(For some background check out this post.)
On Easter we showed an incredibly touching and moving video by Elevation Church, who wrote the song Resurrecting. We did so in conjunction with a great message by our pastor. After Easter there were quite a few people who were asking for a link to the video. Here it is... (For some background check out this post.)
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Have you ever glanced into the mirror (literally or figuratively) and wondered... how could anyone love me? I can't imagine there are many people who have not had that experience. Let me assure you. You are loved. If no one on this earth loved you, you would still be loved an infinite amount. For that is the weight of God's love for you. If you were to boast in anything, boast in the fact that you have a great great God whose love for you will never end. Great is your love. It is higher than the heavens and your faithfulness reaches to the skies. (Psalm 108:4) Check out this tune from Gateway Worship! Higher Than the Sky by Gateway Worship
CHORUS Higher than the sky Your love, Your love is deeper than the sea Your grace, Your grace is washing over me And calling me Your own, Your own VERSE 1 Your light, Your light is burning through the shadows I see the truth, there is nothing to fear Your word, Your way, Your promise everlasting Over and over I see Your hand VERSE 2 Your name, Your name a tower in the battle You are here, we have nothing to fear Your voice, Your voice my river in the desert Over and over I see Your hand BRIDGE You are who You say You are You’ll do what You say You’ll do Our praise all belongs to You You died breaking every chain You rose in glorious display We are alive forever changed So many of us spend so much of our lives looking for love. Even when we think we've found it here on this earth, we eventually still continue looking for it. High divorce rates can attest to that. What so many don't realize is... the love your soul is truly looking for will never be found on this earth. At least not in the way we look for it. I have a beautiful wife and two great kids. I have a family who loves me. I have friends who love me. I have people in my life who would give much in their love for me. If you have this, never take it for granted. It is a gift. But remember... all of it can be fleeting. People come and go. People move. People pass away. But there is one who will always remain. I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39) Pour your heart, your love, into people. Yes. We are called to do that. But never forget that there is one whose love has always been offered to you and while you draw breath will always be offered to you. And it's a love that you can never be separated from. His love finds you. Right where you are. No matter where you are. Jesus tells the story of a lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). When a sheep is lost, the shepherd does not give up on it. He goes after it. He searches. No matter what the journey takes. And when it is found he rejoices. We are that lost sheep. And God searches us out. His love finds us. Right where we are. No matter where we are. God's love for you is vast. So vast he went on a journey of great cost to find you. He sent himself in his son Jesus to die for you. He went searching for you. No matter what the journey took. His love is searching for you. Right where you are. No matter where you are. worship him 24/7... scott Love Has Found Us by Gateway Where can we run? Where can we hide? Is there a place that we can go Where you cannot find us? You're there when we fall There when we rise Nothing is hidden from you face You know every breath we take Your love has found us Your love has found us We are yours forever Your love has found us It's all around us Holding us together Nothing on earth Above or below Nothing in all the universe Can take us from your love You came to us Made us your own You have redeemed us from the fall You paid the ransom once for all We will sing because your love has found us Even in the darkest night We sing because your love has set us free Upbeat version below! It feels good to get a love letter, doesn't it? I recently went on a trip out of country and while I was going through my things after arrival, I found she had left me a note. My bride left me a note of love. What an encouragement. A letter left with affection and care. It was great to be reminded that I was loved.
