Diversity in Worship

AT WHAT TIME SHOULD I PRAISE THE LORD?

"Through Jesus let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name." Hebrews 13:15 "And they shall stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord." 1 Chronicles 23:30 "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to thy name, O most high; to declare thy steadfast love in the morning, and thy faithfulness by night." Psalm 92:1 "Every day I will bless thee and praise thy name forever and ever." Psalm 145:2 "Seven times a day I praise thee for thy righteous commandments." Psalm 119:164 "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1

SHOULD I BE BOLD AND SPEAK OUT PRAISES TO GOD WITHIN OUR CONGREGATION?

"I will tell of thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee." Psalm 22:22 "In the great congregation I will bless the Lord." Psalm 26:12 "I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart in the company of the upright, in the congregation." Psalm 111:1

CAN I SING AS A FORM OF WORSHIP TO GOD?

"For it is good to sing praises to our God for He is gracious and a song of praise is fitting." Psalm 147:1 "Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16 "Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart." Ephesians 5:19 "I will sing praises to thee among the nations." Psalm 108:13

BUT WHAT IF I CANNOT SING WELL?

"Make a joyful NOISE to the Lord, all the earth break forth into joyous song and sing praises." Psalm 98:4 "O sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord ALL the earth." Psalm 96:1 "Shout to God with loud songs of joy." Psalm 47:1b

IF I GET EXCITED CAN I CLAP MY HANDS?

"Clap your hands all peoples. . ." Psalm 47:1a

SOME PEOPLE PRAY LIFTING THEIR HANDS. IS THAT OKAY?

"I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer." 1 Timothy 2:8 "Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord." Psalm 134:2 "Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven." 1 Kings 8:54

IS IT ALRIGHT TO STAND WHEN I PRAY AND WORSHIP?

"The Pharisee STOOD up and prayed about himself. . . But the tax collector also STOOD at a distance." Luke 18:11,13 "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone. . ." Mark 11:25 "Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward heaven and said. . ." 1 Kings 8:22

CAN I KNEEL WHEN I PRAY?

"Let us kneel before the Lord our maker." Psalm 95:6 "And Jesus withdrew from them about a stone's throw and knelt down and prayed." Luke 22:41 "And kneeling down on the beach we prayed and said good-by to one another." Acts 21:5 "Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before." Daniel 6:10 "When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed." Acts 20:36

CAN I LIE DOWN FLAT BEFORE THE LORD?

"Going a little farther, Jesus fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" Matthew 26:39 "Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them." Numbers 20:6

AM I ALLOWED TO PLAY INSTRUMENTS AS A FORM OF WORSHIP?

"Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the string and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals." Psalm 150:3-5 "David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals." 1 Chronicles 15:16 "The whole assembly worshipped and the singers sang and the trumpeters played. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was finished." 2 Chronicles 29:28

CAN I WORSHIP GOD WITH MY FEET, TOO?

"Let them praise His name with dancing." Psalm 149:3 "Praise Him with timbrel and dance." Psalm 150:4 "Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing." Exodus 15:20

CAN I WORSHIP BY PRAYING IN A TONGUE?

"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God." Acts 10:44-46 "When you come together each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation." 1 Corinthians 14:26 "Do not forbid speaking in tongues, but all things should be done decently and in order." 1 Corinthians 14:40

CAN GOD BE WORSHIPPED THROUGH A PROPHECY?

"David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service. . .who prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the Lord." 1 Chronicles 25:1-3 "Zechariah, the father of John (the Baptist), was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 'Praise be to the Lord. . .'" Luke 1:67