Tag Archives: Throne

God’s Glory In Our Salvation

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We’re Rendered Speechless

Music is a powerful medium, especially in a worship service! Just combine a deeply moving message— about grace, mercy, love, the cross, and salvation— with an appropriate musical score, and it locks up my vocal cords! I’m rendered speechless— I can’t sing! All I can do is praise Jesus in my heart as I listen to the congregation sing. That’s the kind of picture I get in my mind when I read about the worship service that will one day take place in heaven: “And I beheld, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, AND GLORY, and blessing.’ And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, ‘Blessing, and honor, AND GLORY, and power be unto Him that sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.'” (Rev. 5:11-13). 

Jesus, The Lamb, Is Worthy

Why? Why will there be such a scene in heaven? Because Jesus, the Lamb, is worthy! Jesus is worthy of blessing, honor, and GLORY! He willingly submitted Himself to the Father’s plan. He was the Lamb of God who shed His blood on our behalf so that we might be saved. And every believer since creation will sing praises to Jesus because our salvation is the result of Jesus’ work on the cross ALONE! Our salvation is God’s work alone, so He gets all the glory alone! There is no one else to praise.

Because Of His Great Love

We can take no glory for our own salvation! We were dead in our trespasses and sins— “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah, even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus, He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens so that in the coming ages (that’s the scene described earlier in Rev. 5), He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.” —Ephesians 2:4-9 

Nothing To Boast About

We have nothing to boast about in ourselves! We boast in Jesus and the cross! Our greatest preoccupation must be with God’s glory—it is for that purpose that we exist. Jesus is the hero of our story, not us! Our salvation didn’t require a little bit of our effort and a lot of Jesus’ work—all we contributed was our total depravity and brokenness. His coming to save us was nothing short of a rescue mission! And Scripture clearly teaches that He is to be offered praise for the entirety of our salvation. So, from the beginning of our faith in this life to the completion of our faith in heaven, He gets all the glory! It is appropriate that we remain committed to giving God glory for our salvation at every opportunity.

Worshipers Remember God’s Work

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Worship Includes Memories

Have you ever considered that a proper worship of God includes your memories? It’s not proper worship to be disengaged with our minds! King David tells Israel to worship God by remembering all that’s He’s done for them: “Remember the wonderful works He has done, His wonders, and the judgments He has pronounced” (1 Chronicles 16:12).  In other words, give testimony to the work that God is doing; and, has done in your life! “Let the redeemed of the LORD proclaim that He has redeemed them from the hand of the foe” (Psalm 107:2). We worship God when we stand, before our church faith community, and testify to the way God is working in our lives!

Let The Redeemed Tell Their Story

The NIV actually translates Psalm 107:2 like this:  “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story…” If you’re truly seeking after God in your life, He will show you how busy He is in your life! Your life will be intentional and purposeful. You’ll have stories to tell of the wonderful ways that God is at work. Notice that David follows that up by telling Israel to worship God by remembering His covenants. I’m thinking we don’t do this enough— at least not in my church! We don’t remember and rehearse enough that God is a covenant-keeping God: “Remember His covenant forever—the promise He ordained for a thousand generations, the covenant He made with Abraham, swore to Isaac, and confirmed to Jacob as a decree, and to Israel as an everlasting covenant” (1 Chronicles 16:14-22).

The New Covenant

At the Last Supper— on the night that He was betrayed— Jesus took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” REMEMBER the New Covenant, He says! Here’s why we can be secure in our salvation— because God has made a covenant to save us when we put our faith in Christ’s work on the cross, and He keeps us saved and seals us through that covenant confirmed by Jesus’ shed blood! Then David turns his attention to the nations: “Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Proclaim His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples” (1 Chronicles 16:23). Making disciples of Christ is worship!

We Worship By Making Disciples

The making of disciples is NOT just a New Testament thing! It was never God’s plan for Israel to keep His salvation to themselves! David continues, “…all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens…”; “Ascribe to the Lord, families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength” (1 Chronicles 16:26,28). Israel, like the Church, was to be a peculiar people and a priesthood of believers to the world! It is the destiny of future history that one day, “…every tribe, every nation, and every people group will be gathered around the throne of God to worship Him…” (Revelation 7:9). Have you ever considered that it’s an act of worship when we make disciples? It honors Jesus’ commission! REMEMBER THAT!

