Transcendent Praise

Luke 15:21 The son said to him, “Father I have sinned against heaven and against you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

Your Father welcomes full disclosure.  When you originally believed that Christ died in your place and took the punishment you deserve because of your inherited sin nature, you asked God’s forgiveness and he saved you. You have been walking in that new God-consciousness or relationship.  But every so often something happens to make you feel unworthy of his love. In other words you become aware that you have “sinned”. Fellowship with the Father is broken and perhaps with others too. This is the time to not only apologize or ask forgiveness of the one you have offended but also to go to God like the prodigal son and pray: Father I have sinned, please forgive me, wash me and make me clean and restore me to fellowship with you. It is that simple. He has promised that: “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). Waste no time, hold nothing back.

Guilt grows  like mold if it gains a foot hold. Get rid of it! It will stunt your spiritual growth and rob you of joy. As a believer, you have been called to walk in the light. “… God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim we have fellowship with him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1: 5-7).

Matthew 27:19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

Jesus’ trial by Pilate the governor is unfolding before us. It is happening just before the crucifixion and Pilate has listened to the evidence presented against Jesus and has concluded, and rightly so, that Jesus is guilty of nothing which deserves the death penalty. But he is a coward. Despite what he knows to be true, he decides it is more important to be popular and satisfy public opinion. Just before Pilate succumbs to the temptation to sanction what could be called a miscarriage of justice, his wife sends him a note warning him not to proceed in that way. Jesus was going to the cross because that was the reason he came. But what I want to call your attention to in this moment is the fact that nothing is stated about Pilate’s wife, not even her name. But God used her to speak to her husband by revealing to her in a dream the truth about Jesus. Pilate did not listen but she bore witness to the truth.

If you sometimes think you do not matter, or that you are just a nobody going through life in obscurity, don’t you believe it. God has put you on the earth with purpose and you can live your life in and through him and make a significant difference in the lives of others. We are not all called to the world’s stage but each of us is significant in God’s eyes and can be made the more so if we are in relationship with Jesus Christ.

“God has ways of revealing truth to different people. He confirmed Jesus’ innocence through a woman who had no connection with what was going on except the involvement of her husband. You need to understand that God is not limited in any way and can employ any and all resources to make his desires known and fulfill his prerogatives. He does not make promises he cannot keep and will use anyone in any way He pleases. The Lord God is always in control of circumstances where his children are concerned.”

II Kings 2:11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

I accepted Christ as Savior when I was 12 years old, just about to start high school. When I became a teenager it seemed as if every youth leader or pastor of the organizations I belonged to were emphasizing the need to “know God’s plan for your life.” What an awesome task to assign to a child! They would say you need to pray and pray some more. In my imagination I thought I was going to hear a voice in response telling me exactly what I should be doing for the rest of my life. That day never came. Essentially I completed high school and joined the workforce as a clerk/stenographer. All the final exams were crafted in England so the certificates were accepted internationally. Higher education was pursued throughout my work life. Thankfully, through it all my relationship with God was always real and sustaining. Over the years I have learned that God’s plan for my life is simply to know him and Christ more fully every day. (John 17:3 refers).

Your vocation or job pursuits do not exclude a relationship with God but rather are enriched by it because your life is hid with Christ in God and that becomes the source of your empowerment. Every season of life will bring new challenges and in every one of them you will have choices to make. As Elisha was called to drop everything, so to speak, and take over Elijah’s ministry, God may require you to shed some things or passions or to make detours you had not planned, but always he will be with you as you obey.

“It takes the fire of God to consume away the dross, the things of earth; to lift you up and separate you from the plain, the ordinary, and the corrupt. Separation from earth is a cleansing process – all the things which consume your thoughts, attention, and energy and tend to keep people from serving the Lord God in spirit and in truth. It is God only who can clarify your purpose on the earth and lead you to exploits for God. As Elisha received the mantle from Elijah so God chooses people to carry on his work.” 

Daniel 3:21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.