Some of you remember love letters. Some of you may not. But I'd like to let you know... You have all been given the greatest love letter ever written. I hope you've read it. It goes a little something like this... My beloved, Nothing will be able to separate you from my love. Death won't. Life won't. No power on earth would. Nothing in all of creation will ever separate you from my love. I love you so much I'd give up my own blood to give you life. When I think of you I am filled with such joy and happiness. When you are upset my love will quiet you. I will sing you songs to praise who you are. And in your struggles you can lay all your anxieties upon me. When others see only the outward, the failings, I will always see the inward you, the beauty of your heart. Because I care for you. Because my love for you is deep. Even when you do me wrong, my love will be great for you and my grace will be sufficient for you. I will always be slow in anger and abounding in the most steadfast love and faithfulness to you. I will be strong when you are weak. I will love you with an everlasting love. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is my steadfast love for you. And I will forever continue in my faithfulness to you. So you can live in my love. You can rest in my love. If danger were to find you I would lay my life down for you. All my plans for you are good. Plans that give you a future and a hope. Just ask. And it will all be given to you, my beloved. Yours... That would be quite a love letter. It would get my adrenaline going! And it does, because it's real. It's the letter God wrote to me. And to you. Except it's a lot longer. It's his entire Word... the Bible itself is God's letter of love to us. What you see above captures only a small piece of that great message of devotion and passion. Have you read this letter? Do you go back to it again and again? Does it cause you to celebrate? If we would do as much for an earthly love letter, how much more should we for the greatest of all love letters? worship Him 24/7... scott Here are the many references of scripture captured in the letter above: Romans 8:38-39; John 3:16; Zephaniah 3:17; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Peter 5:6-7; Psalm 86:15; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 103:11; John 15:9; Matthew 11:38; John 15:13; Jeremiah 29:11; Matthew 7:7; 1 John 4:7-8 We have hope today. Good News. Jesus is alive. Hope lives!
He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. By him all things were made. For him all things were made. He is before all things and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:15-17, John 1:3). He persevered through strife. Laid on the line his own life (John 18:19-22). The humble Son of God became the perfect sacrifice. He willingly stood in our place (Isaiah 53:4). He freely hung with grace (Luke 23:34, 43). His all He gave. He lovingly endured the grave (John 19:41-42). He battled our enemy and on the third day he rose in victory! (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; John 20:1-9) He is everything that was promised (Isaiah 53:1-12). Praise Him as the Risen King. Lift your voice and sing. Praise him because He rose! Hallelujah! He rose! For one day he will return to us (Revelation 22:12). We will finally be united with our Savior for eternity! (Revelation 22:1-5) He is not a word, but Thee Word, and Thee Word was God, and Thee Word was with God from the beginning (John 1:1-2). And Thee Word has a name... Hope has a name... Joy has a name... Peace has a name... Love has a name... And that name is JESUS CHRIST. We have a hope. And Hope is Alive. His name is Jesus!!! Happy Easter everyone. worship Him 24/7... scott Note: The above was inspired and partly excerpted from Isaac Wimberly's poem The Word as seen here in video or here in text. God showed us his love for us in this: even while we were sinning, Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8) We did not deserve it. But Jesus died for us. Washing away our mess ups like a strong spring shower. Because of his unfathomable love for us. The hold that death had on us is broken because of one death... Jesus' death. And what's more... Jesus' resurrection from the grave. He defeated death! We can share in that by believing in Jesus' life, his death, his resurrection and making Jesus Lord of our lives. King. Glorified. Risen. Alive. Listen and worship along with this beautiful song by Kari Jobe, Forever. worship Him 24/7... scott Forever (We Sing Hallelujah) by Kari Jobe