Daniel: Debunking The American Dream

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(Note: This is the 10th in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

Even If He Does Not Rescue Us

I love the response of Daniel’s 3 friends— Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah— when King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that they bow down & worship his gold statue; or, face death in the fiery furnace:  “If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the King. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as King to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).  Understand that they didn’t doubt His existence when they expressed those words:  “If the God we serve exists…” The rest of the story confirms their belief in His existence; and they trusted God  to deliver them either by miracle or by death!

Where False Teaching Begins

They trusted God even if it was part of His Sovereign will not to deliver them by a miracle! Their trust in God was not just tied to delivery from the furnace— “Even if He does NOT,” they said, “We won’t bow to your false gods.” By application, we have to be careful that our trust in God is not limited to delivery by miracle! Sadly, the “gospel” being preached in the majority of our American churches is all about “ME”— it’s “MAN-centered”, not “GOD-centered.” “If God doesn’t deliver me from the ‘furnace’ of my bad circumstances,” this false “gospel” preaches, “than He’s not to be trusted!” That’s where false teaching begins— with man’s way!

God Is Always Righteous

The true Gospel of Jesus Christ always begins with GOD! And, it contrasts the holiness of God with unholy mankind! God is always righteous & we’re not! We’re born, into this world under His judgment and wrath; broken, depraved, in need of mercy & grace that is only available to us through Jesus’ atonement for our sin on the cross! The so-called “American Dream” is a perversion of God’s true Gospel! It promotes an entitlement mentality of a bigger & better “YOU”— your “right” to own a home; your “right” to a high-paying job; your “right” to affordable health care; your “right” to be delivered from the “furnace”! The false gospel of the “American Dream” says Jesus came to make us bigger & better— that’s NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ! He didn’t come to make you a better version of YOU! He came to save you from yourself! To follow Jesus means to take up His cross & crucify SELF; to remove self from the throne of your life, and place Jesus there as your Lord, Savior & King! 

God Is The Treasure We Seek

To His disciples, Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). We don’t just need a little “makeover.” We need to DIE! Our “SELF” needs to be crucified & born again in Christ! That’s the true Gospel! This story wasn’t about the delivery of Daniel’s friends from the furnace! This story is about GOD & His eternal purposes— and, Daniel’s 3 friends were submitted to that whether it meant delivery by miracle or by death! That’s their testimony— having relationship with God was of far greater value to them than life itself! By their willingness to entrust their lives to God’s plan & purpose, rather than their own, they made God the treasure to desire more than anything else!

God Is Great! God Is Good!

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Asking God To Bless The Food

I still remember our prayer, before meals, growing up— “God is great! God is good! Let us thank Him for our food! Amen!” Nothing wrong with that prayer! It acknowledges God. That He was the One who blessed us with the food we’re about to eat; and therefore worthy of our thanksgiving! If we were to offer anything negative about that prayer, it’s just that it’s repetitious and not very “personal.” And, God is personal! The Psalmist wrote these words:  “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard:  that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done” Psalm 62:11-12. 

God Reveals Himself In Scripture

God uses the Scriptures to reveal Himself to us; and, Jesus— God’s “Word” incarnate— revealed, to us, what God looked like in the flesh. He loves us! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16.  He’s actively involved in our justification, our sanctification; and, ultimately, our glorification! We are “…His workmanship…” Ephesians 2:10. He continues to image us into the likeness of His Son. So, what is the biggest hindrance to His work in us? We are!

When We Get In The Way

We get in the way of our own spiritual growth. But, God is great; and, God is good! He is strong enough to change us when we quit being controlling! The Psalmist said He is “strong”— in fact, He is “omnipotent”; or,  ALL POWERFUL! You can’t manipulate Him! So, why would you try? Why would you want to? He is a benevolent God! All of His intentions, toward us, are kind & good! He is also strong enough to change us when we quit fearing man! One major reason, for our sinful behavior, is our craving for man’s approval! We fear the rejection of some person; but, “The fear of man lays a snare. Whoever trusts in the LORD, however, is safe” Prov 29:25. 

Seeking Man’s Approval

When you live for the approval & acceptance of others you succumb to a form of “idolatry.” You’ve placed created beings on the throne of your life instead of your Creator! God is great; and, God is good! And, He loves us enough to change us when we quit looking for love in all the wrong places! It’s the goodness of God, Scripture says, that leads us to repentance. He calls us to find, in Him, the only thing that truly satisfies us! Whatever the stuff of this world offers you, God offers you more! He isn’t just better than that stuff; He’s the BEST!

