MARCH WORSHIP CONFERENCE 3/11/98
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MARCH WORSHIP CONFERENCE 3/11/98

 

GOOD MORNING! ITS GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE

FOR OUR FIRST WORSHIP CONFERENCE. I WOULD LIKE TO

BEGIN BY SHARING WITH YOU SOME THINGS THAT I WANT TO

ACCOMPLISH THIS MORNING.

1. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE

BASIC DYNAMICS OF A TRUE WORSHIPPER BY LOOKING AT SOME

O.T. TYPES AND SHADOWS. NOW IF WE BASE OUR WORSHIP

EXPERIENCE ON O.T. PATTERNS THEN CONTEMPORARY BIBLICAL

WORSHIP IS NOT FOR ANY ONE PARTICULAR DENOMINATION,

PREFERENCE OF STYLE. SO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME

BIBLICAL PATTERNS IN WORSHIP.

2. THE SECOND THING I WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS MORNING IS

TO GO THROUGH A WORKSHEET DEFINING BIBLICAL PRAISE AND

WORSHIP.

3. THE THIRD THING I WANT TO DO IS TO PASS OUT SOME

MATERIAL INCLUDING A BOOKLET I WROTE FOR WORSHIP

LEADERS. WE ONLY HAVE ENOUGH BOOKS FOR ONE CHURCH

LEADER, IE. PASTOR, WORSHIP LEADER OR REP.

4. THE FOURTH THING I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ARE

SOME PRACTICAL DYNAMICS FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A WORSHIP

SERVICE INCLUDING HOW WE MAKE OUR TRANSPARENCIES, SHEET

MUSIC AND THE SYSTEM WE USE TO FILE AND CATEGORIZE

SONGS AND ETC.

Psalms 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a

new song, and his praise in the

congregation of saints. (KJV)

Psalms 149:2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him:

let the children of Zion be joyful in

their King. (KJV)

Psalms 149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let

them sing praises unto him with the

timbrel and harp. (KJV)

Psalms 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his

people: he will beautify the meek with

salvation. (KJV)

Psalms 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let

them sing aloud upon their beds. (KJV)

Psalms 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their

mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;

THE THEME I GOT FOR THIS WORSHIP CONFERENCE IS WORSHIP

THAT BRINGS THE PRESENCE OF GOD, THE POWER OF GOD AND

THE SOVERIGNTY OF GOD INTO OUR CHURCHES AND INTO OUR

LIVES. I HAVE ALWAYS EMBRACED A GOAL FOR WORSHIP WHICH

IS FOUND IN 1KINGS 8:1-8........

1 King 8:1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel,

and all the heads of the tribes, the chief

of the fathers of the children of Israel,

unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they

might bring up the ark of the covenant of

the LORD out of the city of David, which is

Zion. (KJV)

1 King 8:2 And all the men of Israel assembled

themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in

the month Ethanim, which is the seventh

month. (KJV)

1 King 8:3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the

priests took up the ark. (KJV)

1 King 8:4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and

the tabernacle of the congregation, and all

the holy vessels that were in the

tabernacle, even those did the priests and

the Levites bring up. (KJV)

1 King 8:5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation

of Israel, that were assembled unto him,

were with him before the ark, sacrificing

sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor

numbered for multitude. (KJV)

1 King 8:6 And the priests brought in the ark of the

covenant of the LORD unto his place, into

the oracle of the house, to the most holy

place, even under the wings of the

cherubims. (KJV)

1 King 8:7 For the cherubims spread forth their two

wings over the place of the ark, and the

cherubims covered the ark and the staves

thereof above. (KJV)

1 King 8:8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends

of the staves were seen out in the holy

place before the oracle, and they were not

seen without: and there they are unto this

day. (KJV)

1 King 8:9 There was nothing in the ark save the two

tables of stone, which Moses put there at

Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with

the children of Israel, when they came out

of the land of Egypt. (KJV)

1 King 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were

come out of the holy place, that the cloud

filled the house of the LORD, (KJV)

1 King 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to

minister because of the cloud: for the

glory of the LORD had filled the house of

the LORD. (KJV)

I HAVE NOT ARRIVED AT MY GOAL OF USHERING IN THE

PRESENCE OF GOD TO THE DEGREE THAT EVERYBODY FALLS DOWN

OR IS SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT BUT IT IS A GOAL I ONE DAY

HOPE TO EXPERIENCE. I HAVE BEEN IN WORSHIP SERVICES

WHERE PEOPLE GET SAVED, HEALED AND DELIVERED RIGHT

DURING THE WORSHIP SERVICE APART FROM ANY HUMAN INTER-

VENTION AND I BELIEVE GOD WANTS THAT TO HAPPEN MORE AND

MORE. THE WAY THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS WHEN OUR

PRAISE AND WORSHIP IS PERFECTED.

