What is worship?

My worship is my work which causes people to see the nature of God. 

ENTER IN TO WORSHIP
Did you know that "Enter Into Worship" is not a phrase in the bible? Not in any translation that I could find. There are many references to entering God's house, God's Temple, the place of worship... We are even told to enter in order to worship. But there doesn't seem to be a biblical precident for entering INTO worship. I found this odd because I've heard and used the phrase SO many times since childhood growing up in churches.

Psalm 5:7 NLT 
Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple.
Jeremiah 7:2 ESV
"Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD.
Ezekiel 46:2 ESV
The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening.
Psalm 100:4
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

WHAT IS PRAISE?
Praise is to speak well of someone/something. If I am given a gift by a person I will thank them. If it is an extravagant gift I may not only thank them but begin telling them what a great person they are because of this gift and I'll tell other people about what a person they are because of this gift. This is the essence of praise. I am praising them. So I am to enter the realms of God with "Thanksgiving" and "Speaking well of Him". This is the attitude with which I enter His presence.

WHAT IS WORSHIP?
Worship is mentioned over 105 times in the NKJV on a basic search. Worship, both in  Greek and Hebrew, means to bow down, fall to the knees, kiss the hand, or in other ways pay respect and homage to a superior of some kind. There are, however, several words translated worship. Another word sometimes translated worship is also translated serve or work. Our work and service are part of our worship before God.
Thoughts from my friend Al:
The thought was based on the scripture, Matt 5:16 (KJV) 
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works[Worship], and glorify[See the Nature of] your Father [The King]which is in heaven.
Your purpose is your WORK and your WORK is your WORSHIP!

AVODAH - Worship/Work Also written as Abad. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avodah
http://www.avodah.net/

The Hebrew word for Worship is also the same base/root as Work.
See Also: http://ag.org/top/church_workers/wrshp_gen_avodah.cfm

Exodus 3:12 KJV

12 And he said , Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

Exodus 3:12 NIV 

12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."

So...That which we do is our Worship. The Nature of God is Glory. So through my work/worship people are able to see the nature of God, My King, who is in heaven.

Worship is the work which brings men to see the nature of God. 


Everything I do, everything I am, is a revelation of who God is. In my triumphs I see His Grace. In my defeats I see His Mercy. In nature I see his handiwork. In people I see his heart. If I can get in touch with this I begin to see the heart of Jesus and after Him Paul. Living every breath to see the Kingdom Of God manifested on this earth. 

Darrell G. Wolfe

VERSES TO STUDY:

John 4:24

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

pneu'ma {N-NSN} oJ {T-NSM} qeov?, {N-NSM} kai; {CONJ} tou;? {T-APM} proskunou'nta? {V-PAP-APM} aujto;n {P-ASM} ejn {PREP} pneuvmati {N-DSN} kai; {CONJ} ajlhqeiva/ {N-DSF} dei' {V-PQI-3S}proskunei'n. {V-PAN}

Psalms 95:6 KJV Interlinear. 

6 O come , let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the LORD our maker .

h'wh.y -yen.pil h'k.r.bin h'['r.kin.w h,w]x;T.vin .Wa{B ? .Wnef{[

Psalm 132:7 NKJV

Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool.

Jeremiah 26:2 NKJV

"Thus says the Lord: 'Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.

Matthew 4:8-11
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' " 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Ephesians 2:5-15

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 
2 Corinthians 9
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
Matthew 5:16 NKJV

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Psalm 100:4

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

w{l -.Wdw{h h'Lih.tiB wy't{rec]x h'dw{t.B wy'r'[.v .Wa{B ? w{m.v .Wk]r'B

DEFINITIONS:
The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon "Worship":

Strong's Number:   4352    Original Word Word Origin proskunevw from (4314) and a probable derivative of (2965) (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand) Transliterated Word TDNT Entry Proskuneo 6:758,948 Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech pros-koo-neh'-o     Verb  Definition to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank to the Jewish high priests to God to Christ to heavenly beings to demons

The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon "Serve/Work/Worship"

Strong's Number:   05647    Original Word Word Origin db[ a primitive root Transliterated Word TDNT Entry `abad TWOT - 1553 Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech aw-bad'    Verb  Definition to work, serve (Qal) to labour, work, do work to work for another, serve another by labour to serve as subjects to serve (God) to serve (with Levitical service) (Niphal) to be worked, be tilled (of land) to make oneself a servant (Pual) to be worked (Hiphil) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve to cause to serve as subjects (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve  King James Word Usage - Total: 290 serve 227, do 15, till 9, servant 5, work 5, worshippers 5, service 4, dress 2, labour 2, ear 2, miscellaneous 14

