“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. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:1-2
Maybe you’ve heard this, or a similar, sentiment stated:
Christianity is for wimps or for people who need a crutch.
Rest assured those words are only spoken by those who have never surrendered their life to Jesus Christ. If you are a disciple then you already know it is not a life for the faint of heart (or, as the Bible phrases it: the lukewarm)!
Authentic worship is living a lifestyle that pleases God.
The last thing my flesh wants to do is please God.
Dying to my flesh, living a sacrificial life, taking up my cross daily – however you want to express it – demands a life that is not looking to take the easy way out.
Understanding this does not, in any way, diminish the enabling work of the Holy Spirit in supplying the grace and the strength needed to live that lifestyle.
But let’s not kid ourselves.
Living a life which, more often than not, is contrary to popular culture and alien to many of our family members and co-workers is never an easy thing to do. Under those circumstances, our flesh (what should be on the altar) speaks up and craves attention and affirmation. We do not like rejection and persecution but we were reminded today that “in fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
II Timothy 3:12
So we are presented with a choice; we can offer authentic worship (true and proper as expressed above in Romans 12) that pleases God but is not an “easy road” or we can offer ritual, routine and religious “worship” that is less offensive to man but not at all pleasing to God.
Oh, by the way, don’t ever believe the lie that authentic worship is for wimps.
Authentic worship demands our all!
God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:1-2
Maybe you’ve heard this, or a similar, sentiment stated:
Christianity is for wimps or for people who need a crutch.
Rest assured those words are only spoken by those who have never surrendered their life to Jesus Christ. If you are a disciple then you already know it is not a life for the faint of heart (or, as the Bible phrases it: the lukewarm)!
Authentic worship is living a lifestyle that pleases God.
The last thing my flesh wants to do is please God.
Dying to my flesh, living a sacrificial life, taking up my cross daily – however you want to express it – demands a life that is not looking to take the easy way out.
Understanding this does not, in any way, diminish the enabling work of the Holy Spirit in supplying the grace and the strength needed to live that lifestyle.
But let’s not kid ourselves.
Living a life which, more often than not, is contrary to popular culture and alien to many of our family members and co-workers is never an easy thing to do. Under those circumstances, our flesh (what should be on the altar) speaks up and craves attention and affirmation. We do not like rejection and persecution but we were reminded today that “in fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
II Timothy 3:12
So we are presented with a choice; we can offer authentic worship (true and proper as expressed above in Romans 12) that pleases God but is not an “easy road” or we can offer ritual, routine and religious “worship” that is less offensive to man but not at all pleasing to God.
Oh, by the way, don’t ever believe the lie that authentic worship is for wimps.
Authentic worship demands our all!
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