EQUIP - WEEK 4 - WORSHIP

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                                                       06/25/12

EQUIP - WORSHIP

Worship Leader - John Downing Speaks

Ps. Merri-Beth Alexander Speaks

Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something.^[1]

Evelyn Underhill (2001) defines worship thus: "The absolute acknowledgment of all that lies beyond us—the glory that fills heaven and earth. It is the response that conscious beings make to their Creator, to the Eternal Reality from which they came forth; to God

Worship in Christianity

This section requires expansion.

Main articles: Christian worship, Anglican devotions, Catholic devotions, and Church service

[edit]Adoration versus veneration

In the New Testament various words are used for worship. The word proskuneo "to worship" means to bow down to Gods or kings.^[4]

Catholicism, Anglicanism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Eastern Orthodoxy make a technical distinction between adoration or latria (Latin adoratio, Greek latreia, [λατρεια]), which is due to God alone, and veneration or dulia (Latin veneratio, Greek douleia [δουλεια]), which may be lawfully offered to the saints. The external acts of veneration resemble those of worship, but differ in their object and intent. Protestant Christians, who reject the veneration of saints, question whether such a distinction is always maintained in actual devotional practice, especially at the level of folk religion.

Worship is more then music, worship is what you do with your life!

Worship is evidence of a life that is lived (devoted to) for God.

What does Jesus say about Worship?

Matthew 4:10

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! ^{For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[a]}”

Joshua 24:15

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,we will serve the Lord.”

• 
  

1 Corinthians Chapter 2:

1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

The Apostle Paul writes in his first letter to the Church in Corinth that he knows nothing except Jesus Christ.

Paul knew that he had to set a strong message right up front, “It is all about Jesus!”

Nothing else matters because all things are subject to the authority and power of God.

Creating Atmosphere is really all about you cultivating your relationship with God. 

Spending personal time in prayer and worship are spiritual food and supernatural steroids to the Christian life. 

Your relationship with God will develop and your world and everyone you influence will be blessed because of your pushing into God.

Worship is the key to creating a Spiritually fruitful and fertile atmosphere.

Equally important is the removal of the walls and dividers in your life.

Look at it this way, from this point forward you are always in church. 

No matter if you are at work or at home or at a ballgame. You carry the spirit of God with you where ever you go.

There is no one place to worship

John 7:37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[c] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

The same way, worship will flow out of you. All true worship comes from and throughout the Spirit of God.

Great Resources:

Living with a creative mind, by Jeff Crabtree

Inspired to pray, by Phil Pringle

Relentless, by John Bevere

EQUIP - WEEK 3 - LEADERSHIP / DISCIPLESHIP

LEADERSHIP & DISCIPLESHIP

LEADERSHIP: “a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task".^[1] Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.

DISCIPLESHIP: The process by which someone become a disciple, student, practitioner of the teachings or disciplines of another.

DISCIPLE: from Dictionary.com

1.

Religion .

a.

one of the 12 personal followers of Christ.

b.

one of the 70 followers sent forth by Christ. Luke 10:1.

c.

any other professed follower of Christ in His lifetime.

2.

any follower of Christ.

3.

( initial capital letter ) a member of the Disciples of Christ.

4.

a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines ofanother; follower: a disciple of Freud.

**A disciple of Jesus Christ is more then a student or pupil, he/she is more then a follower. They are leaders that have a definite goal of reproducing the in others that which has been poured into them.

Disciples are DOERS

***You can be a follower and a leader and not be a disciple. You can't be a disciple and not be a leader!

FOOD for THOUGHT - 

Encouragement and Manipulation both use the same tools, the difference is in the INTENT.

Encouragement is about what's best for others, creating better people

Manipulation is about getting others to do what you want for your gain.

Discipleship is about creating the best leaders for Christ through Spirit-filled brotherhood/sisterhood, worship, prayer, study and self examination.

An example of the disciples choosing leaders and the requirements of a leader.

Acts 6

New International Version (NIV)

The Choosing of the Seven

6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Seized

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 

Leadership has an order and a balance. 

Confident, faith-filled people make great leaders even though they are sometimes reluctant leaders.

Insecure, fear-filled people make bad leaders and are all to often too ambitious to try and lead.

The important thing to understand is that the "Confidence" or "Insecurity" are actually the outward manifestations or either a "Faith-Fill" or "Fear-Filled" life.

Another important key to understand is, In what does the leader put their faith and trust. Many start out strong but fail to produce "GOOD FRUIT" because they put their faith in themselves alone.

Where does your strength come from?

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm —

    he will watch over your life;

8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore.

SO what are the traits or qualifications of a Leader/Disciple? 