The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon "Worship"

Strong's Number:   07812    Original Word Word Origin hxX a primitive root Transliterated Word TDNT Entry Shachah TWOT - 2360 Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech shaw-khaw'    Verb  Definition to bow down (Qal) to bow down (Hiphil) to depress (fig) (Hithpael) to bow down, prostrate oneself 1c before superior in homage 1c before God in worship 1c before false gods 1c before angel  King James Word Usage - Total: 172 worship 99, bow 31, bow down 18, obeisance 9, reverence 5, fall down 3, themselves 2, stoop 1, crouch 1, miscellaneous 3

The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon "Praise" Psalms 100:4

Strong's Number:   08416    Original Word Word Origin hllht from (01984) Transliterated Word TDNT Entry T@hillah TWOT - 500c Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech teh-hil-law'     Noun Feminine  Definition praise, song or hymn of praise praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God) act of general or public praise praise-song (as title) praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God) renown, fame, glory of Damascus, God object of praise, possessor of renown (fig)  King James Word Usage - Total: 57 praise 57

praise

PRAISE, n. s as z. [L. pretium.]

1. Commendation bestowed on a person for his personal virtues or worthy actions, on meritorious actions themselves, or on any thing valuable; approbation expressed in words or song. Praise may be expressed by an individual, and in this circumstance differs from fame, renown, and celebrity, which are the expression of the approbation of numbers, or public commendation. When praise is applied to the expression of public approbation, it may be synonymous with renown, or nearly so. A man may deserve the praise of an individual, or of a nation.

There are men who always confound the praise of goodness with the practice.

2. The expression of gratitude for personal favors conferred; a glorifying or extolling.

He hath put a new song into my mouth, even praise to our God. Ps.40.

3. The object, ground or reason of praise.

He is thy praise,and he is thy God. Deut.10.

PRAISE, v.t. [L. tollo, extollo; pretium.]

1. To commend; to applaud; to express approbation of personal worth or actions.

We praise not Hector, though his name we know

Is great in arms; 'tis hard to praise a foe.

2. To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works.

Praise him, all his angels, praise ye him, all his hosts. Ps.148.

3. To express gratitude for personal favors. Ps.138.

4. To do honor to; to display the excellence of.

All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord. Ps.145.

AVODAH - Worship/Work
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avodah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_labor
http://www.avodah.net/

The Hebrew word for Worship is also the same base/root as Work.
See Also: http://ag.org/top/church_workers/wrshp_gen_avodah.cfm

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/practices/Ethics/Business_Ethics/Themes_and_Theology/Value_of_Work/Work_as_Calling.shtml
http://www.thehighcalling.org/attitude/do-you-feel-broken-and-fragmented

FURTHER STUDY:
Other interesting articles on this subject that bear further reading:

The Hebrew word for Worship is also the same base/root as Work.
See Also: http://ag.org/top/church_workers/wrshp_gen_avodah.cfm

http://www.victorious.org/praise.htm
Have you ever noticed when “gifts of the Spirit” operate in a church service? The power and anointing of the Holy Spirit usually becomes evident, subsequent to a time of worship and praise. Some think that worship is a response after the Holy Spirit moves upon them. However, it’s the other way around. God’s presence responds when we move upon Him with worship! Lifting up Jesus Christ through praise and worship invokes the Lord’s presence and power to flow in our midst.

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/practices/Ethics/Business_Ethics/Themes_and_Theology/Value_of_Work/Work_as_Calling.shtml
The word for work in Hebrew, avodah, is the same used for prayer. Avodah connotes service. (It is also the word for slavery, which is involuntary service.) Work is not only a necessary part of life, it is a form of service to the world, to the rest of humanity, and to God. We are meant to be of service, to be partners with God in the ongoing creation of the world. Yet even as we serve God, we also serve our fellow human beings, as set forth in this story about the Hasidic master Rabbi David of Lelov [Poland, 1746-1813]:

http://www.homegrownpraise.com/WhatWorship.htm
Some have made the mistake of equating praise with "the outer court" and worship with "the inner court." To place this strong a barrier between the two is artificial. 

