WORSHIP & PRAISE

worship?

what role does it play in a vibrant prayer life

Having negotiated several winters, I have stumbled upon a few surprising secrets laying amid the clutter and rubble of a daily life. In effort to restore the place to one of beauty peace and joy, some lessons were gleaned but not nearly enough. Being a person of concrete thought, it at times can be difficult to slip over into the spiritual side. The reality and the pain of the world seems to war against that simple trust in the saving, redeeming, restoring, refreshing Messiah!

So... how to take control the mind, leave off of the dirty here and now... slip into the dreamy by and by; tata Is this the eternal universal problem.

Alas saved by the word. Praise the Lord. That is it; To praise the lord, THIS translates us into the heavenly (in both mind and spirit.) The thoughts of the Lord reside in the right side of the brain, exactly the opposite side of the brain compared to the concrete.

So "praise and worship" transfer the conscious thought center from the concrete into the spiritual side making faith easier, as well as Hope and Love.

I conclude :"Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord. "

Personal Prophesy

As I prayed for a friend a few weeks ago it occurred to me that The Holy Spirit is in the process of building a foundation in these years that will support a much larger building than would be apparent from a casual glance. Considering this It occurred to me that you would benefit from knowing a few concepts related to prophesy. In particular personal prophesy, both that you would share with others and that you would accurately discern the message when someone "gives" one to you. I believe that this area has caused many believers to stumble. The ditch may be avoided on both sides of the road. Some have categorically dismissed personal prophesy entirely, others have been unfairly and inappropriately distracted by personal prophesy. There exist several incorrect notions about the subject and in particular the application of this facit of the Christian walk.

To begin with: prophesy in the old testament is very different from that given since the first day of Pentecost ... after Jesus' life. In the Old Testament times there existed only three classes of people who had the "presence of the Holy Spirit" on a continuing basis. The King, the prophet (at times the group of prophets,) and the High Priest (each one presided for only a year.) The Holy Spirit also "hovered' over the plurality of Jewish people; but on no one in particular. Jewish people today at times sense the "fire" or presence of the Holy Spirit when the Torah   is paraded among the congregation during a part of the regular prayer service (if and when this is offered.) This again is a some what unusual experience that only a few that I have talked to have experienced even once. Often it is felt as a weight, or heaviness (gravity.) The thought gleaned from this is that when one spoke prophesy, the only way to discern the voracity of the message was to observe the "prediction over time." If the thing prophesized happened, it was the Lord; if not, stone the false prophet! In the .New Testament church every believer has the presence of the Holy Spirit. This changes the way prophesy is given and received (by others) as well as how we each.give (and receive  our own selves). Not all are aware of this "Yahweh Shamash" presence of the Lord but unless a person engages in willful or "spiritual" sin, His presence never leaves or forsakes. This Presence then can change  how people relates to personal prophesy. The Lord's first choice is to speak to the person personally his ownself. If  there exists some question as to understanding or implementation of y his message, the Holy Spirit will confirm what was said/heard with other communication. If this confirmation comes in the form of personal prophesy, it would of necessity HAVE to exhort (encourage,) edify (build up,) and/or comfort (console). If the personal experience of personal prophesy does not seem to confirm something already heard from the Holy Spirit or something soon to be heard, it is best "placed om the shelf" until such time as the Holy Spirit presents the information in an understandable form or context.

Couple days ago I was surveying some of the classes offered this semester on Wed evenings, and ran across Pastor Craig Terndrup's series on Prophetic leadership. It will be presented this next three weeks. I took it last year and believe it to be a most through foundational presentation of anyone needing this knowledge. If you have the freedom in your schedule, I believe the information would be excellent; and to protect you from error. Such error can be the result of the many personal prophesies you are likely to encounter during the next few years. While there are audio files of this material (which are preferable to nothing;) the actual experience of the class is invaluable. Some of these things are not taught, but rather caught. By that I mean there is practice time as the class progresses. In these practice prophetic interchanges, it was very surprising to me, to see how strong the Spirit manifested through these things. After the practice, the leader asked for examples of prophetic words that seemed particularly accurate. There were several profound messages in the class of 30-40 people. Additionally the synergy of several "prophetic persons" yields a stronger effort than the sum of the parts. The easiest way to discern the prophetic is to actually have the "gift" yourself. It also reduces the "need" for the Holy Spirit to have to speak through others to get you a message. You "GET IT!" (ha ha.)

All of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to any one who seeks. The actual prophet in the new testament time has three specific gifts if he is one. 1) word of wisdom, 2) word of knowledge, and 3) prophetic speaking. The gift of tongues along with the gift of interpreting tongues is equal to the single gift of prophetic speaking. In the same way that a millionaire has money but not all people who have a million dollars are millionaires, not all people who have these gifts are prophets in the NT sense. I was not thinking that you were called to the office of Prophet, but rather that you would benefit from knowing some of these concepts. It seems to me that the more tools in a carpenters tool bag, the more different things that he does not have to rely on the other guy to do. If he needs a special skill, that person may or may not be available. But, If he can do it himself, he is able continue to progress. Our Habitation service seems to me to be a very excellent example of a public meeting where the Prophetic is strong. To oversee services like this, you would be well served to understand the process and practice from personal experience. It is a learned skill, as well as a gift of the Holy Spirit. You could say the ability to learn these things is itself a gift of the Holy Spirit. You do not have to be a David Wilkerson to benefit from the Holy Spirit in prophetic. Additionally your tendency to lean to the "practical" will streamline your training in these areas. The Holy Spirit is the most practical and workable force in the universe. (and Love never fails. )

Here is a text copy of Strong's definition of the three key words based on the Greek definition.