Matt 21:16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these

say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye

never read, Out of the mouth of babes and

sucklings thou hast perfected praise? (KJV)

PERFECTED: Strong's # 2675 katartizo (kat-ar-tid'-zo);

from 2596 and a derivative of 739; to

complete thoroughly, i.e. repair

(literally or figuratively) or adjust:

KJV-- fit, frame, mend, (make) perfect

(-ly join together), prepare, restore.

(DIC) TO MAKE SMALL, LITTLE OR MINOR

ADJUSTMENTS. THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU

TO ACCOMPLISH DURING THIS WORSHIP

CONFERENCE. IF YOU CAN LEARN ONE NEW

THING THAT WILL HELP YOU BRING MORE OF

THE PRESENCE OF GOD INTO YOUR WORSHIP

THEN THIS WORSHIP CONFERENCE WILL BE A

SUCCESS.

Ezek 44:1 Then he brought me back the way of the gate

of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward

the east; and it was shut. (KJV)

Ezek 44:2 Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall

be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man

shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the

God of Israel, hath entered in by it,

therefore it shall be shut. (KJV)

Ezek 44:3 It is for the prince; the prince, he shall

sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he

shall enter by the way of the porch of that

gate, and shall go out by the way of the

same. (KJV)

Ezek 44:4 Then brought he me the way of the north gate

before the house: and I looked, and, behold,

the glory of the LORD filled the house of the

LORD: and I fell upon my face. (KJV)

Ezek 44:5 And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark

well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear

with thine ears all that I say unto thee

concerning all the ordinances of the house of

the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark

well the entering in of the house, with every

going forth of the sanctuary. (KJV)

Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I

may dwell among them. (KJV)

Exodus 25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after

the pattern of the tabernacle, and the

pattern of all the instruments thereof,

even so shall ye make it. (KJV)

THERE IS A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE THAT I ESTABLISH IN

EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE. IF I WANT TO EXPERIENCE A

BIBLICAL RESULT THEN I MUST FOLLOW BIBLICAL PATTERN.

THE LORD TOLD MOSES TO MAKE THE TABERNACLE AND ALL ITS

FURNISHING ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN GIVEN HIM ON THE

MOUNTIAN. SO IF WE WANT TO ENTER INTO A WORSHIPFUL

EXPERIENCE THEN WE MUST FOLLOW BIBLICAL PATTERNS FOR

WORSHIP.

IN EZEK.44: THE INSTRUCTION THAT WAS GIVEN WAS "TO

MARK WELL EVERY ENTERING INTO THE SACTUARY." INDICAT-

ING THAT WE CANNOT JUST APPROACH GOD IN ANY WAY, ANY

STYLE OR ANY PREFERENCE THAT WE WANT TO. IN ONE OF THE

HANDOUTS IS AN ARTICLE BY GEOFF BULLOCK CALLED, "BEYOND

SELF-CENTERED WORSHIP." HIS OPENING COMMENT SAYS,

"TURE WORSHIP IS MORE THAN SINGING SONGS WE LIKE, OUR

WORSHIP MUST BE BASED NOT ON WHAT WE LIKE BUT IT MUST

BE BASED ON WHO WE LOVE.

Eccles 5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house

of God, and be more ready to hear, than to

give the sacrifice of fools: for they

consider not that they do evil. (KJV)

Eccles 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not

thine heart be hasty to utter any thing

before God: for God is in heaven, and thou

upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL BEGINS WITH A PICTURE OF GOD AND

HIS GLORY LEAVING THE TEMPLE BECAUSE OF THE SIN AND

ABOMINATIONS OF ISRAEL AND THEN IT CONCLUDES WITH A

PICTURE OF GOD RE-ENTERING HIS TEMPLE. IF GOD IS

TRUELY IN THE MIDST WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED

TOGETHER IN HIS NAME THEN WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL HOW WE

APPROACH HIM. WE SHOULD MARK WELL EVERY ORDINANCE AND

LAW CONCERNING ENTERING INTO HIS PRESENCE. WE MUST

FOLLOW DIVINE PROTOCOL WHEN COMING INTO THE PRESENCE OF

THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS. IF WE ARE

GOING TO EXPERIENCE REVIVAL IN OUR CHURCHES THEN WE

MUST ESTABLISH A SENSE OF REVERENCE FOR GOD AND WE MUST

DO WHAT PLEASES HIM AND NOT US.

