Transcendent Praise

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

I believe this is the ultimate test of our understanding of who God is. He is the beginning and the end of all things. There is no higher court of appeal, there is no way to challenge this statement. Either you believe God or you don’t.

I am not setting out here to expound the Book of Revelation. You have an invitation to read and study it for yourself, using all the material that scholars have written and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. A special blessing is promised to all who will take up the challenge.

What I do want to do is bring this concept down to apply it to our everyday lives. Why do we try so hard to control every aspect of our lives, even though so much of our efforts end in frustration? Anyone who is a parent is doubly guilty because the “control tendency” extends to our children, and in this I am as guilty as can be. Wouldn’t it be far better if we could get to the place where we trust God completely with our future and the future of our children as well?

We interfere and manipulate because we say we do it out of love, and firmly believe it. The thing is I am finding out that my love is not enough. The Holy Spirit is convicting me almost daily to “give it up” and trust the One who knows the end from the beginning. The Almighty loves us and he loves our children and has ordained a different path for them than he has for us. The thing is, he has not shared the blueprint with us. Our job then, especially with respect to our grown children, is to simply lay out our hearts’ desires to God and trust him to bring to fruition what he sees as best for them.

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

This is an exhortation from Peter to the believers of his day. He was reminding them of the certainty of the coming of the Day of the Lord. Despite the fact that it seemed delayed they should “live holy and godly lives.” That exhortation is still valid today for believers and while we wait we need to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

How do you know if you are growing? Does spending time in God’s presence bring you joy? His presence is where you are, not just in church or some other “organized” setting. And if you are availing yourself of that joy, it means that life’s challenges don’t knock you out the way they used to. So, are you experiencing victories? When you do, make note of them so that you can remind yourself that your God enabled you to leap over that wall. Pray always to become more aware of his presence.

Do you hear God’s voice speaking to you? The Holy Spirit is your guide, teacher, enabler, revealer of secrets. When you seek to do God’s will, it is the Holy Spirit who will make it plain. He will interpret God to you. One of the most enriching experiences is to have the Holy Spirit reveal God’s character to you. “I am your Savior Deliverer.” That took on enormous meaning for me when my home lay in shambles after a hurricane. You begin to know your Lord for yourself.

Are you growing in grace? Grace has been defined in various ways. The most succinct definition I have heard is: “the unmerited favor of God”. Don’t deserve it, can’t work for it! It flows to us just because he loves us so. It is this grace, when we receive it, recognize it and begin to comprehend the magnitude of it, which will allow us to let it flow through us to others. We begin to learn empathy, forgiveness and generosity.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.

I started posting blogs to this site on 1 January 2018. In the event you have just happened on the site for the first time, I am addressing the issue of sin once again. It is not a topic often publicly discussed today, yet it is the one thing that separates man from his Creator. The verse quoted above sums it all up.  There is no place to hide from the truth expressed in this verse. Blame it on Adam, yes. But by heredity, if by no other means, you are guilty as charged. Sin against God is disobedience, rebellion, indifference to his person as Creator and Ruler of the earth and against the gift of his Son Jesus. It is contending that you are independent of God and that you alone have the right to be and do exactly as you please. How do you plead? Are you a sinner then, as God’s Word declare you to be? If your plea is “not guilty”, this is what the Word says:  “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).

Friend, I hope you can see the dilemma and grasp the gravity of the situation because now it is your word against God’s. All is not lost, however, because God has the answer. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). So whether it is inherited sin or daily acts of wrong doing, the remedy is the same.

God’s provision for your cleansing is by the blood of Jesus Christ only. When Jesus was on earth, his followers asked him: “What must we do to work the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:28-29). So simple and yet so many resist.

Hebrews 7:23-25 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Jesus lived and died. In doing so he showed us the heart of God toward mankind and opened the way for every human being who believes in him to have fellowship with God on a daily basis. But being saved is only part of our inheritance. In the Old Testament order of things – under the old covenant – there were priests and high priests in succession to as it were “stand between” God and his people. They would prepare and present the sacrifices for atonement and be enforcers if you will of God’s laws.

