Worship questions.

TheFriendlyAtheist

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I have a few questions about why you guys Worship. I get the basic reason for it so I'm more interested in the ancillary details. Like what does the act of worship do for you emotionally? How does it make you feel? How different are those feelings when worshipping by yourself or with others? And lastly for now, do you feel a desire to worship?

I have never been able to fully understand it myself. To me it's like dancing. I can see people enjoy it and feel something while doing it but I could never grasp it.

Like when people would raise their arms up during the songs at church. I can clearly see that they're feeling compelled to do that, but I can not figure out what that feeling is like or why it happens. So if you guys could just give me your thoughts on the the subject I'd appreciate it.
 

Winken

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Like what does the act of worship do for you emotionally?

Each Christian receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of the salvation experience. It is not an emotion. It is a Spiritual connection with our Savior.

Like when people would raise their arms up during the songs at church. I can clearly see that they're feeling compelled to do that, but I can not figure out what that feeling is like or why it happens.

Not compelled. When it is a genuine Spiritual event, there is joyful awareness of His Presence.

See 1 Corinthians 2:14

Read Romans 10:8-13
 
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Sarah G

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(For me) it's a feeling of awe. All of my petty nonsense is put away and I feel a sense of blissful peace and reassurance that there is something bigger (very big!) and a plan that I am part of. I feel loved and comforted by the Holy Spirit (although I had the same feelings in the non-Christian faith I was involved in so I don't know if it is the Holy Spirit?!). I like to worship to feel that blissful peace, of course. It is like an anti-depressant for me, it lifts my spirits, gets the endorphins to the brain.

Are humans hard-wired to feel awe? I have similar feelings watching (professional) ballet or an amazing orchestra; I feel a great sense of peace and absolute assurance that there is a God.
Do we have similar feelings when we see fireworks or contemplate a wonderful sunset? Anything that invokes feelings of a sort of ancient, primal instinct that is pure, innocent and hopeful gives me this same great (yet often tearful) emotional reaction...that scene in Elf where they start singing in Central Park gets me every time :D
 
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TheFriendlyAtheist

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(For me) it's a feeling of awe. All of my petty nonsense is put away and I feel a sense of blissful peace and reassurance that there is something bigger (very big!) and a plan that I am part of. I feel loved and comforted by the Holy Spirit (although I had the same feelings in the non-Christian faith I was involved in so I don't know if it is the Holy Spirit?!). I like to worship to feel that blissful peace, of course. It is like an anti-depressant for me, it lifts my spirits, gets the endorphins to the brain.

Are humans hard-wired to feel awe? I have similar feelings watching (professional) ballet or an amazing orchestra; I feel a great sense of peace and absolute assurance that there is a God.
Do we have similar feelings when we see fireworks or contemplate a wonderful sunset? Anything that invokes feelings of a sort of ancient, primal instinct that is pure, innocent and hopeful gives me this same great (yet often tearful) emotional reaction...that scene in Elf where they start singing in Central Park gets me every time :D

I absolutely agree with your last point. And that is very helpful. I get that feeling of awe mostly from observing our empathy. I get that feeling of elation when I see someone risk their own wellbeing, physical or emotional, to rescue a complete stranger from harm. If I'm understanding you correctly, then worship can lead to that same feeling of elation. I guess it has to do with connectivity. Whether it be to each other or something bigger. Is that about right?
 
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Sarah G

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I absolutely agree with your last point. And that is very helpful. I get that feeling of awe mostly from observing our empathy. I get that feeling of elation when I see someone risk their own wellbeing, physical or emotional, to rescue a complete stranger from harm. If I'm understanding you correctly, then worship can lead to that same feeling of elation. I guess it has to do with connectivity. Whether it be to each other or something bigger. Is that about right?

Transcendence is what it is. When you observe empathy you are observing humans (or animals even) transcending their wretched, limited, selfish, carnal, animalistic state. When I look at the creation in awe I transcend my pathetic, petty, conniving self as I am reminded that I am just a tiny dot on a tiny dot. When I worship God I transcend this material platform full of physical, mental and emotional suffering :twohearts:
 
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Ron Gurley

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WORSHIP

Hebrew 7812 "shachah" ~=worship, bow, bow down, obeisance, reverence, fall down, themselves, stoop, crouch, misc

Greek 3000 "latreuo" ~=serve, worship, do the service, worshipper

Exodus 34:14
—for you shall not worship any other god,
for the Lord, whose name is Jealous,
is a jealous God—

Deuteronomy 6:13
You shall fear (revere) only the Lord your God;
and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.

