Worship Leading

Joshua Travers

Introduction

1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your^[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

When you lead worship, picture yourself in that place before God. Read Revelation 4, then go there. Worship in that setting. You will never lack passion in that place. It will jump out of you.

Music bridges heaven and earth. I believe music expresses a unique expression of God's creative life.

Job 38:4-7

4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Tell Me, if you have understanding.

5 Who determined its measurements?

Surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

6 To what were its foundations fastened?

Or who laid its cornerstone,

7 When the morning stars sang together,

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

NKJV

"If music doesn't get us to the knowledge of God, it's no better than a game of scrabble…There is no neutral music. Music moves the spirit realm." Derek Loux

Jer 9:24

24 but let him who boasts boast about this:

that he understands and knows me,

that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,

justice and righteousness on earth,

for in these I delight,"

declares the LORD.

NIV

John 17:3

3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

NIV

Prov 2:1-5

My son, if you accept my words

and store up my commands within you,

2 turning your ear to wisdom

and applying your heart to understanding,

3 and if you call out for insight

and cry aloud for understanding,

4 and if you look for it as for silver

and search for it as for hidden treasure,

5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD

and find the knowledge of God.

NIV

We praise and worship in response to something we observe. Praise (hallal) and worship (shachah) is what we do.

OT:1984 <START HEBREW>ll^h*<END HEBREW> halal (haw-lal'); a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify:

KJV - (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (-ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feignself) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.

OT:1984 halal —

1) to shine a) (Qal) to shine (figurative of God's favor)

b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light

2) to praise, to boast, to be boastful a) (Qal)1) to be boastful 2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)b) (Piel)1) to praise 2) to boast, to make a boast c) (Pual) to be praised, to be made praiseworthy, to be commended, to be worthy of praise d) (Hithpael) to boast, to glory, to make one's boast e) (Poel) to make a fool of, to make into a fool f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, to act like a madman

(from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)

OT:7812 <START HEBREW>hj*v*<END HEBREW> shachah (shaw-khaw'); a primitive root; to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God):

KJV - bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.

A great example of praise (hallal) is football games or rock concerts. Erratic celebration, screams, chants, and wildness.
In Revelation 5, there is silence in heaven for 30 minutes. This is a huge deal, because it's just not a quiet place. It's loud, it's wild, it's hallal

Joshua Travers, 9/5/2007 5