John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and

ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where

men ought to worship. (KJV)

John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the

hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this

mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the

Father. (KJV)

John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we

worship: for salvation is of the Jews. (KJV)

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the

true worshippers shall worship the Father in

spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh

such to worship him. (KJV)

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must

worship him in spirit and in truth. (KJV)

IN ORDER TO PLEASE AND HONOR GOD IN OUR PRAISE AND

WORSHIP WE MUST DISCOVER EXACTLY WHAT GOD LIKES. NOW

THERE IS AN O.T. TYPE OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP IN THE

BURING OF INCENSE ON THE GOLDEN CENSER THAT WAS

POSITIONED BEFORE THE VIEL IN THE TEMPLE. THE VIEL IS

WHAT SEPARATED THE HOLY PLACE FROM THE HOLY OF HOLIES.

SO BEFORE A PRIEST COULD ENTER INTO GOD'S PRESENCE HE

HAD TO OFFER INCENSE. NOW IF HE FAILED TO DO THAT IN

THE O.T. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK DEAD BY THE GLORY OF

GOD AND IN THE N.T. WE JUST HAVE DEAD CHURCHES AND DEAD

WORSHIP SERVICES. YOU SEE IF YOU WANT A DIVINE RESULT,

EXPERIENCING THE PRESENCE OF GOD, THEN WE MUST FOLLOW

DIVINE PATTERN. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE LIKE OR WHAT

OUR STYLE, TRADITION OR PREFERENCE IS. WE MUST DETER-

MINE IN OUT HEARTS TO OFFER TO GOD THAT WHICH HE DELIGHTS

AND TAKES PLEASURE IN. SO THIS MORNING I WANT TO LOOK

AT THE INGREDIENTS OF THE INCENSE, PASS THEM THROUGH

THE HERMINUTICAL FILTER OF CALVARY AND DERIVE SOME

PRACTICAL INGREDIENTS IN BILICAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP.

Mal 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the

going down of the same my name shall be great

among the Gentiles; and in every place incense

shall be offered unto my name, and a pure

offering: for my name shall be great among the

heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. (KJV)

Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar,

having a golden censer; and there was given

unto him much incense, that he should offer it

with the prayers of all saints upon the golden

altar which was before the throne. (KJV)

Rev 8:4 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and

there were stings in their tails: and their

power was to hurt men five months. (KJV)

Ps 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as

incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the

evening sacrifice. (KJV)

Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by

prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let

your requests be made known unto God. (KJV)

WE CAN CONCLUDE FROM THESE SCRIPTURES THAT INCENSE

IS A TYPE OF THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE THAT EVERY

BELIEVER IS COMMANDED TO GIVE TO GOD. INCENSE IN THE

O.T. WAS VERY COSTLY AND EXPENSIVE. TRUE BIBLICAL

WORSHIP HAS A PRICE TAG ON IT AND UNLESS IT COST US

SOMETHING IT ISN'T A SACRIFICE. WHEN DAVID SINNED

AGAINST THE LORD IN THE NUMBERING OF THE CHILDREN OF

ISRAEL TO STOP THE PLAGUE OF THE LORD HE MADE AN

OFFERING THAT COST HIM SOMETHING.

2 Sam 24:22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord

the king take and offer up what seemeth

good unto him: behold, here be oxen for

burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments

and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

2 Sam 24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king,

give unto the king. And Araunah said unto

the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.

