It may seem an old-fashioned notion to prepare our hearts for worship, but tomorrow is the Lord's Day, the day when believers in Jesus around the world will gather together with other believers and seekers to praise and celebrate the living God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Will we be ready?  Will our hearts be ready to worship?  What will we do today to prepare for tomorrow?  If we were going on a vacation tomorrow, or to a special sporting event or a play wouldn't we make preparations? 

 If you're a covenanting disciple or regular participant at New Life, have you read the teaching text for tomorrow?  (It's Titus 3:1-8.  We'll be focusing on the second of the seven deadly sins--envy.)  We'll be celebrating the Lord's Supper together.  (Will we come to the table in what the Apostle Paul called a "worthy manner," that is will we have examined our hearts for sin, confessed them to Jesus and received His forgiveness?)   We'll have the opportunity to welcome first -time guests to our fellowship and help them experience the love and joy of Jesus first-hand.  (Will we come with our hearts open to Jesus and others?  Will we leave our preoccupations at Jesus' feet, so we may be as He is--focused on enjoying God's grace and extending His glory to those around us?)  We'll be singing songs of praise to our Savior and God.  (Will our hearts be filled with the Holy Spirit so  we'll have songs of praise in our hearts, even as we come?)  We'll have the opportunity to bring our tithes and offerings to God in a statement of love, commitment and gratitude to Him.  (Have we considered all His blessings and been intentional about what we'll bring to Him?  Have we considered giving a second or third mile gift to the cause of moving the Phase 1 construction of God's Mission Outpost at 127 Knoch Road forward?)  We'll have the opportunity to share all that with friends, family members, classmates, co-workers and strangers---and if we've been preparing we'll be bringing one or more of them  with us for the first time tomorrow! 

Sunday worship offers us so many opportunities to prepare our hearts, minds, bodies and souls to enjoy God's grace and extend His glory!  Let's take the time and effort  TODAY to prepare ourselves for those opportunities.  See you in worship!