A More Excellent Name

Hebrews 1:1-4 - God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Read that again taking in every word slowly. No glossing!!

All throughout the Bible God has spoken of something better to come. Something important. Someone who would come to bring this dead world. It was concealed within and throughout the Old Testament but nonetheless written that we might know the signs in days to come and today that all that was prophesied was true.

Of course, this is Jesus. Intricate details of sacrifices, temples and their furniture and utensils pointed to Him. People were appointed by God to do marvelous, albeit at the time, outlandish things that made no sense (like Noah building an ark for a flood from heavy rains which had never existed). Moses. the miracles and the exodus. People, who were types of a future deliverer, One to come.

When this Jesus came into ministry He came to abolish the need for endless sacrifices and became that one Deliverer, that one Promise of a better life, eternal life.

He was not only concealed in the Old Testament, He was seen through the gloriousness of creation because the One to come was there creating by His undeniably brilliant, awesome spoken word!! Creating things only He could.

People, there is no One greater than He. Jesus. Nothing is hidden from Him, not even our thoughts. Only He has the power over life and death. He holds your life and where you will go when you die. There are only two places. There’s no in between where family can buy your way out. Look in the Bible. See if it’s written there. Only heaven and hell are spoken of in various ways. There's only good and evil, black and white. There is no being kinda good. Either you are for Him or against Him. Neutrality does not exist for Him.

God, in His excellent name, created all things and He will remove all things bad. He will allow some in this world to dig themselves graves through wrong living, called sin, yet is always offering them chances at knowing and receiving His Son for the forgiveness of their sins. We cannot assume we know Him. We must know Him.

Many in this world live by church rules, all man made, like the Old Testament priests. Jesus came to do away with those rules to establish instead a relationship with Him. However, those laws are still important because they are there to show us what sin is...so we may know Him. We can never achieve to perfection any of those laws, but Jesus was the perfect sacrificial Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. That's what it’s all about. It’s why He was killed, because religious men were threatened by this Man who came with a new message of hope, not through rituals but through grace and relationship.

No one else should be honored more greatly than the One whose name IS more excellent. He calls everyone but not everyone hears or listens. He says the sheep hear His voice. Do you? Will you? Will you listen? Your life depends on it!

Philippians 2:9-11 - Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Sovereign

Revelation 4:11 - You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.

Oh how we can take all of creation for granted sometimes. I find it hard to believe someone could look at something in nature and not think of God. He created all things. All of His attributes are displayed for us to see: creativeness, power, beauty, perfect timing. When we look at these things do we thank Him for creating them?

He is a sovereign God. Everything exists just because He is! We are having this knowledge seared into our hearts in our study on Revelation. It is a reminder of who holds the world in His hands, who is in control AND who we should look to in times of trouble, trusting in Him alone. These are a few sentences from our study through Bible Fellowship Study, Lesson 10:

As Creator, God is worthy of all glory, honor and power. God's sovereign rule and creative work are inseparable. Because God made this world, He is sovereign over it. No human government or kingdom could ever rival that claim. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all creation. He established the universe; He holds it together; and He will bring it to consummation according to His purposes. (Psalm 33:3-9, 136:4-9; Ephesians 1:9-10)

It goes on to remind us of the totality of God. He was, is and is to come. He has always been and will always be. He is eternal. Who else can make that claim? We have a beginning and an end. Plants, trees and animals have beginnings and ends. But in Christ we become eternal. Eternal.

Why not want to know this God? Why be afraid of Him or His sovereignty? He makes one realize the inferiority of one's self. Being human some can't stand that. I have finally found the comfort in knowing there is One greater who holds my life in His hands, who cares so much, shows me daily, even just through nature, but not solely, who He is. So how can we sometimes fail to see it? I

There isn't a day I don't recognize Him. Maybe it's why I take so many photos. It's like wanting to cling to the things He has created. It's kind of silly. I will still wake up tomorrow and His creation will still be there. But for me every time I look I see something different. It's like seeing a new side to Him. It's absolutely endless. (This goes for His Word too!)

This is what He does. It's who He is. He longs for everyone to see, know, recognize, worship and submit to Him. Like we (sometimes) admire and respect others for something they have done (especially those who have done something worthwhile, like veterans) we should be doing the same for God. He is, after all, greater than all people. 

Here are just a few more words from our lesson: 

Everything exists in heaven and on earth because God made it; everything continues to exist because of God's sustaining provision. ...Throughout history, mankind's refusal to recognize God as Creator and Sustainer reveals a deliberate Declaration of Independence and self-rule. This song [Revelation 4:11 above] of creation intentionally assaults opposing views by showing God orders every detail in the world He has created. 