Luke 4:8
Jesus answered him (satan),
“It is written,
‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

John 4:24
God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

A "worship" service:
1. actively SERVING Jesus in some capacity
2. regularly MEETING with Jesus around His Word
3. find out how awesome Jesus is and WORSHIP God the Father with thanks in PRAYER.

PRAY:
1. to God the Father
2. in the power of God the Holy Spirit
3. in the name of / remembrance of God the Son

worship...defined
a. The reverent love and devotion accorded a DEITY, an idol, or a sacred object.
b. The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed.

Middle English "worshipe", ~=worthiness, honor
 
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faroukfarouk

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(For me) it's a feeling of awe. All of my petty nonsense is put away and I feel a sense of blissful peace and reassurance that there is something bigger (very big!) and a plan that I am part of. I feel loved and comforted by the Holy Spirit (although I had the same feelings in the non-Christian faith I was involved in so I don't know if it is the Holy Spirit?!). I like to worship to feel that blissful peace, of course. It is like an anti-depressant for me, it lifts my spirits, gets the endorphins to the brain.

Are humans hard-wired to feel awe? I have similar feelings watching (professional) ballet or an amazing orchestra; I feel a great sense of peace and absolute assurance that there is a God.
Do we have similar feelings when we see fireworks or contemplate a wonderful sunset? Anything that invokes feelings of a sort of ancient, primal instinct that is pure, innocent and hopeful gives me this same great (yet often tearful) emotional reaction...that scene in Elf where they start singing in Central Park gets me every time :D
John 4 speaks of worship 'in spirit and in truth'. :)
 
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GrowingSmaller

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I have a few questions about why you guys Worship. I get the basic reason for it so I'm more interested in the ancillary details. Like what does the act of worship do for you emotionally? How does it make you feel?
In Islam we have sajda (Sujud), or prostration. It makes me feel "stoned", like an absorbsion in airy, spiritual pleasure that overwhelmes. IN it we recite "subhana rabiyall alla" 3 times, or 6 or 9... (exalted above faults is the Lord most high, or similar meaning).Try it, for 10 or 15 seconds with focus on the ground at your face, just like this:
Thumbnail_Islam_Prayer_Pos.jpg
 
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Sarah G

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Just to follow on the theme of prostrations that @GrowingSmaller began it is interesting that the Orthodox Church also practice prostrations. (Please correct me if I am wrong, I am not Orthodox, it simply interests me.)

''Americans these days are thoroughly familiar with the prostrations made by Muslims during their ritual of daily prayer; we see images of it almost daily in the media. Most are not aware that Orthodox Christians practice the same discipline, kneeling in a place of worship and touching the head to the ground, before rising to stand in the usual attitude of prayer. They would be amazed to witness those monastics, for example, who make literally hundreds of prostrations during an ordinary Vespers service (a common sight at Holy Dormition monastery in Michigan, as in many such communities). They would be equally surprised to see “ordinary” lay people prostrating themselves repeatedly throughout the Compline service of the first week of Great Lent, with the penitential Canon of St Andrew of Crete. But again, this is what we Orthodox do. Why?''

And why do we make prostrations?

I find great value in prostrating before prayer, or as a prayer when words fail me. I learned it in my previous faith (although that involved prostrating before statues and people rather a lot) it really is a great perspective giver to humble oneself, surrender oneself before God. No matter what we have done we can always fall to our knees, press our forehead to the ground and cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness...that feels so good, such a relief and comfort to once again take shelter of God and rest in His mercy.
 
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StarTemple

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I have a few questions about why you guys Worship. I get the basic reason for it so I'm more interested in the ancillary details. Like what does the act of worship do for you emotionally? How does it make you feel? How different are those feelings when worshipping by yourself or with others? And lastly for now, do you feel a desire to worship?

I have never been able to fully understand it myself. To me it's like dancing. I can see people enjoy it and feel something while doing it but I could never grasp it.

Like when people would raise their arms up during the songs at church. I can clearly see that they're feeling compelled to do that, but I can not figure out what that feeling is like or why it happens. So if you guys could just give me your thoughts on the the subject I'd appreciate it.

