Worship.
 

Have you ever been in worship where you got so excited or felt the presence of God is such a special way that you responded in a way that is different than singing or clapping your hands?

Have you ever leaped for joy during worship or danced or ran the aisles?

If you have in the past, do you still do that every now and again?

If you still worship God in these ways from time to time, do you do it because your Pastor teaches that you should, or is it a willingly, freely, offered thing from you to God?

Do you demonstrate these types of worship even when you don't feel the presence of God, but just want to let him know that He is worthy of worship regardless of how you feel?

Do you worship God to get something from Him or do you worship God because worship is all about offering something unto Him and its not about you?

Do you believe that people that worship God in a demonstrative way are just out to get attention from others or do you think that they have made their minds up to just close their eyes and just worship God like its just them and Him?

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Great thread.......,good questions..........
Im just really coming to realize that worship is NOT about ME!!!
Its about Jesus....Period!

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We still roll in the aisles, run across top of pews, and get generally very loud, where I come from. We're just crazy drunk people on that New Wine.

All my heart, mind and strength.

I'd hate for sports fanatics to out praise me. Jesus is worth my all!!

IMO. if your hindered by "insincere" people you aren't truly sincere.

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=) BTW I also believe that we must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Afterall that is what He is looking for.

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that is a lesson many still need to learn.

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AMEN!

If sinner sports "FANATICS" get get all excited about their idols and demonstrate that excitement in certain physical ways, then how much more the people that do KNOW their God.

He indeed is worthy!

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

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I'll admit that I could've learned that lesson sooner.

More blessed is it to give rather than to receive.

From the world we learn this selfish desire to just get, get, get - if it feels good, do it, because it is all about me fulfilling the lusts and the desires of my flesh. Self-gratification. A lot of the relationships/marriages of North America end in divorce because they get married for the wrong reason.

Therefore, now that I'm in the church, I don't want it to be about me consuming it upon my own lusts...

Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Imagine that, apostolics wanting to consume some things upon their own lusts.

He should have the preeminence among all things...

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

But interestingly enough, there are some apostolics who love to have the preeminence...

3Jn 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

I don't want to be like that.

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Amen on the worship being all about and for, our Mighty God, Jesus Christ!!! :):)

There will always be those who make fun of our styles of worship.........but......I really don't give a flippin hoot!!!! I'm gonna worship Him any way I want....any time I feel like it!! :D

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Amen!

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Agreed!

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I'd say way too many of them do it for the former reason posited above. I think the Apostle Paul would have something to say about not being cognizant of others around you during your worship and about order in the church. Now I'm no high church Frigidaire, but alot what we call 'worship' is plain ol' emotionalism and isn't good, imo.

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yes, amen!

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It appears you are making a case for physical enthusiasim by an analogy to the same (or similar) physical enthusiasim found in sports...

In the referenced scripture Paul did not do the same... "So run, that you may obtain" is in no way a reference to running around the church. It is the inner man running this race, to procure an incorruptible prize.

Unlike the outer fleshly demonstration found in sports and the cheerleaders section, emotion found in true Christian worship, is simply a by product of heartfelt praise from within. New testament worship is in spirit (inner man) and in truth (without pretension).

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When I am truly worshipping, I am on my knees or prostrate before God and weeping. Just Jesus and I. I feel clothed in his Spirit, and enveloped in his love.

Praising, I dance, shout, run, and holler...

Worship is all about Him, and praising is all about me. By that I mean...When I worship I am not asking Him for anything...I am awed and silent in His presence except for crying tears of gratitude and humility. But praising...I want to feel good and get God's attention so I go to extremes...but it is never about others, it is about trying to get to the place of worship.

I hope I explained that correctly.

Blessings, Rhoni

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Is there New Testament precedent for this?

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Sort of. In church I'm not so likely to really enter into worship, my own hang ups I know. But at home? Definitely.

No.

I guess freely offered thing from me to God. My pastor has taught some on worship and praise though, I think about it from time to time, but it's not the reason for my praise and worship.

I worship God because He is God. It's been a long time since I've entered into worship and didn't feel the presence of God, but that is not why I worship Him.

See above. He is God.

I don't care why they worship in a demonstrative way. God alone can see the intent of the heart. I think some who are demonstrative aren't worshiping God at all, and some who are demonstrative are. God alone can judge that.

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Who cares? It is what is is to me.

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*Disclaimer* This really is an innocent question...you've always been pretty good at answering my questions, but just making sure you understand I'm not trying to be antagonistic... Oh, and making sure you understand I'm not actually asking a question about what you're asking a question about, I'm asking a question about your question...no relation to the topic at hand. :tease

Does it matter if it's New Testament or Old Testament precedent, and why would it? God is God through both, correct? He doesn't change, right?

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Responses above.

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That's kewl - I think I understand that. :)

In some things it does not matter as much, but I think it does matter more in this case. I would not approach it as a question of whether God changes or not, rather it's a matter of the veiled becoming revealed.

Much of the focus in the Old Testament was the outward formality and display of acceptable worship to God, while still yet acknowledging God sees the intent of the heart.

In the New Testament this is reversed. The formal gathering place and the mechanics of "worship" is minimized, and we are told we are the temple - and have the Holy Spirit in common earthen vessles. The focus is no longer so much on "ushering in" the presence of God.

