God Almighty!

 

Is your world neatly divided into ‘things God cares about’ and those that do not concern Him? Do you engage the Lord on Sunday morning or in your prayers before you drift off to sleep but leave Him out of the other hours of your life? Eugene Peterson, pastor and author, points out a common mistake that people make by dividing life into things ‘secular’ (that don’t concern God) and things ‘sacred.’   

The truth is that our God does not live in churches, concerned only about our songs and liturgies. He is Lord of our work life, our family life, our inner thoughts, our recreation, our finances, our politics … yes, Lord of life.  There is a sweet peace, a genuine spiritual wealth, that is discovered by those who desire to walk with God, who learn to live in an awareness of His Presence.

The preacher Isaiah encountered the living God and recorded the life-changing experience for us. His words are full of image and drama. They fill me with awe.  "In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew. In a great chorus they sang, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” The glorious singing shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke. 

Then I said, “My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!” Then one of the seraphim flew over to the altar, and he picked up a burning coal with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?” And I said, “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:1-8, NLT)   

What happened to Isaiah as a result of this experience?

First, he comes to understand that the Lord does not only live in the Temple. He fills the earth with His radiant beauty!

A person who is living with God-awareness will see the beauty of His work everywhere and desire to reach places that are darkened by sin and suffering with the Light of life. This is what Jesus means when He invites us to be light. When we are filled with the Spirit of God the Presence, the Radiance, will be reflected in our lives. Paul says this: "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)

Second, he becomes even more aware of his own sin!

An encounter with our holy God will make us humble, aware that we are unworthy, in need of a Savior. If our ‘worship’ is misfocused on our own physical and psychological needs rather than on the majesty of God, we will gloss over our failures. Isaiah was reduced to terror in the Presence of a holy God. There is no real intimacy with God, no real spiritual power, apart from the revelation of our sin and His grace. When Isaiah cried out about his sin, God moved to make him clean. He does the same for us!  Many churches have erased the mention of sin because it makes people feel badly.  True worship becomes all but impossible because when God’s Presence comes near we will inevitably see ourselves more clearly. The grace of God that makes us new and holy becomes a precious gift to those who know they are forgiven! 

Third, he gains a life-consuming mission!

“Lord, I’ll go. Send me.”  He became God’s man in that age. When we encounter the living God we too become people who live on purpose. We see more clearly that life is so much more than what we eat, what we wear, or the house in which we live. Peter says we begin to live as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) 

Pray to know Him fully as the Holy One, the Mighty God. Begin the day with a prayer of commitment, asking to live near to His heart, to be His ambassador in your world. This does not mean that we lose all the joy of being human, that we can no longer love and laugh. That understanding of holiness as a constricting piety ignores the truth of the rich and full life that is found in the Spirit of God. Jesus called this way of living the ‘abundant life,’ one that offers ‘joy to the full, overflowing.’  He is as close as the mention of His Name. God Almighty invites us to know Him. Will we?

Here is a word from the Word.

“Let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.
 Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves,
making music to the Lord in your hearts.
And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5: 18-19)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Good God Almighty

I can't count the times
I've called Your name some broken night
And You showed up and patched me up
Like You do every time
I get amnesia I forget that You keep coming around
Yeah ain't no way You'll ever let me down

 

Good God Almighty
I hope You'll find me
Praising Your Name no matter what comes
'Cause I know where I'd be
Without Your mercy
So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs

 

Tell me is He good (He's good)
Tell me is He God (He's God)
He is Good God Almighty

 

You say Your love goes on forever
That Your mercy never stops
So why would I assume
You'd be somebody that You're not
Like sun in the morning
I know You're gonna be there every day
So what on earth could make me be afraid

 

Praise Him in the morning
Praise Him in the noon time
Praise Him when the sun goes down
Love Him in the morning
Love Him in the noon time
Love Him when the sun goes down

Jesus in the morning
Jesus in the noon time
Jesus when the sun goes down
Jesus in the morning
Jesus in the noon time
Jesus when the sun goes down

 

 

Ben Glover | David Crowder | Jeff Sojka

© 2021 9t One Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Ariose Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

The graves of the craving

 

Americans like to have ‘more!’  One example is the size of a ‘fast food’ meal – hamburger, fries, and beverage – which is now two times larger than it was in 1975.  Our waste disposals overflow with stuff no longer wanted or needed, things once treasured, now junk.  Consumer debt is growing once again as we borrow more to buy more. Yes, I know – it is hard to say “enough!” But, the consequences of unchecked appetites for more are serious. 

America’s number one health issue is obesity and the many complications that come from carrying all those excess pounds.  Financially, millions are slaves to credit cards that are maxed out, to mortgages that ‘eat’ too much of their income, to car payments that are unsustainable.  

The ancient Israelites left Egypt, led by God’s Spirit, under His care. They too struggled to understand what was enough. Remember His provision for them? Every morning God sent “manna” a perfect food that sustained them, but it was not enough. Soon they complained about having no meat.

What happened? "Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall into the camp and all around it! For many miles in every direction from the camp there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail out all over the camp. But while they were still eating the meat, the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he caused a severe plague to break out among them. So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah—“the graves of craving”—because they buried the people there who had craved meat from Egypt." (Numbers 11:31-34, NLT)  They choked to death on the abundance that came their way.

