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HSS2401012

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    ♪ theme music ♪
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    (Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,
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    an in-depth, interactive study
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    of the Word of God.
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    I'm excited about the topic today as we
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    continue our series through The Psalms,
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    Worship That Never Ends.
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    What a great topic,
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    and I know you'll be blessed,
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    so welcome to Hope Sabbath School.
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    Welcome to the team,
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    good to be together again.
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    Take a look at each other and wave.
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    We represent the whole world,
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    and I'm excited that John's going
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    to be leading our study today.
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    What a great study,
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    Worship That Never Ends.
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    We've also got some remote team members
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    with us today, always happy to have them.
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    Heide, good to see you again,
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    glad you're with us.
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    Leeah, great to have you
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    on the team today.
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    And, Travis, always good
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    to have you with us.
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    I'm so thankful for our remote team
    members
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    as well as the team here in the studio.
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    But I'm thankful for you, too,
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    because you are part of our global family.
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    And when you answer a question,
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    when John asks and you
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    raise your hand, you're part
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    of that in-depth, interactive study
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    of the Word of God.
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    We're always happy to hear from you,
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    and here are just a few emails
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    we've received recently.
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    Kanchele writes from Zambia.
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    Do we get a lot of emails from Zambia?
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    Kanchele writes and says,
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    "My name is Evangelist Kanchele,"
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    now, that's significant as I read on,
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    "from Zambia, in the western part
    that is Mongu.
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    Hope Sabbath School has changed my life
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    in so many ways,
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    and Hope Sabbath School is one
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    that made me to be an evangelist!"
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    (Team) Praise God.
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    (Derek) "I love the way
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    the Bible is presented.
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    God bless you, Hope Sabbath School,"
    and we say...?
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    (Team) Amen.
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    (Derek) Isn't that amazing?
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    You've got an evangelist
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    in Western Zambia who was encouraged
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    to serve the Lord
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    through Hope Sabbath School.
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    Thank you for writing to us, Kanchele.
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    Here is another note.
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    This one is from Mozambique,
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    and the person writes and says,
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    Joaquim from Mazambique,
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    "Hello, Pastor Derek
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    and all the Hope Sabbath School team!
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    First, I want to make it clear
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    that I'm not good in English.
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    I'm from Mozambique, so the main thing
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    that I appreciate in the program
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    is how you make the Word of God
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    so easy to understand.
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    May God bless you all, Joaquim." Amen?
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    (Team) Amen.
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    (Derek) Well, we're glad.
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    We just launched
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    a Hope Channel in Mozambique,
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    and actually our Portuguese-speaking
    channel
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    in Brazil, Novo Tempo, helped launch
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    the channel in Mozambique. Amen?
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    We're all working together,
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    so really exciting to hear
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    what God is doing.
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    Well, here's a hand-written note
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    from a donor couple in California
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    in the United States, and they write
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    and say, "We always enjoy listening
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    to Hope Sabbath School
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    and seeing your faces.
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    All these years we feel like
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    we know you all.
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    You all make Hope Sabbath School
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    flow easily, and we share your thoughts
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    with our own Bible class
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    here in California," and a donation
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    of 400 dollars to bless the ministry
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    of Hope Sabbath School. Amen?
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    I want to say thank you, donor couple,
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    you know who you are.
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    And thanks to each one of you,
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    because we're all part
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    of this miracle of God
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    called Hope Sabbath School.
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    It's a donor-supported ministry.
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    Thank you to this couple,
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    but thank you to you, too.
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    You can go to our website,
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    hopetv.org/hopess.
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    Maybe someone just left you
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    an inheritance, or you see
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    that you have 30 dollars a month
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    that you could set aside
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    for laying up some treasure in Heaven.
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    Go to the website, click on Donate,
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    and say, "Thank You, Lord,
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    for what You're doing
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    through Hope Sabbath School."
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    Well, one last note,
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    from Rosemary in Arkansas
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    in the United States of America.
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    Rosemary says, "I love Hope Sabbath School
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    because of the...," what do you think?
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    Diversity, "...diversity of the group.
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    I learn a great deal, every program,
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    and I love the Scripture songs, too.
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    I've been watching so long,"
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    writes Rosemary, "I feel like
    you're family.
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    Thanks for all you do."
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    Well, Rosemary, thanks for writing to us,
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    and actually, you said you like the songs,
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    we need you to help us sing
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    the theme song today.
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    Could you do that?
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    But before we start the music,
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    I just want to give you another reminder
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    about a wonderful collection
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    of Trilogy Scripture Songs
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    from the Psalms; there are six songs
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    including our theme song from Psalm 105.
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    And you can just go to our website,
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    hopetv.org/hopess,
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    click on the Free Gift tab.
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    If you don't know how to do that,
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    ask a youngster in your family to do that,
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    and they'll find it there and download
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    that collection of six songs.
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    You can share those with friends.
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    Hide God's Word in your heart,
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    including our theme song, and God will
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    bring that to your remembrance.
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    The Holy Spirit will help you
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    when you need to remember those words.
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    Right now, we're going to sing
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    one of those six songs, from Psalm 105,
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    "Oh, give thanks to the Lord."
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    Let's sing together.
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    ♪ music ♪
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    (Derek) I just love that song, don't you?
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    Three thousand years old
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    but a new melody, and what a beautiful way
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    to begin our study.
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    John, thanks for leading us in prayer.
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    (John) Thank you, Pastor Derek.
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    Let's pray as we begin.
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    Loving heavenly Father, thank You so much
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    for this time You have given us as we are
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    coming to the tail end of our study
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    in the book of Psalms.
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    I pray, dear God, that we
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    will go away praising You
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    and singing praises to You, even now.
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    I pray these things
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    in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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    (Derek, Team) Amen.
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    (John) In the book of Psalms,
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    we have been looking at how these psalms
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    have been used in worship services
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    of the sanctuary back then.
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    And even here at Hope Sabbath School
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    we put new tunes to these psalms
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    and we sing them.
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    And in our study, we're going
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    to look at worship itself.
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    While psalms are being used
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    in worship services, today we're going
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    to be looking at worship itself.
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    And here at Hope Sabbath School,
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    we consult the Bible for what worship is,
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    and not culture in general,
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    and we praise God for that.
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    So before we begin, we want
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    to define what worship is,
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    and so the question to you:
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    What is worship?
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    What do you think worship is? Jason?
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    (Jason) When I think about it,
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    it really just comes
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    to how we conduct ourselves.
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    In the way we conduct ourselves,
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    whether through thought, actions or words,
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    we're basically honoring God
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    in all those aspects
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    and giving honor to His name.
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    (John) Giving honor to God's name. Yes.
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    (Scott) Ultimately worship is God-focused
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    and not self-focused.
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    (John) God-focused, not self-focused.
    Pedro.
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    (Pedro) It's the way that we can
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    respond to God and His love.
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    There is nothing I can give to God
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    other than to worship Him.
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    (John) A response to God's love.
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    (Derek) So, we're all talking about God,
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    but people worship all kinds of things.
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    Some people worship idols,
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    some people worship movie stars,
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    some people worship themselves,
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    so I think at the very fundamental level
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    worship is ascribing worth,
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    value, to something.
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    And supreme worship, of course,
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    only one Person deserves that,
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    and that is God Himself.
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    We ascribe worth to Him
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    when we worship Him.
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    And I certainly agree
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    that can be in our words,
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    in our actions, in our thoughts.
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    But we need to, like you said, focus
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    on worship of God, because people
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    can worship other things.
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    (John) And just to follow your thought,
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    Pastor Derek, there is someone
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    who said that worship is
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    to see what God is worth
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    and to give Him what He's worth.
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    (Derek) Beautiful.
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    (John) To see the worth of God
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    and to give all that is worthy to Him.
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    So, at the University of Denver,
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    they released a study about communication,
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    and this is what they said.
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    They said, "Communication consists
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    of 55 percent body language,
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    38 percent paralanguage,
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    and 7 percent verbal content."
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    So, there is a lot
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    of nonverbal communication
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    that happens when we speak,
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    and so with worship, gestures and posture
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    also play a role in worship
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    because they communicate to God
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    what we want to express.
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    And so, we're going to look
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    at one of the gestures
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    that the Bible talks about
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    which is lifting up our hands in worship.
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    Now, we're going to see what the Bible
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    has to say about it.
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    If I can have Lilica please read to us
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    from Psalm 134 and verse 2,
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    Psalm 134 and verse 2.
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    What does the Bible mean when it talks
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    about lifting up our hands to God?
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    (Lilica) I'll be reading
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    from the New King James Version,
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    Psalm 134, verse 2:
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    (John) Okay, thank you, Lilica.
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    So, here in this text, what does
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    lifting up the hands mean. Yes, Pedro.
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    (Pedro) To worship God, to bless Him.
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    (John) Okay, to worship God,
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    to bless Him. Scott?
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    (Scott) I was going to say the same thing.
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    Verse 1 says, "Come, bless the Lord,"
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    and that gives us the context of verse 2.
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    (John) That's right, to bless the Lord.
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    And in talking about context, Scott,
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    here the context is those who are
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    ministering in the temple are called
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    to lift up their hands and bless God.
