Sacred Place

Romans 12:1 |Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Paul wrote the above passage to an audience that understood the metaphor he was using in connection to worship. No animals went the the sacrificial altar and came back alive! People knew this. People understood the idea behind sacrifice. They witnessed and participated in animal sacrifices all year long at the temple, where the blood of animals flowed through the sheep gate! And they also knew that animals that were placed on the altar for sacrifice in worship were completely dead! So in a sense Paul is saying we ought to live our life as an offering of worship to God as He leads and plans and moves through us. Follow Him. Do what he says to do. Ignore your impulse to protect your reputation... become a fool for Jesus. After all you are  dead! If there is any life, it is a life lived through and in Jesus!

What would happen if Disciple Church decided to engage God in our worship with such intensity and intentionality! What if DC engaged with God in His great love for the world [John 3:16] is one of the ways that we offer ourselves for Him in worship? I mean, it is risky to have worship spill over into our work place, checkbooks, family, relationships; but experiencing God in everyday life is worth it!

What if our local Food Bank [www.shfb.org] was flooded each day with people who love Jesus? What if the Veggielution Community [veggielution.org], which serves the poor by producing organic food, was flooded by our church members each day so they can serve the poor? What if Christians were known for their generosity and sacrificial life rather then hypocrisy and what they don’t like. What if Disciple Church is known for love rather then what we are against? Let me tell you a secret... we already are pursuing this. There are people around us who have heard of us and know that we are about love and generosity. There are folks in our neighborhood who have heard of what we do at Food Bank. But what if everyone got involved! What if this toy drive for children this Christmas was not a mere exercise in love but a way of life? What if Thanksgiving was everyday for us as we love on our neighbors? What is we took loving God and loving others seriously?

Living a sacrificial life, praying, ascribing to the Lord, caring for the poor, walking in the personal purity, honoring family, serving others who don’t believe in Jesus, saying “YES” to God in difficult moments, flowing in the Holy Spirit, studying to be the best at our profession, stewarding our finances, tim, work, all of these experiences gateways in which we respond to God in worship and experience His touch. Praying for healing for others can open up encounters with God that will last a lifetime.

Disciple Church, begin to see all of life as a sacred place where you walk with God, and interact with Him as you look for what He is already doing. THen join Him in His work!

Have you seen your work life, your time, your energy, your talents, and your resources as means through which you can exchange love and affection with God?

What if you plan out your schedule for the day, try asking God this question, “Lord is there anything You want to do today, through me, in someone else’s life?” Plan to obey God, ahead of time. Risk!

Pray the following:
God You are so loving. You love the world so much, you called me and filled me with Your Holy Spirit to make every act of giving, friendship, work and love an act of worship! I choose to see my life through the lens of worship. In your name! Amen.

Express Yourself!

“Life up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.” Psalm 134:2

Have you ever wondered why people lift up their voices and hands, often kneeling and bowing down, or clap while worshipping the Lord?

The Word of God, like a broken record, reminds us that worshippers ought to physically express outwardly as well as internally. Reality is that, worship is so marked by physical actions and postures throughout the Bible, one might think that they are even more important then silent expressions.

Abraham raised his hands. Daniel bowed down. David danced, cried, clapped and played an instrument. Jeremiah cried out! Paul and Silas, raised their voices to worship in the damp dungeons of Philippi.

Now as you know, physical action is not more important then internal expressions, but we should take note as to how important physical actions are in the Bible. In fact, I will say, physical actions often direct and shape how we feel! Here is something you can do today during our worship gathering. Open your hands in front of you. Now, as you lift them up toward heaven, say to God, “I am so grateful for all You’ve done; I offer my life to You again and give You everything -- knowing that You will take care of me as You always have.”

How did you feel when you opened your hands in front of you and lifted them up to pray? Did it help you or hinder your sense of connection with God as you prayed? For many people, they actually say it helped them to sense that God is nearer when they engage a physical demonstration of the state of their heart!

The Psalmist talks about lifting hands in worship [Psalm 134:2], bowing down and kneeling [Psalm 05:6], clapping [Psalm 47:1], singing [Psalm 68:4], and expressing our hearts to God in many different ways. Maybe as you were worshipping with us, you felt that Holy Spirit was tugging you to kneel to pray while others are singing, or to lift up your hands while singing and praying; but you were too self conscious about what others might think. Ignore others, focus on God and as Nike says, “Just Do It!” It’s a matter of obedience! You might think, “I’m going to look like a fool.” Or “I don’t want to show off.” If showing off is your goal of your physical expression, then don’t do it! But your focus is obedience and honoring God, don’t worry about looking foolish or showing off! If your heart’s focus is to worship God, God rejoices over your obedience. And besides, we are going to be a fool for someone, let’s be fools for Jesus!

Our experience of God can be influenced by trying some of these physical expressions in our worship both privately and corporately.

Take a moment to pray. Pray loud enough so you can hear yourself:
“Lord, I know you gave me this body for a reason and that sometimes what I do with it affects the condition of my heart. Show me ways I can begin to express my love for You, with physical posture that will influence my spiritual posture. In Christ’s name. Amen!”

As you worship the Lord you can ask... “What small physical actions would capture what I feel toward God right now?” And then do it! If you continue in this, your worship will radical transform as you encounter God in our worship!