http://www.bibleabookoftruth.com/WhyChristiansPraiseAndWorshipGod.pdf

http://www.khouse.org/articles/2005/557/

True worship, then, is contingent upon our offering ourselves as a living sacrifice and God cleansing our flesh and spirit. In other words, our heart condition matters more in worship than our voice, our good intentions or our actions. Without a cleansed heart, we simply cannot enter His presence or worship.
It's interesting to note that today worship music sales have absolutely skyrocketed, but statistics show us that there are more problems now in the Christian body than ever before. Why? If people are buying worship music, why aren't our lives reflecting this?
The answer is simple: we are becoming like what we worship! (Psalm 135:18)
We are praising God, but not truly worshiping Him. We are singing unto Him, making melody in our heart, but not allowing Him to cleanse our hearts and truly change us into His image. Much of it goes back to the fact that many Christians don't really know what it means to love God. They don't know how to daily surrender and relinquish themselves to Him. Without this knowledge, not only will there be no changed lives, there also will be no worshipers. Worship comes from love. We worship that which we love. In other words, the more we love Him, the more we will be able to worship Him.

The following was SO good I had to re post it here for this study!
http://ag.org/top/church_workers/wrshp_gen_avodah.cfm

Word Study: (AVODAH) — Work/Worship

BY WILLIAM D. BJORAKER

Avodah is the transliteration of the Hebrew word for worship and work. Have you ever thought about the connection? Is worship work? Is work worship?

The root word means to work or to serve. The cluster of words derived from the root give us insight into the nature of both worship and work.

An oved is a worker. An evid is a slave. Avdut is slavery. Work involves the idea of serving someone. Avodat Elohim is the service or worship of the true God. Avodah zara is literally strange worship (it is also the title of one of the tractates of the Talmud, which discusses the subject of idolatry and corrupt and false worship).

Avodat Elillim is idolatry, the worship of false gods. Indeed, false worship or idolatry is in essence serving the devil and leads to avdut-bondage, slavery to Satan.

Worship of the true God in Messiah Jesus through the Holy Spirit and in truth is hard work. It demands expenditure of energy. Worship is not mere campfire singing. It requires focus and concentration of our faculties. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10*).

Worship requires an inner humbling, a surrender of self-will, a repentance of sin, and trust. It requires cultivating the presence of God. It ascribes to Him the supreme value of who He is and acknowledges His worthiness (worth-ship) in words, deeds, and posture. Worship is hard work.

Work (labor, enterprise, exertion) is always serving. For the worshiper of God, the believer in Jesus, it is serving God. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17).

One of the great recoveries of the Protestant Reformation was an affirmation of the dignity of all honest occupations and manual labor as vocations (literally, callings). Historically, the Jewish father was considered derelict if he didn’t teach his son a trade. Most rabbis also plied a trade (for example, Rabbi Moshe, the shoemaker or Rabbi Shaul, the tentmaker).

Work is an essential part and expression of our humanness. It is not, as some mistakenly assume, a result of the Fall. Work was part of Adam and Eve’s activity in Eden before they sinned. They were to "work" the Garden "and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15). Work is an expression of the creativity inherent in human nature made in the "image of God." After all, God is continually working, as Jesus pointed out: "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working" (John 5:17).

Only work that is drudgery is a consequence of the Fall. In Messiah we can experience a substantial redemption from drudgery to meaningful, enjoyable work and achievement. Whatever your job, it can be an expression of worship if you do it unto the Lord.

In modern Hebrew, uv-dah means fact. A fact works in or with reality because it is true to reality. Likewise, in modern Hebrew, u-vad means adapted—something worked over to fit reality.

One more point is necessary: "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind [worship].’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ " (Matthew 22:37–39). These commands are always in that order. If you get them turned around, it will destroy you. That’s a fact. It won’t work; it is not true to reality. If you give yourself first to neighbor-love, you will find out it cannot be sustained. You will burn out. Only neighbor-love growing out of primary love for God has staying power. Neighbor-love works when it flows out of a life of worship.

Worship has priority over work, yet true worship is hard work. Work can be a form of worship, and the work of worship has priority over all other work.

"Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Let’s remember, "Night is coming, when no one can work" (John 9:4).

Let’s worship God and get to work.

*Scripture quotations are from the New International Version.

This word study is adapted from Hebrew Nuggets, a series of Hebrew word studies by William D. Bjoraker.