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    Now, this gesture expresses adoration,
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    and this gesture indicates the object
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    of praise is God and not ourselves,
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    and that the entire person is involved
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    in worshiping God
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    or giving praises to God.
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    Let's look at another text,
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    Lamentations, chapter 2 and verse 19,
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    Lamentations, chapter 2 and verse 19.
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    And if I can have Jason please read that
    for us.
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    (Jason) It will be my pleasure.
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    Lamentations, chapter 2, verse 19, says:
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    (John) Okay, thank you.
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    So, here what is the meaning
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    of lifting ones hands toward the heavens,
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    in Lamentations? Yes, Jason?
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    (Jason) It seems like a cry out,
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    like desperation, like, "Lord," you know,
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    giving up yourself, surrendering
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    in a sense, I'm taking from that text.
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    (John) Okay, so in Psalms we're seeing
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    that lifting up our hands means
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    to praise God, to give Him glory,
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    but here in Lamentations we're seeing
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    out of desperation
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    we're crying out to God,
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    and we want to receive help from Him.
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    And so, what we are beginning to see
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    is that lifting up hands
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    means different things
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    in different contexts, but all of that
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    is focused toward God.
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    To Him we praise, and He is
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    the object of worship, and He is
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    the giver of all blessings
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    and the answer to our prayers.
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    Let's look at one more verse,
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    in the New Testament, 1 Timothy,
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    chapter 2 and verse 8, if I can have
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    Scott please read that for us,
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    1 Timothy, chapter 2 and verse 8.
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    Paul is instructing his, if I can use
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    the term, young intern Timothy
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    how one ought to conduct himself
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    in the house of God.
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    (Scott) Yes, it says:
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    (John) Okay, so we see,
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    not only in the Old Testament
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    but also the New Testament, in the church
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    we find that lifting up of hands
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    is being allowed.
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    Lifting up of hands is being allowed.
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    So, question, is it fine for us
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    to lift our hands in worship? Yes, Scott.
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    (Scott) I was raised in a setting
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    where people were rather skeptical
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    of lifting hands.
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    They associate it
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    with Pentecostalism or other things,
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    but when I read the Bible,
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    I don't find that there.
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    Lifting hands is biblical,
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    and so it's not a habit I was raised with,
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    but it's something that's biblical.
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    (John) Yes, Tendi.
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    (Tendi) Like you said,
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    lifting up your hand
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    depends on the context.
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    If you're in church, and the pastor
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    is preaching, for example,
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    you cannot lift your hands;
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    you need to be reverent.
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    But if there is worship, if there is
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    a song that compels your spirit
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    to lift your hands, then you can.
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    (John) Okay, you used
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    a very important word.
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    Here actually in Timothy, Paul talks
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    to Timothy about the importance
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    of reverence in God's house.
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    And so, lifting up hands
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    is not supposed to be irreverent.
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    It should not be irreverent;
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    there should be reverence
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    that should be entailed
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    along with that. Pastor Derek?
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    (Derek) And also in the Sermon
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    on the Mount, Jesus says in anything
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    to do with worship, whether it's
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    prayer or fasting or whatever,
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    don't do something
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    to draw attention to yourself.
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    I'm thinking of the my wife's grandmother
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    who was from China, and she would
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    kowtow when she prayed.
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    You know what kowtowing is, right?
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    But she wouldn't do that on a platform
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    or in front of everybody.
  • 16:08 - 16:09
    She would do that when she
  • 16:09 - 16:11
    went to her closet to pray,
  • 16:11 - 16:13
    because it was part of her culture.
  • 16:13 - 16:15
    It was her way, actually,
  • 16:15 - 16:17
    of showing reverence to God
    in her culture.
  • 16:17 - 16:19
    But I think the principle
  • 16:19 - 16:22
    in the Sermon on the Mount is that we
  • 16:22 - 16:26
    are sensitive that we're not just becoming
  • 16:26 - 16:29
    the center of attention,
    drawing attention.
  • 16:29 - 16:30
    Jesus talks about praying
  • 16:30 - 16:32
    on street corners so that you
  • 16:32 - 16:34
    can be seen by people.
  • 16:34 - 16:36
    (John) That's right, and we'll go
  • 16:36 - 16:37
    to that verse, Pastor Derek,
  • 16:37 - 16:39
    but I want to take a few comments.
  • 16:39 - 16:40
    Pedro and then Travis.
  • 16:40 - 16:42
    (Pedro) I see the importance here
  • 16:42 - 16:44
    of giving blessing and receiving blessing.
  • 16:44 - 16:46
    Obviously, God is inviting us,
  • 16:46 - 16:48
    I found it fascinating, inviting us
    to bless Him.
  • 16:48 - 16:51
    It's a practice we might not partake of
  • 16:51 - 16:53
    with our hands and our actions.
  • 16:53 - 16:55
    I see our hands as surrendering,
  • 16:55 - 16:57
    and when I look at Timothy here, there is
  • 16:57 - 16:58
    the aspect of lifting up your hands
  • 16:58 - 16:59
    in a negative way,
  • 16:59 - 17:01
    There is a positive way
  • 17:01 - 17:02
    of lifting up our hands
  • 17:02 - 17:03
    and a negative way.
  • 17:03 - 17:04
    And we should say,
  • 17:04 - 17:06
    "My works are of the Lord," as I think
  • 17:06 - 17:08
    that's what we're seeing here.
  • 17:08 - 17:10
    [Paul] is saying, "I'm worshiping You
  • 17:10 - 17:13
    by saying my actions are Your actions."
  • 17:13 - 17:16
    And that is important for us to understand
  • 17:16 - 17:17
    the context that we're in,
  • 17:17 - 17:19
    like drawing attention to God
  • 17:19 - 17:21
    and not to ourselves.
  • 17:21 - 17:23
    (John) Exactly, something
  • 17:23 - 17:24
    that Pastor Derek said,
  • 17:24 - 17:25
    and you are repeating, Pedro,
  • 17:25 - 17:27
    which is important, is context.
  • 17:27 - 17:29
    We need to know where we are
  • 17:29 - 17:30
    and what we're doing,
  • 17:30 - 17:31
    and why we are doing it.
  • 17:31 - 17:33
    And not just because everyone is doing it,
  • 17:33 - 17:35
    but the reason why it's
  • 17:35 - 17:38
    being done. Travis.
  • 17:38 - 17:39
    (Travis) I was just going to say
  • 17:39 - 17:40
    what Pastor Derek said.
  • 17:40 - 17:46
    If we're praising God and not trying
  • 17:46 - 17:48
    to draw attention to ourselves,
  • 17:48 - 17:50
    I don't think there is anything wrong
  • 17:50 - 17:51
    with lifting your hands to heaven
  • 17:51 - 17:53
    in adoration to God.
  • 17:53 - 17:55
    (John) Okay, so the Scripture is clear
  • 17:55 - 17:57
    that lifting up our hands
  • 17:57 - 18:00
    to God in prayer is fine.
  • 18:00 - 18:03
    And one Bible scholar writes
  • 18:03 - 18:05
    that it's not a prescription,
  • 18:05 - 18:06
    but the Bible is describing
  • 18:06 - 18:09
    that it is allowed.
  • 18:09 - 18:11
    But if a person doesn't do that,
  • 18:11 - 18:12
    that doesn't mean that God
  • 18:12 - 18:14
    is not being praised or that God
  • 18:14 - 18:16
    is not answering their prayers either.
  • 18:16 - 18:20
    And so, there is room for both.
  • 18:20 - 18:21
    Now, there are times
  • 18:21 - 18:23
    when lifting up our hands to God
  • 18:23 - 18:26
    is inappropriate, or other ways
  • 18:26 - 18:28
    of doing it, and, Pastor Derek,
  • 18:28 - 18:29
    you alluded to it.
  • 18:29 - 18:31
    Let's go to Matthew, chapter 6,
  • 18:31 - 18:33
    verses 5 and 6; if I can ask Puia
  • 18:33 - 18:35
    to please read that for us.
  • 18:35 - 18:37
    (Puia) Sure, and I'll be reading
  • 18:37 - 18:38
    from the New King James Version,
  • 18:38 - 18:41
    Matthew 6, verses 5 and 6:
  • 19:12 - 19:13
    (John) Thank you, Puia.
  • 19:13 - 19:15
    So, question: Are there times
  • 19:15 - 19:17
    when lifting up our hands
  • 19:17 - 19:18
    is not appropriate?
  • 19:18 - 19:20
    What do you think? Yes, Scott.
  • 19:20 - 19:22
    (Scott) Worship is one of those things
  • 19:22 - 19:25
    that has a significant cultural element
  • 19:25 - 19:27
    to it, and with a worldwide audience,
  • 19:27 - 19:28
    there are different people
  • 19:28 - 19:31
    who feel different ways about it.
  • 19:31 - 19:33
    And I think, as Derek mentioned,
  • 19:33 - 19:36
    sometimes if we insist on expressing
  • 19:36 - 19:38
    worship the way we're comfortable with
  • 19:38 - 19:40
    in a setting where the people
  • 19:40 - 19:41
    around us aren't comfortable
  • 19:41 - 19:43
    with that same expression, it can cause
  • 19:43 - 19:46
    distraction, even if it's not intentional.
  • 19:46 - 19:48
    And it can cause trouble
  • 19:48 - 19:50
    that doesn't need to be caused.
