Jesus brings us into a new kingdom – a new nation – a new family – and a new identity! He grafts us into the activity of God and makes us into a new creation that brings blessing to the nations! And that new family we become a part of is composed of all people who worship Him!" Is Jesus asking you to Let Go of something? How can you go about doing that? How does someone turn their eyes from the thing in their life/mind and give it over to God?

Following the formation of a formal altar with the establishment of the Tabernacle and Temple, the altar becomes a place of: worship, encounter, communion as well as atonement (through offerings for sin), and renewed commitment (as practiced by Joshua). …But then it became a place of compromise.

Eventually the situation became, in the time of the Kings, to be like this: (1 Kings 18:30) Then Elijah said to all the people,

How does Noah’s life exemplify this quote from Brett’s sermon: "It’s better to be a friend of God and rejected by the world – than be a friend of the world and rejected by God. Even if it seems like the whole world is walking one way – it doesn’t mean you should follow!"

When our worship isn’t rooted in God – other forces move in as we begin to worship false gods – and we try to soothe ourselves, by making counterfeit gods that in some ways can provide respite. But (they) cannot provide resolution to what’s happening deep inside." If we don’t worship God, we will worship other things. But this worship will create restlessness.

The Heart of Worship 1 of 6: What should you do if you find that your worship is not like Abel’s in some area or is more like Cain’s in certain ways? Do you want to stay that way, or do you want to change by responding to God? How do we bring about change in these areas of our lives? "When God doesn’t bestow His favor – Cain’s reaction isn’t one of conforming to God’s desires – but actually a temper tantrum and a pity party! Cain’s offering to God simply revealed what was in his heart from the start. He doesn’t want to conform his life to God – he wants God to conform his life to him!"