The story of Mary anointing Jesus is an illustration of true worship. She offers something of value, she honors him, it is reciprocated, and it offers all of ourselves to Him.

To hear one speak in the modern scientific mindset, everything is knowable and provable. God included. As the thought might go, God can be known with sufficient exploration and study. As if He were a bird that Darwin discovered on the Galapagos Islands, we chart His behavior and document his migration patterns. Then we publish these in great manuscripts and call it theology.

The infinite God is thus bounded and domesticated.

There are many benefits to such an exploration to discover truth as God has revealed Himself through history, but a rational pursuit of truth without a spiritual pursuit of mystery will hamper one's overall spiritual progression. For, the pursuit of the mystery of God conditions and expands our capacity to receive revelation.

Praise is a word that is often partnered with worship, and it is sometimes understood to be essential to worship. There's nothing difficult in understanding the intent of praise - it is to demonstrate approval for what one is doing or has done. It is to acknowledge that they are the one who is to be recognized. Praise is both relational and social at the same time. Praise is given to advertise that something is of value and should be exalted.

But, why might it be essential to worship? In worship, we are communing with God to change and become more holy - this change often means hard roads we need to follow, and obviously we don't easily "approve" of a direction that is hard, particularly when we are in the midst of hardship. When we don't approve of the directions of God, we are in not praising Him for his wisdom, and we don't acknowledge Him as sovereign.

Yet, we still need to praise God in times of struggle ... this is the sacrifice of praise that scripture describes.

The Orchard is a promising community that has been assembled by God, and He has showered this community with resources and gifts. He has also introduced challenging opportunity for us as we have encountered spiritual warfare - reaching out to aid those who are in bondage to a wide range of issues.

We are in a great church ... now, we need to become a spiritually-focused church!

You are surely aware of the "laws" that get discussed in Christian circles. If you do ___________ or if you fail to ___________, then you aren't a true Christian. And, a true Christian needs to do ___________.

God tells us that his greatest command is to love him, and that one of the central ways that we demonstrate this love is to obey him - to adjust and conform our lives to his will and his standard of life. But, what obedience is important here, and what is from God? With so many formulas of obedience spread throughout history and among today's churches, how does a sincere Christian know what needs to be obeyed?

What is it when one's attention to God is active merely at times of convenience, and the other demands of schedule take priority - regularly replacing opportunities to Worship. What is that? Is God truly then Lord of one's life, or are these other things really one's first love ... one's idols?

Worship disrupts the day-to-day activities of life to align a person and a community with God - to love Him and be stronger in Him. Otherwise, what's the point? What's the point of being a Christian in the first place if it is not going to disrupt all the things that are destroying a life? What's the point of being a Christian if it makes no difference, changes nothing, and contributes in no way to one's condition?

Christ disrupts our routine, calling us to love God. His good and perfect agenda is actively offered to disrupt our vain, pointless agenda ... moving us away from the idols that dominate our life. Is this what you want?

Modern Christianity struggles to know and participate in worship. The concept of "worship" in America is missing, perhaps, some key elements of what is described in Scripture. In Scripture, the concept of what we call "worship" was based on a posture of humility, it was costly, and it involved action.

The contemporary view of worship in America is neither costly nor action-oriented. For far too many Christians, worship is attendance at a show of music and inspiration, and results in nothing more than a soon fading wisp of emotion.

God is seeking genuine worshipers who will worship Him in truth and spirit ... worship is our way that we love God.

Faith sustains a Christian.