  • 19:50 - 19:52
    (John) Okay, a distraction, a distraction
  • 19:52 - 19:54
    where the focus is not so much on God
  • 19:54 - 19:57
    but more about what I am doing.
  • 19:57 - 19:58
    And that's what these Pharisees
  • 19:58 - 20:00
    were doing; they would stand
  • 20:00 - 20:02
    on street corners, and they
  • 20:02 - 20:03
    would pray aloud because they wanted
  • 20:03 - 20:06
    others to know, "See how righteous I am."
  • 20:06 - 20:10
    And if those kinds of attitudes are
  • 20:10 - 20:13
    what we have when lifting up our hands,
  • 20:13 - 20:15
    that is to be avoided. Yes, Pedro.
  • 20:15 - 20:16
    (Pedro) And I see the importance
  • 20:16 - 20:18
    for us to care for others; Jesus told us
  • 20:18 - 20:20
    to love others as ourselves.
  • 20:20 - 20:23
    And drawing attention to ourselves
  • 20:23 - 20:24
    in a room and saying, "Well, I'm
  • 20:24 - 20:25
    doing this for God,"
  • 20:25 - 20:27
    is not about the people around me.
  • 20:27 - 20:29
    And God says to care for those around us.
  • 20:29 - 20:30
    We are our brother's keeper.
  • 20:30 - 20:32
    In the same way, if we're
  • 20:32 - 20:33
    seeing someone doing it,
  • 20:33 - 20:35
    remember it's your brother, your sister.
  • 20:35 - 20:36
    Don't rebuke people for no reason.
  • 20:36 - 20:39
    If they are adoring God, allow them
  • 20:39 - 20:42
    to worship God with their hearts.
  • 20:42 - 20:43
    (John) Exactly. Yes, Stephanie,
  • 20:43 - 20:45
    you seem to have something to say?
  • 20:45 - 20:47
    (Stephanie) I was just thinking that it's
  • 20:47 - 20:49
    really a principle; it's a matter
  • 20:49 - 20:52
    of principle that whatever we do,
  • 20:52 - 20:54
    we do it to honor God in worship.
  • 20:54 - 20:55
    That's the principle.
  • 20:55 - 20:59
    (John) Exactly. And Leeah.
  • 20:59 - 21:00
    (Leeah) I think it's very true
  • 21:00 - 21:03
    that sometimes how we conduct ourselves
  • 21:03 - 21:04
    physically in worship can be
  • 21:04 - 21:05
    a distraction to others.
  • 21:05 - 21:08
    But I've also found that sometimes
  • 21:08 - 21:10
    it can be an encouragement to others.
  • 21:10 - 21:12
    Sometimes people are ashamed
  • 21:12 - 21:13
    that, you know, maybe they want
  • 21:13 - 21:14
    to lift their hands,
  • 21:14 - 21:16
    but they're uncomfortable doing so.
  • 21:16 - 21:18
    So maybe sometimes our expression
  • 21:18 - 21:19
    can give other people the freedom
  • 21:19 - 21:20
    to express themselves
  • 21:20 - 21:22
    before the Lord as well.
  • 21:22 - 21:25
    (John) Amen. Yes, Nancy?
  • 21:25 - 21:27
    (Nancy) It has to do with our attitude.
  • 21:27 - 21:29
    If we have an attitude of worship,
  • 21:29 - 21:33
    then yes, I think it will be noticed
  • 21:33 - 21:35
    by those who are around us.
  • 21:35 - 21:38
    But the most important thing is for us
  • 21:38 - 21:42
    to truly be honoring God in our worship.
  • 21:42 - 21:46
    (John) Amen. Travis, I saw your hand.
  • 21:46 - 21:48
    (Travis) I was just going to comment
  • 21:48 - 21:51
    on what was mentioned earlier
  • 21:51 - 21:54
    about principle, and I think John
  • 21:54 - 21:57
    the Baptist clearly held this principle
  • 21:57 - 21:59
    in high regard, and it's John,
  • 21:59 - 22:04
    chapter 3:30, and he says, "Jesus
  • 22:04 - 22:06
    must increase, and I must decrease."
  • 22:06 - 22:11
    So understanding who God is
  • 22:11 - 22:13
    is really essential
  • 22:13 - 22:14
    and I think is the principle.
  • 22:14 - 22:17
    It's not about us; it's about Jesus.
  • 22:17 - 22:19
    (John) Right. Pastor.
  • 22:19 - 22:20
    (Derek) I just want to affirm
  • 22:20 - 22:22
    what Leeah said, because if a person
  • 22:22 - 22:24
    is leading worship and they're frowning -
  • 22:24 - 22:26
    you talked about body language -
  • 22:26 - 22:29
    and it's like, "Let's rejoice
    in the Lord."
  • 22:29 - 22:31
    And people are like, "I don't believe you.
  • 22:31 - 22:34
    You don't look like you're rejoicing."
  • 22:34 - 22:35
    So, I don't want to be the focus
  • 22:35 - 22:37
    of attention, but I do want,
  • 22:37 - 22:40
    as Jason said earlier, my whole body
  • 22:40 - 22:43
    to communicate how great God is.
  • 22:43 - 22:46
    And I think that's where we're just asking
  • 22:46 - 22:48
    the Holy Spirit to guide us
  • 22:48 - 22:52
    as to what is an appropriate way
  • 22:52 - 22:54
    with our words, with our body language,
  • 22:54 - 22:56
    with the way that we say those words
  • 22:56 - 22:58
    to really honor God.
  • 22:58 - 22:59
    (John) Exactly. What's amazing
  • 22:59 - 23:03
    is that the Bible is very balanced.
  • 23:03 - 23:05
    It's giving room for...If you want
  • 23:05 - 23:07
    to express your praise to God,
  • 23:07 - 23:08
    your prayers to God,
  • 23:08 - 23:10
    using your hands is absolutely fine.
  • 23:10 - 23:12
    But on the other hand, it is
  • 23:12 - 23:13
    important that we don't have
  • 23:13 - 23:15
    a self-centered attitude
  • 23:15 - 23:17
    or even at times borrow from culture
  • 23:17 - 23:19
    the practicing of waving hands
  • 23:19 - 23:21
    and lifting up our hands
  • 23:21 - 23:24
    and saying that we're praising God,
  • 23:24 - 23:26
    but it's really coming out from culture.
  • 23:26 - 23:28
    But it ought to come
  • 23:28 - 23:31
    from the sole purpose of praising God
  • 23:31 - 23:33
    and offering to God our praise.
  • 23:33 - 23:35
    Puia and then we'll go to the next point.
  • 23:35 - 23:37
    (Puia) Yes, I just wanted to highlight
  • 23:37 - 23:39
    also the point from Matthew 6
  • 23:39 - 23:41
    where we read, Jesus, I believe,
  • 23:41 - 23:43
    differentiated the way
  • 23:43 - 23:45
    you worship God individually
  • 23:45 - 23:47
    versus in a group, right?
  • 23:47 - 23:49
    So, I think it's important to be mindful
  • 23:49 - 23:50
    about how we worship God
  • 23:50 - 23:51
    when we come as a group.
  • 23:51 - 23:53
    But when you go into the closet,
  • 23:53 - 23:54
    and you pray before God,
  • 23:54 - 23:57
    lift up your hands, and maybe you want
  • 23:57 - 23:58
    to move around as you pray.
  • 23:58 - 24:00
    Sometimes I pray while walking,
  • 24:00 - 24:02
    so I think you can differentiate
  • 24:02 - 24:04
    between individual worship
  • 24:04 - 24:06
    versus group worship as well.
  • 24:06 - 24:08
    (John) Thank you, Puia.
  • 24:08 - 24:10
    So we're having a lively discussion here
  • 24:10 - 24:14
    about lifting up our hands. Stephanie?
  • 24:14 - 24:15
    (Stephanie) Something else
  • 24:15 - 24:17
    that came to my mind is, really, we're
  • 24:17 - 24:18
    the only ones that know
  • 24:18 - 24:20
    if our relationship with God
  • 24:20 - 24:23
    is allowing us to truly honor Him
  • 24:23 - 24:26
    when we're doing anything in worship.
  • 24:26 - 24:29
    So, it's very difficult to be able
  • 24:29 - 24:31
    to judge someone's motives.
  • 24:31 - 24:34
    And that's hard, right?
  • 24:34 - 24:37
    But really we need to pray that God
  • 24:37 - 24:39
    will use that person,
  • 24:39 - 24:41
    wherever they're at, and trust
  • 24:41 - 24:43
    that God will lead them.
  • 24:43 - 24:44
    (John) Sure. Thank you all
  • 24:44 - 24:45
    for your comments.
  • 24:45 - 24:47
    And maybe those of you who are watching
  • 24:47 - 24:50
    either on YouTube or on TV, you know,
  • 24:50 - 24:51
    write down what you think
  • 24:51 - 24:54
    about this topic on our YouTube channel
  • 24:54 - 24:56
    or Facebook page, or email to us
  • 24:56 - 24:58
    what you think about this topic,
  • 24:58 - 25:00
    because you are also part
  • 25:00 - 25:02
    of this discussion.