Quit Trying To Prove Yourself

That’s the heart of the Gospel message— because God is love, He will change us when we quit trying to prove we can do it ourselves! Salvation is not about what we do for God; rather, it’s about what God has already done for us! Like the Father, in the story of the Prodigal Son, God always welcomes us! He will rescue us from ourselves when we confess we’ve messed it all up! If you’ve had the tendency, as I have, to think God’s going to rub your nose in your sin for a little while before He forgives you, you’re mistaken! That’s not God! The Psalmist said: “…you, O LORD, are LOVING…” He comes running when we confess our sin to Him! He embraces us & changes us when we stop trying to prove, to Him, our worthiness! True life & happiness comes to us only as we obey Him. His commands are not grievous! They are loving boundaries to protect us from the harm that sin does to us & our relationships!

Don’t Expose My Idols!

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This Is A Hard Saying

Jesus earned quite the reputation for crazy, difficult, and hard sayings during His 3 1/2-year ministry on this planet. He said things like “…unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you”; and, “…it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”; and, “…let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God”; and, perhaps the craziest, “…if anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” At one point, the Apostle John says the crowd, that followed Jesus, could take it no longer and said: “…this is a hard saying; who can understand it?” At that Jesus turned to them & asked them, “Does this offend you?…there are some of you who do not believe.” (John 6:60ff)

Flushing Out The Unbelievers

In that statement, we gain some insight into the reason for Jesus’ hard sayings— He intended to flush out the unbelievers, in the crowd, so they might acknowledge their unbelieving hearts & come to genuine faith; so that, they might trust Christ for salvation. Unfortunately, I’ve read more than one commentary try and explain away what Jesus said…. trying to soften the blow of His message by making it more palatable and politically correct! But, when you try and “sanitize” His message it loses the impact of the Gospel. Jesus fully intended to be offensive to His self-righteous audience; and, to shake up the religious leaders that taught a works-based, performance-driven salvation—  “If your righteousness does not exceed that of the Pharisees,” He said, “you’ll never see heaven.” To the rich man, He said: “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” In all His “hard sayings,” Jesus was putting a spotlight on the false gods and idols in people’s lives. These were the things that people valued more than Creator God; and, Jesus exposed their idolatry!  The salvation God offers through Jesus is “free”, but it will cost you everything! God will not share the throne of your life with anyone or anything! When you accept the terms of His salvation, you give up all “rights” to your life.  “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price” 1 Cor. 6:19-20

But Aren’t Idols Bad Things?

That’s what we think; so, we try to re-interpret what Jesus said because He just couldn’t be calling all those good things we love— like family, career, our standing in the public eye— as idols, could He? We want to believe that idols are bad things; but, that’s rarely the case! Tim Keller, in his excellent book Counterfeit Gods, says, “…the greater the ‘good’, the more likely we are to expect that it can satisfy our deepest needs and hopes. Anything can serve as a counterfeit god, especially the very best things in life.”  Jesus came to set things in order— God’s in charge; He is King; He is Lord; and, He alone is to be worshipped! He has all authority over my life; and, He is to be valued as the ONLY treasure, above all His creation! Even good things become bad things when they take the place of the best! God is the BEST! He never created anything we love & enjoy to take His place in our lives! We need to see them as gifts; because they make very poor “gods.”

Politics Is Like A Skunk

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-The “Moral Majority” Years

That’s what a pastor friend of mine told me once:  “Politics is like a skunk: Touch it and that’s all anyone will notice about you for a long while.” Now that another election has come to an end, I thought it might do us well to talk a little bit about politics. When I was in my 20’s and 30’s I was very much involved in the political scene. I was part of the “Moral Majority” back in the ‘70s and listened religiously to political talk shows during the ‘80s and ‘90s. 

-Perspective Is A Great Thing

But, “perspective” is a great thing! It’s the only great thing about growing older! Perspective is “the ability to see all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship to one another.” Over the last 20+ years, I’ve gained a different perspective on the Church’s level of involvement in politics during the “Moral Majority” years. From my perspective, the Church exchanged Christ’s commission to “make disciples” for the hope that their political clout (because of their “majority” status) could change our country, for the better, by electing the right individuals to office who would see to it that God-Honoring legislation would be passed. 

