Tag: the ark

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Glorious Victory

krisshetter 
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours."  1 Chronicles 29:11

One of King David’s first steps, after he was crowned King of Israel, was to coalesce the people of Israel and bring back the Ark to Jerusalem. As it was brought into Jerusalem, a massive celebration commenced. It was as though the victor had finally arrived back home. David wore his finest clothing, thousands went about rejoicing and hundreds of musicians celebrated in song and dance. A magnificent spectacle to be sure! 

David, in most of his years, looked upon the Lord with great reverence and fear. He prayed regularly for God’s favor to be upon him and the people. God, in turn, brought down enemy after enemy providing Israel with countless victories.

As King David made plans for the new temple to be built one would surmise that nothing could go wrong in this great kingdom. In fact, 1 Chronicles ends with the death of David and this statement:

"Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor." 1 Chronicles 29:28

A man with great faith which led him to great obedience (with a few exceptions). Isn’t that something to which we should all aspire? We may not all be kings or queens, battling other countries in the name of the Lord. But, we have been placed in very specific circumstances by God with our own gifts.  He wants us to experience that same sense of victory. 

Too often we look around and think we are “nobodies” in this grand plan. We probably aren’t pastors, or Bible teachers. We aren’t accomplished missionaries or evangelists. We find ourselves frequently uncomfortable speaking God’s truth to our friends and family lest we damage relationships. How could we ever participate with God in victory like King David?

But David was just a boy to whom God made a promise. To whom God asked for faithfulness. It wasn’t David who made himself victorious, it was God. It was David who stayed close to God, honored Him, and glorified Him.

Throughout this last 30 days, I’ve learned that if I give God glory upon waking, if I give Him glory throughout my day, and if I give Him glory as I lay my head down on my pillow at night, He has made me victorious in so many ways. He helps me win the battle of self-doubt. His flag is planted as He destroys the fields of my pridefulness, envy and discord. He tears down the walls of worry and fear. With my heart, mind and body turned to Him, He makes me victorious!

Friend, Jesus may have arrived as a humble baby but He came to be our victorious Lord and King. God may not strike with thunder and lightning but He is doing a mighty and glorious work in our unseen parts. He asks us only to be faithful and rely on Him. He is making an army that looks like no other.  One that, when this world is all said and done, will rule with Him in glory throughout the heavens and the earth.  May we begin and end each day this coming year with one of King David’s prayers upon dedicating the Temple to the Lord Our God.

"Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.  And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. " 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

AMEN.

Thank you for joining me on this journey of 30 Days of Glory to God Alone! If you missed a post, be sure to check out the Soli Deo Gloria page.

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I Call Him “Lord”

krisshetter 
From the west, people will fear the 
name of the Lord, and from the rising 
of the sun, they will revere his glory. 
Isaiah 59:19 

I admit it.  I have a difficult time with authority.  I don’t like being told what to do and when to do it.  I’m not sure how this developed in me.  It’s not like, as a child, my parents encouraged me to question.  In fact, we weren’t to question at all for fear of punishment.  I’ve heard it said that we either grow up to be like our parents or work so desperately to be the opposite.  For me, I think I so wanted to be heard and to be “right” for once that the desire became my personality.

This desire has helped me in many ways.  At work I was always seen as someone with new solutions and ideas.  I could cut through red tape and simplify processes.  And until I garnered some maturity, I did all that like a bull in a china shop.  But this way of living life can make it difficult to submit, especially to a force that is unseen.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of 
knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and 
instruction.  
Proverbs 1:7

When you read Proverbs the very first words are about wisdom and instruction.  And sure, we can study our Bibles, listen intently to our pastors while scribbling notes in our Bibles but true submission to our Lord is more than that.

For a long time, I really just didn’t understand the concept of “fearing the Lord” and submission.  Of course, given my nature it wasn’t like I was interested in the first place.  I also wonder how many pastors these days even talk about “fearing God?”

If God is love, then why does He command us to fear Him? The fear of the Lord isn’t about being afraid of God; it’s about revering Him above all else. When we do that, we position ourselves to receive all the benefits that come with putting God first in our lives.

Dr. Charles Stanley

We humans are afraid of a lot of things – some of which we don’t even realize.  We fear being made fun of, we fear being left out, we fear being unloved.  I saw a movie that really brought this concept home called Defending Your Life.  The main character, played by Albert Brooks, is a worrier.  His fears become so overwhelming that he is stuck in a never-ending loop of inaction and regret.  And then he gets hit by a bus.  He finds himself in a waystation of sorts where he needs to defend the pitiful life he had on earth.  And he meets a wonderful woman played by Meryl Streep.  She’s opposite of him – jumped in on all that life had to offer.  

It struck me that our days are filled with decisions that are made either based on fear of the world or fear of God.  Do we go about our lives trying to keep our head down so the world and people around us won’t take issue with us?  Or do we acknowledge that our Lord is sovereign over all and He has behavioral and moral requirements of us?  Do we submit to the flesh or to the spirit?

Jesus calls us to his rest, and meekness is His method. The meek man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he has long ago decided that the esteem of the world is not worth the effort. 

A. W. Tozer, Pursuit of God

I’ve come to acknowledge that while it is okay to call Jesus, “Rabbi,” or teacher I also need to call Him, “My Lord.”  Because when I do it places Him above me, above all.  When I call Him, “My Lord,”  it means I need to submit to His will.  My fear comes in as a concern that I want to be sure to serve Him and Him alone.  Am I living a life that would please Him, not the world?

I don’t want to be like that Albert Brooks character when I face my Lord.  Full of regret for having missed opportunities to place God as my life director.  

I have a friend who is fascinated by all things British royal family.  She knows just about everything you’d want to know about the monarchy.  Shouldn’t we be that way about our one true Lord?  Sitting in awe at His feet.  Anxiously awaiting His orders.  At the ready to do His bidding.  Hoping to please Him at every turn.  And fearing His disappointment.

By faith Noah, when warned about things 
not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark 
to save his family.  
Hebrews 11:7

If there were ever a man who had a lot to fear when it came to being judged by the people around him it was Noah. I mean, what a lunatic! Building a giant boat with no water to be seen. His “holy fear” kept him aligned with the will of his Lord.

It’s so easy to fall into a humdrum world-centered life.  And it’s easy to make our prayer and worship life be rote.  But if we can just picture that each morning when we rise, we step into our Lord’s magnificently built palace.   Are you ready to approach His throne and submit to His Holy authority?  Are you sitting in awe at His feet today, marveling at His awesome power and might?  Let’s all sing at the top of our lungs today in worship of our Lord — and let the world tease us. We know who is smiling.