Embracing Worship: Transformation, Community, and Righteous Living

Devotional

Day 1: The Sacred Gesture of Worship

Lifting our hands in worship is more than a physical act; it is a sacred offering that mirrors the evening sacrifices of ancient times. This gesture symbolizes our earnest desire to honor God's presence and reflects our choice to seek Him wholeheartedly. By lifting our hands, we invite God's presence into our lives, acknowledging our dependency on His guidance and wisdom. This act of worship is a tangible expression of our faith and a reminder of our need for God in every aspect of our lives. [43:20]

Psalm 141:2 (ESV): "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you need to invite God's presence today? How can lifting your hands in worship become a regular practice to symbolize this invitation?

Day 2: Partnering with God for Transformation

True transformation in our lives comes from partnering with God in His work within us. The scriptures remind us that we were once dead in our sins, but through God's grace, we have been made alive in Christ. This transformation is not a one-time event but an ongoing process that requires us to continually submit to the Holy Spirit's guidance. As we allow God's Word to work within us, we are called to flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. This pursuit is about actively seeking to live in a way that honors God, not just avoiding sin. [51:54]

Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you to change? How can you partner with Him in this transformation today?

Day 3: The Daily Battle Within

Every believer faces a daily battle between their sinful nature and the Spirit. This internal conflict is a reality we must confront, but we are not alone in this struggle. The Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome our sinful desires and live according to God's will. Intentionality in our walk with God is crucial for victory, as we must choose daily to follow the Spirit's leading. By doing so, we become vessels of honor, ready for every good work that God has prepared for us. [01:06:05]

Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV): "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Reflection: What specific sinful desire do you struggle with daily? How can you intentionally rely on the Holy Spirit to overcome it today?

Day 4: Actively Pursuing Righteous Living

We are called to flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. This pursuit involves more than just avoiding sin; it requires actively seeking to live in a way that honors God. By focusing on these virtues, we align our lives with God's will and reflect His character to those around us. This intentional pursuit of righteousness is a lifelong journey that shapes us into the people God created us to be. [01:23:58]

2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV): "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to pursue righteousness in your life? How can this step help you reflect God's character to others?

Day 5: Strength in Community

The importance of community and companionship with fellow believers cannot be overstated. Surrounding ourselves with those who call on the Lord with pure hearts strengthens our faith and encourages us in our journey. As we pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace, we do so in the context of a supportive community, knowing that we are not alone in our struggles or our victories. This community provides the strength and encouragement we need to continue growing in our faith. [01:25:44]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to for support and encouragement in your faith journey today? How can you also be a source of strength for someone else?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound significance of lifting our hands in worship, likening it to the evening sacrifice of biblical times. This act is not just a gesture but a sacred offering, symbolizing our desire to honor God's presence. We have the choice to seek as much or as little of God as we desire, and lifting our hands is a way to invite His presence into our lives. This choice is a reflection of our dependency on God, acknowledging that we need His guidance and wisdom in every aspect of our lives.

We delved into the transformative power of God's Word, emphasizing that true change comes from partnering with God in His work within us. The scriptures remind us that we were once dead in our sins, but through God's grace, we have been made alive in Christ. This transformation is ongoing, requiring us to continually submit to the Holy Spirit's guidance. We are called to flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. This pursuit is not just about avoiding sin but actively seeking to live in a way that honors God.

The sermon also highlighted the internal conflict between our sinful nature and the Spirit. This battle is a daily reality for every believer, but we are not alone. The Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome our sinful desires and live according to God's will. We are encouraged to be intentional in our walk with God, allowing the Spirit to guide us and transform us into vessels of honor, ready for every good work.

Finally, we were reminded of the importance of community and companionship with fellow believers. Surrounding ourselves with those who call on the Lord with pure hearts strengthens our faith and encourages us in our journey. As we pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace, we do so in the context of a supportive community, knowing that we are not alone in our struggles or our victories.

Key Takeaways

1. The Significance of Lifting Hands: Lifting our hands in worship is a sacred act, akin to the evening sacrifice, symbolizing our desire to honor God's presence. It reflects our choice to seek God's presence and our dependency on Him for guidance and wisdom in our lives. [43:20]
2. Transformation Through God's Word: True transformation comes from partnering with God in His work within us. We were once dead in our sins, but through God's grace, we have been made alive in Christ. This ongoing transformation requires submission to the Holy Spirit's guidance. [51:54]
3. The Internal Conflict: Every believer faces a daily battle between their sinful nature and the Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome our sinful desires and live according to God's will. Intentionality in our walk with God is crucial for victory. [66:05]
4. Pursuing Righteous Living: We are called to flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. This pursuit involves actively seeking to live in a way that honors God, not just avoiding sin. [83:58]
5. The Importance of Community: Surrounding ourselves with fellow believers strengthens our faith and encourages us in our journey. Companionship with those who call on the Lord with pure hearts is vital for spiritual growth and support. [01:25:44]
** [85:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[43:20] - The Significance of Lifting Hands
[44:49] - Inviting God's Presence
[45:27] - Becoming the Priest
[45:59] - Humbling Ourselves
[51:54] - Transformation Through God's Word
[57:20] - God's Plan for Us
[58:54] - The Work of God
[59:35] - Refusing to Obey
[66:05] - The Internal Conflict
[71:10] - Everyday Battle
[73:58] - Winning the Battle
[75:41] - Reflecting God's Glory
[76:52] - The Warning
[79:07] - The Seed and the Soil
[81:34] - Vessels of Honor
[83:58] - Pursuing Righteous Living
[85:44] - The Importance of Community

