"Reasonable" worship, Part 1 -

Each time you enter into worship, there should be a brand new reason to thank Him. He is always doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:19) in you, for you, through you. Every day, in every moment God is working. It takes the eyes of understanding to see, usually in faith, that God is at work on our behalf. But thanking Him before you receive your answer is one of the most precious sacrifices you can offer in worship. When you receive your answer? Shout it from the rooftops! “Shabach” is one of the seven Hebrew words for “praise” and it means to shout out your testimony of what He has done. It’s a Biblical form of worship that God designed to affirm His mighty acts in the lives of His people. It’s okay to shout in church when you are testifying of His greatness in your life!

When your heart, mind and spirit are focused on thankfulness to God, you are prepared for worship- but God deserves only the best, a fresh, living sacrifice. Because His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23), your reasons for worship should be new each day as well. When you are worshipping, you are the living sacrifice– your body. Raising your hands, shouting, kneeling in His presence as an act of submission, singing, clapping, playing an instrument- these are the physical acts of worship the Bible gives you to present to the Lord in worship.

Because His mercies are new every morning, your reasons for worship should be new each day as well.

He deserves a living sacrifice because He gave one to you– His Son, Jesus Christ. In return, you present your body, and a fresh thanksgiving each time you worship Him. A dead sacrifice doesn’t struggle. A living one does, one that must die to self. If worship is a struggle, push in deeper, sacrifice even more of yourself physically. Raise your hands higher, shout louder. Do something brand new in your worship, and present yourself to God as a living sacrifice, dying to self for Him. That is holy, and acceptable in His sight.

Thought for today

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12) Worship is a lifestyle, a life-long journey. There will be bumps, falls, injuries and wrong steps because we have an enemy who seeks to ruin what God has blessed. Press on. Never permit your sacrifice to become moldy or stale. Don’t give God the same thing you gave Him yesterday. Offer Him something new from you. A fresh worship sacrifice should challenge your body and mind, your will and your emotions, but it will bless Him, which is the purpose of all true worship.