Life of Praise, june 8

Psalm 117

Praise GOD, everybody!
Applaud GOD, all people!
His love has taken over our lives;
GOD’s faithful ways are eternal.
Hallelujah!

(The Message)


Romans 12:1

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 true worship.

(TNIV)

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

(The Message)


“For you are awesome, God of the Nations, Lion of Judah/ Rock of the Ages, Alpha, Omega/ You’re worthy of all praise/ More than these hands I’ll raise/ I’ll live a life of praise”

Those are the lyrics to a song called “Life of Praise” by Casting Crowns. Maybe you remember hearing it some this week.
Living a life of praise is what MOSAIC is all about. It’s easy to come together and go out and work on houses in the Long Beach community. But that is only part of what God has called us to do. God has called us to life our lives as “living sacrifices.” That is what true worship and praise is all about.

Read both versions of Romans 12: 1. What do you think it means to be a living sacrifice?

Psalm 117 has been our theme for the week. Only two verses long, it is the shortest of all the psalms. Even so, it has a powerful message. All people, all over the world and called to praise God. Why? Because God’s loving kindness has taken over our lives. Everybody is to praise God because God loves his people! In addition God is faithful and is faithfulness is eternal!
In what ways has God shown love to you?

How have you seen God’s faithful ways in your own life?

Hallelujah is a word we do not use very often. It ends Psalm 117 and sums it up perfectly. Hallelujah means “praise the Lord!” May “Hallelujah!” be the perfect explanation for your encounters with God this week.
HALLELUJAH!

A Prayer
Dear God, thank you for being with us this week at MOSAIC. It would be pointless to be here without you. We know that you have worked in our lives while we have been working in the lives of others. We give you praise for your work in and through us.
As we leave this place and return to our homes keep teaching us! Help us to constantly be learning what it means to fellowship, pray, worship, and serve. Help us grow into better people, more loving examples of people who follow after you. Conform us into the image of Jesus, who is both our sacrifice and our salvation. Make us more like him!
We want to live lives of praise for you, God. Give us the strength to keep living what we say we believe. Lead us out into the world to shine for you. May the world know who you are as it sees us. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.