Greatness of God, Part 5

Those of you who read this blog on a daily basis can probably understand by now that these thoughts about the "Greatness of God" are important to me. It seems that my vein of thought and the inspiration of my heart is open to this reminder concerning God. I also feel the encouragement from the Spirit to share some of these thoughts with you. Each of us need to see and remember the "Greatness of God" in some area of our lives. Each of us are facing our own set of unique and in some cases daunting challenges from what we may call the "normal" process of life. Those challenges don't even include those moments in which we are under a spiritual attack from the powers of darkness. But even during those moments we can turn our attention to the "Greatness of God" and realize that He still has "all power and all authority in heaven and in earth."

Don't you believe that it is time for the modern day church to lift our voices in authentic and sincere praise to the Lord God Almighty? The foul spirits of hell are doing their best to desecrate and destroy the name of God and it is up to the church to do our best to honor, exalt, magnify and exalt the name of God. Will you join me in that wonderful opportunity today? I read a passage of scripture earlier this morning and some comments from C.S. Lewis that spoke to my heart concerning MY NEED to express praise to God. I would like to share those comments with you this morning. 

"Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!"  (Psalm 67:3) 

Why does God teach us to praise Him?

C.S. Lewis:

Just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: “Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it glorious? Don’t you think that was magnificent?”

The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about. My whole, more general, difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what indeed we can’t help doing, about everything else we value.

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.

There is the solution! We praise what we enjoy because the delight is incomplete until it is expressed in praise. If we were not allowed to speak of what we value and celebrate what we love and praise what we admire, our joy could not be full.

Will you join me in offering your praise to God today because He is valuable to you?

Greatness of God, Part 4

Today I have invited a guest to share his views on the "Greatness of God" and his words will remind us of our need to offer our sincere worship to the True and Living God. I just ask that you welcome this guest to share his understanding of God and allow the Spirit to challenge your process of thought. 

The writer is David, a former shepherd who later rose to the status of King of Israel. He was also known as a "man after God's heart." He is an experienced shepherd, warrior, and articulate worshiper. Let his view of God and personal knowledge of life make a difference in your life today.

Psalm 95

1 Come, let us sing to the Lord!
    Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
    and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
    His hands formed the dry land, too.

6 Come, let us worship and bow down.
    Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
7     for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
    the flock under his care.

If only you would listen to his voice today!
8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah,
    as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
9 For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
    even though they saw everything I did.
10 For forty years I was angry with them, and I said,
‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me.
    They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath:
    ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” (NLT)

Greatness of God, Part 3

My heart continues to be challenged about the need to remember the "Greatness of God." I do not desire for these posts to sound redundant or repetitive but I do think that it is very important to understand what God is saying to us. I found myself concluding my time of prayer this morning by singing  some of the verses of the song "How Great Thou Art."  I do not want to try and describe my performance but I do know that my heart sincerely began to declare that regardless of what is happening in our world that the "Greatness of God" is not affected by any of those events that are taking place. I desire for my praises and exaltation of God to counteract all of the vain uses of the name of God which happens on a daily basis in our world.

I was further challenged when I read a post that our Youth Pastor had placed on his Facebook page yesterday. It was a portion of a sermon and although it did not directly talk about the "Greatness of God" it did stir some inspiration in my heart. I had to ask myself these questions; "Has the present day church failed to declare the Greatness of God? Have we allowed the spirit of the age to intimidate us when it comes to the power and authority of God? Have we taken a back seat to the attitude of the world and allowed them to express their belief in "powers" that come from sources other than God? These and many other ideas flooded my heart as I realized that I can not afford to vacate my position as a Pastor when it comes to fully declaring the whole counsel of God as I am given opportunity to share about the "Greatness of God."

