What Are You Exalting?

The meaning of “exalt” in Hebrew is to lift, compliment, improve, praise or applaud. Psalms 118:16 says “ The right hand of Yahweh exalts! The right hand of Yahweh will never fail.” What is so important to understand is that God exalts His people even when we don’t deserve it. This is not something that He is required to do but rather He chooses to do it in His own kindness. I’ll be honest, before I studied this word I had no idea what it really meant. I was really just using the context clues but once I studied it I realized what I had been missing out on.

“So everyone, exalt the Lord our God facedown before His glory-throne, for He is great and holy.” -Psalm 99:5


People can get so caught up with the blessings of God and His power that they forget God is the one who deserves to be exalted! It is a beautiful sea to step out onto when we choose to exalt God. It is a place of humbling and true reverencing fear and awe of Him. Every single day we should wake up with a grateful heart. We should be waking up applauding Him because when the world changes and people lash out God never changes and His loves never fades.


When I was younger, I would sit in church watching people truly exalt God. They would have beautiful intimate moments with Him and the goosebumps seemed to spread throughout my whole body just by watching them. THIS… exalting God… cannot be something that is just half-hearted or faked; God knows the difference between someone who truly steps out on the water for Him and someone who goes and gets the life raft. The Bible says that we have the PRIVILEGE to worship God; so why do we take it for granted? There isn’t a day that goes by that we shouldn’t wake up smiling because it is a day that He blessed us with – a day where we were blessed with the opportunity of knowing Him and seeking Him more.


In life we can get distracted and exalt things that last but only for a moment – things that are fleeting. As it says in 1 Samuel 16:7, God doesn’t look at our outward appearance, He looks at our heart. So I plead with you, PLEASE exalt Him, jump for joy in His presence and applaud Him with His creation. In all that you do, let it be pleasing and acceptable in His eyes because He deserves that and so much more. In the Greek, standing ovation is translated into a permanent applause – THAT is what we should be giving Him.

So, what are you exalting?

By Ainsley Wilson

Worship of the Disciple

Smoke from the smoke machine had risen to the top of the arena by the time the confetti began to fall on the musicians below. The crowd swayed with arms outstretched in adoration as religious imagery flashed across a large screen situated above the drums. Anthems sung with passion proclaiming the resurrection, the awesomeness of the Almighty and the redemptive work of the Savior provoke deep emotion in my body. I can feel the hair on my arms standing up, a large knot had formed in my throat as I choke back the tears.

I am becoming overwhelmed by the majestic sense of beauty before me and it is an all too familiar feeling. It is at this moment that I hear these words spoken quietly in my heart, “Just because you think I’m beautiful doesn’t mean you are my disciple.”

Lets face it, Jesus IS beautiful. Revelation describes him as Alpha and Omega, the Righteous Judge with fire blazing in His eyes. The glory of his appearance is such that the Apostle John falls down at His feet as if he is dead! (Revelation 1:17) The radiance of His beauty is truly awesome! It is so easy to sing songs about His greatness and His great love for mankind. We can loose ourselves in the beautiful sound created by the music mingled with our voices and indeed, our emotions can and often do get the better of us.

Now, I do not want to make light of the importance of corporate worship in the lives of Christians but we err when we assume that worship is nothing more than musical or artistic expression serving to provoke an emotional response; however, throughout the entirety of the scripture worship is described as a sacrificial offering.

“Just because you think I’m beautiful doesn’t mean you are my disciple.”

In the days of the Jewish Temple music and singing accompanied the sacrifices being performed by the priests and the people were responsible for providing their offering to the service. King David in 2 Samuel 24:24 refuses Araunah’s offer the gift him the threshing floor where the Ark of the Covenant resided saying,”No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” Jesus speaks of this cost when addressing his disciples in Luke 14:27, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”

With all this being said, what are the sacrifices we bring to our altars that we are calling “worship”? Does our offering consist of our admiration or our approval? Our opinions, preferences and offenses? Do we come with an offering that cost us nothing or do we offer what is holy and acceptable.

“I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your body a living sacrifice , holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1

Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for us to reconcile us to God and give us life, making way for the sacrificial offering of our very lives. This is the worship that is holy and pleasing to the Trinity. Knowing the Father through the Son as the Holy Spirit transforms our lives every day. This is the point where we become true disciples of Jesus Christ and not just members of His fan club .

By Chad Wilson