The Book of Hebrews focuses on the exaltation of Christ and presenting God’s better covenant established in him. Salvation in Christ is God’s last word to our generation. So not only does it remind us that Jesus was with God in the beginning as Creator, but that he is better than the angels, greater than any prophets or priests before him or even Moses, but that Jesus is our Great High Priest. His priesthood is permanent and, in this capacity, he is alive and sits at the right hand of God to make intercession for us. Wow! Just think about that! Even when Satan accuses you, or circumstances seem insurmountable you are not without representation before God’s throne. Let this truth invade your consciousness.

Deuteronomy 33:26-27 – There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you and on clouds in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you saying, ‘Destroy him!’”

Moses had led the children of Israel out of Egypt through the desert and across the Red Sea. It had been a long and difficult journey, not just because of the physical perils they encountered but because the very people he was leading were sometimes rebellious. But now they were on the other side of all that and were on their way to the Promise Land. Moses led them in a wonderful song of remembrance and praise to God, all the while pointing out the attributes of God and admonishing them to take to heart solemnly all he had declared to them. He said: “they are not just idle words for you – they are for your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:47).

Shortly thereafter the Lord commanded Moses to go to Mount Nebo to take a look at Canaan, the land promised to the Israelites.  The Lord also shared with Moses a secret – he would die there on the mountain, he would not enter the Promise Land, as was also the case with Aaron who had died on Mount Hor. The Lord said: “This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.” (Deuteronomy 32: 48-52). On the face of it this seemed to me like a severe punishment considering how difficult their assignment had been.

Our mortal minds do not comprehend things eternal. We see things in a very limited time-bound fashion. The Holy Spirit revealed to me years ago that my interpretation of this scene on the mountain was completely wrong and explained that rather than punishment God was taking Moses into his presence. That was his reward, not punishment! Isn’t that our blessed hope? To be in the presence of the Lord! “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out.” (Romans 11:33).

I believe that it was because of this very special relationship which Moses had with God that he was able to confidently proclaim the blessings he did on the Israelites before his death. (See Deuteronomy 33) And of Moses it is written “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face ….” (See Deuteronomy 34:11).

Titus 3:3-7 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

The above Scripture paints a complete “before” and “after” picture of the believer. It tells us who and what we really were before the Father drew us to gaze upon his Son, Jesus. We were revealed as naked and poverty stricken before him with no way to save ourselves. He redeemed us, all by himself because of his great love. So now we have nothing of which to boast. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8-9). What Christ did is complete and perfect and makes us heirs to eternal life.

You say: wonderful! Now what? Rejoice, and stop trying to be goody-goody to impress others. The work you now do is not to gain salvation nor is it about you or your reputation. The name of the Lord is at stake – seek his will and his purpose: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10). If you find yourself responding to the Holy Spirit and doing things that in time past you would not even consider or “stoop” to do, and which often will bring you no praise or recognition, and perhaps even ridicule, then you are on the right track. It is called obedience.

Acts 16:30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

This question was posed by the jailer to Paul and Silas who had been thrown in his jail by the magistrates who had ordered them first to be stripped and flogged. What was their crime? They had come into town preaching the gospel and encountered a slave girl who was considered a “fortune-teller” and was thus making money for her owners. She identified Paul and Silas as “servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”

You would think Paul and his companions would have appreciated the ‘advertisement’ but she kept doing it day after day to Paul’s irritation because he had concluded that she was possessed. Finally he addressed the spirit in her: “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” (See verse 18) The spirit left her and that got her owners mad because they lost their source of income. Their complaint to the magistrates: “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” (See Acts 16:20-21).