We live in a world (through the eyes of television and movies) of "super heroes with super powers." No one bats an eye when it comes to comic book characters coming alive on the television screens in our homes and movie screens in theaters. But Preachers are mocked and ridiculed when they declare the Biblical principle that "with God all things are possible." These Preachers are ridiculed as those who either live in the past days of the Bible or they are ridiculed as "theologically incorrect." Yet we read about political power, financial power, star power, and powers of darkness and evil. These "powers" seem to be acceptable to many people yet we turn away from the church if they choose to talk about the "power of the Spirit." 

Am I the only one that sees something wrong with the picture that I am painting? Some may say that I am using extreme examples of simple problems. I refuse that theory based on the fact that we are living in a world where extreme has become the normal. It is all right for everyone to be extreme except in the church world. In my process of thought there is a difference in being extreme and being eccentric or strange. I am talking about being "extreme" when it comes to recognizing the "Greatness of God." I have seen the Greatness of God revealed in our lives as well as in the lives of others on my journey through life. I refuse to stop believing that "God is great and that God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. By His hand we are fed. Thank you Lord for our daily bread. Amen!!"

Greatness of God, Part 2

I would like to continue sharing my heart as I ponder my thoughts about the "Greatness of God." Is it possible to overlook and even lose our focus on the greatness of God as we are caught up in the affairs and duties of daily life? Is it possible that we can forget about the faithfulness of God in the midst of the trials/challenges/battles/struggles that we may be facing at any given moment? 

I also read  a comment yesterday from someone whose words reminded me that our view of God can also be influenced by the actions and views of others. We may not want to believe or accept that premise but we are all susceptible to the influences of others. Our faith can be strengthened through the faith of others and our faith can be discouraged through the doubts and fears of others. You can sense the strength of others when you call on them for prayer and you can also sense the doubt of others as you confide in them your struggles and trials. 

These are just some of the examples of the need for each of us to develop our own set of attitudes and responses to God. We must continue to recognize His Greatness regardless of the opinions of others as well as regardless of the situation(s) that we may be facing. Looking to God and remembering His goodness and provision toward us or toward others becomes a stability that can be a steadying influence in our lives. Did not God remind Israel that they would forget Him when they entered the Promised Land? That should serve to remind us that we have the capability to forget God when things are going well in our lives. We can defeat that attitude through the active work of declaring the "Greatness of God" on a daily basis. 

Will you join with me in acknowledging the "Greatness of God" on a daily basis?

Focus on the GREATNESS OF GOD

1 Chronicles 29:11-13, "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. 13 “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! (NLT)

Yesterday our Worship Leader at New River felt led to "spiritually park" us during a song that focused on praising and magnifying God. I realize that some people may complain and grumble if we repeat a song or certain verses of a song. But is it possible to praise God enough? Is it possible to express your love to Him in just 20-30 minutes of worship and praise songs on a Sunday morning? Do we take the time to stop and for a few moments fully focus our attention on "the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty" of our great and wonderful Savior? After all we must remember that He is the Source of all the resources that we need. He is our Bread of Life and our source of Living Water. 

I am thankful that the Spirit arrested my heart during our Worship service on Sunday. I am thankful that God drew my attention to His Greatness! We read so much about the great accomplishments of men and women but it is a blessing for the Spirit to take us back to the Bible and remind us of  the Greatness of God. The greatness  of humanity's accomplishments and deeds can NEVER COMPARE to all that God has accomplished in our lives. I have made a commitment to myself this week that I will not wait on the Worship Leader during a Sunday service to remind me of the Greatness of God. I can see Him at work everyday that I am alive on this earth. And through the Grace of God I am determined to live a life that is pleasing to God so that I can see His Greatness face to face one day!!! WILL YOU JOIN ME ON THAT JOURNEY TO SEE HIM FACE TO FACE ONE DAY?

