2 Chronicles 5:13 (NKJV) Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud.
Praise helps us to enter into God’s presence. Our focus is on God our Creator as we enter into His presence through first praising His holy name. We are not always ready to praise. Therefore, it is a sacrifice of praise because our soul (our emotions) do not want to praise. Praise is a one way communication from us directly to our Heavenly Father.
James 4:8a (NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
We need to believe that the Word of God is true. When we draw near to Him, He will then draw near to us. It is standing on His promise that this will happen when we approach Him. We should approach the King of Kings and it is not for us to invite the King of kings to come to us! We want to have an audience with our King—the King of glory whom we are praising.
2 Chronicles 5:12 (NKJV) And the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets.
Vibrant praise will shift our focus from the daily circumstances to God. How can we do this? Look at what happened when the Levites started to praise the Lord. We know that their praise was not quiet especially when they had cymbals, stringed instruments, harps and 120 priests sounding trumpets!
How do we the singers and musicians sound as one and be in God’s presence? It is done through praising him altogether in one accord. This teaching regarding praise and worship is intentional. Who do we praise? God has revealed to us that He is seeking worshippers who praise Him in spirit and truth.
We should be singing and articulating words about His victory, His mercy, His goodness, His greatness, His faithfulness and the general awesomeness of God. This will remind our hearts and minds that we worship a living God. We praise and worship an awesome omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent God. We are reminded that we are in covenant with the El Shaddai, our Almighty God. We should have intentional vibrant praise with the clapping of hands, dancing before the Lord, singing and the shout of Hallelujah.
Sermon Series: ICS Worship Culture (Part 3)
随着敬拜进入神的同在
历代志下5:13吹号的，歌唱的都一齐发声，声合为一，赞美感谢耶和华。吹号，敲钹，用各种乐器，扬声赞美耶和华说，耶和华本为善，他的慈爱永远长存。那时，耶和华的殿有云充满，
赞美帮助我们进入神的同在。当我们通过首先赞美祂的圣名进入祂的同在时，我们的焦点是在我们的造物主神身上。我们并不总是准备好赞美。因此，这是赞美的献祭，因为我们的灵魂（我们的情感）不想赞美。赞美是我们直接与天父沟通的一种方式。
雅各书4:8a 你们亲近神，神就必亲近你们。
我们需要相信神的话是真实的。当我们亲近祂时，祂就会亲近我们。这是站在祂的应许上，当我们接近祂时，这就会发生。我们应该接近万王之王，而不是我们邀请万王之王来找我们！我们想让我们的王做我们的听众——我们所赞美的荣耀之王。
历代之下5:12 他们出圣所的时候，歌唱的利未人亚萨，希幔，耶杜顿，和他们的众子众弟兄都穿细麻布衣服，站在坛的东边，敲钹，鼓瑟，弹琴，同着他们有一百二十个祭司吹号。
充满活力的赞美会将我们的注意力从日常环境转移到神身上。我们应该怎么做？看看当利未人开始赞美耶和华时发生了什么。我们知道他们的赞美并不安静，尤其是当他们有铙钹、弦乐器、竖琴和 120 名祭司吹号时！
我们的歌手和乐手如何听起来合而为一并且进入神的同在里？这是通过同声合一赞美祂来实现的。关于赞美和敬拜的教导是要有意识（地赞美）。我们赞美谁？神已向我们显明，祂正在寻找用心灵和诚实赞美祂的敬拜者。
我们应该歌唱和表达关于祂的胜利、祂的怜悯、祂的良善、祂的伟大、祂的信实和神的威严。这会提醒我们的心灵和思想，我们敬拜是永生神。我们赞美和敬拜一位令人敬畏的无所不在、无所不知、无所不能的神。我们被提醒，我们与全能的神 El Shaddai 立约。我们应该在主面前用拍手、跳舞、唱歌和哈利路亚的呼喊来有意识地充满活力地赞美。
讲章系列：ICS的敬拜文化（第三部分）
Image Source: pixabay.com