Sermon Clips

1. "Oftentimes you hear lift your hands in church. Let me tell you the significance of lifting your hands, whether you're in church, whether you're home, whether you're on your job. The scripture tells us may the lifting of our hands be like the evening sacrifice. In biblical times, the evening sacrifice was when the priests would come and they would slaughter the animal that was going to be sacrificed unto the Lord so that the tangible presence of God could be honored. The unseen God would be honored by the people of God by the lifting of their hands. It's very significant. It's very sacred. Glory to God. Come on, lift your hands. May it be like the evening sacrifice. You can have as much of God as you want or as little of God as you want." [00:43:20] (64 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Come on, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. He'll lift you. He'll lift you. He'll lift you. Bow down your hearts. Humble yourself, humble yourself like the evening sacrifice. I worship you. You're the lamb that's being slaughtered. Come on, I told you what it meant. It's like an evening sacrifice when you lift your hands." [00:46:06] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Come on, open up, open up, open up, open up, open up. A seed is going to go in the ground. A seed is going to be dropped. A seed is going to be dropped in your life. It's an eternal work from God. Come on, you want to see change and transformation beyond Sunday. Open up, open up, open up, open up, open up in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Thank you, guys. In the name of Jesus. There's a sweet spirit in here. You can feel it. You can sense it. God, we worship. God, we worship. Come on, declare your dependency upon him for the week." [00:46:53] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "God saved you by his grace when you believed. Keep the scripture up for me. And you can't take credit for it. It's a what? It's a gift from God. Salvation is a gift from God. He thought enough of us. He loved us enough to say, you know what, I'm gonna tug on his heart. I'm gonna tug on her heart. I'm gonna tug on his mind. I'm gonna tug on her mind. I'm gonna give him this gift. And somebody, somebody refusing a gift from God, they like, I don't want it. He says it's a gift. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." [01:03:28] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "So, you got up for the day. I'm talking about your everyday living. Your everyday walking it out with God. The enemy comes. He's your old nature. Sinful nature. Know all about your quirks. Know all about your history. On fleek, ready for you to do evil. Ready. Ready. Because you were sleeping and he woke up and he was like, we ready? Let's go. We're going to mess you up today. We're going to act a fool today. I'm going to bring your conscience under condemnation. I'm going to make you feel like you ain't saved. Oh, I'm ready for you today." [01:11:55] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "This is how you win your everyday battle. Why? Because these two forces are going to constantly fight. Within you, they're going to fight each other. So you're not free to carry out the good things God had planned for you. There's something called the devil that wants to stop you from doing... Growing in God, from becoming in God, and from carrying out the assignment, good intentions, bearing fruit for God. You got to fight on your hands." [01:13:02] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "But we Christians have no veil over our what? Faces. I want you to think of this. This scripture is talking about when Moses came down from off the mountain from 40 days, he had to put a veil over his face because the glory of God was shining till it changed how his image looked, right? And the kid, the people of God... The Israelites were a little scared of that. They was like, ooh, okay, it's kind of freaky there. So he had to pull the veil over his face. Now check this out. This is what the scripture says. But we Christians have no what? Veil over our what? We can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord." [01:14:55] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "He is increasing your awareness of what God honors and what God doesn't. That's the work of the spirit, not the work of you. Your work is to obey. Come up under submission. Okay? Okay. He says, and as the spirit, put it back up, and as the spirit of the Lord works, where? Within us, we become what? More and more like him. Who is him? Jesus." [01:16:28] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "If you keep yourselves what? Pure. Once he cleanses you. Once he starts the sanctification work in your life. What is the sanctification work, Miss Ma'am? That's the process of him removing those evil desires that you have an inclination and a craving to. The Holy Spirit is the one that begins to deal with that desire in you. And it says that if you keep yourself pure. It didn't say make yourself pure. It says if you keep your job is the keeping." [01:22:52] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "He says if you keep yourself pure, you will be a special vessel for honorable use. Your life will be what? Clean. And you will be ready for the master to use for every good work. It tells us to run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Run. Run. What is your action? So miss ma'am, you telling me I need to start like kicking off in track when something comes. No. What he's saying is if it comes on you that temptation, you got to take an opposite direction. But you got to be purposeful about that." [01:23:57] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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