Praise, Part 2

Psalm 100:3-5

"Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5  For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. (NKJ)

I sense in my heart this morning that the Spirit is leading me to encourage you again today concerning the need for each of us to offer our praise and thanksgiving to God. What type of attitude do I exhibit when I come into the presence of God either for a time of worship or a time of intercession? How do I approach the throne of God during my times of interaction and fellowship with Him? It is very easy to have an attitude of "Lord, I really need this" or God, would you do this for me?" Neither one of these statements are sinful in and of themselves but we must be careful that we do not become selfish in our approach to God. It is easy to become so wrapped up in all that we perceive as needs in our lives that we fail to recognize and remember the previous things that God has provided for us on a daily basis. 

I believe that David offers a wonderful reminder in this passage of scripture to each of us. Three (3) words jumped off the page to me this morning as I rehearsed this passage in my heart. The words are "thanksgiving, praise, thankful." I also must not forget the phrase, "bless His name." I believe these principles can form a foundation on which we can build our time of prayer and intercession. I am a firm believer that God has called the Body of Christ to serve as intercessors for each other. I believe that intercession is a mandate or call for the Body of Christ. I am also very committed to praying for others and the needs that they are facing at any given moment in their lives. But I do not want to be guilty of coming into the presence of God without giving due respect, due glory, due honor and the recognition that is due His name. After all, He is truly worth the glory and honor that we express to Him. 

Take a few moments and read this passage in Psalm 100 once more. The Word of God reminds us of our identity as well as the identity of God! Those identities can serve to put great perspective on our relationship with God!!

Praise

I would like to take a moment and offer a word praise to God. Isn't it always amazing to see the presence of God at work even in the midst of challenges and difficulties? The old Preacher may say it this way, "You can't have a testimony without a test." Genuine praise and thanksgiving is often raised up out of a time of difficulty. It is during those times that we turn our hearts and attention toward God and realize that His greatness has not changed as we walk through a time of challenge. God is still God regardless of what is happening to us, around us, or even in us. It is with a thankful heart that I offer my THANK YOU JESUS today.

Ann and I have seen the goodness of God at work over the past few weeks in our lives. We have been reminded that is a good thing that we have placed our faith and confidence in God. We are not embarrassed to say that we do not have to look anywhere else but to God; He is our present help in challenging times. Some one today may need to be reminded that it is your time to share your praises with God. Do not wait any longer before you take the time to praise. There is no better time that the present time in which you are living. God is revealing Himself all around us. We just need to take the time to identify His blessings as well as identify His presence today. 

In four (4) separate verses in Psalm 107 the Psalmist makes this declaration: "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" (KJV) (Emphasis added)

Would you be one of those individuals who will choose to follow that admonition today?

Spiritual Growth

2 Peter 1:1-3: “This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. ² May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. ³ By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (NLT)

Is it possible that we have overlooked the principles related to our individual need to develop an attitude and desire for spiritual growth? Is it possible that we can grow and possibly have grown complacent in our journey with Christ? Is it possible that we have sought the blessings of God and failed to ask Him to teach us about spiritual growth/maturity? Spiritual growth can be time consuming and challenging. It is one thing to pursue the blessings of God and another thing to pursue the discipline of Discipleship! I for one certainly appreciate all of the blessings of God that He has sent my way but I also appreciate the on-going development of my relationship with Christ. 

Would you take a moment and once again read verse 2 of I Peter 1? "May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." I believe this verse reminds us that God will provide Grace and Peace in abundance as we grow in our "knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." I also believe that provision could be placed in the category of the blessings that come from God. Is there not a great need for Grace and Peace in our world today? Is there not also a great need to see the continued development of our knowledge of God and the continued development of our relationship with Him?"

I plan on addressing three (3) questions during the message this coming Sunday morning. 1) Do I want to HEAR what God is SAYING? 2) Do I want to SEE what God is REVEALING? 3) Do I want to PUT INTO PRACTICE what God is TEACHING? 

I still believe that Spiritual Growth is an IMPORTANT PART OF OUR WALK WITH CHRIST!!!