Wait for answers

Pauls lays it out quite clearly in 1 Timothy 3:

1 Timothy 3

1 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach., faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

8 In the same way, deacons[b] are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, the women[c] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Examples of great leaders:

Jesus - Son of God, Savior of the world, Seated at the right hand of the Father

Moses - Lead the Nation of Israel out of Captivity.

Joshua - Lead the Nation of Israel into the Promise Land

Paul - After his dramatic conversion, he spent 3 yrs studying and seeking God. Then went on to write 2/3rds of the N.T.

Modern Day great leaders:

Ghandi - Lead a peaceful revolution and freed a nation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghandi

Mother Theresa - Amazing example of long suffering and endless love for people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa

Winston Churchill - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill - Unifying leader during WWII

One important factor is found in the leadership style of each of those listed above and most every great leader.

Their primary function in helping others was in serving. They lead by example, they impart, teach, reveal and are a living example to those that followed.

     

Below is a link to a great resource to help you dig deeper into the importance of understanding and maximizing your leader and discipleship ability.

http://www.u-leadership.com/the_21_irrefutable_laws_of_leadership-w.pdf

Who moved my cheese

http://www.amazon.com/Who-Moved-My-Cheese-Amazing/dp/0399144463

EQUIP - WEEK 2 - HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

WEEK #2

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE:

A key to reading and studying the Bible is preparing your heart. 

Using Jesus as our example, what can we derive from watching and understanding how He lived His Life?

It's all CONNECTED!

This means; Your life can not be separated into compartments. In regards to your relationship with God, your Work life, your social life (personal, sexual, relational) and your Spiritual life (prayer, worship, discipleship ) all are reflected in your behavior "in the world" and in the church. All of these combine as factors effecting your ability to accurately see (spiritually) and understand (comprehend with your mind)  Gods Word (Holy Scriptures and Prophecy)

*note - Prophecy- prophēteia is defined as 1) prophecy

a) a discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; esp. by foretelling future events

b) Used in the NT of the utterance of OT prophets

1) of the prediction of events relating to Christ's kingdom and its speedy triumph, together with the consolations and admonitions pertaining to it, the spirit of prophecy, the divine mind, to which the prophetic faculty is due

2) of the endowment and speech of the Christian teachers called prophets

3) the gifts and utterances of these prophets, esp. of the predictions of the works of which, set apart to teach the gospel, will accomplish for the kingdom of Christ

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4394&t=KJV

Holy-קֹדֶשׁ - 1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness

a) apartness, sacredness, holiness

1) of God

2) of places

3) of things

b) set-apartness, separateness

You will SEE God Word and the world based on your attitude [flesh] (worlds view) and your Faith [spiritual] (Gods View)

Why this is so important...

MATT 5:8 

Blessed are the pure in heart, 

    for they will see God.

The condition of your heart will determine your ability to see God clearly!

Bible Scriptures in regard to Prayer!

Psalm 107:28-30 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven

Matthew 7:7  ”Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Matthew 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Mark 9:29  And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Mark 11:24  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it

Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

James 5:14-16 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Where you start

Matt 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10 your kingdom come,

your will be done,

    on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

    as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]

    but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’

Below is an extremely condensed version of Dr. Larry Lea's book, "Could you not tarry one hour"

This is a link to a more expanded version - http://www.dougandmarsha.com/essays-cws/ch19_larry_lea_prayer.pdf

Understanding this is important, so you understand that Scripture has a reason and a purpose, It's not random or pointless. By reading and studying scripture you will become closer with God and understand His call on your life.

Gospels;

Matthew -  Jewish, Written to the Jewish believers

Mark - Most likely the first Gospel written - Written to the Romans - Gentiles

Luke - According to Luke, - A physician, written to the Jewish believers

John - The "Believe Gospel" Written to all, Heavy support of Jesus the Man the SON of the Living God.

Start in John or Mark then move into Luke and Matthew followed by Acts.

Types or Studies you can do:

Word Study - Dig in and cut into the definition, origin, root and application of a word. Good for personal study

Topic Study - Great for personal and group study, broaden your understanding of core principles of your faith.

Book Study - Probably the best way to get a bigger picture of the purposes of the writings of Scripture.

Now your digging with a big shovel. Get plenty of support resources to help keep you focused and manage your study.

A Person Study - Also called Character Study, Learning about a person in the Bible, (ex. Paul the Apostle)

Here are a few other study options, it is endless.

HW: Find a new study tool and tell us why its great, what it does/ how it helps you study.

Resources to help you study:

http://www.biblegateway.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

http://concordances.org/

http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/

http://www.a.youversion.com/free-bible-apps

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/strongs-concordance-lite/id460871979?mt=8