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!

 

Great is the LORD! He is Most Worthy of Praise!

July 24, 2010

Eddie God as Creator, God is Sovereign, God's Power, Honor, Intimacy with God, Obedience, Perspective, Praise & Thankfulness, Protection, Purpose, Rescue, Salvation, Service, Sins, Truth, Worship Leave a comment

During the last two months I have meditated on five passages of Scripture.  Three centered around Scripture itself (Psalm 1; Psalm 19 and 2 Timothy 3:1-4:8).  Two focuses on God Himself (Psalm 145 and Isaiah 40).  Next week I have one more meditation from 2 Timothy 4:5-8, but otherwise I will be summarizing the lessons learned and impacts received in this series.  In this post, I want to summarize what I have learned in Psalm 145.  Read Psalm 145 and then reflect with me.  Please go back to previous posts and meditate with me the truths from God’s word about Scripture and Himself from these focus passages.

  • Psalm 145
    • Because of God’s greatness, our praise should be the richest that we can offer.
    • Meditation upon God’s greatness should raise the awareness of my sinfulness and my helplessness while at the same time knowing God is there and delights to help me.  I can turn to Him for forgiveness and deliverance.
    • God is the amazing Great I AM.  He is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  He is good to all and His mercy covers all that he has made.  And to think He wants to be with me for eternity!
    • Nature’s sounds may very well be the praise lifted up to the Most High God!  The praise of His saints, those who have accepted His Son as Lord of glory and salvation, should share with others the glory and power of God and His mighty deeds.
    • I’ve been reminded of the importance of calling upon the Lord in full honesty about myself and my circumstances.  Noting areas that are my fault. I’m also reminded about my fear and love of God.  Reverencing Him and living an obedient life.
    • I should praise Him for Who He is, not only for what He has done!

1 I will exalt you, my God and King,
and praise your name forever and ever.
2 I will praise you every day;
yes, I will praise you forever.
3 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness. (Psalm 145:1-3, NLT)

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!!

God Desires to Share Himself with Us

June 16, 2010

Eddie God as Creator, God is Sovereign, God's Power, Revelation Leave a comment

Psalm 19 – 1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The God of the universe has gone to great lengths to manifest Himself
to us, His creation.  You could categorize this effort in three areas:  (1)
general (2) specific and (3) His Son, Jesus Christ.

Psalm 19 presents God’s general and specific revelation.  Let’s consider
His disclosure of Himself in a general way.  Read again verses 1-6.
As I am writing this I am sitting on the “quiet side” of the Smokey
Mountians. Often we are caught up with the sights and beauty of nature.
I’ve seen it, too, today:  clouds adorning the mountains, the sheer greenery
of the landscape.

Verse 3 says “Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals
knowledge.”  I am hearing in the sounds made by birds, insects, dripping
water from rains the day before that someone with greater knowledge than
I or anyone could possess put all of this here.  Nature is shouting
with its variety of sounds:  “There is a God.”

I see, hear, feel and smell the fact that this God of glory has desired
to let me in on the fact that He is and that He is powerful, creative,
wise and all-knowing.  Let us remove the blinders and earplugs.  The
Sovereign God of this universe wants our attention.

“Change!” – Not God!

March 19, 2009

Eddie God as Creator, God is Sovereign, Perspective Leave a comment

 

Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth
and made the heavens with your hands.
They will perish, but you remain forever;
they will wear out like old clothing.
You will change them like a garment
and discard them.
But you are always the same;
you will live forever.    Ps 102:25-27seasons3
In less than 24 hours from the time I am writing this, spring arrives.  It can be calculated years in advance.  Recall it is determined by the tilt of the earth.  The point is that God set it in motion.  Time was created that first week (day four).  So our years, seasons, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds are determined by either the earth’s rotation on its axis or revolution around the sun. 
Now this isn’t intented to be a science lesson, rather a reflection — on what the Psalmist reminds us:  God, who put all this into motion will disassemble it one day.  It will wear out and perish.  But, the One who set it into motion never changes.  It’s call immutable.
“Change” has been talked about in the news a lot over the last 12 months.  I rejoice because the One I read about in His Word will “remain forever,” is “always the same,”  and “will live forever!”
The elements that make up life may change – eventually will end, but You, Lord, remain forever!  Amen!!

24/7 Proclamation

January 13, 2009

Eddie God as Creator, Meditational Moments Leave a comment

   

nighttime-sky1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
      The skies display his craftsmanship.
    2 Day after day they continue to speak;
      night after night they make him known.
    3 They speak without a sound or word;
      their voice is never heard.
    4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
      and their words to all the world. 

(Psalm 19: 1-4)

Here is a favorite of mine.  You can’t just focus on verse one!  As long as we can go outside and look up–day or night!  We will see this:  God has put His creation in place.  And creation shouts to us what kind of God He is.  He is powerful, sovereign, and creative.

As I began reading this passage, my mind quickly remembered Romans 1: 

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.  Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. (verses 20-23).

It is such a commentary on our day.  God has His creation on the 24/7 task of proclaiming His glory and craftsmanship and this world has chosen willful blindness.   In this willful blindness there is self-deception, due to confusion and being in darkness.  Our culture claims to be wise, but has become “utter fools.”

Christian friend, may we be found paying attention to this God whose creation is proclaiming the glory and craftsmanship of God.  He is interested in what is going on in our individual lives!

Beginning Strong in Prayer

January 6, 2009

Eddie God as Creator, Prayer Leave a comment

Nehemiah 9:6 is yet another example that can serve to teach us about prayer.  It is the beginning of a prayer that steaches from verse 5 and continues through verse 37.  Perusing the prayer you find the people begin with the confession that God is creator and proceed acknowledging His sovereignty.  They review their past and take note of how He has worked in their life.  They confess their sins and identify blessings at the hand of God.  They then take note of their standing before God.  This all leads the people to make a vow of obedience in chapter 10.  I encourage the reader to make a study of the elements of prayer and learn from it. 

My objective is to focus on beginning strong and this led them, I believe to end well!  The people began their prayer by confessing that God is Creator: 

“You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.

You alone are the Lord.    There is no other god, besides the Lord!

universe

You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars.    Everything I can see in the skies and heavens above!

seas

You made the earth and the seas and everything in them.     Everything on this planet, seen and unseen!

 You preserve them all    He is Sustainer.  I don’t worry about our planet’s resources running out!!

the angels of heaven worship you.  …and so should I.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.