2 Sam 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I

will surely buy it of thee at a price:

neither will I offer burnt offerings unto

the LORD my God of that which doth cost me

nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor

and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

2 Sam 24:25 And David built there an altar unto the

LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace

offerings. So the LORD was intreated for

the land, and the plague was stayed from

Israel. (KJV)

GOD WAS PLEASED WITH THE SACRIFICE THAT KING DAVID

MADE. YOU SEE, A SACRIFICE ISN'T A SACRIFICE UNLESS IT

COSTS YOU SOMETHING. NOW YOU DON'T HAVE A SACRIFICE IF

YOU CAN'T AFFORD SOMETHING. YOU ONLY HAVE A SACRIFICE

WHEN YOU CAN AFFORD TO BUY SOMETHING OR DO SOMETHING

BUT YOU CHOOSES TO GO WITHOUT IN ORDER TO PLEASE GOD.

THE COST OF THE INCENSE IS CENTRAL AND FOUNDATIONAL IN

ITS TYPOLOGY. NOW LETS LOOK AT THE FOUR INGREDIENTS

OF INCENSE IN THE O.T.

Exodus 30:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto

thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and

galbanum; these sweet spices with pure

frankincense: of each shall there be a

like weight: (KJV)

Exodus 30:35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a

confection after the art of the

apothecary, tempered together, pure and

holy: (KJV)

Exodus 30:36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small,

and put of it before the testimony in the

tabernacle of the congregation, where I

will meet with thee: it shall be unto you

most holy. (KJV)

Exodus 30:37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt

make, ye shall not make to yourselves

according to the composition thereof: it

shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.

Exodus 30:38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to

smell thereto, shall even be cut off from

his people. (KJV)

FIRST OF ALL WE SEE THAT GOD IS VERY PARTICULAR

ABOUT HOW THE INCENSE IS TO BE MADE AND WHO IT IS

FOR. THERE WERE FOUR INGREDIENTS IS THE COMPOSITION OF

THE INCENSE: STACTE, PURE FRANKINCENSE, ONYCHA AND

GALBANUM.

THE FIRST INGREDIENT WAS STACTE. STACTE WAS TAKEN

FROM THE BARK OF A TREE OR THE OUTERMOST PART OF THE

ORGANISM. SO I HAVE LIKENED STACTE UNTO OUR BODY.

PAUL TELLS US IN ROM.12:1 TO PRESENT OUR BODY AS A

LIVING SACRIFICE. WE CANNOT HAVE BIBLICAL PRAISE AND

WORSHIP WITHOUT THE USE OF OUR BODIES AND OUR PHYSICAL

ORGANS. NOW REMEMBER, IF WE WANT A DIVINE RESULT THEN

WE MUST FOLLOW DIVINE PATTERN. WHAT CAN WE PHYSICALLY

DO THAT WILL BRING HONOR AND PLEASURE TO GOD. THE

PSALMS ARE FULL OF BODILY EXPRESSIONS OF PRAISE AND

WORSHIP:

1. PSA:68:4 SING unto god, sing praises to his name.

2. PSA.47:1 O CLAP your hands all ye people

3. PSA.47:1 SHOUT unto God with the voice of triumph

4. PSA.149:3 Let them praise Him in the DANCE.

5. PSA.134:1-2 Behold, bless the Lord all ye

servants of the Lord which STAND by night in the

house of the Lord. Lift up your HANDS in the

sancturay and bles the Lord

6. PSA.95:6 Let us worship and BOW DOWN, let us

KNEEL before the Lord our maker.

HERE IN THE PSALMS AND IN OTHER PASSAGES OF

SCRIPTURE IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WE SEE 8

BIBLICAL EXPRESSIONS OF PHYSICAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP.

WE CAN SING, SHOUT, CLAP, DANCE, LIFT OUR HANDS, BOW

AND KNEEL BEFORE THE LORD. WE SHOULD THEREFORE

INCORPORATE THESE PHYSICAL EXPRESSIONS OF PRAISE AND

WORSHIP IN OUR CHURCHES IF WE WANT TO EXPERIENCE

REVIVAL AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD. I MUST DRIVE HOME

THIS POINT: THESE ARE NOT PENTECOSTAL EXPRESSIONS OF

PRAISE AND WORSHIP, THEY ARE BIBLICAL AND THEREFORE FOR

EVERYONE.

