Praise ye the Lord. In the early 1980's I had the option of being released to the street, or entering a halfway house that worked with men coming out of jail. There was one catch. This place was 100% christian centered. No big deal for me,  I was already saved. What was a big deal to me as I found out later was the house attended church every Sunday. And this wasn't your run of the mill Church. I could already hear the music when we all stepped out of the van that Sunday morning. Whoever was in there was praising Jesus LOUD. When we all walked in it was like a culture shock. I was brought up catholic and we didn't have church mothers in the front row shouting & praising Jesus and it wasn't just them, the whole church was rocking to the music with their hands raised in the air praising God. I wanted to just turn and run out of there. These people have lost their mind. I was sure I had joined some kind of Jesus cult and I wasn't having it. My brother got mixed up with a cult in California and I wasn't about to do the same.  But as soon as we filled up the pew, my fellow house residents suddenly got sanctified and now they had their hands in the air praising Jesus too. WHAT?   You'd think they were life long members of the church the way they were faking it in front of everybody looking around to make sure someone was watching them "Praising God". I'm thinking everyone in this place is nuts. This halfway house is nuts. Those squawking church mothers with the big hats in the front are nuts. Even my friend Tomcat standing right next to me went crazy with his arms waving back and forth in air like he's some wanna be Deacon.  I just froze. It seemed like time stopped. I was backed into a corner I couldn't get out of. There was a battle going on inside me and neither side was winning.  I haven't been perfect in serving God, but I'm not a hyporcite. Not even 10 minuets ago some of the guys were talking about sex, drugs, and rock and roll in the van ride over here and now their Spirit filled tongue talkin, bible thumpin demon stoppers.  But I was looking at it from different perspective than they were, although I didn't realize it at the time. Their not praising and clapping because of what they've done for God or because their even saved. Their praising and clapping for what God has done for them. Regardless of the reason why I did I started clapping too.  and you know what?  something started to changed inside me. Something all the crazy creepy therapy in the world couldn't have done because therapy just works on the mind.  The Holy Spirit works on everything,  mind, body soul and Spirit. I can't explain it but it was healing me in new ways and I began to look forward to Sundays with all those church Mama's asking me..son, you been good?  Yes ma'am and I'm going to do better. Most people would say it's just an emotional thing but it's not. Read the old testament and you'll see that God's people have always worshiped in this way. People that can't or wont worship like this are dealing with a lot of pride issues and God resist the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Pride and being humble are issues we'll deal with our whole life. Even Paul had trouble with pride and God had to give him some thorns. Don't ever be so proud that you wont raise your arms in the air and praise Jesus for what done for you and how Good God is because He's done things for you and me that we're not even aware of.