Are You Doing it With All Your Might??

Well I can see its been awhile since I have posted...its been pretty busy.  This last weekend I headed up with some friends and my family to lead praise and worship at a revival service at Trinity Church in Lapeer, Michigan.  This was the church I grew up in, so many of my family members and people I have known since I was a child were there as well as others I just met on Sunday.  It was such a blessing to be a part of such a service.       

      Leading Praise and Worship is still new to me.  I have been a singer for many years, but leading such a thing as praise and worship is something completely in its own category.

  I have known for quite some time that God was calling me to lead Praise and Worship as part of His plan for my life, this has been confirmed to me time and time again over the years.    I have been blessed with the people he has placed strategically in my life, who have walked along side me as I continue to learn about praise and worship, and step out in faith.  

 Looking back to my childhood with my love to sing (to only myself) of course, as well as being fascinated with music in band, piano etc....I see where He was calling me back then into training.  It’s too bad that I allowed myself to get side tracked with other things, and not having the confidence enough in myself to even think about speaking in front of others, let alone allow them to hear me sing - ha.  Finally, I decided to stop running from Gods call and start pursuing it.

I remember years ago singing for the first time at my late husband Todd's request, as he had never heard me sing before but had heard from others that I could.   As he sat their listening and then began to weep while I sang, I was taken back a bit.  With tears in his eyes, he then asked me why I had not been sharing this with others.  I didn't have an answer, other than I lacked the confidence to do so.   I remember how much that comment/ compliment effected me.  Then, 10 years ago, after my husband Todd died, I was singing on a praise and worship team for the first time. I remember the director telling me that when I would sing, she could tell it was healing to my soul.   I know now, that it was a time in my life, that in many ways although still slightly upset with God for my circumstances, when I sang unto the Lord, it tore the walls down I had tried to place between us.  When the walls were down, healing began in that area of my life.  It still proves true today.  No matter what is happening in my life, when I choose to sing praises unto my Lord letting go of whatever has a hold of me, it breaks down barriers, strong holds and sets me at a peace that passes all understanding.  I have the victory.

 Do I always feel like singing - definitely not, but when I let go and let God, and just enter into His presence....healing, whether mental, emotional, physically etc.. happens and I gain a confidence and a joy of the Lord that goes beyond words. 

      Praise and worship is not just singing... The word "worship" means to honor and give respect to a divine being or supernatural power. God claims worship as His exclusive right. "For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' " (Matthew 4:10). And yet through the ages men have worshipped many other things.

Worship is not something that is accidentally done. It requires conscience action on the part of the worshipper. "Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth"" (John 4:21-24). 

     Worship requires a worshipper. In other words, worship is an action taken by people.  Worship also requires an object of worship, this is God. The worship must be done in proper spirit and it must be done in truth (as God commands).

     Praise and worship is the means of entering God’s presence. “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:1-4). Notice, “Come before His presence with singing” and “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.”

     

Jesus promised He would always be with us (Hebrews 13:5); that His presence would be with us when we gather in His name (Matthew 18:20); and here we are promised that we enter the presence of God, in a very special way, when we are worshiping and praising Him. You can sense the presence of God in a very powerful way as you are worshiping. I have always been able to tell an express difference when I am putting all I have into my worship experience as opposed to when I am not. We enter the court room of heaven (the presence of God) through praise and worship.
     When Moses left God’s presence his face was glowing (Exodus 34); As Solomon worshiped the Lord, the cloud of the glory of God so filled the temple that the priest could no longer stand to minister (1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chronicles 5:6; 7:1-4). What might it be like when we worship Him with all our might? How will we be affected by His presence? Every experience in God’s presence may be somewhat different. One thing I am assured of is that in His “presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 NKJV).