  • 25:02 - 25:04
    Let's go to our next topic here,
  • 25:04 - 25:07
    praising the Lord with our whole hearts.
  • 25:07 - 25:12
    If I can ask Nancy to please read to us
  • 25:12 - 25:15
    from Psalm, chapter 9, verses 1 and 2,
  • 25:15 - 25:19
    Psalm, chapter 9, verses 1 and 2.
  • 25:19 - 25:20
    (Nancy) I'm reading
  • 25:20 - 25:22
    from the New American Standard Bible:
  • 25:37 - 25:39
    (John) Okay, thank you.
  • 25:39 - 25:41
    So, here the psalmist is saying
  • 25:41 - 25:43
    that he will give thanks to the Lord
  • 25:43 - 25:45
    with his whole heart.
  • 25:45 - 25:47
    So in contrast, is it possible
  • 25:47 - 25:51
    to give thanks to God half-heartedly?
  • 25:51 - 25:52
    (Team Member) Sure.
  • 25:52 - 25:54
    (John) For sure, right?
  • 25:54 - 25:58
    What does it mean, actually, to praise God
  • 25:58 - 26:00
    with our whole heart?
  • 26:00 - 26:03
    What does that look like practically?
    Stephanie?
  • 26:03 - 26:05
    (Stephanie) I feel like it means
  • 26:05 - 26:06
    a full surrender to Jesus.
  • 26:06 - 26:08
    We're fully surrendered to Him,
  • 26:08 - 26:10
    and so we're giving Him praise
  • 26:10 - 26:11
    with all of our heart.
  • 26:11 - 26:13
    He has everything of us.
  • 26:13 - 26:14
    (John) Okay. Heide?
  • 26:14 - 26:16
    (Heide) I think that he's answering it
  • 26:16 - 26:18
    right here in this verse
  • 26:18 - 26:20
    because he's telling you, "I will tell
  • 26:20 - 26:22
    of Your marvelous works."
  • 26:22 - 26:24
    In other words, share what God
  • 26:24 - 26:28
    has actually literally done in your life.
  • 26:28 - 26:30
    And he's also telling you,
  • 26:30 - 26:33
    being glad, that's a way that we are
  • 26:33 - 26:35
    praising the Lord with our whole hearts,
  • 26:35 - 26:39
    just by continuing to be full of joy
  • 26:39 - 26:41
    amidst the trials of life.
  • 26:41 - 26:46
    We're also praising the Lord by singing;
  • 26:46 - 26:48
    he's telling us this is another way
  • 26:48 - 26:52
    that you can praise Him and worship Him.
  • 26:52 - 26:54
    So he's telling us right here
  • 26:54 - 26:56
    what we need to do.
  • 26:56 - 26:58
    (John) Okay, thank you, Heide. Puia.
  • 26:58 - 27:00
    (Puia) I just wanted to comment
  • 27:00 - 27:03
    that sometimes life can be difficult,
  • 27:03 - 27:07
    and we may not be able to give praise
  • 27:07 - 27:08
    to God with all our hearts
  • 27:08 - 27:11
    and with joy and gladness all the time.
  • 27:11 - 27:12
    But I think the key point is
  • 27:12 - 27:14
    to just come to God.
  • 27:14 - 27:15
    Just come to God and come to Him
  • 27:15 - 27:17
    with your trouble, and as Stephanie
  • 27:17 - 27:19
    pointed out, surrender
  • 27:19 - 27:20
    your troubles to Him.
  • 27:20 - 27:22
    And I believe that's the key point
  • 27:22 - 27:24
    about praising God with our whole heart.
  • 27:24 - 27:26
    (John) I want to focus on something
  • 27:26 - 27:29
    that you said, Puia, "Just come to God."
  • 27:29 - 27:31
    You know, sometimes when we recognize
  • 27:31 - 27:33
    that we are not wholehearted
  • 27:33 - 27:34
    in wanting to worship God
  • 27:34 - 27:36
    or wanting to follow His truth,
  • 27:36 - 27:37
    the amazing thing about God
  • 27:37 - 27:40
    is that you can be honest to Him about it.
  • 27:40 - 27:41
    And we can say, "God, I don't feel
  • 27:41 - 27:44
    like I'm doing this wholeheartedly,
  • 27:44 - 27:45
    but please help me do it,"
  • 27:45 - 27:47
    and God will help you do it.
  • 27:47 - 27:49
    And those moments when you are
  • 27:49 - 27:51
    vulnerable with God are when you
  • 27:51 - 27:54
    can get closer to Him. Pedro.
  • 27:54 - 27:55
    (Pedro) It is important
  • 27:55 - 27:57
    to also look at the context here.
  • 27:57 - 27:59
    David is praising God
  • 27:59 - 28:00
    amidst the death of his son.
  • 28:00 - 28:02
    I'm not sure if it was Bathsheba's child
  • 28:02 - 28:03
    or Absalom; I believe it was
  • 28:03 - 28:06
    Bathsheba's, her son.
  • 28:06 - 28:08
    And look at ourselves.
  • 28:08 - 28:10
    Imagine, I'm willing to say,
  • 28:10 - 28:13
    "God, You are worthy,
  • 28:13 - 28:18
    even in my most tragic moment,"
    wholeheartedly.
  • 28:18 - 28:19
    There are people today
  • 28:19 - 28:21
    who have sentiments, "Why did God
  • 28:21 - 28:23
    allow my child to go through this,
  • 28:23 - 28:26
    or someone that I love, or the pain
  • 28:26 - 28:27
    that I'm suffering right now?"
  • 28:27 - 28:30
    And God says, "Come to Me."
  • 28:30 - 28:32
    (Derek) Wow, that's so powerful,
  • 28:32 - 28:33
    because my whole heart
  • 28:33 - 28:35
    could be a broken heart,
  • 28:35 - 28:38
    but I come to Him in total surrender.
  • 28:38 - 28:39
    That's a beautiful thought,
  • 28:39 - 28:43
    and it's something I long for, John.
  • 28:43 - 28:48
    I long to just let go of all of my fears,
  • 28:48 - 28:51
    not worry about what people think,
  • 28:51 - 28:55
    and just worship God with my whole heart.
  • 28:55 - 28:58
    (John) Powerful. Lilica?
  • 28:58 - 28:59
    (Lilica) The very thought
  • 28:59 - 29:01
    of being vulnerable before God
  • 29:01 - 29:03
    is worship Him with your whole heart,
  • 29:03 - 29:05
    because you open your heart.
  • 29:05 - 29:07
    You're being naked before Him.
  • 29:07 - 29:09
    David is the one that is called
  • 29:09 - 29:13
    a man after God's own heart.
  • 29:13 - 29:15
    Every single time you see
  • 29:15 - 29:16
    in the Old Testament...
  • 29:16 - 29:18
    I have in the back of my Bible, written,
  • 29:18 - 29:20
    the times where David is mentioned
  • 29:20 - 29:23
    during the kings of Judah,
  • 29:23 - 29:27
    and it says that, "This one followed God
  • 29:27 - 29:29
    as David did follow God
  • 29:29 - 29:30
    with all his heart,"
  • 29:30 - 29:32
    something like that; I'm paraphrasing.
  • 29:32 - 29:36
    But it mentions that the king
  • 29:36 - 29:39
    followed God as David followed God
  • 29:39 - 29:40
    with all his heart.
  • 29:40 - 29:43
    It's being open; tell God,
  • 29:43 - 29:45
    the One who only can see.
  • 29:45 - 29:47
    I love what John Bunyan,
  • 29:47 - 29:50
    if I'm pronouncing it right, who wrote
  • 29:50 - 29:53
    the book The Pilgrim's Progress, said,
  • 29:53 - 29:56
    "It's better to have heart without words
  • 29:56 - 29:58
    than words without heart."
  • 29:58 - 30:02
    When we come before God, speak it,
  • 30:02 - 30:04
    whatever it is, say it.
  • 30:04 - 30:06
    And that is what He is concerned about.
  • 30:06 - 30:07
    (Derek) Praise God.
  • 30:07 - 30:09
    (John) Amen. Tendi and then we'll
  • 30:09 - 30:10
    go to the next verse.
  • 30:10 - 30:12
    (Tendi) I learned today
  • 30:12 - 30:15
    that when you trust,
  • 30:15 - 30:17
    a hormone called oxytocin is released
  • 30:17 - 30:19
    into your system, and it's
  • 30:19 - 30:21
    the same hormone that's released
  • 30:21 - 30:22
    when you're in love
  • 30:22 - 30:25
    or when you do something with a purpose.
  • 30:25 - 30:27
    And I believe worship, when you worship
  • 30:27 - 30:29
    God with your whole heart,
  • 30:29 - 30:32
    that hormone is released in your body,
  • 30:32 - 30:33
    and it shows in your countenance
  • 30:33 - 30:35
    that you're worshiping God.
  • 30:35 - 30:36
    So, that's what worshiping
  • 30:36 - 30:38
    with your whole heart means to me.
  • 30:38 - 30:40
    (John) Okay, so there is
  • 30:40 - 30:43
    a deep connection with our spirituality
  • 30:43 - 30:46
    and even our own bodies, right?
