Majesty…Father Almighty…Maker….Saviour

June 16, 2011

Eddie Adoration, Cleasing from Guilt, Commitment, Genuine Christianity, God as Creator, God as Father, God is Sovereign, God's Power, Intimacy with God, Obedience, Purity, Purpose, Savior, Service, Sins, Truth, Will of God, Worship Leave a comment

The following are excerpts from chapter 23, “The Open Secret”, in  The Knowledge of the Holy, by A.W. Tozer

“But the God we must see is not the utilitarian God who is having such a run of popularity today, whose chief claim to men’s attention is His ability to bring them success in their various undertakings and who for that reason is being cajoled and flattered by everyone who wants a favor.  The God we must learn to know is the Majesty in the heavens, God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, the only wise God our Saviour.

“Knowledge of such a Being cannot be gained by study alone.  It comes by a wisdom the natural man knows nothing of, neither can know, because it is spiritually discerned.  To know God is at once the easiest and the most difficult thing in the world.  It is easy because the knowledge is not won by hard mental toil, but is something freely given”…”But this knowledge is difficult because there are conditions to be met and the obstinate nature of  fallen man does not take kindly to them.”

See the the chapter for the details of the conditions to which Tozer refers.  I present the introductory statements with these conditions which “as taught by the Bible and repeated through the centuries by the holiest, sweetest saints the world has ever known:”

  1. We must forsake our sins.  The belief that a holy God cannot be known by men of confirmed evil lives is not new to the Christian religion.
  2. There must be an utter committal of the whole life to Christ in faith.  This is what it means to “believe in Christ.”
  3. There must be a reckoning of ourselves to have died unto sin and to be alive unto God in Christ Jesus, followed by a throwing open of the entire personality to the inflow of the Holy Spirit.
  4. We must boldly repudiate the cheap values of the fallen world and become completely detached in spirit from everything that unbelieving men set their hearts upon, allowing ourselves on the simplest enjoyments of nature which God has bestowed alike upon the just and the unjust.
  5. We must practice the art of long and loving meditation upon the majesty of God.  This will take some effort, for the concept of majesty has all but disappeared from the human race.

Tozer closes the chapter and book with this statement:  “There is a glorified Man on the right hand of the Majesty in heaven faithfully representing us there.  We are left for a season among men; let us faithfully represent Him here.” 

Oh, Father, with the time I have remaining here, let me faithfully represent you!

 

Not to Us Oh Lord

November 24, 2010

Eddie Adoration, God is Sovereign, Honor, Humility, Perspective, Praise & Thankfulness, Purpose, Service Leave a comment

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! (Psalm 115:1 ESV)

After reading this passage, my mind thinks of how many times I am tempted to seek the glory.  Now I try at times to convince myself that it is for the Lord whom I serve.  But, as Jeremiah says, my “heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?”  When I intently investigate, there are times when it becomes apparent that it is for selfish reasons I do some of the things I do!

This passage brings humility back into my life and mind.  The psalmist said it twice:  “not to us, O LORD, not to us.”  Oh my!  That is how I feel right now.  Lord, if not for your steadfast love and your faithfulness where would I be?  Your name, O Lord, I give glory for all that is ever accomplished through me.  It is all about YOU!

He is Wonderful!

August 3, 2010

Eddie Adoration, Honor, Worship Leave a comment

READ Judges 13:1-20

In this story of the birth of Samson, there is the appearance of the Angel of the Lord to the parents.  When there is a reference to “Angel of the Lord” in most instances it is a christophany.  A christophany is an OT appearance of Christ.  It is confirmed as the story unfolds.

The Angel directs Manoah not to fix supper (since Manoah and his wife were unaware at this point this is the Angel of the Lord – v. 16) rather to offer a sacrifice to Yahweh (the LORD).  That is what Manoah did.  What a site ensued when the flames were reaching high toward the sky, the angel of the LORD soared into and up through the flame.

The reaction of Manoah and his wife is instructive to us in two ways:  (1) It confirms that this is some ordinary angel, and (2) when we get with the Lord, we should fall on our faces, if not literally, then figuratively in our hearts.  An encounter with LORD should always prompt abandonment in who we are.  Recall Isaiah.

Speaking of Isaiah,  I am reminded about a connection with this story when Manoah asked the Angel of the LORD his name:  “Why do you ask my name,” the Angel replied, “seeing it is wonderful?” (v. 18):

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6 ESV)

Adoration with Bended Knee

July 6, 2010

Eddie Adoration, Comfort, God as Creator, God is Sovereign, Praise & Thankfulness, Worship Leave a comment

10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! 11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, 12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. (Psalm 145:10-13)

The psalmist has just come out of talking about how the Lord is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, good to all and that His mercy covers all that He has made (vv. 8-9). In the section of vv. 10-13, we consider first, that all God’s works shall give thanks to Him.  A walk in the woods by day (I loved it growing up) or a sitting on the porch at night (mainly “in the country”) and one can hear a diversity and abundance of sounds uttered by nature.  You know, I can’t interpret those sounds but I have a notion that those sounds may be the chorus of thanksgiving to God by the works of His hand!

This could be a model for us as His saints as noted by the psalmist:  “all your saints shall bless you!” That word translated “bless” has the sense of adoration with bended knee.  So within the context of a bended knee (even in our heart) we see what results:  the saints shall

speak of the glory of your kingdom

tell of your power,

make known to the children of man

**your mighty deeds

and

**the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

We are reminded that the Lord’s kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion will endure throughout all generations.

God will be around awhile…longer than His critics!!

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