Day 7
WORSHIP WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
Up until now we've been practicing and learning how to worship God on our own, which I believe is an important daily practice. However, if we stay isolated in our worship we miss a huge part of what God has for us. We are called into community with God and with others. Not just surface-level going to church on Sunday, but true soul-bearing community. God is community in his very nature – He is three persons in one – He is God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in perfect unity.
The word church has many different definitions, interpretations, and understandings. According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon the biblical word literally means “called out or forth; a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly” [Strong’s G1577]. The church is a community of people called out from their homes into an assembly. It doesn't matter if you’re in a building, in a home, or in a park. The church is the people. We know that our body is home to the Holy Spirit, and so where we go, God’s presence goes with us. When we bring our worship – our body, our mind, our heart, our spirit, our voice, our gifts – into an assembly of people called out by God we begin to experience the true church. That is when we begin to receive even more of God’s promises for our life!
"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." Matthew 18: 19-20
What an AMAZING promise! The word of God promises that when we come together in community of two or more in Jesus’ name that He will be there and that what we ask shall be done. The word for “shall be done” is ginomai and means to become, to come into existence, begin to be, to come to pass, happen, to arise, appear in history, to be made, etc. Jesus speaks this same word when he performs miracles all throughout the gospel. When we come together Jesus is in our midst, and through His word we begin to see God’s promises come to pass and miracles happen in our lives.
As we worship in the Holy Spirit with Jesus as our high priest we enter into community with God. When we join a community and worship like this – in spirit and in truth – Jesus comes into our midst and His Word comes into existence in our life. Heaven comes to earth.
Cleave in and worship with your heart, your mind, your spirit, your body, your voice, your gifts, and your community today – come fully expectant to see God move in your life!
ACTION
- Read Psalm 92:13-14
- “Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing”
- Reflect
- Are you a part of a community of believers who seek to worship in spirit and in truth?
- If not, what is keeping you from going all in with a church or community of people that love God? Pray and ask God to heal your heart of any past experiences or fears. Ask Him to bring you a community with whom you can worship!
- Practice
- Seek out a community of people who love Jesus and are walking out their faith with Him. Plan some time to meet with one or more of these people with the sole intent to worship together. When you come together share what you've learned about worship, pray together, and then practice any of the kinds of worship you've done so far!