Building the body

Here is what I know:

Americans go crazy about exercise. 

I myself exercise 6 days a week.

Treadmill.

I like to jokingly say, "it is a whole lot cheaper than therapy."

Exercise helps us lose weight, maintain our weight, keeps us fit and strengthens the heart.

It also helps us deal with stress.

It is interesting to me that these same thoughts can be applied to worship.

Worship keeps us fit.  It strengthens our heart.

The more we worship, the stronger our heart is for God.

Worship renews our mind.  It increases our stamina.  As we are "fit" spiritually, we can go distances that would tire or injure an unfit person.

Worship is the exercise of the spirit.  The more time we spend in His presence, the more audible His voice; the quicker we will understand His will.

Let me use this analogy:  Worship is like the weight room where spiritual athletes work out in preparation for the race (read Hebrews 12:1).

We know that this race is a race that is not a hundred yard dash and with a burst of speed we might even make heaven.  It is a marathon.  It is a lifelong "running with the Master".

People serious about keeping fit go regularly to the gym.  Once a week is not enough.

The benefit of exercise is to be found only in weekly repetition.  In other words, "use it or lose it."

Practice.

So it is with spiritual exercise.

As athletes train the entire body, not just the arms, legs or stomach muscles - so it is with spiritual exercise.

We are to use our entire bodies in worship to the Lord. 

We are to lift Holy Hands.

When do we lift hands?  To have someone let us speak.  To receive the ball (in sports).  (To show gratitude).  In the same way, as we worship, we raise our hands in order to ask of the Lord, or receive from his spirit or express our thanks.

You can read of this in Psalms 63:3-5.  Psalms 134:1,2.  Psalms 141:1,2.  The last couple of verses are interesting in that David raises his hands to the Lord at night.  I would suggest that is one way to sleep peacefully - is to have a time of worship before you retire, raising your hands to God in worship and praise.  It places your focus on Him.

Raising our hands is a sign of dependence on God in 1 Timothy 2:8 and Psalms 134:2.  It shows the world that we are surrendering ourselves to God.

We stand in worship.  Standing is a sign of showing honor and respect.  If the President of the United States would come in this evening, no matter what our politics are, we would stand as a sign of respect.

David stood in worship in the house of the Lord (Psalms 122:1,2).

We stand as we worship.  We sometimes stand as we read the Word.  We stand when a teaching point is given that touches our hearts. 

While we do not want to be like the hypocrites and stand as we pray to be seen by others, worship should engage every part of our being.

One of the reasons we stand is that it helps us focus on God.  We act our way into a feeling.  We don't feel our way into an action.  Standing helps us bypass the way we are feeling and focus on the presence of God and His Holy Spirit.

There have been many times when I have not felt like worshipping, but as I engage my body, that engages my spirit - and in turn - I begin to "feel" like worshipping.

We kneel in worship.

What does a man do when he asks a woman to marry him?  He kneels and asks, "will you marry me."

It is a gesture of love.

We kneel when we are in love.  Psalms 95:6,7 tells us that when we kneel it shows our love and admiration for God.  But it also shows that God is in control.  In Ephesians 3:14, Paul kneels as a sign of humility and respect.  He acknowledges that God is in control.

Kneeling slows us down so that we may carefully measure our words to the Lord.  Confession can be a part of kneeling.  Bowing down in repentance to God.

We shout in in worship.

As people do when someone scores a touchdown or hits a home run.  Shouting is biblical.

Psalms 47:1,2 tells us that shouting is a voluntary response to an action, event or awareness of the presence of God.  The awesomeness of God.

Psalms 35:27,28 states that we shout in the realization that God delights in our well-being and He vindicates us.

Psalms 107:2 states, "let the redeemed of the Lord say so"!

We are to sing in the Spirit in worship.

Singing in the spirit is a very sacred, special activity.  It is something we participate in after we have entered into the throne room of God.  When our natural language is not enough.  The Holy Spirit begins to sing through us, in a language that is given by Him.

Paul practiced it in his prayer and praise.  (1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19).

Speaking in tongues and signing in the spirit build you and I up as we minister to the Lord.  To use scriptural terminology, it "edifies us."

They are spiritual gifts for encouragement and strengthening. 

Whenever I am confused, I pray or sing in tongues.  Whenever fear grips my spirit, I pray or sing in tongues.  Whenever I am in His presence, in a time of corporate worship - and the worship is flowing, I love to pray or sing in the Spirit.

It is a gift for you. 

And did you know that God enjoys our songs as we sing to Him?   As we sing to Him with a childlike abandonment?

More than any other method of worship, singing in the spirit (for me) is a way to experience the Shekinah glory, the ultimate presence of the Lord.

I encourage you, come to our time of "Pure Worship" tonight.  And let's worship together and enjoy the presence of the Lord.