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junkyardboy
Member
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 01:27 am |
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Biblical Worship is not Self-Indulgence
Sixthly, biblical worship is not psychological self-indulgence. Coming to the house of the Lord consumed with our felt need concerns: my pain, my healing,
my woundedness, my crippled inner child, anticipating some sort of psychological cathartic healing, devalues the very worship we long to honor Him with.
Stephen Charnock expounds on this thought when saying, "To pretend to pay homage to God and intend only the advantage of self is, rather, to mock Him than
worship Him. When we believe that we ought to be satisfied than God glorified, we set God below ourselves. Imagine, that He should submit His own honor
to our advantage-we make our selves more glorious than God." Worship never begins or ends with man and his needs, but with God and His glory! We must "deny
ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him." (Matthew 16:24)
the entire article can be found at the following link and gives us instruction in an area largely lacking in our modern thinking.
http://a1m.org/page.php?page=template1.php&pageid=14ef669338c9461caad819e015b816ef
i pray it will be meaningful to many.
peter
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have we been abandoned by God?
http://www.apprising.org/archives/2006/11/dr_john_macarth.html
http://www.valleybible.net/position_papers.php
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gaylon
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 01:49 am |
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Thanks, Peter. It does help me see where I need to be headed...
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junkyardboy
Member
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 01:57 am |
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thank you gaylon
since i have been here your posts continue to be an encouragement to me.
peter
____________________
have we been abandoned by God?
http://www.apprising.org/archives/2006/11/dr_john_macarth.html
http://www.valleybible.net/position_papers.php
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truthseeker
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| Joined: | Tue May 16th, 2006 |
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 08:22 am |
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Without question I am unwaveringly grateful for my holy, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Lord and King, the just and righteous Judge, my sinless Redeemer. Additionally, I am immensely thankful that He is my Shepherd, nourishing me, bringing restoration, leading and protecting me, assuring me that though I come weak and heavy-laden, He will give me rest. I am filled with gratitude that though I am an ongoing dicotomy of obedience and disobedience that, upon my sincere confession, he is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse, not writing me off after some nth failure, some final straw. Whether I anoint His feet with expensive perfume, or struggle toward Him as the broken prodigal, He receives me. I praise Him for His unwavering faithfulness!
TruthSeeker
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forthelord47
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 01:17 pm |
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Dear Peter,
A wonderful article, indeed. I'm comforted to know that the Lord brought me to a church that does strive to be authentic in it's worship. As a percussionist, I was able to join the praise and worship ministry, just a few months after being saved. Since I was just a few months into my recovery from sex addiction, I was concerned about the fact that the worship team of 60 + people included many young women. Well, during the second practice the ministry pastor told a story of how she essentially shut down the worship team a few years back after becoming aware that there were certain team members acting in immoral ways, including adultery. Since then, she has always taken a very pro-active stance in keeping the worship team "clean" by dedicating large chunks of time to "corporate cleansing," being vigilant that the team presents themselves in modest dress and always reminding/modeling for us that we play music for "an audience of one, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." I have also found some solid brothers on the team who have served as accountability partners for me. The lead pastor of the church makes it clear that the church's direction is to encourage all believers to "walk in the manifest presence of the Lord." The Word of God is central to all his sermons as well has the praise and worship music that is played.
God bless,
Marc
Last edited on Sat Apr 21st, 2007 10:53 pm by forthelord47
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guitarist63
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 03:22 pm |
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I can't read the above very easily because of the colour of the text. Could it be changed to something less pale, Marc? Thanks for your contribution. I did read it but strained my eyes to do so. Continuing to pray for you, your wife and daughter. Stephen
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forthelord47
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 10:54 pm |
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Sorry, the text color has been changed.
Cheers,
Marc
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forthelord47
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 10:54 pm |
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Last edited on Sat Apr 21st, 2007 10:55 pm by forthelord47
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clean2day
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 07:37 am |
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In realality I am not sure just how everyone should worship. I heard a pastor once speak of this and he said something like:
When you sing, pray or even hear a sermon remember where and who you are with. These things are not to be enjoyed by you, as you are the performer. God who sits one His throne of the alter of Grace and Mercy is the audance, the King to be intertained and worshiped.
In many churches today do not even have an alter. The alter was the main furniture in the tabernacle. Each of the three sections had it's own and each served a very important purpose. {This however is another topic.}
I however believe that to worship I am to be what He wants me to be.
C2d
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"When you need a victory, Jesus gives it.
When you need a friend, Jesus will be there.
When you need to talk, Jesus will listen.
And if you need to cry, Jesus will hold you close.
Rev E. O. Hilt 1908 - 1988
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guitarist63
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 07:10 pm |
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I agree clean2day that we live to please God. We live for His pleasure and that is the reason why we exist at all. It's His show not ours.
My prayers have been focused lately on overcoming personal weaknesses, one of which is anxiety and that necessitates praying about myself but this is done constructively and with the end that I would be of greater use to God if freed from anxiety and other sins.
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