Sincerity

Matthew 15:7-9

 "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8  “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9  They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." (NIV)

The words sincere and sincerity kept arising in my heart this morning during a time of prayer. I had to ask myself, "Am I truly sincere in my approach to God whether I am in a public setting or in my private time with God?" The Prophet Isaiah spoke in unflattering terms about a group of people (The Spirit called them hypocrites or stage actors) when he spoke about this group of individuals. They were able to speak an abundance of words but their hearts were not connected with the words that were being expressed. I can only assume they knew the "right words" to say and even the appropriate way that these words should be spoken. BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING MISSING. The words were coming through their lips but their heart was not connected with the words that were being spoken.

How often does the modern day church express the right words, the right phrases, the right songs and yes, even the right message but our heart has become dis-connected from what is being spoken? Our worship and praise to God becomes captured in the prison of the 3 Spiritual R's. The 3 Spiritual R's are "ruts, rituals, and routines." These 3 R's lead us to worship from memory and recitation rather than passion and fervor. We can read the words out of the hymnal, we can read the words off the screens that are provided to us and some of us can even sing the songs from our ability to remember them so we just recite the words routinely week after week. 

But I must remind you that God is looking to hear from our heart and not just our mouth. I can only hear what you audibly say but God is able to hear what your (mine) heart is saying. What will we do with this challenging scripture in today's post? How will we respond to God? Does it matter how we respond to God or have we prepared our list of reasons/excuses that we trust God will accept as the reason that our worship/praise is "flat or empty" today? Do you remember when you had failed to do your homework for school and you went to class with your excuse in your mind and you were prepared to share that with your teacher? Have we treated God in the same manner that we treated our teacher in school? I believe many of these questions including the list of excuses can be handled through the single word "sincerity." We need to approach God with a sincere heart that is full of thankfulness and gratitude. I BELIEVE THAT GOD IS WAITING TO HEAR FROM OUR HEARTS TODAY!!!

Personal Reflections

My posts on the blog have been sporadic over the past few weeks for a variety of reasons. I am a person who seeks to model consistency in every area of life. Consistency can cause you to develop some "habits" or daily preferences that can be interfered with or disrupted through an abrupt change in your daily schedule. Those changes in my recent schedule has somewhat interfered with my "spiritual routine" of prayer and then sharing the thoughts that I deem important and pertinent to our walk with Christ. Over the past week my wife has undergone a battery of tests and appointments with Doctors as we have been investigating some health issues that have recently arisen with her. I am not one to disclose a lot of personal issues but this is worth mentioning because we sincerely desire your prayer covering. 

But there is another reason that I have shared these brief details. I shared these to let you know that God uses all types of situations, challenges, decisions, etc. to teach us more about Him and more about ourselves. Let me share a few of these lessons with you. 1) Over the past several days we have seen the love and care of God being lived out through our family, our local church family and our unique set of friends. I have learned that each of us need to be reminded that God actually does care about our cares of life. 2) God has taught me that He uses the wisdom of others to help you navigate through the challenges of life. We have met some awesome Doctors, nurses, technologists, medical support staff, and other individuals who have decided to put their knowledge to use through their service to their fellow human beings. 3) God has taught me that His Word and His Spirit are still strong, powerful and yes, even relevant in this day and time in the history of mankind. The culture would lead us to believe that the Word of God is "out of step" with modern man but I refute that teaching by saying that I (we) have found God "right in step" with those thoughts, fears, anxieties, troubles, etc that we are facing at this present moment. His Word has reminded me of His Sovereignty, Might, Power and that He still has the last Word in the lives of mankind. His Word has come to us through devotionals, text messages, personal conversations and personal "words of encouragement." 

I challenge you to make your own list of things that God has taught you over the past few weeks through the various channels of life that He has chosen to use. You might be surprised what you have learned once you audibly speak those lessons out loud or take the time to write them down so that you can reflect on the presence of God.