food for the journey

The following blog post is an extract taken from our Food for the Journey booklet which covers seven disciplines for Christian living. If you would like to download a digital copy of the booklet and work through the daily devotions please click here: FOOD FOR THE JOURNEYDISCIPLINE 3THE DISCIPLINE OF WORSHIPRESPECTThe purpose of this discipline is to help us maintain a deep respect for who the Lord is. It also helps us to honour the Lord consistently in what we say to Him and how we express our high regard for Him. WORSHIP is evaluating God properly – acknowledging all His attributes and affirming His incredible worth. God is infinite. His qualities are not measureable by any standard we know. We cannot understand infinity, but we can stand in awe of God who is infinite. God is above and beyond everything we know. God is the source of all holiness, all strength, all authority, full power in creation. His worth stands alone, we can value nothing on a par with Him. He is completely perfect.When we worship God, our worship springs from a sense of awe and wonder: “Who is like Him?” Worship takes place out of hearts that are thrilled by God, there just does not seem to be enough to say about Him – one is caught up in a sense of someone far greater, far more perfect, far more beautiful than any other person one has known. The Holy Spirit opens our hearts and minds to the wonder of God, so the Holy Spirit is a vital part of worship. Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). From our perspective, worshipping in the spirit is: our response to the Spirit; our dependence on the Spirit; and our sensitivity to the Spirit’s leadership. True worship is not a religious action that produces pride, or a human effort to satisfy a human desire, but rather an expressive outpouring of a deeply grateful heart, seeking to acknowledge all that God is and does.When we meet together as a body on a Sunday, it is glorious to worship the Lord together, and unite in our praises of Him and our thankfulness to Him. In worship He is our focus, the one we want to bless and so when we worship; it should be done with the intention of delighting Him. Some find it easy to be demonstrative and raise their hands in praise of the Lord, this is precious but it is not a cardinal rule. What is essential is what is going on in the heart. Worship rejoices in God and longs to seek Him further – we love whom we worship so we long to know Him more.The most expressive act of worship is to sing to the Lord and wouldn’t we all love splendid voices, yet somehow every single voice singing praise to God delights Him.Worship not only helps us to see the Lord clearly but it…

The following blog post is an extract taken from our Food for the Journey booklet which covers seven disciplines for Christian living. If you would like to download a digital copy of the booklet and work through the daily devotions please click here: FOOD FOR THE JOURNEYDISCIPLINE 2THE DISCIPLINE OF FELLOWSHIP:LEARNING INTERDEPENDENCEIt has been found that very meaningful growth takes place in small groups where there can be openness, sharing, discovery, comfort, honesty and encouragement — all contributing to a healthy interdependence. At New Harvest we have Fellowship Groups aimed at providing a “safe place” for people to share the journey closely with each other, allowing for people to be at different places in their walk at different times. In other words, some may be soaring and feeling totally on top of things, others may be struggling and a bit empty, others may be just pleasantly comfortable, still others may be deeply hurt and fragile – any one of us could be at any one of these places at different times – so allowance and acceptance of where you are at, is totally respected in the group. Your fellowship group leaders, you will find, are deeply committed, humble, gentle people, who have a real concern for your well-being and growth as a disciple, but they cannot and must not ever be Jesus to you, so they will gently always point you to Him, while doing whatever they can to make your journey easier.The word interdependence means a healthy interaction of people with each other where people are there for each other in positive ways that are not manipulative or clinging, yet supportive and committed. It’s a giving and receiving of love. This, as you can imagine requires sensitivity, kindness, a willingness to think the best of one another, a commitment to try and understand each other and hear each other, above all learning to relax in each other’s company and enjoy one another.As a result of the commitment to Christ of each one in the group, He will always be the main focus and purpose, for it is Him that draws us together and unites us.Within any group of people meeting together, there are bound to be times of differences of thought and opinion. Respect for each other’s ways of doing things and looking at things is very important. The group will aim at responding to each other in ways that do not communicate rejection of what the other is sharing, and will try not to defend, attack, correct or offer quick advice but listen patiently with each other to what the Lord is saying. It is very possible there might be someone in the group you really do not relate to, whom you really struggle with. It will be very important for you and the group that you ask the Lord how He sees that person and subsequently to try to look at that person through His eyes. This is always the challenge of loving acceptance of one another. Remember that…