  • 30:46 - 30:49
    And there are studies which say
  • 30:49 - 30:52
    that people that attend religious services
  • 30:52 - 30:53
    are actually much more happy,
  • 30:53 - 30:54
    and they are able
  • 30:54 - 30:57
    to overcome negative thoughts.
  • 30:57 - 30:58
    And so maybe there is someone
  • 30:58 - 31:00
    who is watching, and you don't care
  • 31:00 - 31:02
    about God or the Bible, but you are
  • 31:02 - 31:03
    in a quandary in your own life.
  • 31:03 - 31:05
    I want to assure you that if you
  • 31:05 - 31:07
    begin praising God,
  • 31:07 - 31:09
    attend church services, that your life
  • 31:09 - 31:11
    will completely turn around.
  • 31:11 - 31:12
    (Team) Amen.
  • 31:12 - 31:14
    (John) Let's go to another verse,
  • 31:14 - 31:17
    Psalm 113, verses 1, 2 and 3.
  • 31:17 - 31:19
    If I can have Heide please read that
  • 31:19 - 31:24
    to us, Psalm 113, verses 1, 2 and 3.
  • 31:24 - 31:26
    (Heide) I'll be reading
  • 31:26 - 31:28
    from the New King James Version,
    and it says:
  • 31:48 - 31:50
    (John) Okay, there is a lot of praising
  • 31:50 - 31:51
    going on in these verses,
  • 31:51 - 31:54
    and in verse 3 the psalmist says,
  • 31:54 - 31:56
    "From the rising of the sun
  • 31:56 - 31:57
    to its setting," that's
  • 31:57 - 32:00
    pretty much our whole day, right?
  • 32:00 - 32:01
    And, I mean, you're at work,
  • 32:01 - 32:04
    you're at school, maybe you're
  • 32:04 - 32:07
    a homemaker, you're just doing
    different things.
  • 32:07 - 32:11
    How are we, twenty-first century
    busy people,
  • 32:11 - 32:12
    supposed to praise God
  • 32:12 - 32:14
    from the morning until the evening?
  • 32:14 - 32:17
    How does that practically happen? Lilica.
  • 32:17 - 32:18
    (Lilica) As a Pathfinder, we have one
  • 32:18 - 32:20
    of the laws that says
  • 32:20 - 32:24
    to have always a song in your heart.
  • 32:24 - 32:26
    You may be singing, even if you
  • 32:26 - 32:29
    are not expressing it aloud.
  • 32:29 - 32:31
    (John) Okay. Yes, Nancy.
  • 32:31 - 32:33
    (Nancy) It reminds me of my grandmother
  • 32:33 - 32:35
    who used to always be singing hymns
  • 32:35 - 32:36
    as she was cooking.
  • 32:36 - 32:38
    I have that memory of her, as a child,
  • 32:38 - 32:41
    and, yes, she was a very positive
    and gentle person.
  • 32:41 - 32:43
    And I think when we fill
  • 32:43 - 32:45
    our hearts and our minds
  • 32:45 - 32:48
    with the words of God, it helps us.
  • 32:48 - 32:50
    It helps us through anything.
  • 32:50 - 32:52
    (John) Singing, singing whether you
  • 32:52 - 32:54
    are working, doing schoolwork
  • 32:54 - 32:55
    or humming a song.
  • 32:55 - 32:56
    You can probably memorize
  • 32:56 - 32:58
    the Scripture songs that we play here.
  • 32:58 - 33:00
    What do you think, Pastor Derek?
  • 33:00 - 33:02
    (Derek) Well, I think so, and God
  • 33:02 - 33:03
    has given us the ability to do
  • 33:03 - 33:07
    more than one thing at the same time.
  • 33:07 - 33:08
    Nancy gave an example,
  • 33:08 - 33:10
    while her grandmother was cooking.
  • 33:10 - 33:11
    You can be driving to the office
  • 33:11 - 33:13
    or driving to school, and you can
  • 33:13 - 33:15
    be praising God at the same time.
  • 33:15 - 33:16
    You're still watching the road,
  • 33:16 - 33:19
    but God has given us that ability.
  • 33:19 - 33:21
    And I think when the psalmist says
  • 33:21 - 33:23
    in Psalm 16, "I've set the Lord
  • 33:23 - 33:25
    always before me.
  • 33:25 - 33:27
    When He is at my right hand,
  • 33:27 - 33:30
    I will not be moved," will not be shaken,
  • 33:30 - 33:32
    that tells me I can praise God
  • 33:32 - 33:35
    at all times, like the text says,
  • 33:35 - 33:38
    while I'm going about my regular day.
  • 33:38 - 33:40
    (John) Okay, and song plays a huge role,
  • 33:40 - 33:42
    singing and music play a huge role,
  • 33:42 - 33:45
    which we will come to in a bit. Puia.
  • 33:45 - 33:46
    (Puia) You asked, John,
  • 33:46 - 33:49
    about the practical application
  • 33:49 - 33:52
    in the twenty-first century.
  • 33:52 - 33:54
    For me, in the morning
  • 33:54 - 33:56
    when I get up, what helps me is
  • 33:56 - 33:58
    listening to gospel music,
  • 33:58 - 34:01
    and before I go to bed I read a Bible text
  • 34:01 - 34:04
    or listen to a podcast,
  • 34:04 - 34:05
    and I fall asleep with it.
  • 34:05 - 34:08
    And I believe that sets the tone
  • 34:08 - 34:09
    for my morning and evening.
  • 34:09 - 34:12
    (John) Okay, so you begin the morning
  • 34:12 - 34:14
    praising God, focusing your mind on God.
  • 34:14 - 34:16
    You think through what you read
  • 34:16 - 34:19
    in the Bible or what you listen to
    in a sermon,
  • 34:19 - 34:21
    and you go to bed, falling asleep
  • 34:21 - 34:23
    thinking about God, you know,
  • 34:23 - 34:26
    that constant communication
    with God. Pedro.
  • 34:26 - 34:28
    (Pedro) I see the importance here
  • 34:28 - 34:29
    as well for actions.
  • 34:29 - 34:31
    God says in the fourth commandment
  • 34:31 - 34:33
    "In six days you shall labor
  • 34:33 - 34:35
    and do all your work," but the labor
  • 34:35 - 34:36
    is continuing to be reflecting
  • 34:36 - 34:38
    the character of God.
  • 34:38 - 34:40
    Everything I do; I drive on the road;
  • 34:40 - 34:41
    am I reflecting Jesus?
  • 34:41 - 34:43
    It's worship, my actions.
  • 34:43 - 34:44
    We talked about hands earlier;
  • 34:44 - 34:46
    my actions can be put into worship,
  • 34:46 - 34:48
    how I treat others;
  • 34:48 - 34:49
    that's an act of worship.
  • 34:49 - 34:53
    "If you have done it others, you have done
    it to Me," is an act of worship that God
  • 34:53 - 34:56
    is inviting us to do, so actions
    play a huge role in that.
  • 34:56 - 34:57
    (John) ...In whatever we do,
  • 34:57 - 34:58
    we can worship God.
  • 34:58 - 35:01
    You know, if there is a job given,
  • 35:01 - 35:03
    and you do that job well,
  • 35:03 - 35:05
    you do that job with integrity,
  • 35:05 - 35:06
    that is worship to God.
  • 35:06 - 35:07
    That is praising God.
  • 35:07 - 35:09
    I mean, the Bible says
  • 35:09 - 35:12
    that whatever you do,
  • 35:12 - 35:17
    do it all for the glory of God, right?
    Yes, Tendi.
  • 35:17 - 35:18
    (Tendi) You could also worship Him
  • 35:18 - 35:20
    with your personality.
  • 35:20 - 35:23
    Be a loving and lovable Christian
  • 35:23 - 35:25
    to be around; that is worship.
  • 35:25 - 35:28
    (John) Okay, being a loving
    and a lovable Christian.
  • 35:28 - 35:31
    Now, some of you talked about singing
  • 35:31 - 35:33
    through the day or using music
  • 35:33 - 35:35
    through the day, humming a song,
  • 35:35 - 35:37
    singing a song, listening to songs.
  • 35:37 - 35:39
    And let's see what the Bible
  • 35:39 - 35:42
    has to say about the role of music
  • 35:42 - 35:45
    and singing in worship.
  • 35:45 - 35:47
    If I can have Tendi please read to us
  • 35:47 - 35:51
    from Psalm 33, verses 1, 2 and 3,
  • 35:51 - 35:54
    Psalm 33, verses 1, 2 and 3.
  • 35:54 - 35:56
    (Tendi) And I'll be reading
  • 35:56 - 35:58
    in the English Standard Version,
  • 35:58 - 36:00
    Psalm 33, verses 1, 2 and 3:
  • 36:22 - 36:25
    (John) Okay, we see that when the psalmist
  • 36:25 - 36:27
    is writing, there is a lot of happiness
  • 36:27 - 36:29
    surrounding him, right?
  • 36:29 - 36:32
    And it says that musical instruments
  • 36:32 - 36:34
    are being used in worship.
  • 36:34 - 36:37
    There are lyrics being used in worship.
  • 36:37 - 36:40
    You know, music plays an important role
  • 36:40 - 36:42
    in worship, and specifically the types
  • 36:42 - 36:44
    of music we listen to enhance
  • 36:44 - 36:46
    our frontal lobes, and it has
  • 36:46 - 36:49
    biological implications, too, right?
