Lake Deaton at Home

My husband Glenn & I joined Lake Deaton in January 2019 so we are relative “newbies” to this church.  We spent 20 years in NC and were very active & involved members of First Presbyterian Church in Raleigh NC.  My “criteria” in church shopping was a Bible based church, inspired & teaching sermons, friendly people & classes that would grow my faith & challenge me.  

Assigned Practice: The Practice of Passionate Worship

Scripture:  Romans 12:11 – 13

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, service the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Scripture: Psalm 111

Written devotion:

Worship shouldn’t be approached with a sense of obligation.  Passionate worship is never a matter of merely getting the words and tune right or raising a loud shout. The true test of our passion for God always will be our lives.  Passionate worship should mean no boundaries, no pretenses and flows from the heart.  We need to be examples of passionate worship in our everyday lives.

Does a particular sermon make you squirm because it hits home?  That’s a good thing.  Have you had an “a-ha” moment in church, on a retreat or small group experience?  That’s a good thing.  Or how about when one of the praise band song’s lyrics stir your soul?  That’s a good thing too.  Consider it a “God nudge”.  Explore it and embrace it. Share it with a friend or close neighbor; it could peak their interest which could lead to a great discussion. 

Jesus, many times, taught outside the synagogue & temple.  Our Butterfly Garden will be a wonderful place to hold a small group session.   It’s OK to worship in other spaces.  Our once a month outside services are great at drawing others into our midst.  So is having coffee and conversation with a friend.

Passionate worship reveals our love for God & our desire to open ourselves to God’s grace and our eagerness for relationship to God.  How do we sing? How do we pray? How do we greet others? How do we approach the sacraments? Are we able to speak to friends and neighbors about our faith and our church with an openness that makes them want to question us more?

Questions: Worship is that which spreads into every fiber of our being, every moment of our day, and every appointment on our calendar. 

1. What do you do to maintain your zeal as a worshiper?
2. How do you keep your heart on fire?

Prayer:  Father God, let us seek you, pursue you, listen quietly for your voice, insight & direction.  Let us slow down our hectic lives, take a deep breath and through prayer, personal devotion and passionate worship know that we are yours.  In this, we praise your Holy Name.