-We’ve Reaped What We Sowed

Almost 5 decades later, we’ve “reaped what we sowed.” Because we backed away from our calling to “make disciples” the Church has severely shrunk in size. Some of the most recent statistics I’ve seen reveal that 9 out of every 10 churches in America are in decline.  And, only 1 new church is starting for every 2-3 that are closing! We’re no longer a “moral majority”! So, we’ve— for the most part— failed to elect God-Honoring public servants; and, we’ve failed in the battle to pass God-Honoring legislation. We’ve lost the “Culture Wars”! We’ve paid a great price for our disobedience, Church! And, I’m pointing fingers at this guy at the same time I’m calling out the rest of the Church! I’ve been disobedient to my calling! There, I said it! Will you admit it?

-God Is Still Sovereign

But, wait! This is not a message of hopelessness! All is not lost! God is still Sovereign! He’s still on the throne! He still listens & is moved by the repentant prayers of His Children! He continues to raise up “modern day prophets” who call the Church back to God; to brokenness & humility; to return to our calling; to fulfill our Lord’s Great Commission to “make disciples” as we “go” about doing life! We must remember that that is our calling! Jesus did not commission the church to “go” and make a “Christian nation.” Our core theology & doctrinal beliefs must be based on Scripture! We can’t make stuff up just because it would help us feel better or safer!

-Know What You’re Responsible For

Like most of you, I’m sick to death of all the negative campaign advertising! Glad it’s over for another couple of years! It would be really easy, for me, to just walk away from the political process altogether! I’d have no problem finding something else to do on election day & I’m sure many of you feel the same way. But, we can’t! Based on Scriptural principle, there is simply no way that I can—in good conscience—recommend that you stop voting. Just because politics is less important doesn’t mean that it’s not important! There’s tension there! It’s all about being a good & faithful steward! We need to know what we’re responsible for! As citizens, of this nation, we’ve been given the responsibility & privilege to vote! And vote our conscience, based on our understanding of Scripture, we must! But, then we leave it there! We leave the results in the hands of the Sovereign God! No anger or rudeness! Now we pray for our leaders!

We Will See His Face

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-There Will No Longer Be Any Curse

Some of the most exciting words in all of Scripture, for those who’ve accepted the Gospel & made Jesus their Savior, are found in the last book of the Bible, the Book of the Revelation:  “There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His slaves will serve Him.  They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. Night will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:3-5).  We will be in the very presence of God! And, He’s the reason heaven will be an incredible paradise! We will see His face, and His Name will be on our foreheads! That speaks of possession! We will be His! No longer will Satan be around to try and usurp “ownership” away from God! Oh, to be God’s possession forever!

-Have You Prepared Yourself?

So, I ask you, have you prepared yourself for that? Are you prepared for Jesus’ return? When you are, there’ll be changes happening in your life right here and right now! Looking for Jesus is what the Book of Revelation is all about! Back in chapter 1, in John the Apostle’s introduction:  “The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!” (1:3) That’s how John introduces this book; and Jesus repeats those words at the end of v.7, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” That phrase, “…to keep the words…”, means to consider them & to ponder them! To make personal applications 24/7. To “live” by them! To let them change your life!

-Enslaved To Jesus

In verses 6, and 9, we’re said to be enslaved to Jesus! To be in that place is to be in the best place we could ever hope to be! He bought us! He owns us! And, He is the benevolent, loving, gracious, merciful Sovereign over us! We could never provide for ourselves better than God can provide for us. I love how John puts it in 1 John, “…this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden.” I long to be enslaved to His word because I know His commands are best for me! I obey Him imperfectly in this life because of my flesh. I want to obey Him totally, completely! I prepare my heart every day to do that, in part, because I long for His return & my life’s goal is to hear Him say to me, “Well done! Good and faithful slave.”

-Preparing For Jesus’ Return

When you prepare yourself for Jesus’ return, there is no more logical decision that you can make.  John says, “Blessed are those who wash their robes…” in the blood of the lamb (22:14). That’s clearly what’s meant in the context of this book. And, that word “blessed” literally means to be “satisfied” or “happy.” Who doesn’t want a blessed, satisfied, happy life? That life belongs only to those who are obedient to His commands; to those who repent over their sin; who come to Him in “brokenness” asking Him to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Now, you’re no longer ignorant! You’ve been exposed to the truth of God’s word! You have a responsibility to respond to His Gospel message that Jesus saves! That’s the only life that is blessed & the only life that satisfies & makes you happy! When you disobey His word it will always leave you further broken in a greater sense of despair. It’s only logical that you would come to Jesus!