NOW I NOTICE SOMETHING IN EX.30:36 THAT IS IMPORT-

ANT. EACH OF THESE FOUR INGREDIENTS WERE TEMPERED AND

BEATEN TOGETHER. THIS POINTS US TO THE IDEA OF BROKEN-

ESS. BROKENESS IN THE SCRIPTURE IS SYMBOLIC OF THE

REMOVAL OF ALL THAT IS FLESHLY AND NATURAL IN MAN. WE

ARE BROKEN BEFORE HIM. WE ARE MEEK AND HUMBLE WHEN WE

COME INTO HIS PRESENCE BECAUSE GOD STIFF-ARMS OR

RESISTS THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. WHAT

HAS HAAPENED TO PRIDE, SELFISHNESS, OR DOING THINGS OUR

OWN WAY OR THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT? ALL OF OUR

STRENGTHS, ABILITIES AND PREFERENCES MUST BE BROUGHT TO

THE PLACE OF BROKENESS AND DEATH BEFORE GOD WILL TAKE

PLEASURE IN OUR OFFERING.

Ps 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a

broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt

not despise. (KJV)

2. THE SECOND INGREDIENT IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE

INCENSE WAS PUR FRANKINCENSE. THIS WAS THE BASE OF THE

INCENSE TO WHICH ALL THE OTHER SPICES WERE BEATEN

TOGETHER AND ADDED. PURE FRANKINCENSE IS A TYPE OF THE

HOLY SPIRIT. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR

INITIATING ALL OF THE EXPRESSIONS OF PRAISE AND

WORSHIP. EACH BELIEVER SIMPLY NEEDS TO BECOME A YIELD-

ED VESSEL TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. IN ROM.12:1 THE WORD

PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, LIT. MEANS

TO YIELD. TRUE PRAISE AND WORSHIP WILL SPRING FROM THE

HEART OR THE SPIRIT OF MAN WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT

RESIDES AND FIND EXPRESSION THROUGH OUR SOUL AND BODY

IF WE ARE WILLING AND DON'T RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this

people draw near me with their mouth, and

with their lips do honour me, but have

removed their heart far from me, and their

fear toward me is taught by the precept of

men: (KJV)

Phil 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God

in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus,

and have no confidence in the flesh. (KJV)

3. THE THIRD INGREDIENT FOUND IN THE INCENSE WAS

ONYCHA. ONCHYA WAS DERIVED FROM MOLLUSK SHELL AND WHEN

BURNT BY ITSELF IT HAD A VERY DISTASTEFUL AND BAD ODOR.

THIS I HAVE LIKENED UNTO MAN'S SOUL, BECAUSE BY

HIMSELF, ALL OF MAN'S GOODNESS IS AS FILTHY RAGS IN

GOD'S EYES. THE SOUL INCLUDES OUR EMOTIONS WHICH NEED

TO COME UNDER THE SCRUTINIZATION AND SANTIFYING

INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BEFORE IT CAN EVER BE USED

IN PRAISE AND WORSHIP.

JOHN MCAUTHUR SAYS IN HIS BOOK, THE ULTIMATE

PRIORITY: WORSHIP IS NOT AN EMOTIONAL EXERCISE WITH

GOD-WORDS THAT INDUCE CERTIAN FEELINGS. WORSHIP IS A

RESPONSE BUILT ON TRUTH, WE MUST WORSHIP OUT OF AN

UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD OF GOD. JOHN PIPER EXPRESSES

THE BALANCE BETWEEN EMOTION AND TRUTH IN HIS BOOK,

DESIRING GOD. HE SAYS: TRUTH WITHOUT EMOTION PRODUCES

DEAD ORTHODOXY LIKE A CHURCH FULL OF ARTIFICAL ADMIRERS

WHO WRITE GENERIC ANIVERSARY CARDS FOR A LIVING. ON

THE OTHER HAND, EMOTION WITHOUT TRUTH PRODUCES EMPTY

FRENZY AND CULTIVATES SHALLOW PEOPLE WHO REFUSE THE

DISCIPLINE OF RIGOROUS THROUGHT. BUT TRUE WORSHIP

COMES FORM PEOPLE WHO ARE DEEPLY EMOTIONAL AND WHO LOVE

DEEP AND SOUND DOCTRINE. STRONG AFFECTIONS FOR GOD

ROOTED IN TRUTH ARE THE BONE AN MARROW OF BIBLICAL

WORSHIP."

NOW IN MAN'S SOUL IS HIS PERSONAL EGO WHICH MUST BE

DEALT WITH BY THE LORD. PRAISE AND WORSHIP IS GOING TO

REQUIRE A DECENTRALIZATION OF SELF SO THAT MAN BECOMES

MORE CONSCIOUS OF GOD THAN HE IS OF HIMSELF. IT IS

ONLY THEN THAT HE WILL BE FREE AND UNINHIBITED TO OFFER

PHYSICAL EXPRESSIONS OF PRAISE IN WORSHIP, IE. LIFTING

HANDS, SHOUTING, DANCING...ETC. ALSO INCLUDED IN MAN'S

SOUL IS HIS MIND AND INTELLEGENCE. MAN'S WAYS ARE NOT

GOD'S WAYS AND THEREFORE HE MUST SUBMIT TO SCRIPTURAL

FORMS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP, REGARDLESS OF HIS

RELIGIOUS UPBRINGING OR TRADITION. ALL OF THE

ATTRIBUTES OF MAN'S SOUL MUST BE DEALT WITH BY THE LORD

BEFORE IT CAN BE USED IN BIBLICAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP.

4. THE FOURTH INGREDIENT IN THE INCENSE IS GALBANUM.

THIS WAS THE GUM RESIN EXTRACTED FROM THE INNER PART OF

THE PLANT. I HAVE LIKENED THIS TO MAN'S HUMAN SPIRIT

WHICH IS AT THE VERY CORE AND CENTER OF MAN. OUR HUMAN

SPIRIT MUST BE CLEANSED AND SANCTIFIED BEFORE IT CAN

RULE OVER AND PROPERLY MANAGE THE SOUL AND THE BODY.

IN OUR HUMAN SPIRIT IS OUR CONSCIENCE WHICH MUST BE

CLEANSED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS BEFORE BOLDNESS,

CONFIDENCE AND FAITH CAN BE EXPERIENCED IN PRAISE AND

WORSHIP. HEB.11 TEELS US THAT HE THAT COMES TO GOD

MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS... NOW IF OUR CONSCIENCE

OFFENDS US WE WILL PULL AWAY FROM GOD OUT OF FEAR OR AN

INNERS SENSE OF BEING UNFIT FOR THEM PRESENCE OF GOD.

IT IS IMPORTANT, THEREFORE THAT OUR SPIRIT IS CLEANSED

OTHERWISE, THOUGH WE MAY BE DOING BIBLICAL OR RIGHT

THINGS, GOD WILL NOT RECEIVE US.

2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly

beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all

filthiness of the flesh and spirit,

perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

NOW BEFORE WE GO TO THE WORKSHEET THIS MORNING I

WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ENERGY THAT WAS USED TO BURN THE

INCENSE IN THE O.T. IN LEV.16:12 THE GOLDEN ALTAR OF

INCENSE WAS POSITIONED BEFORE THE VEIL. THE PRIEST

WOULD TAKE HOT COALS FROM OFF THE BRAZEN ALTAR IN THE

OUTER COURT AND PUT THEM ON THE GOLDEN ALTAR OF

INCENSE. EVERY TIME THE PRIEST WOULD ENETR THE HOLY

PLACE TO TRIM THE LAMPS OR TO WORSHIP THE LORD HE WOULD

TAKE A HANDFUL OF INCENSE AND THROW IT ON THE GOLDEN

ALTAR OF INCENSE AND THE FRAGRANCE WOULD PERMEATE THE

VIEL AND INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD. THE BRAZEN ALTAR IS

A TYPE OF CALVARY. THE ENERGY THAT INSPIRES US TO

SACRIFICE AND WORSHIP GOD IS BELIEVING AND RECEIVING

THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR US. WE LOVE HIM, AND OFFER

BIBLICAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.

THE LAST THING I SEE IN EX.30:37-38 WAS THAT IF

ANYONE IN ISRAEL MADE AND BURNED INCENSE AFTER THE SAME

COMPOSITION FOR TEMPLE WORSHIP WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE

CITY AND STONED TO DEATH. IF SELFISHNESS IS NOT

REMOVED FROM OUR WORSHIP SERVICES WE WILL HAVE ALOT OF

PEOPLE AND ALOT OF ACTIVITY BUT WE WON'T EXPERIENCE THE

MANIFESTED PRESENCE OF GOD. (EXPLAIN OMNIPRESENT AND

MANIFESTED PRESENCE.

Ps 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the

praises of Israel. (KJV)

 

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