What the townspeople or the authorities did not count on was a visitation from God at midnight. Hallelujah! Paul and Silas, despite their wounds and lack of freedom, were singing and praying. Then there was an earthquake which could have allowed all the prisoners to escape. The jailer was scared to the point of taking his own life. But Paul shouted “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”  The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household.” (See Acts 16:28-30). That is still the simple uncomplicated answer! In contrast, one will be lost by doing nothing or being indifferent to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 24:4-8 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nations, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

These words of Jesus are part of his response to his disciples who had come to him while he was seated on the Mount of Olives. Earlier when he was walking away from the temple, they had drawn his attention to its buildings. His disciples were ordinary men called from humble occupations and surroundings and perhaps were not used to seeing the magnificence of the temple and its buildings. Jesus however was unimpressed and remarked, “Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.”  This response must have alarmed them, so as soon as they were alone with him they asked “Tell us when this will happen and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus had no desire then to keep his disciples in the dark about what their future would look like, and neither does he want those who follow him today to be in the dark. The entire chapter of Matthew 24 is both warning and reassurance. It leaves no doubt about the magnitude of the disruption of what we consider normal life and, in fact, the news today is replete with what Jesus described as the “beginnings of birth pains”.

Jesus’ greatest concern was that those who believe in him not be deceived by persons who will appear as false “Christs” and false prophets. His reassurance comes in the description of his return: “For as lightening that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Verse 27) In other words the whole world will see and know at the same time. “…They will see the Son of Man coming on clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”  (Verses 30-31) Do you believe?

Revelation 4:8 and 11 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under their wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is, and is to come.” … “You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

The description of these creatures is other-worldly. John is trying to put into words what he is seeing. What I want to focus on is their praise and that of the 24 elders – ascribing to God the glory due to his name. Heaven is not earth, thank God! We don’t want to take anything from here to there to mar its beauty and purity. So it stands to reason that it is different and more marvelous. That is the purpose of the Book of Revelation – to give you a glimpse of the hereafter, the new order of things and the total revelation of Jesus Christ in all his glory.

You are in the Father’s house. There are places and creatures and things you will not have seen before. There is order, hierarchy and protocol in his house and everything is about him and his household, including his innumerable hosts of angels, elders, prophets, priests and kings and men from every tribe and nation. Then there is the King of Kings, our Lord Jesus – He is the center of attention! Picture the majesty and then listen!!! There is the sound of thunderous worship from every creature present. Can you hear it, even a little? Chorus after chorus – Holy, Holy, Holy are you Lord; Worthy is the Lamb! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia …….. endless praise! Don’t you want to join in? That is one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit in your life … to help you to praise the Lord with heaven’s language. Glory to His name!

Matthew 18:3-4 I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

I imagine that the child Jesus chose was perhaps a 4 or 5 year old. Up to that point children are generally obedient and trusting. They look to their parents for comfort, protection and approval and give no thought to how their daily needs will be met. They run to mama and papa because they love to be carried and will often curl up in their arms for rest. In short, they feel safe and being in the presence of their parents gives them pleasure.

We are not in the habit of associating greatness with little children. Yet I believe Jesus was pointing out that we need to look to God through the eyes of a child. Not all children are privileged to have the kind of parents I just described above, but those who do have the best chance of becoming great at whatever they choose to do in life. Similarly, if we who are children of God can learn the humility of a child and look to the Father with childlike trust, God will be able to work out in our lives his will and purpose. That leads to greatness in the Father’s kingdom.

The other door to greatness that Jesus described in Matthew 23:11-12 also runs counter to our normal way of thinking, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” My goodness, how radical is that! Nowhere do you catch a trace of the world’s standards of greatness: the rich and powerful, famous scientists, professors, inventors, actors, kings, queens, and so on. It is not that their status is the problem, but rather it is the attitude and response of the heart toward God and their willingness to be a servant that will make the difference. This is sobering for me because this requires me to humble myself and begin to look at people through new lenses and ask: “How may I be of service to you?” How do you see yourself in the glare of this searchlight?