The moon and stars they wept The morning sun was dead The Savior of the world was fallen His body on the cross His blood poured out for us The weight of every curse upon him One final breath he gave As heaven looked away The son of God was laid in darkness A battle in the grave The war on death was waged The power of hell forever broken The ground began to shake The stone was rolled away His perfect love could not be overcome Now death where is your sting? Our resurrected King Has rendered you defeated Forever he is glorified Forever he is lifted high Forever he is risen He is alive, He is alive! We sing hallelujah We sing hallelujah We sing hallelujah The Lamb has overcome You've faced struggles. You've faced trials. You've faced hardships, persecution, and pain. In the midst of it, you've wondered if you are the only one. You are not alone. Jesus knows what you face. He was God, made into human form to experience what we experience, but with perfection, so he could save us. Not just to save us. But to give us hope. That salvation IS our hope. Hope for the struggles and trials and hardships and persecution and pain. Because he knows what you face... Thursday Night: Betrayed by a close friend, Jesus is arrested. Questioned. Bound. Dragged to face trial. Denied and betrayed by his best friend. Beaten. Spit upon. Throughout the night. Friday Morning: Dragged between multiple trials. Questioned over and over. Whipped. Flogged. Flesh stripped. Bone made bare. Stripped of clothing. Stripped of human dignity. Crown of thorns thrust on his head. Mocked. Struck by fists. Friday Afternoon: Condemned for doing nothing wrong. Sentenced to death. Forced to carry a tree, his own tool of execution. Nails driven in hands and feet. Hung on the tree. Crucified. His clothing gambled for before his own eyes. Watching mother and friends grief his own death. Struggling to see. Fighting for breath. Death. Jesus faced the struggles. The trials. The hardships. The persecution. The pain. He knows what you face. He offers hope. Hope found in his own death on the cross. But hope does not end there. Three days later, Jesus would defeat death and rise from the grave. Alive. We can find hope there in that empty grave. Only there. This hope may not and will not end all your trials. But this hope does something far greater. It brings assurance of a life abundant. Here through the trials and for eternity. Face the trials. But not alone. Face them with the One who knows your trials. Jesus. Because he faced them too. worship Him 24/7... scott Watch this video, Good Friday, from Hyper Pixel Media. I deserve to go to hell. You deserve to go to hell. So does your mom and my son. This is what we deserve. Believe me these are not easy words to type. But they are true. Because of our selfish and sinful ways. No matter how good we try to be we can never be perfect. And perfection is the standard for heaven. But... because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ [who was perfect] even when we were dead in our sins. It is by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5). Jesus and his Father, God, were in agreement. They would put themselves on the line. Their love for every person in the world. On the line called the cross. We didn't deserve this. That's why it is called... GRACE. Jesus himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24). Our sins, failings, and mistakes are erased by Christ's death. Like a river washing away our wrongs into an infinite sea, never to be seen again. If we believe. If we surrender and follow Jesus. Then he will rescue our souls from death (Psalm 116:8). This is the greatest romance in history. God and you. The greatest Valentine you will ever be offered. Will you accept it? Listen to this song... Love on the Line by Hillsong. worship Him 24/7... scott Love on the Line lyrics
You put Your love on the line To bear the weight of sin that was mine Washing my river of wrongs Into the sea of Your infinite love With arms held high Lord I give my life Knowing I'm found in Christ In Your love forever With all I am In Your grace I stand The greatest of all romance Love of God my Savior Mercy roars like hurricane winds Furious love laid waste to my sin To the one who has rescued my soul To the one who has welcomed me home To the one who is Savior of all I sing forever You may be walking through life wondering what value you have. Am I worth anything? Does anyone really want me? Let me assure you of this: You have immense value.