3874 paraklesis par-ak’-lay-sis

from 3870; TDNT-5:773,778; {See TDNT 592} n f
AV-consolation 14, exhortation 8, comfort 6, entreaty 1; 29

1. 1) a calling near, summons, (esp. for help)
2. 2) importation, supplication, entreaty
3. 3) exhortation, admonition, encouragement
4. 4) consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment
5. 4a) thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter)
6. 5) persuasive discourse, stirring address
7. 5a) instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful hortatory discourse the verb :

3870 parakaleo par-ak-al-eh’-o

from 3844 and 2564; TDNT-5:773,778; {See TDNT 592} v
AV-beseech 43, comfort 23, exhort 21, desire 8, pray 6, entreat 3, misc 4, vr besought 1; 109

1. 1) to call to one’s side, call for, summon
2. 2) to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.
3. 2a) to admonish, exhort
4. 2b) to beg, entreat, beseech
5. 2b1) to strive to appease by entreaty
6. 2c) to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort
7. 2c1) to receive consolation, be comforted
8. 2d) to encourage, strengthen
9. 2e) exhorting and comforting and encouraging
10. 2f) to instruct, teach

the idea is this: the parakete was a type of pelican or seagull type bird. It had a peculiar characteristic: it would carry it's young in the mouth sometimes for hundreds of miles. If in that time the young was in danger of starving, it would prick a wound under the tongue causing a bleed. This sustenance which would keep the little one from starving. I believe that the idea communicated is this: If the word of exhortation is not given as a sense (spirit or attitude.) of self Sacrifice even to the point of taking one's on life blood if necessary for sustenance, then the exhortation should be placed on the paradigm of "trust but verify." I often listen to the tone of the voice. ICorinth13: 1 suggests that lack of Love yields a sounding brass sound (trumpet, trombone saxophone sound) or a tinkling cymbals sound (like a tambourine, pipes, or the clash of a symbol.) With practice you can quickly hear the heart sound of humility contrasted to the proud sound of brass, or the judgmental sound of symbols clashing.

Additionally you will not always know the person who is speaking, but you may have observed his (/or her) associates. If he befriends a known enemy, there is a higher than average possibility that he also will matriculate into that area as well. So consider the source.

3619 oikodome oy-kod-om-ay’

feminine (abstract) of a compound of 3624 and the base of 1430; TDNT-5:144,674; {See TDNT 539} n f AV-edifying 7, building 6, edification 4, wherewith (one) may edify 1; 18

1. 1) (the act of) building, building up
2. 2) metaph. edifying, edification
3. 2a) the act of one who promotes another’s growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, holiness
4. 3) a building (i.e. the thing built, edifice)

3624 oikos oy’-kos

of uncertain affinity; TDNT-5:119,674; {See TDNT 539} n m AV-house 104, household 3, home + 1519 2, at home + 1722 2, misc 3; 114

1. 1) a house
2. 1a) an inhabited house, home
3. 1b) any building whatever
4. 1b1) of a palace
5. 1b2) the house of God, the tabernacle
6. 1c) any dwelling place
7. 1c1) of the human body as the abode of demons that possess it
8. 1c2) of tents, and huts, and later, of the nests, stalls, lairs, of animals
9. 1c3) the place where one has fixed his residence, one’s settled abode, domicile
10. 2) the inmates of a house, all the persons forming one family, a household
11. 2a) the family of God, of the Christian Church, of the church of the Old and New Testaments
12. 3) stock, family, descendants of one

For Synonyms see entry 5867 & 5944

1430 doma do’-mah

from demo (to build); ; n n

AV-house top 7; 7
1. 1) a building, house
2. 2) a part of a building, dining room, hall
3. 3) house top, roof
4. 3a) the house tops of the Orientals were (and still are) level and frequented not only for walking, but also for meditation and prayer

NOTE: from this we get the idea of a pastor covering his sheep (church members),

3889 paramuthia par-am-oo-thee’-ah

from 3888; TDNT-5:816,784; {See TDNT 595} n f

AV-comfort 1; 1
1. 1) any address, whether made for the purpose of persuading, or of arousing and stimulating, or of calming and consoling
2. 1a) consolation, comfort

3888 paramutheomai par-am-oo-theh’-om-ahee from 3844 and the middle voice of a derivative of 3454; TDNT-5:816,784; {See TDNT 595} v AV-comfort 4; 4

1. 1) to speak to, address one, whether by way of admonition and incentive, or to calm and console
2. 1a) to encourage, console