Some circumstances which overtake us in life are not because of wrong doing or our choices. Some are the result of plots and scheming by others. The situation in which these three young men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, found themselves was the result of their capture and exile in Babylon. The important thing is that they chose to hang on to their faith in Almighty God and trust him with their lives no matter what happened. They incurred the anger of the King when they refused to compromise and worship him or his golden statue. The fire was heated, they were under guard and then they were bound. Totally helpless!  Then they were thrown into the fire.

God honors faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith was their only weapon. And God came to their defense in a way which could not be denied as other than divine. He showed up in the fire!

“At times God himself rises and stands beside his children in their hour of trial. He comes to do the things which man in all their wisdom cannot accomplish. He is God over the fire, wind and storm.”

2 Kings 2: 23 – 24 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. “Go on up, you baldhead!” He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two youths.

Does your Pastor have your love and support?  If your Pastor is true to his calling he is a servant and seeks to demonstrate that in every way to the members of his congregation. If he is distant, has an entourage and you have no chance of ever having a conversation with him, be on guard. If you are blessed to have access to your Pastor, treat his time with respect.

If your Pastor is a man of vision, try to understand him and his vision. If he is led by the Spirit of God, and is focused on preaching the gospel without compromise, he deserves your support and constant prayers for him and his family if he has one.

What is the alternative? You will become a source of confusion and division in the house of God and there is a penalty for that.  Elisha was called and given a double anointing by God to take over the ministry of Elijah.  (II Kings 2) No sooner had he received this anointing he encountered a group of youngsters who decided to make fun of him. This resulted in their death. When I read this account, I was stunned. Elisha called down a curse on youngsters! “God”, I protested, “How can this be right?” The Holy Spirit responded:

            “I will be exalted in all the earth. I will not take lightly that men despise my name or the work of my servants. I will defend them by any means necessary so that men will learn to fear my name.”

Mark 5:35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

“Bad news travels fast.”  It’s an old saying but today the speed is staggering and indeed the negative stuff still gets quicker and more widespread attention. News of death is still the most devastating and the “kick-in-the gut” nature of it is disabling. Almost as disabling is any news which has negative life-changing impact, such as a medical diagnosis or a job loss. Individuals respond differently, but for the most part there is usually some element of disbelief and helplessness.

Jairus, the synagogue ruler, had a gravely ill daughter so he went to find Jesus and pleaded with him to return home with him to touch and heal her. Jesus’ journey to Jairus’ home was delayed when he stopped to heal a woman who had been ill for 12 years. Just before he finished attending to her, Jairus’ servants arrived with bad news – his daughter was dead.

Jesus ignored the bearers of bad news but he turned to Jairus, who you can be sure was stunned at the news, and said “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” What a relief he must have felt. The Master had spoken. Jesus went with him and was greeted by much crying and wailing. Jesus called it “commotion” and said the child was not dead but asleep. The human response of those present was to laugh Jesus to scorn. Wow! Despite all that was known at that time about previous miracles Jesus had done, they laughed at him! But Jesus took charge of the situation. He put them all out except for the girl’s parents and his disciples who had come with him. Then he spoke to the child: “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” Not only did she get up, she walked around.

Believer, it is likely you will have a human response to your bad news, but rest assured, firstly that God is never surprised by whatever that event is. Secondly, he is not confused as to whether he can help you. Thirdly, always he will say to you “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” He will walk with you through it.

Psalm 91: 1 – 2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

How dark is it? Do you feel as if you are under a cloud so thick you cannot see your way forward? Don’t misinterpret your cloud. Think about it – in the natural when you are in the shadow of something say a building, or a tree or tent you are protected from the elements which could harm you. So if your relationship with the Most High is alive then he says you will rest in his shadow. There is a canopy of love over you. It’s not dark at all you are just misinterpreting your cloud.

Am I saying you don’t have a situation that you have no idea what to do with? That you can just snap your finger and the challenging circumstance will go away? Not at all! Just saying the believer has a Father who cares very much and that your greatest battles are his to fight. Hand over the struggle and rest in his shadow.

“There is no place where you are out of the gaze of Almighty God. He sees you and is fully aware of what is going on with you. His shadow spreads to cover those whom he loves and who love him. His love is perfect and enduring. You cannot slip out of his hands without notice for he is the one upholding you. You are ever in his care.”

