Worship That Touches the Heart of God

By Nina Gardner

Do you feel truly alive or are you just going through the motions in life? The fulfillment you seek can be found in worshipâ a worship that starts within you. The sweet psalmist David provided us his key to worship, which God vowed would never end. Once you know where you fit into this pattern of worship, and experience its freedom, you will never opt to live a life of merely going through the motions again. You will worship not because you are told to, but because you love to. In worship, God's heart of love is found. Through itâ you can find joyâ and feel more alive than ever before!

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9780996271653

Book preview

God.

License to the Reader

Please do not let the number of pages in this book deter you in any way. As a book reader, I understand that most people only read the portions that interest them, so this is your license to skip around. However, I still recommend reading the first and second sections entirely because it explains the pattern and walks you through it. The third section is designed for leaders establishing Davidic Worship in a corporate setting. The fourth section is intentionally separated for you to read the particular position(s) that appeal to you. The fifth section is for everyone to use, at will, in activation. If, however, you are a leader and are planning a corporate setting of Davidic Worship, completely reading the book is essential. I pray that I have done a service to you as the reader to understand the key to God’s heart and knowing how you can implement. Blessings to you!

Preface

The Lord has compelled me since my youth to research the Ark of the Covenant; therefore, I have clipped and stored many articles pertaining to this subject. By the Lord’s design, I became a worship leader at a local church where I gained different viewpoints of leading worship from a variety of ages, cultures, denominations, and preferences.

I absolutely loved being a worship leader, but I kept feeling there was something missing, there was something more than what I knew. Although I loved the hymns, it wasn’t enough to satisfy my longing for a deeper worship experience. My desire was to entertain God, but I didn’t know how. This provoked me to learn more.

As I sought out worship conferences, I found that most had no teachings on the subject, so I was thankful when I heard of a conference offering worship leadership training. However, once again I was deeply disappointed when all they offered was, Just be led by the Holy Spirit. After this, I realized that God was the only one that held my answers. My hunger to experience God in worship brought a great enthusiasm to seek Him.

In my quest, I discovered that the Ark of the Covenant was only part of what I sought. I knew that we were the temple of God as stated in 1 Corinthians 6:19, yet I needed more information to go deeper. Years later, on a Wednesday evening, the youth leader of our church did a one-time teaching about the places in the tabernacle. She posted a sign on the front door of the church that said, You are now entering through the Gates of Thanksgiving. As I entered into the foyer, a sign was posted, You are in the Outer Courts of Praise. As I walked into the sanctuary, a sign was posted in front of the pews, You are now in the Inner Courts of Worship. A sign was posted at the altar, The Brazen Altar. A sign was posted on the platform, The Holy Place, and a sign was posted in the corner of the platform, The Most Holy Place. These signs brought clarity as she taught about the places in the tabernacle with their symbolism and significance. I felt so blessed that God had heard my prayers for more information.

More years of researching and praying about the old tabernacles was rewarded by the Lord when He led me to The Tabernacle of David written by Kevin J. Conner (Conner, 1976). Here is where God began to unfold the secrets of the worship He desired. I researched the scriptures that Conner gave, but I also did a study of my own. I read how God had given the pattern of the tabernacle to Moses, giving explicit commands for him to do all according to the pattern (Exodus 25:40). From this I knew that God had a pattern of worship that must be followed to His exact desires.

As I continued praying, reading, and researching, I discovered that David introduced a joyful worship that defied the pattern of Moses, and God loved it! The institution of this pattern would have baffled the minds of the traditional leaders of David’s day. After this discovery I wrote my first book, The Coming Order of Davidic Worship and held my first conference on this topic. In further studies God revealed to me the various Davidic Worship positions; although, I didn’t realize at the time that it was for another book. Now, after more than a decade, I have written this book to lay out the pattern of worship as David had instituted.

The Bible bears record that only a few kings and priests followed after the ways of David their father, meaning they re-established his pattern of worship (2 Chronicles 34:2). Yet after their death, their successors did not follow the set pattern. Therefore, time and again, a break in leadership would happen and the worship that God loved would cease.

The prophet Amos clearly saw God’s desire for heart-felt worship and he prophesied, In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old (Amos 9:11). Amos knew that God had full intentions of rebuilding the tabernacle of David and never again would there be a breach of joyful worship in His tabernacle.

The apostle James, the brother of Jesus, recognized that David’s pattern of worship was indeed being re-instituted and it now included the Gentiles. After James heard of the Gentiles being saved, he said, And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up’ (Acts 15:15-16). This time, God not only raises it up, but He also closes the breach that it cannot breakdown, fall, or be destroyed, but it will remain eternally.

