Are You with Jesus?

Jesus said, in Matthew 12:30 "Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters." He says there is no middle ground. You are either on His team or you aren't. An empty confession won't fly, our words must be supported by deeds. Gathering is an active word, pointing to the work of saving and sanctifying that God is engaged in, using many ways and means to accomplish His purposes as He wills. We are to be for Jesus not against Him. We are to join in the harvest of blessing that He is brining about for His glory and our good.

Loving Jesus More than Anything

It is easy to love things that we can see, such as what we own; more than what we cannot see, namely Jesus. We cannot see Him but what know He exists and is the rewarder of those who seek Him. What is seen is often competing with what we cannot see. God in grace grants us vision to comprehend the truth of the unseen that towers above the seen. May we be caught up in the beauty that is in Christ. May we love Jesus more than anything.

Shout Joyfully to the Lord

Psalm 100 begins, "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth". We hear a lot of shouting all over the place: in our neighborhoods, at athletic events, on television, on talk radio. People expressing themselves with all they have got. Not many of those loud bursts of enthusiasm are joyful. Angry, anxious, stressed and even surprised, but joyful? Joyful is what we are in the presence of God and joy is what we are to express. Believers in Jesus have the most reason and the best reason to joyfully express praise to God. We are able to do so because God is our good and gracious God. We want to do so because we are His grateful and dependent people.

The Servant Lord

We must have an accurate view of Jesus so that we can live yielded, transformed lives to the glory of God. Misunderstand Jesus & you’ll resist His Lordship. Trust Him & you’ll be transformed. Seeing things accurately is not easy to do. Some people are near-sighted, others far-sighted. Some lose or don’t use their corrective lenses. Others have great vision. The Pharisees were blinded to Jesus' identity and ministry. Jesus was attacking both the seen power structures of His day and the unseen spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. They opposed Him, fought against Him. Then many wanted Him to be a military & political deliverer. Today many want to see Him as a vending machine or a genie, who will give them what they want as long as they press the right button or say the right thing. Those blinded by Satan cannot see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face if Christ, cannot grasp His preeminence, deity, mission. What they couldn’t see then & so many can’t see now is, His ministry confirms His identity. What He does shows who He is. Matthew 12:15-21 gives, as one writer put it, a God's-Eye View of Jesus and the Gospel. In light of fierce opposition against Jesus, and mankind’s inaccuracies, here is a reminder of who Jesus is & what He will do. An accurate view of Jesus to help us navigate life amidst many deceptive influences.

The Pharisees were conspiring, along with their political and religious enemies the Herodians, to kill Jesus. Jesus, aware of this, knowing their thoughts and motives, withdrew so as not to attract undue attention before it was time. Many followed Him, they trusted Him, knew He was good. Their faith in Him grew; as did their distrust of the religious hypocrites. He healed them all, therapeuo, serve, attend to, heal. Not just a few, not a select crowd, but all who were in need. He told them not to tell anyone who He was. Think about how excited you would be, and not be able to say anything. This fulfilled Isaiah 42:1-4. The longest OT quote in this gospel. We see Jesus’ ministry involves bringing justice, working humbly, showing mercy & giving salvation. His Ministry confirms His identity.

1. Jesus brings Justice. He will proclaim justice to the nations. DA Carson calls justice "the self-revelation of God’s character for the good of the nations, while at the same time calling them to account." He redeems and judges in righteousness. Like Jesus, we must seek the good of all for God. Seek good for all people, for God's glory. The landmark 1974 Lausanne Covenant, from the International Congress on World Evangelization at Lausanne, Switzerland, affirms God is both the Creator and the Judge of all people. We therefore should share his concern for justice and reconciliation throughout human society and for the liberation of men and women from every kind of oppression. Because men and women are made in the image of God, every person, regardless of race, religion, color, culture, class, sex or age, has an intrinsic dignity because of which he or she should be respected and served, not exploited. We must seek justice for all.

2. Jesus works humbly and gently. He will not quarrel, strive, or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets. Jesus says 11:28-30 He is gentle and humble in heart. He will not shout nor make a ruckus, won’t call attention to Himself. He humbled Himself. Like Jesus, we must live humbly and gently. We must lead a quiet life, and share with those in need. C.H. Spurgeon said, Some weeds will grow anywhere; one of them is Pride. It will grow on a rock as well as in a garden. It is a weed that is dreadfully rampant. It needs cutting down every week, or we would be up to our knees in it. Is. 66:2 This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit. Tim Keller says "true humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less."

3. Jesus shows mercy. A bruised, crushed, reed He will not break, a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. Reeds were one of the most common materials used in everyday life. Stems from a variety of plants were used for pens, walking sticks, weaving, and parchment. Ezekiel used one for a measuring stick. Once bent, broken or splintered, they were useless. Damaged reeds were thrown away. Wick, on an oil lamp, smoldering because low on oil or trimmed wrongly. A smoldering wick blown out because it gave no flame, only smoke, no benefit. This affirms that Jesus welcomes and uses those the world sees as useless and worthless. Jesus never kicks you when you're down. He lifts you up, doesn't slam you. Like Jesus, we must show mercy to all, do good to all regardless of status. It is easy to withhold it from the lowest (thinking “They don’t deserve it”, they got themselves into this mess.) and the highest (thinking “They don’t need it.” They are self-sufficient). Show mercy o all.

4. Jesus gives Salvation: Jesus saves. In His Name the nations will put their hope. His Name = who He is, His person. here is No other name (Acts 4:12), and no other way (John 14:6) to be saved. James White said "The Doctrines of Grace tell us that God is the one who saves, for His own glory, and freely. They tell us He does so only through Christ, only on the basis of His grace, only with the perfection that marks everything the Father, Son, and Spirit do. The gospel directs us away from ourselves and solely to God's grace and mercy. It destroys pride, instills humility, and exalts God." Like Jesus, we must be concerned for the salvation of all. We must know and proclaim the gospel. Those He has chosen will come to Him, they do not know it but He is secretly drawing them to Himself, but we only see people in need. We must share and show the gospel to all.

Jesus is the Servant Lord. The thought blows our minds. How can it be that the Highest took the lowest spot? A Lord is to be served, not be the one serving right? Not so with Jesus. Mark 10:28 tells us, in Jesus' own words, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. This does not mean no one would serve Him while He was on earth. His main purpose in coming to earth was not to receive the glory and worship He would receive forever but to serve the purposes of God by dying for the sins of the world. He served us while on earth so that we would serve Him forever. This means 1 of 2 things for us: our cooperation with Christ’s rule and the death of sin, self and pride; or our rejection of His rule and the multiplication of all that does not please God. Jesus reigns supreme in every realm. It is for us to bow, and live. It boils down to this: We must have an accurate view of Jesus so that we can live yielded, transformed lives to the glory of God. Just as Christ’s Ministry confirms His identity, His ministry transforms our identity.

Soli Deo Gloria

Transforming Truth

Transforming Truths
1. Know that God is sovereign and you are not. When it comes to our response to Jesus it always comes down to a power struggle. Are we going to allow God to be in charge or are we going to yank the reigns away from Him and drive ourselves?
2. Love Jesus more than anything else and you will find true security and freedom. There is so much more going on than what meets the eye. So many pitfalls and traps, daily, that can trip us up and get us off course. Our struggle is not with flesh and blood. Before a person comes to faith in Christ, they are blind spiritually. Once they come to faith they can see spiritually. But it is not perfect vision, we see through a glass dimly, one day face to face, one day we will see Him as He is. Until them we need to exercise wisdom and discernment. We need the truth to guide us.
3. Find your greatest joy in Christ and you will not be fooled by fools gold. Is your Jesus the Biblical one or one of your own making? Is He the just, merciful, humble, saving One?
4. Be careful to live by the Spirit so as to not entertain the flesh. This will get played out in very simply, maybe painfully: As you let go of certain things & hold on to others. Let go of everything you are holding against someone else. Let go of every lustful desire. If you are close to making a decision that will ruin your life, run from it. Hold on to truth. If you are the one who always finds something wrong with someone else and not yourself, repent of it. Live everyday thankful, grateful, hopeful, helpful. Yield yourself, fully, to Jesus and His purposes. Before your feet hit the ground every morning, ask God to do whatever He wants in and through you. Cling to Jesus. Apply this daily, like lotion, like brushing and flossing, like nutrients you need, like water. For health & life not sickness and death. As Proverbs 4:23 says, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life."

God is in Control

In a world gone mad, amidst people grasping for power and control, it is comforting to know that God is in control. It startles us to our senses, it reorients us to truth, gives us a reprieve where we need one most. Psalm 93 is one such startling, comforting, reorienting reprieve. God is pictured as He truly is not as man envisions Him. He rules in strength, He reigns, He is over all. That is the truth and it is freeing.

When the Clouds Part

I love it when the clouds part on a cloudy day, and I can see clearly, sometimes to the horizon. That is what it is like coming to Scripture, reading and absorbing God's Word like a thirsty sponge, letting it reorient me to what is good and right and true. We need the message of 2 Timothy 3:16 to be ingrained in our hearts every day...all scripture is inspired by God and is profitable...so that we would not be content with an inaccurate view of God, ourselves and the world.

God is Great

Ps. 48:1 begins "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised." Without a doubt. He supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). All means all.

Yielding Control

Matthew 12:15-21 portrays Jesus as the Servant Lord, clearing up all misconceptions.
It seems in so many things in life, be it marriage, family, school, friendships, you name it, in politics, economics, athletics, it boils down to a power struggle. Whose will is going to reign supreme. are we going to get our way or not. Will we allow our will to bend to that of another. When it comes to God the stakes are so much higher. Yielding to Him or not takes on so much greater importance. The consequences are much more life altering.

So when we speak of Jesus being the Servant Lord it really blows our minds and stretches the boundaries of our imaginations. How can it be that the Highest takes the lowest spot? What does it mean for us? It can only mean one of two things: our cooperation and the death of sin, self and pride; or our rejection and the multiplication of all that does not please God. The choice, humanly speaking is ours. the ultimate decision, made before the universe began, is God's.

Jesus reigns supreme in every realm. His rule extends to the furthest point. It is for us to bow, and live.

A Life-Changing, Accurate View of Jesus

Just before Matthew 12:15-17, the Pharisees were conspiring, along with thier political and religious enemies the Herodians, to kill Jesus. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there and many people followed Him and He healed them all. The Greek word for "heal" is therapeuo, it means to serve, to attend to, to heal. He did for the people what no one else could do. Wow, not just a few, not just a select crowd, but all who were in need. After He healed them He told them not to tell anyone who He was. Think about how excited you would be, and not be able to say anything. This was to fulfill Isaiah 42:1-4. Matthew quotes Is. 42:1-4. It's the longest Old Testament quote in Matthew. And it gives a transforming, accurate picture of who Jesus is, so there will be no misunderstanding.

Jesus gives Salvation

My brother-in-law is a firefighter. My closest friend is one too. They, and their fellow servants risk their lives for anyone in need, regardless of their status or standing. They work for the temporal welfare of the masses. They willingly set aside their rank and comfort to be a blessing to others. They may never know the names of those they save. The rescued may never know their champions.

Jesus worked for the eternal welfare of His chosen ones, whosoever will believe. He laid aside His privileges as God and stooped to earth to save them. He knows the name of each one He rescues. He reveals His identity to the subjects of His unwavering love. All who receive His unmerited gift of salvation come to know His name and willingly serve Him all their days. Jesus gives and the redeemed receive His wonderful salvation.

Jesus shows Mercy

Mercy is another virtue in short supply in the human arena but plentiful in God's country. Mercy withholds the punishments deserved and extends an olive branch of blessing to its recipients. Mercy, the Bible says, triumphs over judgment. It is mercy Jesus shows, as described in Is. 42 as not breaking the bruised reed and not snuffing out the smoldering wick. In other words, Jesus never kicks you when you're down. He lifts you up, doesn't slam you. He speaks wonderful words of life. He comforts the afflicted. He, in mercy, saves.

Jesus works Humbly

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 that He is gentle and humble in heart. Matthew 12:15-21 says He will not shout nor make a ruckus like those who call attention to themselves. Humility from the King of kings is a shocking reality and one that gives permission for everyone else to be free from pride. No guile is the humble benefit God bestows on whomever will bow at His feet and acknowlegde His greatness. Those in Christ can make it their ambition to lead a quiet life of service to God.

Jesus brings Justice

Matthew 12:15-21 quotes Is. 42:1-4. It's the longest Old Testament quote in Matthew. The first thing it says God's servant would do is justice. Jesus is the Maker and dispenser of this rare commodity. It is short supply in the world of men but abundant in God's economy. For those whose experience has lacked justice there is reason for joy. Jesus defends the fatherless, the widow and the downtrodden. And at the cross Jesus accomplished ultimate justice for captives starving for simple justice.

Don't Use Good for Evil

Opponents of Jesus disguised their disdain for Him and wrapped it up in a question in Matthew 12:9, as they asked, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" They were really trying to find grounds to accuse Him of breaking their rules. Jesus would have none of it. We see in a parallel passage that He knew their thoughts (Luke 6:8). But the fact remains that their motives were evil. They used good, a simple, innocent-sounding question about healing, as a covering for evil. Jesus' answer showed His concern for their souls, as He dealt gently and humbly with these arrogant men. That is a good example for us to follow, in His strength. Above all we must live guileless, honest lives before God and others. No pretext, just the plain truth. As 1 Peter 2:16 says, "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God."

Lord of the Sabbath

In Matthew 12:1-8 we see what wicked hearts can manufacture and the purity and clarity Jesus brings to any and every situation. The Pharisees unjust accusation led to Jesus' uncompromising correction of the Pharisees. So that they would praise Him appropriately and not condemn others unfairly, Jesus corrected them. They needed to take a step back and get a clear picture of reality. Jesus points the unbelieving Pharisees to 3 big themes in this passage, that all point to Him. We have opportunity to learn from the Pharisees mistakes. And they weren't the only ones who misunderstood Jesus or had trouble treating others properly. God wants us to praise Him appropriately while not condemning others unfairly.

The 1st big theme had to do with God's Word. 12:3-5 He took them straight to God's Word accurately handled and interpreted. They were guilty of twisting and mangling the Scriptures for their own selfish ends. He says twice "Have you not read?" refering to God's Word. He shows them the true intent of Scripture. Jesus shows us that God's Word handled accurately must govern our behavior.

The 2nd big theme had to do with God's will. 12:7 Jesus says, "If you had understood.", quoting Hosea 6:6, for the 2nd time, (see Matt. 9:13), "you would not have condemned the innocent." From this we learn that God's will properly understood must be our deepest desire.

The 3rd big theme had to do with God's greatness. Matthew 12:6 Something greater than the temple is here. The something greater than the temple is Jesus Himself. Jesus, in 12:8, says "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus' favorite name for Himself, while on earth, was Son of Man. Jesus uses the term to clarify who He is. He is Lord over all creation. He is the humble Servant, who came to forgive sins. He is the suffering Servant, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, whose substitutionary death redeems His people. He is the King and Judge of all the earth who will return in glory, bringing His kingdom with Him. He is to be worshipped, feared, trusted, obeyed. From this we learn that, God's greatness revealed in Christ must be our primary focus.

Three common questions arise from this text:

1. How do we keep the Sabbath holy today?
Jesus said He dis not come to abolish but fulfill the law and prophets. The Pharisees had made a day of rest and mercy into a legalistic burden. We are to recieve God's gift of one day in seven to rest while not taking it to legalistic (imposing our standard on others) or licentious (completely ignoring it) extremes.

2. Is it ever ok to judge?
It is wrong to judge wrongly, it is right to judge rightly! See Matthew 7:4 and John 7:24. Exercise mercy. Do not pass judgment on matters of opinion not specified in Scripture. Judge with righteous judgment (make wise decisions and come to fair conclusions). Never take judgment to the next step and pass sentence. Never condemn. Reserve final judgment for God.

3. What should we do when condemned or tempted to comdemn?
Deal with it biblically. Apply Prov. 19:11 and Matt. 18:15-17 when you have been wronged; Matt. 5:23-24 when you are in the wrong.

Cling to God's mercy and let God do the judging. See the goodness of God in holding back what your sins deserve. Be thankful people don't know everything God knows about you. Humbly learn from opponents and bless them.

Love Jesus above all and live every moment for Him. Saying Jesus is Lord is huge. Acknowledging Jesus as Lord is life altering. It means we are yielding everything, or are willing to yield everything, to Him. Apply 2 Cor. 5:15 daily. Live for the glory of God in Christ.

Supported by Christ

Colossians 1:17 says Jesus "is before all things and in Him all things hold together."
Hebrews 1:3 says Jesus "upholds the universe by the word of His power."
Believers are fully supported for physical and spiritual life by Jesus. He holds us together and in faithfulness He keeps us secure in Him. It is by His doing and keeping that we are in and remain in Christ.

All Life is Sacred, People More

In Matthew 12:12 Jesus said, "Of how much more value is a man than a sheep!" you would think the very opposite if you observed for very long life on earth these days. It seems that animals and plants are more important to our culture than human beings. Trying harming an eagle or a dolphin or cutting down a redwood. You will be put away for a long time. But you will be encouraged and possibly congratulated if you choose to end the life of a child who cannot yet speak for himself. How far has the morality of this generation of man fallen? How many more moral lapses do we need to witness before we are finally convinced of the total depravity of man?

We need to return to the Lord and cling to Him. set our minds on the things above, not the things of earth. Then we will be strengthened to rise above the regressing standards of a spiritually bankrupt world and firmly stand in the grace of God and in th strength of His might. As dark as the days living in a culture of death seem, those who walk in the light of the Lord will see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Dry Bones, Live!

Ezekiel 37 is famous for the supernatural work of God highlighted in bringing to life a valley full of old, dry, dead bones. It stood then for the work God would accomplish for His people. It stands today for the work of regeneration God will do for all His chosen ones. God is able to make dead things live. It is for His glory that God will do everything that He has purposed. It is for their good that He will for the elect what they cannot do for themselves.

In Remembrance

2 Timothy 2:8 says "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead." This verse is the high point of 2 Timothy 2. Everything previous to it points to it. Everything after it looks back to it. Jesus is to be remembered, recalled to mind, thought of, focused on. Specifically, we are to remember Christ's substitutionary death to pay the penalty for sin, His death on the cross, and His resurrection. Why are believers to remember Jesus? Because He is our life. All we have is Jesus Christ. While we are here on earth we are to praise the glory of God's grace revealed in Christ. Jesus is our sufficiency and adequacy. He is the author and perfector of our faith.

Should We Honor the Sabbath Today?

The Pharisees of Jesus' day were notorious for making the Sabbath something it was never intended to be. They made it a burden when it was a day to relieve burdens. God's intent for the Sabbath was mercy (Matt. 12:1-8), from God to man and from man towards man. The Sabbath was never meant to be a legalistic, people-watching, play by the rules or you'll be in trouble kind of day. Christians are not commanded to keep the Sabbath in the New Testament, but neither are we told to ignore it. Jesus came to clarify the true meaning of everything, including the Sabbath. We are not to observe it legalistically, forcing a way of behavior on others, but we are to celebrate God's merciful gift to us of a day of rest once every seven days. We need it, just as we need all the gifts God gives.

When Judging is Right

In Matthew 7:1 Jesus said "Do not judge, so that you will not be judged." So, does this mean we are never supposed to judge? We have an answer in John 7:24 where Jesus says, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." We are not to judge wrongly, but we are instructed to judge rightly. We judge wrongly when we do not have clear evidence of sin, when we base it on appearances rather than truth. 1 Timothy 5:24-25 explains that some sins and good works are evident, some are not. If we condemn someone for something we also have done, we are judging wrongly (Rom. 2:1-3). We are to exercise the mercy rule, as Luke 6:36-38 explains. If it is a matter of opinion, it is wrng to judge (Rom. 14:1-4, 10-3). When we do not extend mercy we take God's place (James 4:11-12). That's why Jesus said in Matthew 12:7, "If you have understood what this means, 'I desire mercy rather than sacrifice', you would not have condemned the innocent." There is a careful balance we must keep. Many times Matthew 7:24 is quoted by those who don't want their evil deeds won't be exposed. Paul said in 1 Cor. 5:9-12, to remove the wicked from among the fellowship. Some examples of righteous judgment are: 2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15; 1 Tim. 6:2-5 and Romans 16:17-18.

Jesus is Lord

Matthew 12:8 says Jesus is "Lord of the Sabbath". The Pharisees had named themselves as overseers of the Sabbath, the day and it's activities, as well as anyone who was alive. But the true Lord is the Lord Jesus Christ. He has preeminence. He is number one. He rules over every day. He made up the idea of day. He created the world and He sustains it and He oversees it. He has the right to do with us as He sees fit. Our lives are in His hands.

When we say Jesus is Lord, which can only truly be acknowledged by the Holy Spirit, we give assent to Jesus to rule over us. We acknowledge our willingness to do what pleases Him. We yield ourselves completely to Him. We declare our allegiance to Jesus and our cooperation with Him. We celebrate our dependence on Jesus to accomplish His purposes in and through us for His glory, which alone is His because He is Lord.

Reason to Obey God

Jesus, in Matthew 12:8, says "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus' favorite name for Himself, while on earth, was Son of Man. While many misunderstood His mission, Jesus uses the term to clarify exactly who He is. As the Son of Man, He is Lord over all creation. As the Son of Man, Jesus is the humble Servant, who came to forgive sins. He is the suffering Servant, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, whose substitutionary death redeems His people. He is the great King and Judge of all the earth who will someday return in glory, bringing His kingdom with Him. As such, He is to be worshipped, feared, trusted, praised. And He is to be listened to, and obeyed. He is worthy of our obedience.

One day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Until then, the born-again, transformed, redeemed lives of those who trust and obey the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to be exhibits to the value and necessity of knowing God.

Reason to Worship God

The fact that God is the one true God and we are His creatures is reason enough to worship Him. He alone deserves the honor due His Name. He alone merits adoration. He will not share this with any other. To the Father, Son and Holy Spirit alone should all true worship be directed. But it is not. But God is working things so that His church would praise His glorious grace forever. One day this will be our supreme privilege and it will come easy in heaven. Here on earth though, worship is hard work. We must swim against the many tides that rip at our souls in order to pull off worship. But we are not alone. The Lord Himself inhabits the praises of His people. Jesus is our strength and our sufficiency.

We are worshipping souls. We automatically worship. Left unchecked, the human heart is an idol factory. We need to be called, directed, spurred on to adore God. That's why scriptures like Psalm 95:6 tell us, "Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord God our Maker." We worship Him simply because He alone is worthy of all praise. "Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised" (Psalm 48:1).

We have reason upon reason to worship God. He is good, great, awesome, holy, pure, just, righteous, loving, kind, and awesome; just to name a few. It is our privilege, in Christ, to worship God in all of life. As the pattern of our life, lifting up our hearts and hands to God. Continually offering up a sacrific of praise, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His Name (Heb. 13:15). Want another reason to praise God? This one will blow your mind. God Almighty will enable us to praise Him. What He calls us to do, He enables us to do by the power of His Holy Spirit. The One worthy of all praise inspires praise in us and enables it to become a reality!

Worship the Lord in holiness, come before Him all the earth.

Reason to Trust God

The fool says in his heart, 'there is no God'. The wise believe, and trust. The fact that God made us is reason enough to trust Him. He is the author, provider and sustainer of life. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. We truly are leaning on the everlasting arms. We may not acknowledge it perfectly or sufficiently every moment, but it nonetheless stands that we only stand by His free grace and overriding Sovereignty. We ought to willfully trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, sinless Savior, with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. We ought to acknowledge Him in everything, assured that He will lead us. He is fully, absolutely and unchangingly trustworthy.

Reason to Fear God

I have been reading Ezekiel and it is both awe-inspiring and disturbing. Awe-inspiring because God is so awesome and holy. Disturbing because of the reality of depravity that is so evident in the book and in my life. God is to be feared, referenced, worshipped, because He is the Lord God Almighty. And He has revealed Himself in Christ. All will bow before Jesus, at His awe-inspiring name. May we do so now, and forever.

Reason to Praise God

Romans 1:16 tells us that "the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes". That is ample reason to praise God. He opened my eyes to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God seen in the face of Christ. He drew me to Himself by His grace. He cancelled, by His mercy, the debt of sin I owed and the penalty I deserved. The cross is His glory and my good. By God's doing I am in Christ, forgiven, loved, accepted in the beloved, made a part of the household of God, secure in Christ. For all this and more, based in the boundless love of God and the riches of His glory, I will praise Jesus forever. I will live, by God's grace, to the praise of His glorious grace.