That phrase ‘graves of the craving’ echoes in my mind as I consider the abundance that surrounds me. Let’s be clear. There is nothing wrong with abundance or enjoyment of the blessings of life. But, we need to learn the discipline of knowing when to say to ourselves that we have had enough. That brings us an even greater blessing – contentment!

The New Testament Greek word for contentment is autarkes – (pronounced ow- tar- kace) which means to be sufficient to one’s self, to live without external comparisons.  In other words, to know how to say to ourselves, that’s enough!  Paul wrote from the desperately difficult situation of a Roman prison and yet listen to his testimony. "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13, NIV)  His love for Christ and the life of the Holy Spirit in him gave him the ability to live with contentment – even in a prison. 

Don’t confuse contentment with apathy – “I just don’t care.”

Don’t confuse contentment with resignation – “I give up.”

Don’t confuse contentment with bitter resentment – “I am miserably isolated.”

Contentment flows from deep faith that makes Jesus Christ the center of life, that makes Him the meaning, the purpose, the hope of our existence. In Him, we can find personal peace that frees us from constant craving for more, that allows us to stop comparing our lives to others, that gives us the ability to know what is enough for ourselves.  Paul points to this key – “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”  Too often we rewrite that to say, “I can have everything I want because Jesus will give me all my desires.” 

Are you struggling to know how much is enough, confused by the offers of happiness that supposedly will be found when you have more?  Jesus is enough! Really, He is. Trust Him with who you are, where you are, what you are going through today. Let Him speak to the stormy emotions with His peace.

Here is the word from the Word -
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and
be content with what you have,
because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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I Speak Jesus

I just want to speak the Name of Jesus
Over ev'ry heart and ev'ry mind
'Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

I just want to speak the Name of Jesus
'Til ev'ry dark addiction starts to break
Declaring there is hope and there is freedom
I speak Jesus

('Cause) Your Name is power
Your Name is healing
Your Name is life
Break ev'ry stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just want to speak the Name of Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To ev'ry soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus

Shout Jesus from the mountains
Jesus in the streets
Jesus in the darkness over ev'ry enemy
Jesus for my fam'ly
I speak the holy Name Jesus

Abby Benton | Carlene Prince | Dustin Smith | Jesse Reeves | Kristen Dutton | Raina Pratt

© 2019 Here Be Lions Publishing (Admin. by Integrity Music)

Integrity's Praise! Music (Admin. by Integrity Music)

CCLI License # 810055

Sharing dinner, sharing life!

  

"Let's have breakfast!" My friend’s invitation is more than about eating some eggs and toast together. We laugh, tell stories, and over the years have grown a friendship that nourishes both of our lives! There is something about sitting down over a meal that bonds people. Family dinnertimes are among my most cherished memories.

5 pm drew the Scott family to a shared meal and to re-connection out of our busy lives. It wasn’t a gourmet meal that brought us the most delight. We loved, laughed, celebrated, and mourned ... reminded that we were 'family.' Those dinners were a tangible way to strengthen identity, to create a sense of belonging. When we did not know where we fit in this world or if anyone cared for us we knew that around the table there at home we belonged!

Surely you know that a 'meal' is at the heart of Christian worship! Jesus gathered His friends for Passover. The ancient remembering of the birth of Israel became an act of worship of the Son. "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:19-20, NIV) My heart is full every time I break the Bread, lift the Cup, and connect with my Savior and His great family, the Church.

We are invited to that Table not because we are smart, or beautiful, or rich, or famous but because we are loved by our Father. He prepares a table for us and invites us to come to dinner. There we are reminded of who we are, of His love, and that we children of eternity. The table of Christ is a place to rediscover strength for the journey, hope for the future, and most important; who we are and why we exist. When the people of God gather to worship and share in the Holy Meal, He delights that you are there.

This Monday morning, I want to remind you that you have a place at the Father’s table! He loves when you come to share with Him. In Christ, you are no casual guest at the periphery of His awareness. You are a beloved son or daughter and in you He delights. The Psalmist says of God’s people that "They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights." (Psalm 36:8, NIV) Many things can intrude to keep us from the Lord's table, from worship, from His Presence!

I am going to close our time this morning reading a parable about some people who rejected the offer to join the Lord for dinner! Take this parable to heart. Let’s not allow the urgent to crowd out the important.

The word from the Word comes from Luke 14.
"Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ ”‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

(Luke 14:15-24, NIV)

You're invited!  Let's have dinner.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Come As You Are

Come out of sadness from wherever you've been
Come broken-hearted let rescue begin
Come find your mercy O sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't heal
Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't heal

(So) Lay down your burdens lay down your shame
All who are broken lift up your face
O wanderer come home
You're not too far
So lay down your hurt lay down your heart
Come as you are

There's hope for the hopeless
And all those who've strayed
Come sit at the table come taste the grace
There's rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't cure

Come as you are
Fall in His arms
Come as you are

There's joy for the morning O sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't heal
Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't heal
Come as you are Come as you are Come as you are

Ben Glover | David Crowder | Matt Maher
© 2014 9t One Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Ariose Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Inot Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) CCLI License # 810055