Jesus tells two very short stories (parables) that show how valuable God's kingdom is. Here are his words from Matthew 13:44-46: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. The direct meaning of these stories is that God's kingdom is of great value. Such a great value that when found, a person would give up everything they have in order to pursue it. It's a story about us. You and I are like the man in the field or the merchant. The treasure and the pearl are Jesus, the linchpin of God's kingdom. Have you given up everything in order to live for Jesus? Let me ask it this way... Have you surrendered in you heart everything you have and are you willing to give it all up if that's what Jesus asked of you? Is your love for him and your desire for God's kingdom that great? Do you value it that much? At this point you are wondering... I thought you were going to tell me how valuable I am! I will. But first you need to understand how valuable God's kingdom is. Now I can talk about you... Consider the two stories another way. What if you are the treasure? God, the man in the field, saw you, the treasure. He saw your remarkable valuable and gave up everything to win you. In fact he gave himself! His own life in the form of Jesus, his son. God, the merchant, saw you, the finest pearl that ever was. He saw how your tremendous worth and gave up the throne of heaven for a dirty manger in a stable. For you. It is a different perspective on two well known stories. You are worth much. Far more than some gold in a field. Someone really does want you. Far beyond a fine pearl in a market. You have immense value. And a high price was paid for you... Jesus. That is reason to worship. worship Him 24/7... scott For months I have had this song on my desktop. Yes, perhaps the day would come when I would use it in worship corporately. But sometimes you just need to let a song live in you for a bit. Such is true with me and this song. It speaks simple truths of scripture. God is good. That is who God is... good. Nothing wrong. Nothing impure. Nothing out of place. God is good. This is usually the easy truth to accept. The text is usually the haard truth to accept. I am loved. That's who I am... loved. It's my identity. Not rejected. Not despised. Not ignored. Not who the world wants me to be or how the world treats me. I am loved. And that will never change, because God is the one who is doing the loving. He defines me. His love defines me. I'd often turn on this song when I needed that reminder. Now I'm looking forward to sharing not only the song with the church. I'm looking forward to sharing God's heart for me and my heart for him through this song. That's what leading worship should be about. God is a Good Father For you, Lord, are good. The Lord is good. So give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His love endured forever. You are good and you do what is good! The Lord is good to all. No one is good except God alone. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming from the Father. (Psalm 86:5; 100:5; 107:1; Psalm 119:68; Psalm 145:9; Mark 10:18; James 1:7) You are Loved God's loving kindness is good to you. God is merciful and gracious, abounding in steadfast love for you. The Lord God will quiet you with his love. God shows his love for you in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. Nothing will be able to separate you from His love. Because of His great love for you, he made you alive with Christ. Cast your anxieties on God, because he cares for you. For God so loved the world, He gave you his only son. (Psalm 69:16; 86:15; Zephaniah 3:17; Romans 5:8; Romans 8:39; Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 Peter 5:6-7; John 3:16) Good Good Father (lyrics)
I've heard a thousand stories of what they think You're like But I've heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night You tell me that You're pleased and that I'm never alone You're a good good father, it's who you are It's who you are, its who you are And I'm love by you, it's who I am It's who I am, it's who I am I've seen many searching for answers far and wide But I know we're all searching for answers only you can provide 'Cause you know just what we need before we say a word You are perfect in all of you ways You are perfect in all of your ways You are perfect in all of your way to us Love so undeniable I can hardly speak Peace so unexplainable I can hardly think As you call me deeper still, as you call me deeper still As you call me deeper still, into love love love For those of us who have walked with Jesus for a while, the chances are we have read the beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. Maybe even been taught about them a few times. I have. Yet, in researching the passage more closely I came to realize there is an unseen beatitude:
Blessed are those who live through the cycle of the Christian life. Jesus spoke the beatitudes in the Greek language. It's in that form which I discovered that all the beatitudes are connected in a way in which Jesus describes the entire life cycle of a believer. A life which recognizes itself plainly before God and devotes itself to worshiping the One who is worthy. Each beatitude builds on the previous one. Follow along... Verse 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Who are the poor in spirit? Often we consider this to be those who are sad or depressed. But this understanding misses the mark. The word for poor is "ptochos" which means destitute and spiritually poor. The word for spirit is "pneuma" which means wind or breath. It is our very being. The "poor in spirit" is about a recognition of our brokenness. It is a recognition that we do wrong. That we sin. Verse 4. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. We often look at this passage and think of those who lost a loved one or grieve in some way. God does, through his Holy Spirit, bring comfort to those who mourn in such a way, but this is not the heart of Jesus' words. Who are those who mourn? Those who are "poor in spirit"! People who recognize their brokenness. People who see they can't right their own wrongs in life. When someone sees their own failings however, they can choose to be content in the path or mourn the path they are on. Blessed are those who mourn that path. For it leads them to a greater path... Verse 5. Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth. The key work here is "meek". This word does not mean weak. In the original language it means a gentle strength. It is a strength which realizes itself under the almighty strength of an all powerful God. And using that strength in a gentle way. In a way which demonstrates power with undue harshness. See where we are so far in the beatitudes? A person sees that they are poor in spirit. They are broken. Then they mourn their brokenness. They grieve over their failings and understand they can do nothing in themselves in order to right the wrongs they have done. This leads to discovering that their own strength is not sufficient to be made "right". They discover a holy God whose almighty strength is the only strength which can right their wrongs. They see their true standing before this Almighty God and desire to have their life be made right before Him. This leads to... Verse 6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. The desire to be made right before a holy God leads the seeker to Jesus himself. Righteousness for every person only comes from Jesus. For all have sinned and fallen short of God's perfect standard (Romans 3:23). Righteousness, the healing comfort of the broken and mourning poor in the spirit, comes from faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 9:10). Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved (Romans 10:13). Jesus fills up those who are hungry and thirsty for a right standing before God with righteousness when they surrender their life to him. This brings us to the halfway point of the beatitudes. The first four blessings have taken us from sinfulness to salvation in Jesus Christ. From brokenness to surrendering our lives in worship to the Savior. Next time we will see what Jesus says the life of the believer should look like in worship to him... beatitudes five through eight. worship him 24/7... scott War. Famine. Disease. Stress. Persecution. Homelessness. Starvation. Death. None of these, no, nothing on this earth or anywhere for that matter, can or will separate me from God's love. (Romans 8:38-39) I know this, because I have felt, experienced, and studied the historical, real person that is Jesus. He took a dark trip up a rocky hill named Calvary in Jerusalem and died there so I would know this truth. He forever covers my shame, my sin, my guilt. With grace and mercy they don't count anymore. Calvary covers it all. Do you believe this? Listen to this new song by Hillsong Worship: Calvary. The Savior alone carried the cross
For all of my debts, He paid the cost Salvation complete now forever I'm free Calvary covers it all Calvary covers it all My sin and shame, don't count anymore All praise to the One who has ransomed my soul Calvary covers it all No power on Earth Not even the grave Could separate us from mercy and grace He is faithful to save, oh His blood never fails Calvary covers it all No one but Jesus Can make us pure as snow We stand in Your freedom Calvary covers it all My son was just past a year old. He was diagnosed with pneumonia. When the doctor gave me the news he said an antibiotic would be needed immediately and if it did not improve rapidly he may need a trip to hospital. The medicine was essential. Worry struck me. What if he would not take the medicine? He was not very good at taking medicine.
The doctor assured me that the pharmacy would make the medicine work for my son with an addition of flavor. When arriving at the pharmacy, I was given a list of flavors which my son would love. After choosing bubble gum (after all, who doesn't love a good bubble gum flavor, right?) I received the medicine and went home to get underway with administering it. Fifteen minutes later there was a pink mess on the carpet, my son was screaming, and I was crying. It was fifteen minutes of fighting and torture. For both of us. I tried everything. I tried giving it to him straight. No go. (So much for flavored medicine!) I tried mixing it with a bottle. Nice try. I tried holding his nose and getting the tube past his tongue so I could force him to swallow. Nope. (The kid is nearly as stubborn as I am.) So a third of the medicine bottle is empty. The carpet is pink. My son is screaming. I'm crying and worried he'll end up in the hospital. And then it happened. My son ran to me. In the midst of his tears, tears which I caused, he ran to me. With arms open wide he ran to daddy. He wrapped his arms around my legs and with tears in my eyes I looked down and wondered, "How can this be?" I'm the one who allowed (even caused) his current anguish and he came running to me. "Daddy!" Then I realized: This is how God wants me to run to him. When things aren't going well. When I'm in pain. When God has allowed something to to occur which brings me struggle, I can and should run to him. "Daddy!" "Abba!" Be with me. Comfort me. You are always good. You are always faithful. You are always true. You are always Daddy. The reason my son ran to me, even in the midst of the struggle he had with me, was