Jesus spoke to this time when worship would be something of the heart and without pretension...

19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

"spirit" here means "inner man" or from the heart, not spiritED as many preach. God is a spiritual being and we must offer spiritual worship. Jesus was revealing a new thing, and certainly spirited worship was not new at that time. Also in this context "truth" is simply "without pretension" - God sees and knows the inner man.

So the focus of New Testament worship is the heart it'self, the inner man. Whether there is organized or formal demonstration is of little consequence.

Of course this does not mean heartfelt worship may not produce emotional results, it can and does - but I would say emotional orchestration simply does not and cannot produce or manufacture worship in spirit and in truth.

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I'd sure feel better about the "holy rollin", the answer to the push from the pulpit to "Go ahead and act apostolic!"(meaning jump up and down, holler, run the isles etc.) if I found N.T. scripture supporting it in a church service/gathering "setting"(excluding "be not drunk...., but be filled w/ the Spirit", and "they're not drunk as you suppose....."). I'm not convinced that when Paul was setting service in "decency and in order", he saw, or had this type of "spirit praise" in mind. However,

I do think its fine and great to feel excited when praising the One who redeemed us! How can that not be an exciting worth? The main problem I have is when it's expected and pushed as a show of being what makes you apostolic/pentecostal", and if you're not showing intense display, you're viewed as being backslid, not prayed up, or losin' the victory etc.

As far as "worship", I (personally) consider it to be much deeper and more serious than praise.

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Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Mechanics of worship minimized? Do you have scripture that shows that the mechanics of worship should be minimized? So at one point God liked physical worship and then He just changed? At one point men worshipped with all of their strength, and then - presto - God didn't want it that way any more?

I wonder what "spirit" and "truth" come from in the greek and what those greek words mean; ever look them up in Strong's?

Jesus was revealing a new thing, and certainly spirited worship was not new at that time. I'm not sure what this sentence is supposed to mean?

Do you think that the worship in the OT was emotionless?

I wonder what would happen if you stopped showing outward demonstration towards your wife and told her that the outward formal demonstration is of little consequence; or if she did the same to you?

Act 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Act 3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

Perhaps someone should have told the lame man that his physical mechanics should be minimized?

Someone trying to minimize worship reminds me of 2 pieces of scripture...

Luk 19:37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
Luk 19:38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Luk 19:39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
Luk 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

2Sa 6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

Imagine that, one of God's people despising another one of God's people for leaping and dancing before the LORD.

Sorry to sound contradictory brother, but I just don't read scripture saying what you are saying.

Perhaps its just me?

What do other apostolics think?

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I believe Praise is what we do because of the things He does for us and gives to us. Worship is what we do because of WHO HE IS.

Hope that makes sense.

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Wow, that is quite a response seeing it is primarily based on a misunderstanding of my post.

I stated: The formal gathering place and the mechanics of "worship" is minimized, and we are told we are the temple - and have the Holy Spirit in common earthen vessles. The focus is no longer so much on "ushering in" the presence of God.

I did not say worship was minimized as you falsely stated. I would say it is expanded actually, with the the Spirit Himself being the internal facilitator of true, unpretentious worship unto God.

Quite simply I am saying the focus in the New Testament is on the heart of the individual, not on the Temple and it's gold, the singers, dancers and musicians and their abilities.

The great treasure of the Holy Spirit is now found in common flesh.

I acknowledged that worshipping God with the inner man can produce emotion... not sure how you read otherwise.

"Of course this does not mean heartfelt worship may not produce emotional results, it can and does - but I would say emotional orchestration simply does not and cannot produce or manufacture worship in spirit and in truth."

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It makes sense, but might I submit that we worship and Praise the Lord Jesus for what he has DONE. If he weren't to give me one more blessing or if he were to abandon me altogether, I would still praise him for sheding his blood and redeeming me from sin. This is why his Grace is so powerful to me. The present and future doesn't really matter.

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the answer is yes, not because pastor teaches, but the time I have it's because I felt a great joy, or appreciation. I am not quite sure on this yet. I just know that It happens.

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This is a difficult question because on one hand I have quenched when I have felt that my physical being had to express the joy and Holy Spirit rushing through my body, on the other hand, I have seen visitors horrified watching people swing their hair about, shake, shutter, rolling about the floor as though they were having an epileptic fit.

So, do you tell the sister to dance quietly or tell her she has the freedom to do whatever she wants including but not limited to causing her flair skirt to flip over her head with out stopping her and quenching the Holy Ghost?

I think it is more important for a visitor to have a holy and relative experience that drives them to salvation than a person feeling a need to do a 60mph helicopter up and down the isles, knocking the beehives out of folks.

I have danced, I have ran, and you know what in the end, it wasn't very intense or edifying for that matter.

So I dunno. If I were a pastor (can you imagine?) I would teach to do things in order to the edification of the body and those needing to become part of the body.

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For me too -- It is as you say! Praise God, makes me want to get in "that place" now!

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Ok, sorry, my mistake, please forgive my misunderstanding. :)

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2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

While I do believe that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, I do agree with you that if one is going to go all out, they should respect others and not bowl them over like they are bowling pins.