How do I convey the idea that He is to be worshiped and received, that He is holy and sovereign over all, even over you? Think this world is in trouble? He's still sovereign. He knows. Fearful about it? He's sovereign. He knows. Afraid to give in to Him? He's still sovereign. He knows. One day every knee will bow before Him. All on earth will see His sovereignty. I so look forward to that day. 

There are times when I long to feel with much emotion. I have to remind myself, or maybe He is, that it's not just about an emotional feeling. He may be appreciative of just these words I write because they come from a heart who wishes others could share the excitement, the thoughts and sometimes excitement, I have for God. 

We have a God who loves us and wants us to know Him. Not in our heads but in our hearts. We just don't get how much. And when we turn away from Him and give no credit to Him or do not acknowledge Him daily, He is grieved. He created us way back in Genesis for His good pleasure. And we turn our backs on Him to suit our own lifestyles. 

We've all been rejected by someone. We've all been hurt by someone. How have we responded? Have we put up walls around our hearts vowing never again to let anyone hurt us? Have we kept everyone, even those closest to us, at arm's length so if they, in their human weakness hurt us, we will not let it bother us? Yet it still does. In turn we can treat God the same way. Don't let Him near; He may turn on me too. NOT!

We have a God who is greater than all those hurts who wants to heal us of them. But we have to turn to Him, not run from Him. I don't get running from Him. I did it and looking back I don't know why I did. I think it's that self-righteousness we carry. Or maybe a fear that He couldn't love me. Or who needs Him? We want what we want. We don't want to have to rethink or relearn our lives. We don't want to know how wrong we've been. 

It's not so hard to look to Him. He gives us grace to make mistakes and balk sometimes at the changes He wants to make. He's only trying to improve us, not rip us apart. He disciplines out of love. He sanctifies us. He gives us His righteousness. Foreign words? Think you're good enough as you are? Without the Lord, you are nothing! A hard word? Yes. But it's biblical. Turn to Him and He'll cause you to think differently and it won't hurt. It's why Jesus says, And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ‭‭(John‬ ‭8:32‬) 

God is amazing. Our future will be in His hands no matter what we decide. It's beneficial, though, to be on His side. I coined a phrase years ago when I began to suspect God was trying to get us to get the world's attention: Something's brewing in God's atmosphere. It truly is. We see it daily. Who would have guessed five years ago we'd be where we are today? How about just the past few months? If we have received and know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we have nothing to fear. It won't always be easy, but you'll be secure. Have you confessed Him? Have you allowed Him access to your heart and do you learn about Him...on your own, letting the truth of God's Word permeate you? Do you meditate on Him? Do you even think of Him......

We cling to things in this world and they become idols. They become our lives. God wants to become our life. He alone is worthy of our praise and attention. None of these idols have an eternal purpose, but He does. While there are scriptures of admonition, there are also scriptures of peace, love, hope and assurance. He asks us to search for Him who offers eternal life in Christ. But it means letting go of the things that hinder us from knowing Him. What keeps you from seeking Him? You know there's something! 

Acts‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭- ...“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them...”

Created to Worship

Isaiah 5:25 - ...For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

I'm reading Isaiah. While I don't presume to understand all of the detail, there is an underlying theme. Isaiah prophesied to the people of Israel who had turned their backs on God, determined to live apart from Him. Despite words of warning, as is often said, they remained a stiff-necked people (God's own words). Enemies would overthrow them, there would be seasons of poor crops or destruction but they would not seek God. It was as if they shook their fists at Him. 

But God wasn't done with them...and He still isn't. Despite what we will probably see someday, Israel will bounce back. She is God's. His people reside there, still in a stiff-necked condition. In Isaiah a remnant is mentioned. There will be a small number who need God's warnings and once again look to Him. 

Isaiah prophesies a Child to be born of a virgin whose name would be Immanuel, God with us. This Child will bring peace to the people of this nation. He will form an everlasting government. We hear this all at Christmas. 

Despite these words, Israel continues, even to this day, to rebel against God. God poured out His wrath upon them in hopes they would look to Him once again. For all this His anger was not turned away... His love for His people, His nation never fails. His wrath is only for their good, like a father punishing a bad child, to hope they will stop being disrespectful and rebellious toward Him. They no longer worshipped Him. 

All this runs parallel to His love for us. Stiff-necked people. The Son prophesied. The Son who came. A remnant of believers. Each of us rebels against God. The words, For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still, are repeated five times in Isaiah. These words were not just for Israel but for us too. His hand is outstretched for all. This is a God of love. He sees our disobedience but will forgive in a heartbeat if we take that hand that we might no longer be separated from Him, like Israel. There will be a day when there will be a remnant even among today's people, those who have decided God's ways are greater than their own, those who truly humble themselves before God.