I Come Quickly

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~This Is My Last Post Until Wednesday, September 14th~

-The Bible’s Last Chapter

It’s nearly impossible to miss the theme of the very last chapter of the Bible. Three times, in Revelation chapter 22, Jesus speaks of His plan to return:  “Look! I am coming quickly,” He says in v.7, 12, and 20.  It’s unmistakable! Jesus wants the world to know that, even as He fulfilled the prophecies of His 1st coming; so He will fulfill all the promises of His 2nd coming! And, He doesn’t want anyone to miss it! He wants everyone to know that He’s coming back. And, when He does, it will happen quickly. Some have misread Jesus’ words to mean that He said He was returning “soon” when He told John to write down these words; as in chronologically, it would happen soon. And, because it’s been 2000 years since He said this, they say it’s not going to happen! But, Jesus didn’t mean that He would come “soon”; as in chronologically! He uses the word “quickly” which means suddenly!

-His Return Will Be Sudden

When He returns, it will be sudden! There will be no time to prepare because it will happen so quickly! That means you have to be ready! You have to make your preparations before His return, or it will be too late. That’s the intent of Jesus’ words. Make your preparations now to confess your sin & your brokenness! Make your preparations now to ask Jesus to be your Savior from sin! Make your preparations now to be reconciled with God. There’s a sense of urgency! If you think you’ll wait to see if Jesus actually returns, before you give Him your life, it’ll be too late because His coming will be sudden & quick, with no warning other than what we’ve been given in Scripture. When Jesus returns there will be no time to get ready! You have to be ready!

-Are You Prepared For His Return?

Here’s what’s tragic— most people are better prepared for bad weather than they are for Jesus’ return! Right? You need to be prepared! Some of you aren’t prepared! Why? Why would you put yourself in such a vulnerable position? This is the All-Mighty God of creation we’re talking about! Why would you put Him off? Why would you ignore what He’s spoken to you in His Word? When you are truly prepared for Jesus’ return, there’ll be no place you’d rather be than with Him.  The description of the new heavens & the new earth, in Revelation 22:1-5, is a continuation from the previous chapter when an angel shows up & begins to give the Apostle John a tour (Revelation 21:9). He sees a pure river that flowed with the “water of life.”

-Hunger And Thirst

And, God told John, “I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts” (21:6). You may remember that Jesus shared similar words in His Sermon on the Mount:  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). If you don’t hunger & thirst after God and His righteousness than heaven won’t suit you & you’re not prepared for Jesus’ return. Your life is still wrapped up in this world:  “…the LUST of the flesh, the LUST of the eyes & the PRIDE in one’s lifestyle…” 1 John 2:16.  If that’s what you live for, you won’t like heaven! But, if you thirst for holiness; if you thirst to be more like Jesus, then you’re prepared for His return! Your thirst will be satisfied by the river flowing from the holy, righteous, pure “…throne of God and of the Lamb…” (22:1,2).  And, the Tree of Life will also be there (v.2). And, what’s on heaven’s menu? Probably not McDonalds! We’ll come back to that next week!

The Humility Of Christ

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-We’re Usually So Full Of Ourselves!

For Jesus, to become a man was the most humbling experience God could ever endure! How foolish we are when we lift ourselves in pride as though we were really something! We won’t grasp how insignificant it is to be human unless we see ourselves as God’s image bearers! We are usually so full of ourselves; so self-centered & self-absorbed; and narcissistic, that we just don’t get the reality of our existence. Jesus’ humility, however, went way beyond lowering Himself to become a man! He died the most humiliating death ever devised to kill a criminal— Crucifixion! The pain was excruciating & the public shame beyond comprehension.

-Jesus Humiliated Himself To Serve Us!

It was especially true for this one, Who was God! For, He had created the very tree that was used to crucify Him. He humiliated Himself in order to serve us at our greatest point of need—we desperately needed a Savior because we could not possibly save ourselves! So, as we’ve talked about being Gospel lights over the last several posts, we will shine as we let God’s Holy Spirit change our attitude to the mind of Jesus Christ; even if that means humiliation in the service of others! And, church, that will only happen as we live in search of God’s approval! We will only shine as Gospel lights to our city as we seek the approval of God alone!