Luke 13:23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

This is a serious question and Jesus took the time to answer it with illustration so that everyone can understand.  We are living in the age of grace. The kingdom of heaven is now open to all who will believe and accept that Christ died in his or her place to satisfy God’s standard of righteousness. But as Jesus stated in Luke 13: 25 “Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ But he will answer, I don’t know you or where you come from.’ There will be an end to God’s patience with mankind.

Right now we are completely distracted from anything God wants to say to us or accomplish in our lives. We have all kinds of crazy priorities when all along, he created us for himself. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1); “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” (Col. 1:16).

We cannot accuse God of being unjust if we do not respond to his pleading with us to be saved while there is still time.  And that time is now, today. Every day now the news is filled with sudden death stories – by gunfire, accidents, terrorist attacks, etc. You and I could get into all kinds of discussions about these incidents, but the essential question I need to ask is: If you die one minute from now, where would you spend eternity? Don’t miss this opportunity. Call on the name of the Lord now.

“The Lord our God is just for he gives men chances repeatedly to come to Him. He does not cut us off without exposing us to his Word. He leaves the door wide open for those who are willing to walk in, and ask for and receive forgiveness of sin. Those who keep walking past the door leave themselves open to certain damnation. Do not then accuse God of being unjust.”

Proverbs 14:34 – Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

Praying for peace in America is everyone’s responsibility but particularly so for every believer in Christ. He is the Prince of Peace. The world is pretty chaotic right now and since so much of what goes on in the world is impacted by America and in turn America is impacted by everything in every corner of the globe, we must pray.

During the 2016 presidential election campaign there were many slogans to rally support for each party. The successful party emerged under the most prominent slogan “Make America Great Again”. Of course we all want that! But it begs the question: If America is not considered great now, what was different when it was considered great? There are many approaches to this question and I believe every individual will have a different perspective. Some might even contend that you are out of your mind because America is still the greatest country on earth.

I am going to take the Scriptural approach exemplified in the Bible verse quoted above. I decided to check a number of current translations and found this in the New Life Version (NLV): “Being right with God makes a nation great, but sin is a shame to any people.”  Considering the current divisive climate, it seems we have some retracing of our steps to do and the Word of God gives us the blueprint: “If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  (II Chronicles 7:14).

I live in a unique neighborhood in New York and I often walk the streets for exercise. On any of those walks it is possible to stand at an intersection and count as many as four churches within sight. The presence of multiple houses of worship is very likely duplicated in many of America’s cities and towns and suggests that there was a time in America when people placed an emphasis on honoring Almighty God. Can we do that again? God is the source of all wisdom and knowledge and “greatness” and he is also in charge of time and eternity. It seems then that if we are in search of greatness, we should be on our knees asking him to forgive us and show us the way ahead.

John 16:33 “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Trouble sometimes brings failures. What do I do with life’s failures? First of all you should not consider that you have failed unless you have not had a relationship with the Lord Jesus.  If you do not have such a relationship then you can say you have failed because you are not living the purposeful life that God meant for you to live when he created you. “That is being harsh” you say.  Then you begin to itemize all the wonderful things you have already done, your many accomplishments and the accolades you have received from your friends and colleagues, the things you own, etc.  All well and good! Now take that package and present it to God as the sum total of your life in the earth. “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast in his riches, but let him that boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23). How does your list stand up against this measurement now? Are they successes or failures?

On the other hand, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus and you are allowing the Holy Spirit to have his way, you will embrace every trial and heartache as a way to know God better. That quest brings delight to the heart of God. Your deeds will then flow from your obedience. In time it will dawn on you that many of your deeds are at odds with the person you used to be.  Those are the sacrificial deeds which have eternal worth.

So if you are walking in lockstep with the things that God purposed for you to do, no aspect of your life can be considered a failure, no matter what your current circumstances look like. Setback is not failure. You serve a God of new beginnings, and he creates favor for his children. Believe and trust him for the forward movement you need. You can be an overcomer! With God all things are possible!