“Here’s my question: Who wants 30-40+ minutes of music in worship? Who? Why? I mean…explain this to  me. I seriously do not get it.”  

My interest was certainly peeked by this question and the answers that followed. It was so peeked that I almost was late for my own Christian Praise and Worship Service   and yes, we had about 30 minutes of Christian Praise and Worship and I loved every moment of it.

In reading the responses from many of the people it was clear to me that most do not understand the purpose of spending 30-40 minutes singing in a church service. They do not realize that this is actually a very short period of time.

The Psalmist David said in Psalm 84:1-4

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!

 2. My soul yearns, even faints,for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.

3. Even the sparrow has found a home,and the swallow a nest for herself,where she may have her young—a place near your altar,O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

4. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.     

Then verse 10 says: Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

David loved being in the presence of God. His heart and soul yearns for the courts of the Lord. He says better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.

Why can’t we be like David, why don’t we all yearn for the presence of God? Where is the presence of God? In the praises of His people! Psalm 22:3

What about Zephania 3:17 that says that God rejoices over us with singing.

What about the fact that the Levites were commissioned to praise God on musical instruments…Do you think they did this for 5 minutes and then gave up?Do you think that the Glory of God would come into our presence without our praises?

Do you think that the worship in the temple lasted only 1 hour so that people could get home to make their roasts for Sunday dinner?

God says to keep the Sabbath and that it is Holy unto Him…We work for 8 hours every day, do we complain about spending time in God’s presence for 30-40 minutes?

I really don’t understand how people are complaining about praising God. Maybe I’m missing something here but I think we need more people like David who wished he could spend more and more time in God’s presence.

Just in case you wish to read the comments that were made then I will give you the link:

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/open-mic-at-the-imonk-cafe-who-wants-all-that-music/comment-page-2#comment-518334

Technorati Tags: Christian Praise, long song services, praise and worship

Being bought up as a Baptist in the Montreal area of Canada I was used to singing hymns and nice little songs like Jesus Loves Me. This kept me on track when I was a little girl, but when I grew up and came back to God, my relationship with Him was completely different. He was no longer a God somewhere up there in the sky who was watching to see if I was naughty or nice (Kind of like a glorified Santa Claus), this time it was different.

I could feel the presence of Jesus in my life and knew something inside me had changed. I decided it was time to go back to church. Sadly, what I found in church was not what I was experiencing in my own one on one time with God.

I started to think perhaps I was strange, perhaps I was overly emotional, perhaps I was wrong somehow. Those around me didn’t get all excited about Jesus like I did. What was wrong with me?

I still continued to go to church as I knew this is what God wanted of me, and I loved learning more and more every chance I could get. Later, I met my husband and he was a Pentecostal. He told me about the Pentecostal church and I thought to my self….This sounds very strange to me…He finally convinced me to go to a meeting with him and I was totally surprised.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that Baptists are not true worshippers or have no feelings, or that Pentecostals are the only true believers or whatever. I am simply stating that the two churches I had attended were as different as night and day.

That night that I attended the church with my then to be husband was a turning point in my life. I realized as I stood there praising God with those around me that there was a presence that I had never felt in a church before. Yes, I had experienced this presence in my own prayer life, but never in a congregation. It was like I was finally home. Finally, I could see and feel the presence of God amongst those worshipping. It was like heaven came down and the glory of God filled that auditorium that night.

Since becoming a worship leader it has always been my goal to lead those in the congregation to the place where they too can feel the presence of God in the midst of them. It is only in the presence of our awesome God that people can know, without the shadow of a doubt that they are in the presence of God. As worship leaders we are like the doorkeepers to the very presence of God. We must lead them gently from the outer courts into the Holy of Holies where they can sense God and the beauty of His Holiness.

The article that I just read, reminded me of the importance of worship and its effects on the non-christian as well as those called by God to be His children.

The article is entitled: Worship and the Visitor

I think you will enjoy reading it and hopefully realize the importance of Christian Praise in our services.

Here is the link: http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/worship_the_visitor

Technorati Tags: Christian Praise, praise and worship