  • 36:49 - 36:52
    It has both negative and positive effects.
  • 36:52 - 36:54
    Songs that are based on Scripture
  • 36:54 - 36:56
    and music that is based
  • 36:56 - 36:58
    on the principles of Scripture
  • 36:58 - 37:00
    truly help us to worship God
  • 37:00 - 37:02
    in the right way, right?
  • 37:02 - 37:04
    And, Stephanie, you seem like
  • 37:04 - 37:06
    you have something to say.
  • 37:06 - 37:07
    (Stephanie) I just saw in verse 3,
  • 37:07 - 37:09
    it says, "Play skillfully
  • 37:09 - 37:12
    with a shout of joy."
  • 37:12 - 37:14
    There's this sense of peace,
  • 37:14 - 37:18
    of contentment and satisfaction in Jesus,
  • 37:18 - 37:20
    so again, pointing to Him.
  • 37:20 - 37:22
    (Derek) John, you know my wife
  • 37:22 - 37:23
    likes to write Scripture songs
  • 37:23 - 37:25
    and put them to a melody so we can sing.
  • 37:25 - 37:27
    Sometimes she'll see maybe a CD
  • 37:27 - 37:30
    of Scripture songs, but they
  • 37:30 - 37:32
    plug in the harp, and they crank
  • 37:32 - 37:35
    the decibels up so loud that you
  • 37:35 - 37:36
    can't hear the words,
  • 37:36 - 37:38
    and it's hurting your ears.
  • 37:38 - 37:41
    I think the principle there again
  • 37:41 - 37:45
    is the instrument and the volume of it
  • 37:45 - 37:47
    and maybe how it's played
  • 37:47 - 37:48
    also pointing to God,
  • 37:48 - 37:50
    or is it a distraction.
  • 37:50 - 37:54
    A person says, "Well, no instruments;
  • 37:54 - 37:55
    we just sing a cappella."
  • 37:55 - 37:57
    Well, like you said earlier,
  • 37:57 - 37:59
    we certainly have permission
  • 37:59 - 38:01
    to use the 10-stringed instrument, right,
  • 38:01 - 38:05
    but we always make sure that the product
  • 38:05 - 38:07
    of that is glorifying God.
  • 38:07 - 38:09
    (John) Exactly. Yes, Pedro.
  • 38:09 - 38:11
    (Pedro) And I see in the text here, Derek,
  • 38:11 - 38:14
    it says, "Play skillfully,"
  • 38:14 - 38:16
    even, "with a shout."
  • 38:16 - 38:18
    You know, I'm not just going to yell.
  • 38:18 - 38:21
    It's skillfully use your shout, and I see
  • 38:21 - 38:23
    choruses from different parts of the world
  • 38:23 - 38:25
    that give that emphasis
  • 38:25 - 38:28
    on that beautiful voice tune
  • 38:28 - 38:30
    that God has given us.
  • 38:30 - 38:31
    (John) Puia?
  • 38:31 - 38:32
    (Puia) A few years ago, I had
  • 38:32 - 38:34
    the privilege of doing evangelism
  • 38:34 - 38:36
    in India, and I was invited to preach
  • 38:36 - 38:41
    in a prison, and I was a bit unsure
  • 38:41 - 38:43
    about what I was going to face.
  • 38:43 - 38:45
    And so the guards escorted us
  • 38:45 - 38:47
    inside the prison, and they
  • 38:47 - 38:49
    seated us in the chapel.
  • 38:49 - 38:51
    And then the prisoners started coming in,
  • 38:51 - 38:55
    and as we started singing I was surprised.
  • 38:55 - 38:57
    These prisoners had given their hearts
  • 38:57 - 39:00
    to Jesus, and they praised God
  • 39:00 - 39:01
    with all their hearts.
  • 39:01 - 39:02
    We sang songs that we
  • 39:02 - 39:05
    normally sing in our churches,
  • 39:05 - 39:07
    but the level of commitment
  • 39:07 - 39:10
    or the level of joy that they expressed
  • 39:10 - 39:12
    as they were praising God with the songs
  • 39:12 - 39:14
    just moved my heart.
  • 39:14 - 39:17
    It tells me that when we
  • 39:17 - 39:18
    talked about freedom, it's not
  • 39:18 - 39:20
    really where you are at, is it?
  • 39:20 - 39:23
    It's where your heart is.
  • 39:23 - 39:25
    (John) Powerful. Yes, Pedro.
  • 39:25 - 39:27
    (Pedro) I just mentioned
  • 39:27 - 39:28
    wholeheartedly singing, right,
  • 39:28 - 39:30
    that they are praising God, and I had
  • 39:30 - 39:32
    a similar experience as well going
  • 39:32 - 39:39
    to visit a very high facility
    near my house.
  • 39:39 - 39:42
    And I saw men singing with their hearts,
  • 39:42 - 39:43
    hugging each other, praising God
  • 39:43 - 39:46
    because God has changed their hearts,
  • 39:46 - 39:48
    and a heart change, praise God.
  • 39:48 - 39:50
    (Team) Amen.
  • 39:50 - 39:51
    (John) Let's look at two more verses
  • 39:51 - 39:53
    in the book of Psalms,
  • 39:53 - 39:55
    and I want you to observe,
  • 39:55 - 39:58
    there is a phrase that is repeated,
  • 39:58 - 40:00
    and I want you to observe that phrase.
  • 40:00 - 40:03
    If I can have Stephanie please read to us
  • 40:03 - 40:06
    Psalm 40 and verse 3,
  • 40:06 - 40:08
    and after which if Leah can please read
  • 40:08 - 40:12
    Psalm 98, verse 1.
  • 40:12 - 40:14
    Psalm 40, verse 3,
  • 40:14 - 40:16
    and then Leeah Psalm 98, verse 1.
  • 40:16 - 40:18
    (Stephanie) And I'll be reading
  • 40:18 - 40:19
    from the New King James Version:
  • 40:28 - 40:31
    (John) Okay, a new song. Leeah?
  • 40:31 - 40:32
    (Leeah) I'm reading
  • 40:32 - 40:33
    from the English Standard Version,
  • 40:33 - 40:35
    Psalm 98, verse 1:
  • 40:45 - 40:47
    (John) Okay, what is the phrase
  • 40:47 - 40:48
    that is being repeated?
  • 40:48 - 40:49
    (Team) A new song.
  • 40:49 - 40:51
    (John) A new song, a new song.
  • 40:51 - 40:53
    And so, while it is good that we use
  • 40:53 - 40:56
    the book of Psalms to make new songs
  • 40:56 - 40:59
    or give new tunes to them
  • 40:59 - 41:01
    with the same old lyrics,
  • 41:01 - 41:03
    but the Bible also tells us
  • 41:03 - 41:04
    that we can write new songs.
  • 41:04 - 41:06
    And in the last study,
  • 41:06 - 41:07
    we talked about journaling.
  • 41:07 - 41:09
    Pastor Derek, you talked about how you
  • 41:09 - 41:11
    were inspired to journal.
  • 41:11 - 41:14
    And maybe God is calling some of us
  • 41:14 - 41:16
    to write of our experiences
  • 41:16 - 41:18
    with Him in songs. Yes, Pedro.
  • 41:18 - 41:20
    (Pedro) I find it fascinating,
  • 41:20 - 41:21
    I'm originally from Brazil,
  • 41:21 - 41:23
    and recently in Brazi,l in our church,
  • 41:23 - 41:24
    changed the hymnal.
  • 41:24 - 41:25
    They updated the hymnal
  • 41:25 - 41:27
    with new songs, and it was
  • 41:27 - 41:30
    a very exciting experience
  • 41:30 - 41:31
    because now we have different songs
  • 41:31 - 41:33
    that people have been singing
  • 41:33 - 41:35
    that now have been added to the hymnal.
  • 41:35 - 41:36
    So it's easy access to people,
  • 41:36 - 41:37
    and they have added
  • 41:37 - 41:39
    a little section just for the kids,
  • 41:39 - 41:40
    and my daughter sings them.
  • 41:40 - 41:42
    So, she loves to go through that section
  • 41:42 - 41:44
    of the kids songs inside the hymnal,
  • 41:44 - 41:47
    and she feels part of that book as well.
  • 41:47 - 41:50
    It's not just, "Oh, the old hymnal,"
  • 41:50 - 41:52
    it's now, "It's my hymnal."
  • 41:52 - 41:55
    (John) One thing that I love
  • 41:55 - 41:57
    to do with hymns
  • 41:57 - 42:00
    is to see the story of the hymns,
  • 42:00 - 42:03
    as to why this hymn came about.
  • 42:03 - 42:06
    And the famous song Amazing Grace,
  • 42:06 - 42:09
    the back story is really powerful
  • 42:09 - 42:11
    of John Newton as to why he wrote
  • 42:11 - 42:14
    the story and what is his experience.
  • 42:14 - 42:16
    And the Bible also talks about singing
  • 42:16 - 42:19
    a new song because of a new experience,
  • 42:19 - 42:21
    and let's read about that
  • 42:21 - 42:22
    in Isaiah, chapter 42.
  • 42:22 - 42:25
    If I can have Scott please read to us
  • 42:25 - 42:32
    from Isaiah, chapter 42, verses 10 and 12.