There is such a misconception that everyone will go to heaven because they, compared to others, are good people. But God says there is none righteous apart from Him. Just knowing of Him is not enough. No church can do the saving. It's coming alongside Him alone, daily, seeking Him. It's asking for His provision, His wisdom, His guidance instead of trusting in our own or someone else's. It's submitting our hearts to Him and knowing that we are nothing in this world without Him, who, after all, created us. It's getting to know Him so intimately we understand what the truth of His Word conveys. That only comes when we seek Him. Then we realize how lost this world really is without Him. I pray for God to give me an even greater heart for the lost.

We were not created to just live lives on this earth to glorify ourselves. We were created to worship God. I looked for scriptures that tell us we were made to worship Him. Nothing says that exact thing, but many words encompassing the idea. Here's just one example: ...“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” (‭Revelation‬ ‭14‬:‭7‬) If we believe, truly believe, truly take stock in the fact He has created us and there is no one greater, why wouldn't we...why shouldn't we? Oh, I so know unless one 
has an encounter like no other with this Child, the Son of God, who came to take away the sins of the world, my words are meaningless. I pray His Spirit would reveal this to those who don't know. The truth is, we are to worship Him.

“And now...what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul...(‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬). Money, bling, house, job, family...none of that comes before Him. But if we seek Him first, other things are added to us...not always in the material things. If we could understand this more fully... Only until we give of ourselves to Him... Worship Him...

Psalm 29:1-2,10-11 - Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, and the LORD sits as King forever. The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace. 

The Two Laws

Romans 1:25 - ...who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 

The whole point of the Bible is to show us the way...the way we should go and the Way, who gets us there. We either believe what we are told or we don't. Right way, wrong way. Man's laws or God's. Choices.

In the Old Testament we are told we are to train up our children in the way they should go. We have one of two ways, two laws by which we live. The one of the world and one of heaven. The Bible and the words in it, to the world, are foolishness (1Corinthians 1:18). It says so! God says so. But we have made up our own laws. 

We see in more recent events those laws taking place on the streets of our cities. People demanding what they perceive is their right regardless of what the law says. There has been talk on how many of the people come from single parent families. Or families that are not well adjusted because they have chosen the wrong way of life. It's not about what we have or don't have; it's about what we do with what we do have, not letting it hinder our wherewithal to do WHAT IS RIGHT. We still have a choice to do right or wrong.

Oh boy. I started writing this morning before church. And what did pastor preach on...he started with Romans 1:25 above. Then Colossians 2:8 - Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

If things were done the right way, we would not have problems. God's way is not some impossible way to follow. It brings freedom for the soul and life. How much real life is there in being angry all the time and killing, looting, cheating or stealing? How much life is there in feeling as though ones going against the law is like a game? One of our church members got up before the sermon this morning and felt he needed to tell us not to let the enemy steal our joy. We can lose our joy if we allow the lies of this enemy or the lies of this world to take over. Do not fall for his lies.

So back to the two laws. The world is not as intelligent as some may think. God's wisdom is so much greater. If we believe there is a God, and He has done all He says, shouldn't we be willing to believe what He says will happen to us if He is not taken seriously? He has our future in His hands. That should be enough to bring us to a reverent fear of Him.

So, back to today's sermon, which wasn't what I was going to write about but, oh, how it fits right in! Regarding Romans 1:25. We either worship the creature or the One who created the creature. This is where I divided my notes into two sections... Man's way, God's way; worldly way; God's way. See a pattern? The two laws. Satan's way, God's way; pride or humility; death or life; lies and deceit or truth; foolishness or wisdom. Two laws, two ways of life. One is embraced by many, the other by a few. We have forgotten how to incline our ear to the words of truth. We have forgotten to pass them on to our children. Future generations will less and less know about this Creator and all His works. It will be generations of rebellious people. (Psalm 78:1-8)

Pastor brought 1Samuel 3:1-3 into his sermon. Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down...  Not only in those days, but today the words of God are becoming rare with little revelation of their meaning (truths). Eyes of the world have grown dim and the lamp of God is diminishing in our world. That is not good. 

The two laws...right or wrong, truth or lies, world or God, dark or light. When we start believing we can distort the truth of God's Word to fit our needs or our beliefs because they are less offensive, we have gone the wrong way. But if 

we walk in the light of Christ, we will know the truth and it will set us free. Mmmmm. Seek the truth, seek God. If you seek, He will let you find Him!

John may have written these words but I would bet God thinks the same way at times:

I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (‭2John 1:4, 3John‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬)