For His Glory

I reworded the last phrase of my Psalm 150 blog. As I read it, after posting, my mind and heart automatically transformed that last phrase and I knew it was a significant change. All of creation offers up a symphony of praise to our God and our King, not for the simple pursuit of praise but the passionate pursuit for His Glory. From Genesis to Revelation His Glory is proclaimed and is fully on display. He spoke – and the whole earth was filled with His Glory as the deep darkness was saturated with the Light. He speaks to hearts of all mankind today so that His Glory may be revealed in the darkness of their souls, and out of this transformation the Light of His Glory explodes throughout the whole earth. Indeed, it is not the pursuit of praise but the passionate pursuit for His Glory that gives light and life and power to the praises that go on, and on, and on. “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His Glory!” Amen and Amen

The LORD our God has shown us His Glory and His majesty, and we have heard His voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if God speaks with Him. Deuteronomy 5:24

Declare His Glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples. 1 Chronicles 16:24

Blessed be His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His Glory. Amen and Amen. Psalm 72:19

The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the peoples see His Glory. Psalm 97:6

The LORD is exalted over all the nations, His Glory above the heavens. Psalm 113:4

Praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His Glory is above earth and heaven. 148:13

Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His Glory. Isaiah 6:3

They will fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His Glory from the rising of the sun, for He will come like a rushing stream which the wind of the LORD drives. Isaiah 59:19

See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and His Glory appears over you. Isaiah 60:2

Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His Glory. Ezekiel 43:2

His Glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth. Habakkuk 3:3

When the Son of Man comes in His Glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Matthew25:31

“Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:26

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His Glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

He is the radiance of His Glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His Glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all times and now and forever. Amen Jude 1:23-25

Psalm 150 ~ The Symphony

A single trumpet call resounds within the Sanctuary, emanating from the citadel of Heaven itself! The sounding of the trumpet proclaims: "Our God is powerful! Our God is greater than any other!"

Joining the blast of the trumpet is the gentle and soothing music of the harp coupled with the jingle of the tambourine in the hands of dancers - dancers wholly abandoned to the worship of our powerful and mighty God. They converge from North and South and East and West – from Every People, Every Tongue, Every Tribe, Every Nation!

Stringed instruments crescendo, and then decrescendo as the flautists’ clear, precise notes draw hearts to the feet of the One who alone is worthy of all praise.

Loud, brilliant cymbals resound as myriad upon myriad voices throughout all of Heaven and Earth, throughout all eternity proclaim the greatness of our God and King.

Undulating worship declares His power and His unsurpassing greatness,

and the passionate pursuit for His Glory continues on, and on, and on.

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH
PRAISE THE LORD!

SueMccarySargis 10/4/2010

Everywhere The River flows, there is Life

“Where the River flows, everything will live”
Ezekiel 47:9 (ESV)

I wonder why transitions seem to be heavy on my mind and heart these days. Maybe such thoughts come more frequently because most of my friends are in transition. One of my friend’s is unplanned, and daunting. Another joyfully planned, but not without its challenges, and another friend is experiencing changes that, to some, may not even seem like a transition. I think I’ve had a bit of an epiphany this morning. In every situation we face, whether monumental or mundane, God’s design is that LIFE happens, not only to us but to everyone around us.

I saw Ezekiel 47 this morning as a story of transitions. Ezekiel tells of a time when he was led into a river flowing from the throne of God whose depth progressed from ankle deep to a river so vast no one could cross it.

”He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in--a river that no one could cross.... "

As God leads us into life’s transition, most of the time they are incremental and we feel like we can manage them. Most of the time, like Ezekiel, we find ourselves in ankle deep, knee deep or thigh deep waters. Then there are times when transitions seem monumental - like the river “no one can cross”. Initially it feels like things are futile and we will drown, but as we forge ahead we get to experience what it is to be part of this living, flowing river of God that transforms dead waters into fresh waters – that transforms LIVES!

Transitions do affect us, and in the hands of our God they affect everyone around us too, all because He has chosen to lead us into these deeper waters where we are immersed in the river that flows from His throne. In the end, transitions are not ALL about us. There is a bigger picture - that's my epiphany! God uses every transition I go through for His greater purposes. Certainly I am affected by them, but the most profound thought occurs to me this morning -- my own transitions will have a transforming effect in the lives of those around me as I step into the river. Suddenly, when I find myself dog-paddling like crazy to reach something, anything I can hold on to, when I relax and surrender to the flow I find myself carried along by His Power and His Spirit, and everywhere I go LIFE happens.

I pray, whether it is in the seemingly inconsequential or in the deepest and most difficult transitions, I will live in such a way that "everywhere I go, there is life."

Go with God as He leads you in His amazing flow,
FaithWorks!!

The Favorable Day Of The Lord

Poor, brokenhearted, captive, prisoner, mourn, grieve, despair . . .

Good News, restored, free, released, favored, comforted, grace, praise

Rebuild, Restore, Renew

What a significant contrast is found in isaiah 61:1-4. The same scripture was used by Jesus in Luke 4:19-20 when He proclaimed that this 'favorable day of the LORD' had come. He ushered in Salvation, and everything intrinsic to such favor, by His redeeming love.

I know the day I accepted the gift of salvation. I was only 8 years old and the scene is as real to me today as it was when I was a child. While I know, and am confident in my eternal security in Christ, I am so aware that God has rebuilt, restored and/or renewed me many times in this life. He has turned my mourning into joy time and time again. He has bound up my broken heart when, really, it didn't seem possible. He has anointed me with gladness in the wake of great sorrow and despair. I am no longer held captive nor imprisoned by life's unexpected hurdles, for I know I am His loved and graced child. It is an amazing thought that He chooses to display His splendor through each of us who call Him LORD.

"I delight greatly in my LORD. My soul rejoices in my GOD for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." Isaiah 61:6

I hesitate to post my thoughts most of the time, but this morning I sense God moving me to do so. Some of you may be feeling some or all of the emotions described by Isaiah - the ones that Christ came to redeem. My prayer for each of us this day, is that we walk in the joy provided for us on Calvary; that we embrace this day, The Favorable Day Of the LORD.

Lord, when I am lulled or lured into the mediocrity this world has to offer, when I am prone to cave in to my sorrows and trials, I pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and the sensitivity to feel Your redeeming grace - Your rebuilding, restoring, renewing DAY BY DAY - grace. I pray You will display Your glory through me, throughout this day - this Favorable Day Of The LORD.

Go with God!
Faith Works!!

Transitions and thoughts on Psalm 23

Transitions are a fact of life, but they can be so unexpected and troubling. This blog is for a specific friend, facing a major transition, but I believe it will be an encouragement to many others who are also in transition.

I attended a conference the day I entered a huge transition in my own life several years ago, and was surprised to hear a message on transitions. The speaker said "transitions begin with an ending, and they end with a beginning. In the middle is the wilderness." She went on to talk about the wilderness the Israelites wandered around in for 40 years. I felt defeated when I left that evening because I could not see how the wandering for 40 years, due to rebellion and sin, could be an analogy for this huge transition in my own life. And then God spoke to my heart. He brought to mind the other significant 'wilderness' - the one Jesus was 'led into by the Holy Spirit'. It was a wilderness of temptations and testing, of hunger and thirst, but it was also a wilderness of great power and strength, courage and confidence. Most significantly, I felt the Holy Spirit say to my heart, "it was in this wilderness where Jesus was fully equipped to do the works the Father sent him to accomplish on this earth. He left that wilderness and entered the BEGINNING of his own transition, in great power. AND IT WAS ONLY 40 DAYS, NOT 40 YEARS!!" I was greatly encouraged. I was going through a huge transition with many unknowns, and I would go through a season in the wilderness - the 'in between of the transition' - and I would come out of it just fine. I wasn't there due to my own rebellion, and so I could begin to see this as God's training room for my future; I could confidently embrace it because the Holy Spirit was walking alongside me every step of the way.

When we go through traumatic transitions, the struggles are somewhat expected, though not at all desired or enjoyed, I might add! BUT, when we go through JOYFUL transitions – like the one my friend is going through - I don't think any of us expect a wilderness encroaching on our joy. So I think it catches us quite off guard when challenges arise that we just did not anticipate or see coming. The hope I held onto, and the hope I hold onto for you, is that in this season of adjustment the Holy Spirit has come right alongside you and you will make it through to enjoy the new beginnings of this transition. I pray for the strength and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and of friends and family, to see you through just as friends and family saw me through. Oh how grateful I am for all of you!!!

“Yea, though I walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou are with me! Thy rod and they staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup overfloweth. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:4-6) AMEN and AMEN!

Sometimes transitions feel like Death Valley! I love that it is only a shadow and shadows only happen if there is a presence of light! I love that we get to feast on His abundance, even though the enemy is all around us! I love that His goodness and His mercy do follow us around everywhere we go - as one might say here in Hawaii - "Like white on rice!" ! And I love that we dwell in His presence, and in His presence we are safe.

"Lord, You show me the path of life. In Your presence there is fullness of joy. In Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11)

Go With God as His grace leads you on.
FaithWorks!