Interesting Morning

I am late to the blog. I know it & you know it, but I have a good story. Honest!

Before I get into today's story I have to mention a little bit about our service this past Sunday. (It all ties together)

One Sunday I shared with the church a message entitled "A Lesson in Praise." I told you all last week that I was going to be preaching this sermon and it was one I truly enjoyed. It seemed as though almost everyone was touched in some way by the entire service. During worship I felt impressed to share a "word" with one of our members (Kristen) who had been going through some difficulty as of late. The word was: "The victory is in the praise." Below is Kristen's testimony as she gave it on Sunday.

"As some of you know I have been going through a lot of physical problems lately. It has gotten to the point that the sickness had been affecting me mentally. I was so scared because God had brought me so far from where I used to be and I didn't want to go back. As we were getting ready for church, I couldn't find anything to wear (There was literally nothing to wear). The Lord just spoke to my heart and said, 'Put on your favorite sweatshirt', so I told Kevin (husband) to grab the kids and that I was coming. We talked about this on the way to church and I couldn't understand why it was so difficult trying to get to the one place that I want to go so bad...As I came in I was trying really hard to worship but it was difficult. Then you {that's me} came over and shared that you were told to tell me that the victory is in the praise. After you said that everything that I was feeling just fell off of me."

Little did Kristen know that there were 2 teenage girls that were in the congregation that God would speak to directly from her testimony. These two girls (18 & 16) went home and spoke to their parents. According to Bryanna, the oldest, she said that, "she had never left church with the feeling she had this past Sunday." My reason for being late to the blog today is that I was able to sit down with both girls and share the Gospel with them one on one. Both accepted Christ as Lord and Savior! Both are to be baptized on resurrection Sunday! Bryanna & Kelseigh were saved as a result of an outpouring of love to God through worship. Redemptive worship happens when God's people simply pour out their love to Him and His presence becomes so manifest that He draws the lost to Himself. This isn't a result of preaching...it's the result of the presence of God.

To continue to help us in this matter I'm going to post the 7 Hebrew Words for Praise that I shared on Sunday.

YADAH - To worship with the extended hand. The giving on oneself in worship and adoration. To lift you hands unto the Lord.

TEHILLAH - To sing, to laud. A spontaneous new song. A song from the heart. (This is the praise that God inhabits - sits enthroned upon)

BARAK - To kneel; to bless the Lord.

HALAL - To be clear, to shine, to make a show, to be (clamorously) foolish, to rave.

TOWDAH - An extension of the hand in adoration & thanksgiving.

ZAMAR - To touch the strings. To sing with instruments.

SHABACH - To address in a loud tone, to shout.

Remember: Worship is a spiritual response. Praise is activity. When God's people begin to praise Him for who He is and what He has done we can expect to experience Him on a whole new level. Praise can be used to express your love and adoration, it can be used to bless God, and it can be used as a weapon to defeat the enemy (read the OT). God can also use it to draw the lost to salvation.

God is great and greatly to be praised!