  • 42:32 - 42:34
    Isaiah, chapter 42, verses 10 and 12,
  • 42:34 - 42:38
    talks about singing a new song.
  • 42:38 - 42:40
    (Scott) And I'll be reading from the ESV:
  • 42:51 - 42:52
    And verse 12:
  • 42:57 - 42:59
    (John) Okay, and if I can have Lilica
  • 42:59 - 43:01
    please read to us from Revelation,
  • 43:01 - 43:05
    chapter 14, verses 1, 2 and 3,
  • 43:05 - 43:09
    Revelation 14, verses 1, 2 and 3.
  • 43:09 - 43:12
    And we find that not only here
  • 43:12 - 43:14
    on this earth are we to write
  • 43:14 - 43:16
    new songs of experience,
  • 43:16 - 43:18
    but in the end, when everything
  • 43:18 - 43:20
    is said and done, there is going to be
  • 43:20 - 43:23
    a new song that is going to be sung.
  • 43:23 - 43:24
    (Lilica) I'll be reading
  • 43:24 - 43:26
    from the New King James Version,
  • 43:26 - 43:30
    Revelation 14, verses 1, 2 and 3:
  • 44:11 - 44:15
    (John) Okay, now why is it that no one
  • 44:15 - 44:18
    was able to learn the song
  • 44:18 - 44:21
    but the 144,000? Yes, Pedro.
  • 44:21 - 44:23
    (Pedro) I think when we sing songs,
  • 44:23 - 44:24
    we want to sing songs
  • 44:24 - 44:26
    that relate to our experiences, right?
  • 44:26 - 44:28
    And we see in the world today
  • 44:28 - 44:29
    people are attached to the songs
  • 44:29 - 44:31
    that relate to their own experience.
  • 44:31 - 44:33
    And there in Heaven, we are singing
  • 44:33 - 44:35
    a song that relates to our redemption
  • 44:35 - 44:37
    and how God saved us from our sins.
  • 44:37 - 44:38
    And we're celebrating
  • 44:38 - 44:40
    that beautiful victory, that God
  • 44:40 - 44:42
    has conquered for us.
  • 44:42 - 44:43
    And the angels have never
  • 44:43 - 44:45
    experienced that, so they will be silent.
  • 44:45 - 44:46
    They're not going to sing something
  • 44:46 - 44:48
    that they have not experienced.
  • 44:48 - 44:50
    So, it's important for us to also learn
  • 44:50 - 44:51
    that as we go on our journey,
  • 44:51 - 44:54
    seek songs that elevate God and bring us
  • 44:54 - 44:56
    closer to Him into our journey.
  • 44:56 - 45:00
    (John) Okay, so music and songs help us
  • 45:00 - 45:02
    express our experience in words
  • 45:02 - 45:04
    and also our emotions.
  • 45:04 - 45:07
    And here the 144,000 are expressing
  • 45:07 - 45:10
    their emotions and their experience
  • 45:10 - 45:13
    through the music and the lyrics
    of that song.
  • 45:13 - 45:15
    And the text actually kind of hints
  • 45:15 - 45:18
    as to what the theme of that song will be.
  • 45:18 - 45:21
    If you see towards the end of verse 3
  • 45:21 - 45:23
    it says, "No one could learn that song
  • 45:23 - 45:25
    except the 144,000
  • 45:25 - 45:28
    who had been redeemed from the earth."
  • 45:28 - 45:30
    So, it's going to be a song of redemption
  • 45:30 - 45:33
    that the 144,000 will sing.
  • 45:33 - 45:36
    Lilica and then we'll move on.
  • 45:36 - 45:38
    (Lilica) As we speak about the new songs,
  • 45:38 - 45:40
    like, what is wrong with the old songs?
  • 45:40 - 45:43
    People ask us, "What is
  • 45:43 - 45:44
    your favorite song?"
  • 45:44 - 45:47
    And you say, "It's this, but it was
  • 45:47 - 45:48
    the other one before,"
  • 45:48 - 45:50
    depending on the context.
  • 45:50 - 45:52
    In the Pathfinder Law, when you study
  • 45:52 - 45:55
    about having a new song in your heart,
  • 45:55 - 45:59
    we learned that singing, as praying,
  • 45:59 - 46:01
    is an act of worship.
  • 46:01 - 46:03
    So, a new song, why?
  • 46:03 - 46:05
    Because of the new experience
  • 46:05 - 46:06
    I'm living with God.
  • 46:06 - 46:08
    I'm expressing it into words as I pray,
  • 46:08 - 46:10
    I don't go praying and repeating
  • 46:10 - 46:12
    the same prayer every single day,
  • 46:12 - 46:13
    right, as with singing.
  • 46:13 - 46:16
    A new song is a new experience.
  • 46:16 - 46:18
    (John) A new song and a new experience.
  • 46:18 - 46:19
    Alright, let's move on,
  • 46:19 - 46:21
    but before we move on, maybe you are
  • 46:21 - 46:25
    looking for good quality Christian music.
  • 46:25 - 46:28
    And as Pastor Derek said, you can claim
  • 46:28 - 46:30
    our free offer with this study,
  • 46:30 - 46:33
    but also check Hope TV where there is
  • 46:33 - 46:34
    going to be singing
  • 46:34 - 46:37
    and good quality Christian music
  • 46:37 - 46:41
    that can enhance your worship towards God.
  • 46:41 - 46:44
    Let's go to the next part of our study,
  • 46:44 - 46:47
    declaring God's glory among the nations.
  • 46:47 - 46:50
    And if I can have Leeah please read to us
  • 46:50 - 46:55
    from Psalm, chapter 96, verses 1 to 13,
  • 46:55 - 46:58
    Psalm 96, verses 1 to 13.
  • 46:58 - 47:01
    It has some very interesting phrases
  • 47:01 - 47:03
    which parallel with the book of Revelation
  • 47:03 - 47:05
    which we will see.
  • 47:05 - 47:06
    (Leeah) And I'll be reading
  • 47:06 - 47:08
    from the English Standard Version,
  • 47:08 - 47:10
    Psalm 96, verses 1 through 13:
  • 48:28 - 48:30
    (John) Alright, powerful.
  • 48:30 - 48:33
    There is a lot going on in this passage,
  • 48:33 - 48:35
    but I want to ask, what message
  • 48:35 - 48:38
    is the psalmist calling us to proclaim
  • 48:38 - 48:40
    to all nations here? Scott.
  • 48:40 - 48:43
    (Scott) Yeah, he's telling us to tell
  • 48:43 - 48:45
    the other people about God,
  • 48:45 - 48:47
    who God is, what He's about,
  • 48:47 - 48:49
    His righteousness, His justice,
  • 48:49 - 48:52
    His judgment, His glory,
  • 48:52 - 48:53
    all these different things.
  • 48:53 - 48:55
    Tell people about God.
  • 48:55 - 48:57
    (John) Okay, tell people about God,
  • 48:57 - 49:00
    and he is inviting the entire nations,
  • 49:00 - 49:02
    he is inviting the entire earth
  • 49:02 - 49:03
    to do so. Travis.
  • 49:03 - 49:05
    (Travis) I'm thinking of Revelation,
  • 49:05 - 49:08
    chapter 18, and it says
  • 49:08 - 49:10
    that the whole earth
  • 49:10 - 49:12
    was filled with His glory.
  • 49:12 - 49:14
    The glory is the goodness of God.
  • 49:14 - 49:16
    In the psalm that was just read,
  • 49:16 - 49:18
    we see that, in all its attributes,
  • 49:18 - 49:21
    whether it's His creative power,
  • 49:21 - 49:25
    His redemptive power, His mercy,
  • 49:25 - 49:28
    His grace, that is what God wants us
  • 49:28 - 49:29
    to proclaim to the world.
  • 49:29 - 49:33
    And that story will be told
  • 49:33 - 49:35
    in its fullness before Jesus comes.
  • 49:35 - 49:36
    (Team) Amen.
  • 49:36 - 49:38
    (John) Heide.
  • 49:38 - 49:39
    (Heide) Oh, when I was looking
  • 49:39 - 49:42
    at this psalm, it just really reminded me
  • 49:42 - 49:44
    of Revelation, chapter 14,
  • 49:44 - 49:46
    the three angels' messages where I see
  • 49:46 - 49:50
    that he is proclaiming to everyone
  • 49:50 - 49:54
    centuries before the Apostle John,
  • 49:54 - 49:56
    John the Revelator, ever wrote,
  • 49:56 - 49:58
    that we have a Creator
  • 49:58 - 50:00
    and He is worthy of our worship,
  • 50:00 - 50:03
    and that He is going to come,
  • 50:03 - 50:06
    and that He is going to judge the earth.
  • 50:06 - 50:10
    And I see him calling us to worship
  • 50:10 - 50:12
    this mighty powerful Being.
  • 50:12 - 50:14
    (John) Amen. Stephanie.
  • 50:14 - 50:16
    (Stephanie) I was thinking
  • 50:16 - 50:17
    that this psalmist, when they
  • 50:17 - 50:19
    were writing it, understood
  • 50:19 - 50:21
    the character of God.
  • 50:21 - 50:22
    They had experienced it.