because he KNEW me. He knew I LOVED him. He knew I CARED for him. He knew I would HOLD him. Do you know these things about God? Do you run to him even when you struggle with him? Job declared "I came naked from my mother's womb and I will be stripped of everything when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord." Even in the midst of the struggle, Job ran to God and yelled, "Daddy!" (Read his story in Job 1.) You can always run to God. Good times. Bad times. That's honoring and glorifying to Him. That's worship. worship Him 24/7... Scott PS - My son did not end up the hospital. My stubbornness eventually won out. He still runs to me with open arms and yells "daddy". It still can bring tears to my eyes. I once heard a heartbreaking story of a young boy's death. It's also the story of man who controlled the opening and closing of a bridge over a river. The man had to take his young boy to work and was busy about his job opening the bridge for a passing boat as his son played. The son snuck out of the control room and in his exploring discovered where the large gears were housed that raised and lowered the bridge and became stuck in the gears. As the man looked out from the control room he noticed his son through the window just as a train approached. The man had to make a choice. Quickly. There was enough time to save his son, but the train would crash. Or he could lower the bridge and save the hundreds of people on the train. But this would mean a painful, agonizing death for his son.
This is a glimpse into the choice God made for you and for me. It's a story most of us are familiar with. God saw us in need and allowed Jesus to die to save us. But what were some of the "behind the scenes" thoughts and motivations? Check out this verse. "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) 1. "Spare". The Greek meaning is to "abstain" or "forbear", which means to patiently restrain an impulse from doing something. Think about this! God could NOT patiently refrain himself from giving up his son, Jesus for you. Imagine God looking down from heaven going about his business and then seeing you. And in an instance he is so smitten with you, so in love with you, that he can't keep himself from turning to Jesus and saying, "You're going down there! I love this person so much that you have to go. Now! I can't wait any longer!" That's what God felt about you! 2. "Gave Up". The Greek meaning is to "hand over", "hand down", and "deliver". It's with betrayal and abandonment. It also means to do hand over with a deep sense of close personal involvement. Let's add to what we have been considering. God turns sees you and wants so badly to have a relationship with you that he turns to Jesus, his only son, and says, "You are going down there right now. I can't wait. I love this person so much that you are going down there immediately. Not only that but the only way this is going to work means saying goodbye to you, Jesus. I have to let you die so I can be with them. I have to betray you and hand you over to an agonizing death." God does this for us, not as a little god sitting on a cloud far removed from what's going on. No. He does this as God Almighty who gets up close and personal with a deep sense of attachment in what is happening. For you. The man in our story chose to lower the bridge. He watched as his son was crushed by the gears of the bridge. In so doing, hundreds of people on the train were saved. It was an up close and personal experience for this man. God chose to lower his son, Jesus. He watched as his son was tortured and crucified by our sins here on earth. In so doing, millions of people on this earth who choose to accept Jesus and follow him will be saved. It was an up close and personal experience for God. What would you have done if you were that man on the bridge? I don't know what I would have done. But I'm glad that God did know. I'm glad that he chose me. That's why I worship. John 3:16. worship Him 24/7... Scott When you are amidst the battle of life and feel alone remember this: you are not alone. If you are a believer in Christ you always have the Holy Spirit within you. God is with you. You are not alone. The presence and power of God the Holy Spirit provides can be all of ours. As we accept Christ as savior, the Holy Spirit dwells within us providing us power, guidance, comfort, wisdom, and so much more. We must obey that Spirit in us. We must surrender to that Spirit in us. Doing so allows us to see it's work in our lives. It reminds us of the Holy Spirit's constant presence. That we are never alone. Even amidst the battle. What a freedom! Accept that freedom. Be free. In light of my recent posts on war & worship, check out this song by Kari Jobe, I Am Not Alone. Remember: Obey. Surrender. Be Free. You are never alone. worship Him 24/7... Scott i am not alone
When I walk through deep waters I know that You will be with me When I'm standing in the fire I will not be overcome Through the valley of the shadow I will not fear I am not alone, I am not alone You will go before me, You will never leave me In the midst of deep sorrow I see Your light is breaking through The dark of night will not overtake me I am pressing into You Lord You fight my ev'ry battle and I will not fear You amaze me redeem me, You call me as Your own You amaze me redeem me, You call me as Your own You're my strength You're my defender You're my refuge in the storm Through these trials You've always been faithful You bring healing to my soul Why worship God when things aren't going so well? Isn't God in control of things down here? If he isn't good enough to keep rotten things happening to me, why should I continue to worship him?
