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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.

The last 6 words are what I'd like to emphasize - If one seeks the Fathers presence, He is already looking for you - this is worthy of meditation

Hi Bev,

 

It sounds as if the Father has found you. I pray that you will continue on this path and move even deeper in praise.

just one scripture I'd like to mention.

Eph 5;19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

It looks like a progressive move to me. We don't seem to be able to always 'make melody' but we can at least start with speaking to ourselves in psalms and that is an important and good place to start when the world (or the adversary) distracts us or resists our praise. 

Here's some vintage live worship songs from 1977. Recorded live from somewhere in England,

These are all scripture set to music..

More for free download a vintageworshiptapes.com in mp3 format

I just checked and these are are not hot links so a copy/paste is needed - sorry.

 

I will call upon the Lord Psalm - 18:13

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugVsur5ruhw

 

Who is like unto Thee - Exodus 15:11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eux5GgXH02E

 

Oh give thanks unto the Lord -  Psalm 107

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nDxPkkbsi0

 

We are a chosen people - 1Peter 2:9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5wArPzlJYc

 

Awake, Awake oh Zion -  Isaiah  52:1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioukm3F2umY

 

I will enter His gates with thanksgiving - Psalm 100

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vytoofL7pQc

 

Hi all here,

I loaded the songs listed above to an mp3 player and by accident loaded the "Awake, Awake oh Zion" track twice. They play back to back on that device. Last week I was sitting on a stool in my wood shop listening to those songs and Awake played. As I listened I focused in on the drums. Then I spotted a couple of pencils on the bench and thought I'll have a go at playing along with the recorded drums when the song replayed. I did so and while I didn't keep time with the recording, when I set my heart on playing my "pencil drum" I became aware of a greater sense of GOD'S presence as I kept my focus on HIM. I think HE smiled.

This is a copy of a conversation I posted on another site from May 25, 2023. I have continued to study praise / worship and have found that they are not the same thing. We have erred by using the 2 words interchangeably. Praise is a step toward spiritual worship but  at a higher level than praise. The pattern for approaching the Father is shown in a physical example of Moses" wilderness tabernacle. To even enter the outer court a blood sacrifice was was required - we now have Jesus to pay for our entry. Next is the altar where the sacrifice was burned. Next was the laver where we are cleansed by the washing of the word - for us, this is bible reading. At this point only the priest can enter the Holy place for communion. For today Jesus has said He made us a kingdom of priests and kings so we can enter there. At this point praise was probably ongoing. The next step is going past the veil into the presence of the Father - back then it would have been in total fear with a rope tied around an ankle in case the priest had sin in his heart and was struck dead. Other priests would have pulled him out via the rope.For today the word says we can approach the Father with boldness and confidence. This is where true worship occurs. Beholding the Father as He is and worshiping for that reason.

 

copy/paste from another site

I wanted to share with you events from this past monday. I was listening to some vintage contemporary music - Andre Crouch - and was allowed to enter dance before the Lord. This was extraordinary because David just does not dance. Never have - ever. I danced with my daughter at her wedding reception and that was just moving in a circle . But monday I actually danced with both feet moving and kept time with the rhythm of the song. This was followed by a couple of minutes of actual worship entering into GODs manifest presence. It was glorious! Afterwards the reality of salvation was much more fresh, brighter.

I have been absent from keeping up with thread due to illness. I was given covid and eventually my left lower leg was amputated due to blood clots. Several months in the hospital and rehab. This is the short story - there are more details, if you're interested please ask and I'll share the whole story. In the mean time    I can still dance before the LORD!

Hello Heidi,

That your shouting encouraged others to join you IMHO shows that your had become a fountainhead for the Holy Spirit to flow through you to others around you. I have read that Martin Luther sometimes planted the choir members in different spots in the congregation so that when they broke through into actual worship those around them would be affected by the presence of the Holy Spirit close to them. It is natural for a believer to enter worship when confronted with the realized presence of GOD. It is the human spirit reacting to GODs Spirit and usually not contained to that individual person - those around will sense it in their spirit and either join the worship or run from HIM.

Please bare with me as my compositional skills are lacking.

For the most part the disciples wrote their gospel accounts from personal experience - first hand accounts. This is what I now write.

My wife and I were saved in Oct 1972. I was baptised in the Holy Spirit about 2 weeks later confirmed with speaking in tongues. Now onto the church service pattern.

The body gathered twice on sunday and again on wed. There was a prayer room just off the sanctuary and several gathered to pray prior to the service. These prayers were mostly to break through into what is better called spiritual worship rather than high praise. Scripture reference Hebrews 12  22-24 which shows the saints that have passed on seeing the Father and giving worship because they actually see HIM. "'to the spirits of just men made perfect." I think this is the place that has been called 'high praise' but is actually spiritual worship.

We would sing fairly short songs mostly scripture with usually a 2 to 3 repeat. Then the congregation would move into individual / corporate worship. This would last maybe 2 to 5 minutes. The manifest presence of GOD was usually very heavy. Some shouting, some clapping hands, some tamborines. Then followed a silence of several minutes as we waited before the Lord waiting to see if He would speak to us through prophecy. At that time prophecy did not mead foretelling the future but "for exhortation edification or comfort." (scripture quote escapes me at the moment). The entire praise/worship period was led my the Holy Spirit. We sang what He led us to sing and quit when He led us to. Sometimes there were 'words of knowledge' and/or  words of wisdom' 

We had only a piano and organ as instruments.We also had only one person at the pulpit to maintain order. Very little stuff on stage which are actually distractions to entering into spiritual worship.

There seems to be a place in worship were our worship here on earth mixes with the worship of the saints in heaven and a very strong flow of the Holy Spirit happens. They worship because they can see whom they worship while we worship in faith.

When leaving the church I carried that manifest presence with me and it lasted several days. We went back on wed night for a fresh filling. That presence seems to have a liquid attribute that sort of fades - at least for me.

Living at this level will bring spiritual opposition. Our enemy hates this level of danger to what he calls his. So if you seek to go to this level - be ready for pushback. Also be comforted that as Jesus told the woman at the well "The Father seeks those that will worship Him in Spirit and in truth.' We will have protection from the Father as we travel this road. Perhaps a comparison of an armed navy seal versus a boy scout with a pocket knife is good. 

To the best of my ability I'll answer and questions.

 

David Womack

Hi Bev,

I ran across your thread from a random google search. It's been here quite a while and I'm wondering if your interest is still strong concerning 'high' praise. If so please comment as I may be of use to you. In the meantime please read Hebrews 12  22-24 and note that it is written in the present, not past, tense. I'll keep an eye out for any reply.

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