As you read this book, keep in mind the layout of the Mosaic and Davidic Tabernacles. Although we are not under the law, this pattern is based on the layout of that era because it was, and is, an example of God’s eternal pattern. We know that Jesus came to fulfill the law, redeeming us from the curse of sin by being our blood sacrifice. Therefore, this book is not about following the letter of the law but is about re-instituting this eternal, foundational pattern of worship that God said would be perpetuated forever (1 Chronicles 17:14).

David had found the key to God’s heart, but God also found His man. God said, I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth (Psalms 89:20, 27). I am convinced that God wants to give us an inheritance of an everlasting proportion if we will use the key of worshiping like David!

After all the research, I am blessed that God has allowed me to share the pattern with you. Truly my quest has not been in vain. I believe that this book will deepen your worship experience, change your life, and give God pleasure in His greatest creation – you!

Introduction

Have you ever wondered where, or if, you fit into worship? If you are a worship leader, did you ever feel lost in your directions for the worship service? If you are a pastor, do you ever ask the question, Why can’t we seem to get worship off the ground? Many people have felt like worship wasn’t for them. In fact, some people have bypassed worship services altogether and attended only for the message because they thought they didn’t fit in. Worship leaders have felt like failures because they didn’t know how to present engaging worship, and the pastors are scratching their heads wondering what to do. This has been a problem in our Christian churches for centuries, but the truth is that we were all created to worship the Living God.

In the pages of this book, you will see David’s pattern of worship that won the heart of God. David purposely created ways for the worshiper to express love and adoration within their various positions. God so loved David’s heart of worship that He vowed to re-institute it; thus, I have termed this pattern as Davidic Worship.

David’s worship holds many keys which are like threads. In his pattern, you will find threads of the blood, joy, celebration, prophecy, glory, communion, and a reciprocating love. Each one has power of their own, but when woven together, they touch the heart of God. These keys of worship are collectively called the key of David.

Throughout the book I talk about the birthplace of Davidic Worship, Zion. It was here in Zion where God’s heart and man’s heart came together in a reciprocation of love. Thus, anytime God talks about Zion, He is referring to David’s pattern of worship. Whereas, the key of David was the pattern of worship, Zion was the place where the worshipers turned the key to God’s heart.

Since David’s pattern included both the Mosaic Tabernacle and two Davidic Tabernacles, you will see those illustrated and defined with their marked differences. The pattern explains the transformations between then and now, and the ways we can be unique in our style. There is a comparison of General Worship to Davidic Worship and how the flow of each differs. For the leader, a method of appointments has been included, along with song mapping through lyrics and tunes, and various expressions of worship we can expect. I also address the hindrances of our worship because of offenses and un-forgiveness, and how to release them. In addition, I have included strategies for the warfare that rages against the worshiper. Laid out in the fourth section are twelve positions that are relative today to aid the worshipers in knowing where they fit into worship.

God intentionally designed you to actively participate in worship, not just to come to church for performance or entertainment. As you find and take your position in worship, you will learn how to touch the heart of God and enjoy worshiping. I pray that as you read this book, you will begin immediately experiencing the loving touch of your Almighty God!

Section One:

Setting the Pattern

Touching the Heart of God

Have you ever felt like you were going through the motions of life, never truly feeling alive? Have you ever gone to church looking for something to fill your emptiness and left unfulfilled? Although you had no real complaints and everything on the outside seemed fine, yet inside you knew something was missing. All the answers you seek are in your worship; the worship that starts within you. The sweet psalmist David gave us his key of worship that God vowed would never end. This Davidic Worship key is what I am presenting to you. Once you know where you fit into this pattern and experience its freedom, you will never return to going through the motions of worship feeling you have to or because are told to, but because you love to. It is here in God’s heart of love that you will find fulfillment, and where you will feel more alive than ever before.

God purposely placed inside you this need to feel alive so you would seek to touch Him. Then He carefully crafted your heart as the temple of His dwelling place and waited for you to invite Him in. He knew you would open the door and let Him in, yet He anticipates the moment when you will reach out and touch His heart with yours. Thus, your heart holds the key you seek.

All of God’s relationships are based on love and communion; therefore, He would never allow you to be the only one reaching out. In reality, He never, ever wanted to be separated from you or your love anyway, so He specifically designed a dwelling place inside His heart just for you. He purposely made it easy for your heart to touch His heart as you worship Him. God is longing for His people to know that His greatest desire is to be touched by your heart of loving Him in worship! Here in this place of love and communion is where both you and God will receive the desire of your hearts.