  • 50:22 - 50:23
    It's that new song.
  • 50:23 - 50:26
    They knew Him, and therefore they were
  • 50:26 - 50:27
    able to tell of His glory.
  • 50:27 - 50:31
    It wasn't an old song.
  • 50:31 - 50:32
    (John) And talking about glory,
  • 50:32 - 50:36
    we want to just see what this glory means.
  • 50:36 - 50:39
    If I can have Lilica please read to us
  • 50:39 - 50:42
    Exodus, chapter 33, verses 18 to 23.
  • 50:42 - 50:44
    You know, this glory that God wants us
  • 50:44 - 50:46
    to proclaim to all the earth,
  • 50:46 - 50:48
    what is the glory of God that we are
  • 50:48 - 50:51
    called to share as an act of worship?
  • 50:51 - 50:53
    (Lilica) Exodus 33?
  • 50:53 - 50:56
    (John) Verses 18 to 23.
  • 50:56 - 50:58
    (Lilica) 18 to 23, I'll be reading
  • 50:58 - 51:00
    from the New King James Version:
  • 51:51 - 51:57
    I will add chapter 34, verse 6.
  • 51:57 - 52:00
    (John) Alright, so chapter 34 and verse 6.
  • 52:00 - 52:02
    In the next chapter, Moses continues
  • 52:02 - 52:06
    to expand on what this glory means.
  • 52:06 - 52:09
    Alright, Lilica, chapter 34 and verse 6.
  • 52:09 - 52:10
    (Lilica) Verses 6 and 7
  • 52:10 - 52:12
    from the New King James Version:
  • 52:38 - 52:40
    (John) Okay, to glorify God
  • 52:40 - 52:43
    is to glorify His character, right?
  • 52:43 - 52:46
    So, through our singing, we ought to let
  • 52:46 - 52:49
    the world know about the character of God.
  • 52:49 - 52:51
    But moving on, Jesus talked
  • 52:51 - 52:53
    to the woman at the well,
  • 52:53 - 52:56
    and He told something really powerful.
  • 52:56 - 52:58
    And if I can ask Scott to please read
  • 52:58 - 53:01
    to us in John, chapter 4, verses 23 to 24.
  • 53:01 - 53:04
    And Jesus is talking to this woman
  • 53:04 - 53:08
    at the well about worship
  • 53:08 - 53:12
    and what worship should entail.
  • 53:12 - 53:13
    (Scott) Okay:
  • 53:33 - 53:35
    (John) Okay, so if a person says
  • 53:35 - 53:37
    that "I'm worshiping God," or if a church
  • 53:37 - 53:39
    claims that they are worshiping God,
  • 53:39 - 53:41
    they ought to worship God
  • 53:41 - 53:42
    in spirit and in truth,
  • 53:42 - 53:45
    but what does that mean, to worship God
  • 53:45 - 53:47
    in spirit and in truth? Puia?
  • 53:47 - 53:49
    (Puia) I believe it's important
  • 53:49 - 53:51
    to make sure that our reasons
  • 53:51 - 53:53
    for worshiping God is in line
  • 53:53 - 53:56
    with the way the Holy Spirit works.
  • 53:56 - 53:59
    It's not just an outward performance
  • 53:59 - 54:01
    or vain repetition,
  • 54:01 - 54:03
    but it's an inward alignment
  • 54:03 - 54:04
    with the Holy Spirit, allowing
  • 54:04 - 54:07
    the Holy Spirit to come into our hearts
  • 54:07 - 54:09
    and worshiping Him according to the Word.
  • 54:09 - 54:11
    Because, according to Jesus,
  • 54:11 - 54:13
    the Word of God is the truth,
  • 54:13 - 54:16
    so worshiping in spirit and in truth.
  • 54:16 - 54:18
    (John) Okay, so if a person says,
  • 54:18 - 54:19
    "I'm worshiping God," they go
  • 54:19 - 54:20
    to a worship experience,
  • 54:20 - 54:22
    but they are not moved by the Holy Spirit
  • 54:22 - 54:24
    to make changes in their life,
  • 54:24 - 54:26
    if they are not prompted to obey
  • 54:26 - 54:28
    the Word of God, then that is something
  • 54:28 - 54:30
    to be doubted, right?
  • 54:30 - 54:32
    And so, our worship experience
  • 54:32 - 54:34
    should always be in alignment
  • 54:34 - 54:36
    with the truths of the Word of God
  • 54:36 - 54:39
    and also in following the promptings
  • 54:39 - 54:41
    of the Holy Spirit.
  • 54:41 - 54:42
    We're not only going
  • 54:42 - 54:45
    to be singing songs now, but also forever,
  • 54:45 - 54:47
    and let's read about that.
  • 54:47 - 54:49
    Let's go to Isaiah, chapter 66,
  • 54:49 - 54:51
    verses 22 and 23.
  • 54:51 - 54:53
    Stephanie, if you can please read to us
  • 54:53 - 54:58
    in Isaiah 66, verses 22 to 23.
  • 54:58 - 55:00
    (Stephanie) And I'll be reading
  • 55:00 - 55:02
    from the New King James Version:
  • 55:26 - 55:30
    (John) Wow. I have experienced
  • 55:30 - 55:32
    one of the most amazing experiences
  • 55:32 - 55:36
    of listening to Handel's Messiah music.
  • 55:36 - 55:38
    I once went for a sing-along;
  • 55:38 - 55:39
    it was glorious, you know,
  • 55:39 - 55:42
    so many instruments, so much singing.
  • 55:42 - 55:44
    But imagine going to Heaven,
  • 55:44 - 55:46
    it's your first Sabbath there,
  • 55:46 - 55:49
    the angels are singing, and they are
  • 55:49 - 55:50
    playing musical instruments.
  • 55:50 - 55:52
    And voices from around the world,
  • 55:52 - 55:55
    different languages - there is nothing
  • 55:55 - 55:58
    to compare to what is going to happen.
  • 55:58 - 56:00
    You know, God is calling us
  • 56:00 - 56:04
    to worship Him and Him alone, where we
  • 56:04 - 56:06
    take our focus from ourselves
  • 56:06 - 56:08
    toward God, now and forever.
  • 56:08 - 56:09
    (Team) Amen.
  • 56:09 - 56:11
    (Derek) Thank you so much, John.
  • 56:11 - 56:12
    That's a powerful study,
  • 56:12 - 56:15
    Worship That Never Ends.
  • 56:15 - 56:18
    And I appreciate the fact that we realize
  • 56:18 - 56:19
    that in different cultures
  • 56:19 - 56:22
    people may worship in different ways.
  • 56:22 - 56:24
    They may sing different songs,
  • 56:24 - 56:26
    but the common thread is it's all
  • 56:26 - 56:29
    pointing to God, glorifying God,
  • 56:29 - 56:33
    praising God, and telling other people
  • 56:33 - 56:35
    about the awesome character of God.
  • 56:35 - 56:39
    That kind of worship is worshiping God
  • 56:39 - 56:41
    in spirit and truth.
  • 56:41 - 56:43
    Let's pray together.
  • 56:43 - 56:45
    Father in Heaven, we know the psalms,
  • 56:45 - 56:47
    down through the centuries,
  • 56:47 - 56:49
    were used in worship,
  • 56:49 - 56:52
    both before the coming of Messiah
  • 56:52 - 56:55
    and since the coming of Messiah,
  • 56:55 - 56:58
    reminding us that worship
  • 56:58 - 57:00
    is something that You deserve.
  • 57:00 - 57:04
    You are worthy of all of our worship.
  • 57:04 - 57:06
    And I pray that in all of our worship,
  • 57:06 - 57:08
    we would be guided by Your Spirit
  • 57:08 - 57:12
    and guided by Your Word and set free
  • 57:12 - 57:15
    from all of those traditions
  • 57:15 - 57:18
    and past experiences that hold us back
  • 57:18 - 57:20
    from worshiping You in spirit and truth,
  • 57:20 - 57:24
    is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
  • 57:24 - 57:25
    (Team) Amen.
  • 57:25 - 57:28
    (Derek) Thanks for joining us
    for Hope Sabbath School.
  • 57:28 - 57:30
    You say, "Derek, that's challenging,
  • 57:30 - 57:31
    to look and say, 'What of my past
  • 57:31 - 57:34
    is just tradition or habit,
  • 57:34 - 57:36
    and what truly honors God
  • 57:36 - 57:39
    and glorifies His name and shows
  • 57:39 - 57:41
    His glory to those around?'"
  • 57:41 - 57:43
    Let's worship like that
  • 57:43 - 57:44
    and go out and be a blessing
  • 57:44 - 57:46
    to those around you.
  • 57:46 - 58:28
    ♪ theme music ♪
Title:
HSS2401012
Video Language:
English
Team:
Team Adventist
Project:
Hope Channel
Duration:
58:29
Colin Preston edited English subtitles for HSS2401012
Colin Preston edited English subtitles for HSS2401012
Colin Preston edited English subtitles for HSS2401012
Colin Preston edited English subtitles for HSS2401012
Colin Preston edited English subtitles for HSS2401012
Colin Preston edited English subtitles for HSS2401012
Colin Preston edited English subtitles for HSS2401012
Colin Preston edited English subtitles for HSS2401012
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