Loving God! Loving People! Loving Life! Message Notes Come To Worship Part One Life Church Smyrna Sunday, December 4, 2016 10:30am Pastor Shell Osbon Matthew 2:1-2 1 When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and said, Where is the Child born to be King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him. (CEV) 1. Lift Your Hands In Prayer Psalm 28:2 Listen to my voice...with my hands lifted up in prayer... (Voice) 1 Kings 8:22-23a and 54 22 Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel. He lifted his hands toward heaven, 23 and he prayed... 54 When Solomon finished making these prayers and petitions to the Lord, he stood up in front of the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands raised toward heaven. (NLT) Lamentations 3:41 When we lift our hands in prayer to God in heaven, we should offer Him our hearts... (CEV) 1 Timothy 2:8 I want everyone everywhere to lift innocent hands toward heaven and pray, without being angry or arguing with each other. (CEV) 2. Lift Your Hands In Praise Psalm 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. (NKJV) Psalm 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. (NIV) Psalm 141:2...may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. (NIV) Hebrews 13:15 Let s take our place with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus name. (The Message) 3. Lift Your Hands In Problems Exodus 17:10-11 10 Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. 11 As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. (NLT) Exodus 17:12-13 12 Moses arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. 13 As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle. (NLT) Psalm 63:1-4 1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! 4 I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer. (NLT) Psalm 143:6-7 6 I lift my hands in prayer, because my soul is a desert, thirsty for water from You. 7 Please hurry, Lord, and answer my prayer. I feel hopeless. Don t turn away and leave me here to die. (CEV) The big idea: Lifting your hands is part of how you can Come To Worship.
part one Matthew 2:1-2 1 When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and said, Where is the Child born to be King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him. (CEV) 1
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1. Lift Your Hands In Prayer 3
Psalm 28:2 Listen to my voice...with my hands lifted up in prayer... (Voice) David prayed while lifting his hands to God because he knew that only God could provide the help he needed. 1 Kings 8:22-23a and 54 22 Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel. He lifted his hands toward heaven, 23 and he prayed... 54 When Solomon finished making these prayers and petitions to the Lord, he stood up in front of the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands raised toward heaven. (NLT) 4
Solomon lifted his hands in prayer as he dedicated the Temple which he had built for the Lord. Lamentations 3:41 When we lift our hands in prayer to God in heaven, we should offer Him our hearts... (CEV) Even more important than lifting your hands in prayer is lifting your heart to God. 5
1 Timothy 2:8 I want everyone everywhere to lift innocent hands toward heaven and pray, without being angry or arguing with each other. (CEV) When you lift your hands to God in prayer, it s important that you keep your attitude right, too! 2. Lift Your Hands In Praise 6
Psalm 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. (NKJV) Thanksgiving comes from the Hebrew word todah which means to hold out the hand, to revere or worship with extended hands. Psalm 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. (NIV) Lifting your hands in praise can be an outward sign of just how grateful you are to the Lord! 7
Psalm 141:2...may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. (NIV) David compared the lifting of his hands in praise to the sacrifices God s people offered to Him each evening. Hebrews 13:15 Let s take our place with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus name. (The Message) You can lift your hands in praise thanking God that you don t have to drag an animal sacrifice to church every week in order to praise Him! 8
3. Lift Your Hands In Problems Exodus 17:10-11 10 Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. 11 As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. (NLT) 9
The position of Moses hands determined who won the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites. Exodus 17:12-13 12 Moses arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. 13 As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle. (NLT) 10
Sometimes you may need help lifting your hands but don t forget that victory may be just ahead! Psalm 63:1-4 1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! 4 I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer. (NLT) 11
It is often in our problems that we see the greatness of God which leads us to surrender more fully. Psalm 143:6-7 6 I lift my hands in prayer, because my soul is a desert, thirsty for water from You. 7 Please hurry, Lord, and answer my prayer. I feel hopeless. Don t turn away and leave me here to die. (CEV) The greater your problem the greater your desperation and the greater the value in lifting your hands to God! 12
the big idea Lifting your hands is part of how you can Come To Worship. we re all about Loving God! Loving People! Loving Life! 13
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