As you touch God and He touches you, a new passion of His love will come flooding over you. This overwhelming presence of love will melt away the old, dead parts of you and the new alive you will emerge. This is God changing you into His image and enlarging your heart so He can put more of Himself inside you. It becomes a cycle of releasing your worship from a heart of love and God putting His love inside you. Hence, the temple in your heart will grow wider, bigger, and stronger as you embrace His love and receive more of Him.

Ministering to God

The reciprocation of this love between mankind and God is David’s set pattern of worship. By definition, the very core of Davidic Worship is the priestly flow of ministering to God from the heart. By God’s design, the priests were originally set in place for the purposes of ministering to Him; and it was the pattern of teaching His people how to worship. But David came along and found the key to touching the heart of God, and he turned it. What was once a pattern of duty was perfected in praise. David’s love and joy of worshiping moved the heart of God insomuch that God made an everlasting covenant with him and established this worship forever (1 Chronicles 17:10-14). Whereas, the first pattern God gave to Moses was a priestly function (a task) of ministry to God, the second is a priestly flow of love between God and man because their hearts are intertwined.

When you minister to people, it is necessary to focus only on the person to be effective; this is the natural course. Your ministry can only happen when you talk directly to them; so it is with God. Therefore, in your worship of ministering to God your focus is only on Him, who He is, and what He desires. The Godhead, or some may say the Trinity, is the central point in every thought, declaration, song, dance, or whatever to the One we love.

God’s Plan to Restore Worship

God created us in His image to worship Him. Adam and Eve, as God’s first creation of man, walked with Him in the Garden of Eden, ministering to Him in worship and experiencing His glory. After they sinned against God, they were exiled from the Garden of Eden, and the ability and the understanding of the pattern of ministry in worship was lost as well as the experience of His glory. Their sin separated us from God; therefore, of necessity, God instituted the offering of blood sacrifices to atone for sins as a temporary measure of reconciliation. This priestly role of worshiping and ministering to God through blood sacrifices was performed without a tabernacle to house the presence of His glory. Having no tabernacle to dwell among His people, or to be touched by their worship, did not please God.

Therefore, God sought for a man to build Him an earthly tabernacle to show His people that He wanted to dwell among them, and He found Moses. God gave Moses the pattern of worshiping in the priestly role of ministering to Him, and the instructions for teaching His people to worship. In order to accomplish this, God set apart the tribe of the Levites from the common people; then Aaron and his sons for the specific purposes of ministering to Him. This priestly function could only be presented by consecrated, holy men with an offering of a blood sacrifice gift. Although this pattern was a solemn ritual of going through the natural motions, it was a great schoolmaster in training God’s people how to worship. Because of this pattern and a tabernacle, man could once again experience the glory of God, though it was not yet in its fullness.

Israel kept the pattern of ritualistic motions, but few actually worshiped from the heart. Therefore, because their hearts were far from God, they rejected Him and cried out for an earthly king, so God appointed Saul. After Saul disobeyed, God sent Samuel to anoint a young shepherd named David as king. David received the anointing, but he returned to the fields to care for his sheep. It was there in the fields and in the shadows of darkness where David learned to freely worship God in singing, dancing, making music, and declaring God’s glory and majesty. He knew he was destined to be the king, but right now it was all about celebrating the God he loved, and fighting and caring for his sheep. In these places, he came to know the God of battle as he slew the lion and the bear thus becoming a mighty warrior. Learning to worship and fight was necessary because it was preparing him in the natural for the spiritual battles he would encounter. Together they became a dynamic duo: David ministered to God from the heart, and God fought David’s battles.

Many years go by before David takes his reign as king, but when he does, that same anointing of worshiping from the heart follows him from the wilderness into his kingship. By now, the Ark of God’s presence has been stolen by the Philistines as a spoil of war because Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, took it from the Most Holy Place into battle against God’s will. This angered God, so He smote the Philistines with a deadly disease until they returned the Ark along with sacrifices to the country of Israel. The sacrifices were made and the Ark rested in Obededom for three months, and Obededom prospered.

The report of Obededom’s prosperity came into the ears of David, and he was determined to bring the blessings back home to Jerusalem. Therefore, David made haste in preparing a tent inside his fort called Zion for the Ark of God’s presence to dwell (1 Chronicles 15:1). David went to Obededom to bring the Ark home. It was at this time where the priests put the Ark on a cart driven by animals and Uzzah died because the Ark shifted and he touched it. David first grieved the loss of Uzzah then sought God’s purpose for smiting him. The priests searched through the scrolls and found the pattern of how the Ark was to be transported that Moses had recorded (1 Chronicles 15:2). David spoke to the priests, "For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.