Continual Worship

Tobit

Introduction

Wilson Casey of WKDY radio of Spartanburg, South Carolina - holds the world's record for a radio talk show - going 30 consecutive hours asking 3,303 trivia questions on the radio in 1999.

The world's fastest talker is Steve Woodmore. Steve can say 637 words per minute. If you spoke 637 words per minute for 30 hours - that would be 1,146,600 words.

Now imagine that instead of 30 hours - your radio show went on forever!

In a sense - that is what heaven will be like - not one long radio show asking trivia questions - that might be more appropriate for another eternal destination. But let's look at Revelation Chapter 4, verses 1 through 8.

Rev 4:1-8
4:1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

This scene is a wonderful picture of what heaven will be like. Notice the living creatures "never stop." In verse nine we see that whenever the living creatures worship - the 24 elders, representing the church, also start praising. I've said this before - but our times of worship here on earth are like choir practice for heaven, when we will spend uncountable times in praise and worship of our Lord and the Lamb that was slain before the foundations of the world.

That's then - when the cares of this world will be gone, and God will wipe away every tear and there will be no more evil, and no more distractions. No having to earn a living or raise kids or go to school or maintain relationships or worry about sickness or injury - no wonder they call it "the sweet by and by."

So then I came upon this verse the other day - out of Psalms.

Psalm 34:1
I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

David wrote Psalm 34 not as a view into heaven, nor while David spent time in the courts of the Lord, but when he went to the Philistines and pretended to be mad in order to escape from King Saul who was trying to kill him. The story is found in 1 Samuel 21:10 and following. The name of the king was Achish - but the Psalm calls him Abimelech. Abimelech was in fact a common name for "king."

1 Sam 21:10-15
That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David, the king of the land? Isn't he the one they sing about in their dances:

"'Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands'?"

12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13 So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

14 Achish said to his servants, "Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? 15 Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?"

How could David say the words: I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips, when in a situation like this? And indeed it does mean what it says. So I got to thinking - what does this mean to us, in 21st century America? Are we to continually praise the Lord? I think the answer is "yes." Let's take a look at this verse more closely.

Bless (extol) = barak, to kneel - this is the Hebrew idea of worship - a bowing before a superior being. So this tells us to have a humble attitude or reverence toward the Lord.

All = kol, all, the entirety, the whole - I think the idea here is that no matter what's going on - David could lift up praise - no matter the circumstances. And that the entirety of his life was to be a praise to God.

Praise = tehilla,
1 - A quality that is praiseworthy
2 - Words by which God is publicly lauded
3 - A song of praise or a worship leader (technical music term)

Continually (always) = tamid, always, continually, regularly (root - to measure)

So out of this I want to suggest ways that we can continually praise God - maybe it's not that we are always speaking or singing continuously - then I'm sure a lot of people would consider us mad and put us away. But let's look at it this way:

1. We should worship in all situations (always)

2. We should not allow the world to interrupt our worship (continually)

3. We should worship with regularity - on a regular consistent basis.

How do we do this? Look again at what "praise" means:

1. A quality that is praiseworthy

Find qualities in nature or the people or circumstances that remind you of a wonderful quality of the Lord.

This could be the rainbow, or a kind deed, or the Word of God - and let your mind dwell on that quality as it reflects the character of God.

In fact, Philippians 4:8 says:
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

To think means to "take an inventory." So it's counting up the good things that remind us of God. That happens in your mind.

2. Words by which God is publicly lauded

These thoughts that we can have at any time during the day can eventually form words we speak. Maybe its to someone else - "isn't God wonderful - He made that rainbow as a promise." Or maybe it's speaking directly to God. The overflow of our mind will spill out of our mouths.

3. A song of praise or a worship leader

As we speak about God we should then also sing to Him. As I've said many times - worship is musical prayers to God. Not only do we speak about what He's done but we speak and sing to Him.

We can't do that, of course, unless we know songs of worship. That's why I encourage you to purchase worship CD's. We'll be getting some to sell in fact in our Refreshment Center - CD's of the songs that we sing. Learn the songs, play them in your car, at work if you have that freedom. Let them fill your mind and your mouth and you will find that often you'll be humming something - and it will be a worship tune - you're worshiping!

You can also make up worship songs to the Lord - "Sing to Him a new song," Psalm 33:3 declares. As we think and speak of the Lord - as we sing to Him, songs of praise can and will come out of your mouth - new songs that maybe no one will ever hear but you and the Lord.

So what happens when we do this? We find our attitudes changing. We dwell on the Lord and focus our worship on Him uninterrupted by the world and it's challenges - in all circumstances and regularly - and things don't look so glum.

No wonder that David could pen these words in what must have been a terrible time. Even in the midst of trouble - maybe especially in the midst of trouble we need to lift up praise.

Philippians 4:4
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

It's not every word we speak - but when we are saying something else we can be thinking about the Lord. It's not every thought, but while we are thinking of something else our mouth can speak or sing praise.

My word of encouragement to us is that we should be a people of continual praise - preparing for, even entering into that heavenly worship now.

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.