---

William D. Bjoraker is an Assemblies of God home missionary to the Israeli Jewish emigres of greater Los Angeles, Operation Ezekiel.

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Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before!

Daily Reading 10/27/2011


COME:
Hebrews 10
16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching....
...35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37 "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." 39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

HEAR:
I have the law of God in my mind and heart. I have been washed by the blood and have confidence and assurance to enter the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God, with boldness. He is asking me to draw near, not keep a distance. How can I not hold fast to my confession of His Word and His Promises? How could I waiver? He is faithful and the Holy One lives IN ME! I must turn from constantly considering myself and consider one another. I must dedicate myself to stir up others to love and good works and continually gathering together as the body. I cannot cast away my confidence, being timid, shy, fearful, or worried. I have been justified and I live by faith. I do not draw back but boldly go where no man has gone before! I go further and farther into the things of God.

DO:
I will remind myself often today how much my God loves me and how much he wants my every need, want, and desire to be fullfilled. I do not need to seek my good because he seeks my good. I will remind myself to be mindful of others. Praying, often siliently, throughout the day for the needs of those around me. Being bold in faith and bold in my relationship with Him!

PRAYER:
Holy Spirit, work with me to become more sensitive to your leading. Let me only speak what I hear you speak and do what I see you do. This will cause me to be a help and not a hindrance to the good of others. Help me walk out the LOVE that has been shed abroad in my heart. Help me learn the anointing, cast out devils, heal the sick, raise the dead, walk on water, speak to storms, and boldly go where no man has gone before. For you said I would do greater things than you did here on earth... take me on to greater things!

Darrell G. Wolfe

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Our High Mediator - Liazon Extraordinaire.

Hebrews 7 and 8

7:8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

7:20 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: "The Lord has sworn And will not relent, 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek' "), 22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. 23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.


We have a High Priest that is familiar with our weakness. High Priest. In AA people talk about having a higher power. What higher power is there in the universe than OUR High Priest!?! We an HP! Our HP is resurrected from the dead and lives forever! There is no fear of an administration change. 


He was tempted in every way that we are, so he is familiar with our weakness. This is important because he is also the mediator of a better covenant with better promises. A mediator is one who operates on behalf of two parties interest. In a call center there is a position called a QA liazon. 

li·ai·son/ˈlēəˌzän/

Noun:

Communication or cooperation that facilitates a close working relationship between people or organizations. A person who acts as a link to assist communication or cooperation between groups of people.

mediator

MEDIA'TOR, n. One that interposes between parties at variance for the purpose of reconciling them.

1. By way of eminence, Christ is the mediator, the divine intercessor through whom sinners may be reconciled to an offended God. Tim.2.

Christ is a mediator by nature, as partaking of both natures divine and human; and mediator by office, as transacting matters between God and man.

A QA liazon has two primary functions. Their job is to work on behalf of both the QA (Quality Assurance) department and the representatives they are grading. The person filling this position should understand both sides and be fair and balanced. In all cases the Liazon must know the code from which both parties agreed to operate. In some cases the liazon must explain the position of the QA department grade to the representative and help that person gain a better understanding of the grade and how to avoid it in the future. However, in some cases the Liazon will see that the grade did not accurately reflect the written code and dispute this decision with written evidence. 


Jesus showed us some insight into this position, and how we can cooperate with him in it, during his wilderness test before entering the ministry. Jesus said to the devil again and again: "No... that is not the correct thing to say/do. It is written!" In other words he enforced the code. The Father/Judge NEVER misjudges but the devil always does. The devil will consistently try to convince you that you must take the short end of the stick. Since the planet is under the control of mankind you have authority over your life and the circle of dominion you've been given. Therefore is you have been handed an incorrect bill by the devil you may dispute that with your mediator! If you don't dispute it your mediator won't. You are the one with authority and Jesus respects your authority so much he won't force you to be blessed! Jesus represents the Fathers interests and Yours! Together they force the adversary/advocate on the other side of the court room to back off, to cease and desist. In order for the mediator to be effective you must get him involved! 


Get your mediator involved through prayer! Find out where it is written! Jesus said that we could bind on earth and it would be bound in heaven. That is because we enforce here and he enforces in heaven and then all of heaven comes to back up what we enforced. We enforce with a very simple tool. It's the tool Jesus showed us in His wilderness... IT IS WRITTEN! 


Darrell G. Wolfe

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