-We Were Created To Bring God Glory!

That was Jesus’ attitude—pleasing the Father! “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death” Philippians 2:8. And, because of His obedience to the Father’s will, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (vs.9-11). Edward Welch wrote a great little book titled “When People Are Big & God Is Small.” In it, he reflects on how broken & distorted is the image of God that we reflect because of our sin. We were created to bring HIM glory! We were designed with certain “needs” and “desires” that only God can fulfill. But, when we replace that “God-Shaped vacuum” in our life with the created things in this world, we take glory away from God & transfer it to that thing that becomes an idol! And, because of our sinful brokenness, it can be so easy to be caught up in idolatry; and not even be aware!

-We Need Jesus’ Attitude!

We need the attitude of Christ! Because He willingly left His throne in Heaven! Because He took the form of a slave! Because He lived His entire life here solely for our benefit! Because He stopped & lowered Himself even to the humiliating death on a cross to serve our needs! And, because of all of that, God has highly exalted Him & given Him a name above every name! In fact, that word in v.9 literally means “super exalted.” God super exalted Jesus! This is the only place in Scripture that that word is used! Everything Jesus did was for God’s glory! And, our attitude is most like Jesus when we are God-Centered in everything we do! Casting aside our personal agendas! Letting “Christ In Us” restore the image of God that we were created to reflect! God uses the church that is full of people who live their lives like that! He uses them for His glory! We need to pray that way! That God will transform our churches to live like that!

The Creator Of All Things!

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-The World Created Through Him!

What the Apostle John says about Jesus, in the opening verses of his Gospel, is astonishing! He says, of Jesus, that, “All things were created through Him, and apart from Him, not one thing was created that has been created” (v.3); and, then LOOK @ v.10 “He was in the world, and the world was created through Him.” Just let the weight of those words sink in for a moment! Jesus, whom John calls “the Word made flesh” in v.1, was the Creator of all things! The Apostle makes it clear that Jesus was NOT God’s 1st created being who then created everything else! No, he says, ALL THINGS were created through Him!

-Everything In The Category Of “Created”!

In other words, He created ALL THINGS; and, so that no one could misinterpret or misunderstand what he was saying, he clarified his statement:  “…apart from Him (apart from Jesus, the Word); apart from Him, not one thing was created that’s been created…” Everything in the category of “created” was created by Jesus! He was outside of everything created; and, other writers of Scripture confirm that. The Apostle Paul, inspired by God’s Holy Spirit, wrote: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him…” (Colossians 1:15-20).

-The Fullness Of God In Jesus!

The fullness of God was in Jesus, and everything was created by Him! Though the word “trinity” is nowhere found in the Bible, it’s a doctrine revealed in Scripture from the very first page. If you’ve never been shown this before, you’ll want to make some notes in your Bibles at Genesis, chapter 1, v.26. It reads, “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’” So, who is God talking to? Many Bible scholars see God, from the very beginning, to be a multiple person being; at the very least to be more than one person. And, it’s only as God reveals Himself in Scripture that we see that He is a Triune God; or the Trinity. Some suggest that even here, in the 1st chapter of Genesis, the Triune God can be seen working together in the act of Creation. Look at vs. 1-2, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” That would be God, the FATHER. “Now the earth was formless & empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths & the SPIRIT of GOD was hovering over the surface of the waters.” There’s God, the HOLY SPIRIT. And, v.3 “Then God SAID…” There’s the WORD of God; or Jesus as John calls Him.

-An Awesome God!

Our God is an Awesome God, amen? His greatness is magnified in Jesus because He concealed the glory of His fame in the form of an earthly frame! That’s what the Apostle John says next: “The Word became flesh and took up residence among us” (v.14).  We’re not forcing our views onto the text when we say that Jesus, the Word, became a man. We’re not forcing our views when we say that God became a man because John clearly states that “…the Word was God…”; and, “…the Word became flesh…” In the last part of v.14, John says, “…we observed His (Jesus’) glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” In other words, John is saying that Jesus shared the same glory as the Father; the glory that comes from being God! And, most Bible students believe John is referring to Jesus’ transfiguration recorded in Matthew’s Gospel (17:1-8). They observed His glory at that time; the glory He shared in the Godhead!