4395 propheteuo prof-ate-yoo’-o

from 4396; TDNT-6:781,952; {See TDNT 673} v

AV-prophesy 28; 28
1. 1) to prophesy, to be a prophet, speak forth by divine inspirations, to predict
2. 1a) to prophesy
3. 1b) with the idea of foretelling future events pertaining esp. to the kingdom of God
4. 1c) to utter forth, declare, a thing which can only be known by divine revelation
5. 1d) to break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or praise of the divine counsels
6. 1d1) under like prompting, to teach, refute, reprove, admonish, comfort others
7. 1e) to act as a prophet, discharge the prophetic office

Seek Wisdom

Thinking of you with a delicate mix of Joy and grace, I am hoping that you are pleased with your life. Would love to hear of some of your joys, sorrows, life experiences. In many ways each person life is different, yet the mile posts are ever so similar. Strange how we pass on scientific knowledge, yet fall so very short in passing on that great thing some call wisdom. Wisdom is a free apple on the trees that we pass by in our life journey, yet how many pass by with out ever picking one off of the lower branches. We often notice that people get each day's ticket punched with nothing more than the memory. On the back, if one will pause to reflect, these is a free coupon to be exchanged for the daily installment of wisdom. Let's not be the one who exchanges the steps of life with nothing of value, but instead be the ones who get a sweet tasty bite of wisdom to fuel the next steps of the road of life.

Happy Birthday

Haiku Birthday
Happy Birthday boy
Celebrate a year of Fun;
Then it is all done!

Haiku for my son/daughter

You are my daughter,
Truly a gift from heaven;
So goes my Mission.

To always assist,
Only as I see a need;
Then out of the way!

A relationship,
To endure for a life time;
To encourage you.

Simple Declarations

Simple Declarations

I declare my Faith with a mighty shout!

I believe the Love ...I receive the Love!

I put His word first place
and make it the final authority in my Life!

I act on His word as quickly as I would
a lawyer, a doctor, or a highly trusted friend.

I receive His word as the perfect law of Liberty.

I always triumph in him,
He always gives me Victory.

I have Faith in God

Father I am yours to command.

Your Word is My command.

Here are some faith statements that have been meaningful to me, and maybe they will help you.

I desire to try several different attacks against our problems and might not settle on one even if it at first seems to be successful.        Suggestions for this is to print out these headlines and repeat them as often as seems appropriate.

Because "all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved," I would suggest that you read the praise the Lord out loud enough times that it is second nature.

Baruk A-tah, Adonai, Eloheynu, Maelek, ha Olam haShem O'Messuah!
Praise be (like a cape) upon the Lord, God of the Universe(and mine), King of My world, in the name of Jesus my messiah

I gave this to a lady and dear friend who had been diagnosed with melonoma. This had metastasized and spread several places in her person. After saying this as a montara almost continuously for many weeks, (while also enduring chemo) most of the measurable of the cancer has fallen in remission. The purpose of the prayer was to give peace when she had received a "death sentence!" It had the effect of yielding peace as the meter of the prayer had an internal cadence. The body tends to align itself with the meter inherent in the prayer. I wonder if it would also give you strength (and peace) is times of crisis.

Don't give up!

Just Push

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might...

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might!

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole life had been spent in vain.
Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind. (He will do it every time!):

You have been pushing against that rock for a long time but it hasn't moved." Thus, the Adversary gave the man an impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

The enemy of his soul said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good enough."

That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done.

Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed.

But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown; your core strength will not fail; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now far surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was: to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock.."

How many times, when we hear a word from God, do we use our own intellect to decipher what He wants? What God really wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him... This establishes a kind of handshake where we each contribute our own selves in the relationship. The success lies in the process of "listening with the intent to do the words heard. " All of the benefits sought from a benevolent God come from the simple process of harkening to the voice.

At times we may look at the experience of others to evaluate our own relationship with the Lord. Because this process of "hearing" is singular, the words that the Lord has spoken or not spoken to another are not relevant to out own relationship with Him. We may not judge the hearing of another person, or lack of it; nor may we judge the Lord for His "rewarding" of another in ways that we do not feel He has rewarded ourselves. Either of these judgments will cause the person who engages in them, to stumble. To recover a person must simply forgive; either the Lord or the other person. The other person is only responsible for the words he has heard. If that person is a little "hard of hearing" in a certain area, the "God of all wisdom" is certainly able to look after His own relationship with the person. At times we may tell the other person of "hurts" that the other person has inflicted upon us, as result of not observing the written code given generally to all non-specifically, we may not judge the person as the result of these hurts. We must simple forgive and endure the pain. Knowing that we also have inflicted similar pain upon others, causes us to be able to endure this pain patiently. This is one facet of the principle called Grace.

In summary,
By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God Who moves the mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong..............................Just P.U.S.H.

When the job gets you down.............................Just P.U.S.H.

When people don't do as you think they should..................Just P.U.S.H.

When your money is "gone" and the bills are due................Just P.U.S.H.

When people just don't understand you............................Just P.U.S.H.

P = Pray
U = Until
S = Something
H = Happens

Pass this on to all your loved ones and friends who may need it, they may get it just in time. "
Though no one can go back and make a **brand new start**,
anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."

Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly. May God Bless You.