These are rough questions. Questions I have asked as well. A few years ago, my beautiful wife and I had our second child. We felt led to return closer to our extended family so our children might better know their family. As we began the process of moving, my grandmother's health quickly deteriorated. She was moved to a nursing home and was in poor condition. Meanwhile, my family and I spent three months on the road waiting for and trusting on the Lord to provide a new position for me. He provided. We ended up only one and half hours away from where my family lived. We could spend time with family and my ailing grandmother. Weeks later my grandmother passed away. Not what I planned. God gives. God takes away. God does provide. Even from the very beginning he has been known as Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord Provides (Genesis 22:14). There was once a man named Job. At the time he lived he was the greatest of men. He had a wife and many children, owned thousands of livestock, had the respect of the people, and lived well before God. Then he lost it all. Yet in the midst of his sorrows he "fell to the ground in worship and said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job 1:20-21) God gives. God takes away. Job still worshiped. Why? Job still remained faithful to God. He understood that sin was in the world. He understood that we all live with the consequences of all mistakes, not only our own, but with that of others. Yes, God is in control of things down here. But God gave mankind free will to choose. Bad things can happen to good people. But remember these two things: First, there is no one down here who is truly good (Romans 3:10). We all make mistakes. And these mistakes do affect others. Second, God will use all things in our lives for good, even the bad (Romans 8:28). It's all part of his big plan. We can only see what is right in front of us. He sees through eternity. Job worshiped God when times were bad, because he knew God was still God. God had not changed. He knew that God still had his best in mind. So Job worshiped. God gives. God takes away. May the name of the Lord be praised. As I drove to the hospital the night my grandmother died, I questioned God. Sure. But I knew God was still God. He still had my best in mind. So I worshiped him on that drive. God gives. God takes away. May the name of the Lord be praised. worship Him 24/7... Scott I previously shared here the first reason why God is the only one worth my worship. His greatness is a sound reason and reason enough to cause me to worship him. However, the second reason is what causes me to worship him extravagantly.
The same God that created the earth, the galaxy, and the universe beyond is the same God who created me. More than that: he knows me. He knows my thoughts, my desires, and even every hair on my head (Matthew 10:30). God loves me. God loves me extravagantly. God loves you extravagantly as well. This extravagance is seen in more than knowing my thoughts desires or hair follicles. It is seen in the gift of his very own son, Jesus. God loves us so deeply that he was willing to sacrifice Jesus, his own son (Romans 3:25). And he did so before we even drew our first breathe. Jesus experienced an extravagant death to show us God’s extravagant love for us. He sweated blood for us. He was beaten, slapped, mocked and spit upon. He was stripped of his clothes and whipped down to his bone, flesh torn from his body. He was tortured with a crown of thorns and forced to carry his own instrument of execution to the place where death awaited him. He was nailed to the cross and suffered extreme blood loss and asphyxiation. He refused to call for an army of angels to save him, then died. That is an extravagant love. That is God’s love for me. That is God's love for you. And that is the second reason why God is the only one worth my worship. Worship Him 24/7... Scott |
Scott Marshall worship pastor
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