerful statement of worship is in the oldest book of the bible: Job


"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him"

Worship comes in various forms. Take, for example, King Josiah. The people had strayed far from God, and even the word was lost to them. When the priests were sent to the house of the Lord to do other tasks, they happened to come across the book. They took it to the king who had it read to him. For the first time in his life, he heard the whole of the word. He tore his clothes in repentance when it was done, for he knew he had not done all that was required of him. So, then what did he do?

He then went throughout the kingdom broke down pagan altars and ground them into dust.

I think worship is also how we live out our lives for the Lord. It's breaking down our own pagan altars that we have hidden away.

blessings,

i love the examples you all have posted (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif)

posting this because it is a different kind of example of worship, one that comes after repentance.

2 Samuel 12

13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
16David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

19But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
20Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

21Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

24And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
love your sister in Christ,
Rebekah David

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif) Exactly...but you know what stood out to me is how Nebuchadnezzar, an evil and heartless King, came to recognize the Most High God!

Daniel 4:37 "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride."




Amen! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif) Nuf' said...and because of Job's faithfulness, the Lord revealed Himself as our Advocate (Job 16:19-22) and our Redeemer who LIVES! (Job 19:25-27)



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif) I agree wholeheartedly! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) ...and how we live our lives of worship reflects on HIM who dwells in us! Amen! One of my favorite passages of Scripture is 2 Cor 3:18. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.



Very very true! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif) What spoke to me most about David's repentance is how he prepared for worship. He first washed and annointed himself, changed his clothes...and then he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped! What a witness!

Thanks saints for sharing.

Excellent point, Wayne-we nee to refocus and get back where we need to be!

Amen bro! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif)

There is a common effect found in all sincere worship, it seems to me. It is the witness of the Most High! I can't spout statistics but I have no doubt that there are more enemies of God brought to repentance and salvation through the witness of others and how they worship than through debate, arguement and other means. C.S. Lewis spoke of what initially drew him to Christ and it was the silent witness of other believers that he observed on campus. He came to want what they had and took the first step of truly seeking the focus of their worship...and he found HIM.

Which brings us to a well proven truth-actions speak louder than words. We would be a much better witness if our actions backed up our words. The only time I have ever seen Jesus is through their behaviour, and the way they treated other people, not by the the words they attempted to impress me with.