The trumpeters and singers joined I N U N I S O N in unison, as with one voice, to ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ give praise and thanks to the LORD. -2 Chronicles 5:13 A devotional series for the choir, the worship leader, and anyone desiring to experience or lead in a deeper worship experience. [See the end of this file for more information on the complete series.] The In Unison series is written by David S. Lampel. #9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ W O R S H I P T H E K I N G Over the previous eight issues, this series has been looking at who we are--as choir members and worship leaders--and what we are called to be. This would be a good time, before we move on, to review what we have discussed. _________________________ 1. We are to be united. We join together, magnifying our praise as we magnify God together. We agree on the object of our praise and the motives with which we sing. Our intentions and focus are continually on the Lord. 2. Our worship is to be vertical. Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to "love the Lord your God." All other ministry is energized by worship. Without it, ministry will fail; with it, success is assured. Vertical worship is, simply, our telling God that we love Him. 3. Our worship should also be horizontal. The natural outflow of loving God is to also love those who are loving Him. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. -1 John 4:21 4. As worship leaders we demonstrate praise for the congregation. Following the God-ordained model of the first choirs of ancient Israel, we lead the worship of others by prompting them through our example. The choir is there to lift us up out of ourselves--to lift us up to God. 5. Worship requires preparation. It is an honorable position of responsibility to lead others in worshiping God. To do so properly, we should begin preparing early; we should worship God on our own; and we should worship Him regularly. We need to "practice the presence of God." 6. Praise is not thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is good, but it is not worship. We thank God for what He does for us; we worship Him for who He is. Thanksgiving is based on God's interaction with us; worship is based on His holy differences from us. 7. We worship out of obedience. Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God," and He called it a commandment--not a suggestion. The Father calls us to serve Him, and for some that service is to be as a worship leader in the choir. If He calls you to this, and you refuse, you're disobeying your Father; if you do this without His call, who are you serving? 8. We serve because He is Lord. We are all created by Him and for Him. How can we ration out our gifts, when those gifts have come from the Father? God equips us to serve Him. If you have a voice, He gave it to you for singing His praise. _________________________ You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. -Rev 4:11 NIV _________________________ As much as God desires our praise, Satan desires to prevent it. We live in a world in which his minions clamor to distract us from the things of God. Use the following checklist to keep your focus on track. * Do I acknowledge that God created me for His glory --that my singing is His gift entrusted to me, and should be used in His service? * As I enter this rehearsal or worship service, are my thoughts and desires for Him? Do I enter the room with a heart of gratitude for His gifts, eager to give them back in praise? * Am I singing to and for the Lord, or for myself? Am I here only because it's fun or convenient--or am I here to serve and worship my God? * Do I approach the worship service with a commitment to be an example for others? Is my every action intended to lead others toward God's holiness? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Supplement to #9 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created. -Psalm 148:1-5 "Here is good argument: The Maker should have honour from His works, they should tell forth His praise; and thus they should praise His name--by which His character is intended. The name of Jehovah is written legibly upon His works, so that His power, wisdom, goodness, and other attributes are there made manifest to thoughtful men, and thus His name is praised. The highest praise of God is to declare what He is. We can invent nothing which would magnify the Lord: we can never extol Him better than by repeating His name, or describing His character." (Charles Haddon Spurgeon in The Treasury of David) _________________________ More (slightly more pointed) questions we might ask ourselves: * Has choir practice become simply a necessary inconvenience, which I attend grudgingly, or do I approach it as one more opportunity to serve and worship my God? * If I attend reluctantly, what does this say about my motives--my reason for singing in the choir? * Even with pure intentions, what do I need to do (personally) to prepare my heart, my mind and my spirit for worship and the leading of others in worship? * When the choir is leading worship, do my appearance, dress, and manner reflect my purpose in being there? (Am I dressing for the Lord, myself, or my friends in the pews?) * Am I careful to do nothing that would detract from the meaningful worship of others? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright Information --------------------- All original material in IN UNISON is Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel. This data file is the sole property of David S. Lampel. It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions of this data file must contain the copyright notice (i.e., "Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel."). This data file may not be used without the permission of David S. Lampel for resale or the enhancement of any other product sold. This includes all of its content. With the appropriate copyright notice, this file may be used to enhance or supplement personal or church devotions, newsletters, journals, or spoken messages. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture is from the New International Version. NIV quotations are from the Holy Bible: New International Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission. NASB quotations are from the New American Standard Bible (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Unison was originally written for Music Ministers and Choir Directors to use in conjunction with their weekly rehearsals. It was syndicated in printed form, camera-ready for inclusion in choir newsletters or to be read to the choir as a devotional. It has also been used by Pastors and lay-leaders in many capacities. In Unison is evangelical, and speaks from the position that the choir does not perform for its own pleasure--nor for the pleasure of the congregation--but is, instead, a "prompter" leading and demonstrating the corporate worship for the pleasure of God. Each choir member--as well as every other leader standing on the platform--is responsible to do everything to point the congregation upward to God. In Unison also encourages individual and corporate excellence, based on the premise that after His sacrifice for us, our Lord deserves nothing less. Most issues of In Unison consist of two parts: * The main article has been written to be the "public" portion--either re-printed for each choir member or read to them during a devotional time. * The Supplemental material (accompanying most issues) has been included for the director or leader to use as background to further his or her own study. There is a total of 19 issues making up the complete In Unison series, representing by the following outline: 1. With One Voice 11. Because He Deserves It 2. Up Words 12. A Longing to Be Near Him 3. Loving One Another 13. Excellence: Beginning 4. Demonstrating Praise 14. Excellence: The Debt 5. The Spirit and the Flesh 15. Excellence: For the Prize 6. Three Little Words 16. Excellence: Why? 7. Obeying Our Parent 17. To Be Like Him 8. A Fragrant Offering 18. In Spirit and Truth 9. Worship the King 19. Honesty 10. His Wish, Our Desire ------------------------------------------------------------------- In Unison is distributed free-of-charge, without obligation, in service to our Lord and to His glory. Reader opinions are always welcome, as are insights into the published material. Send all comments to the address below. We always appreciate hearing when someone has been edified by this work. ------------------------------------------------------------------- To receive the complete series via e-mail, inquire with questions, or comment on the material send your request to: "dlampel@dlampel.com" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ David S. Lampel "For from Him and through Him Winterset, IA USA and to Him are all things. dlampel@dlampel.com To Him be the glory forever. Amen." (Rom 11:36) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/in.unison: inu-009.txt