It depends on how you define "worship". To me it means "work for" so I work for God through Jesus Christ which for me has no "Sunday" ritual which gives many the feeling they worship as it must be formalized so they can feel it is real, imo. Worship of God should be more than one day a week, imo.

Not to knock churches much, but the Bible is far more important than subsidizing a few preachers who are usually stalled in prophecy or some theological debate, rendering any "work for" for state purposes as history attests to this characteristic of churches.

What gives it all meaning is the obvious need for a new global management system that transcends the UN and New World Order abilities when it is shown their leaders are all in league with other cosmic forces identified in the Bible as Satan and the demons (Ephesians 6:12) who are very old, powerful and intelligent rebel angels in the Bible since Genesis 3 and Genesis 6.

All that remains is for the world to fall 100% under that full complete world government after this next world war passes into a global recovery of Revelation 13:3, rather than the many national powers whose rule is sanctioned in Genesis 10 and Romans 13 temporarily. Once the world comes under the full rival world government system Christ will arrive to settle their matter and anyone who wants to can Revelation 14:6-8 choose the Messianic Kingdom of Christ instead of that 8th King New World Order King North WORLD GOVERNMENT of Revelation 17:8-18 and Daniel 11:44-45.

THAT forehand knowledge from prophecy is also what makes worshiping God for me very real and interesting. I could NEVER learn that at church or from Jehovah's witnesses, etc. But both groups did help in the journey there, go figure.
 
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Tayla

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I have a few questions about why you guys Worship.
For me, I worship God when he comes to mind when I see something beautiful or awesome. Since I sense his presence always, I speak to him mentally or out loud like I would if sharing with a friend. Sometimes I extend this by singing a song or proclaiming God's great attributes for a while. That's all. It's hard to do in church often because the lyrics are so idiotic and the music is so loud, chaotic, and distracting; and it's so extremely emotional.
 
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ViaCrucis

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I have a few questions about why you guys Worship. I get the basic reason for it so I'm more interested in the ancillary details. Like what does the act of worship do for you emotionally? How does it make you feel? How different are those feelings when worshipping by yourself or with others? And lastly for now, do you feel a desire to worship?

I have never been able to fully understand it myself. To me it's like dancing. I can see people enjoy it and feel something while doing it but I could never grasp it.

Like when people would raise their arms up during the songs at church. I can clearly see that they're feeling compelled to do that, but I can not figure out what that feeling is like or why it happens. So if you guys could just give me your thoughts on the the subject I'd appreciate it.

The core concept of worship can be found in the meaning of the word itself, the English word "worship" is ultimately derived from the word "worth" and the suffix "-ship", that is "the state of being of worth" or "being worthy". Antiquated uses of the word include things like talking about a person of high dignity being "Your Worship". However, in a modern context it almost exclusively has a religious meaning to describe practices by which to honor a god/God.

Christian worship, that is, the practices which we observe and do to honor God are rooted in a long history and tradition both within the Christian Church itself and predating the Church in the Jewish practices as found in the Synagogue and Temple.

The chief point of Christian gathering is to receive God's gifts of Word and Sacrament, as such we are the ones who benefit from coming together: to hear and receive God's Word (i.e. to hear the Gospel proclaimed, to receive forgiveness of our sin, etc) and to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, where we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ broken and shed for us. This Sacramental dimension of worship means we are coming together to encounter Jesus Christ and here, together, encounter Him in such a way as to receive all the good gifts from God which hold us together as the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, in the faith God has given us, to be God's people in the world.

Worship also involves the sacrificial dimension, our response to God to declare His praises, to give thanks to Him for what He has done, to declare in our assembling together the good things God has done for us and for the world. We do this out of genuine and sincere thankfulness--we are grateful, thankful, and blessed because of what God has done for us in Jesus, and so we convey our thanks, gratitude, and praise of Him through prayer and song. And commit ourselves to a life of thankfulness and grace, not just in our assembling together, but as we live our lives in the midst of the world through our various vocations as human persons in society and in relationship with others. To go out into the world, bearing the Gospel we ourselves have heard and received to others, in word, deed, and love--to commit ourselves to doing good to all, to serve others even as Christ served the world, to love, to give, to feed, to give drink, to pursue justice for the poor, the disenfranchised, and the helpless.

Worship, fundamentally, isn't the feelings we have with songs at church; it is the dynamic expressed through God giving Himself to us through His gifts of Word and Sacrament, our thankfulness and gratitude, and our continued commitment to be the people of Jesus Christ in and for the world.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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