His Unending Glory...

Over the past few days I've been frequently praying a prayer that goes something like this: "Lord, help me to worship You simply for WHO You are rather than primarily on the basis of what You do for me." It's been burning in me since the sermon I heard last Sunday while I was visiting Forerunner Christian Fellowship in Kansas City. Stephen Venable preached on the worth of Christ to receive incessant worship for all eternity.

The quote that inspired this prayer in my heart and has kept me wrestling with my own selfishness and lack of revelation of His worth is this: "The Seraphim and the larger angelic host who are enraptured with ministry to Him have never had a single sin forgiven, never an ailment healed, and never a financial need met and yet their testimony is that His unending glory warrants their unending praise."

Venable was referencing Revelation 4:8 "And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!'" and Isaiah 6:1-3 "...I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!'"

I don't know about you, but my heart is prone to being fickle... worship and thanksgiving to God often flow more readily when life is going well and I am keenly aware of the benefits God offers. During times when things just don't seem to be going smoothly; when life is hard and the fire of testing feels too hot, I'm usually less likely to offer up prayers of thanksgiving to God. Selfish? In my case, the answer is too often "Yes!" I need a deep revelation within my being of the magnificent greatness, holiness, power, glory, and love of God that I couldn't help but adore Him through every high and low. Help me, Holy Spirit!

Here are links if you're interested in watching, hearing, or reading this sermon from April 25th.

Resurrection Day!

It's Easter morning and I suppose it shouldn't surprise you that I've got the resurrection on my mind. Truth be told, this morning I've been thinking that Easter has just recently become my favorite holiday (and that has nothing to do with chocolate!). I've always believed that Jesus Christ really did rise from the dead, but it's only recently that I have been wrestling through what the Bible says about the earth also being "raised" or restored to original perfection under the leadership of Jesus after His Second Coming... and that has changed a lot in my mind!

If you are like me, you may have often pictured heaven with lots of clouds, streets of gold, perpetual singing... but not really tangible... and honestly, a little boring when you think about being there for millions upon millions of years. But, consider the thought of heaven and earth becoming one and actually being able to work in and enjoy creation as it was always meant to be known, in a body that will never die. I'm not sure about you, but to me, that sounds like something to look forward to! I've recently reflected on much of this more fully in other blog posts, so dig deeper there and into the Word itself if you're raising that "she sounds nuts" eyebrow that I would have raised if I had read this a few years ago.

This Resurrection Sunday I want to leave you with a few Bible passages that ought to fill your heart with joy and hope and blow your mind if you take some time to ponder the implications:

1 John 3:2 - Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Philippians 3:20,21 - But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body...

1 Corinthians 15:52 - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.