Sermons

Who Am I? Whose Am I?

16 Sep , 2016  

Sermon for Maltby Congregational Church

May 28, 2000

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face   (Matthew 6:13-17)

Jesus Asks His Disciples

Jesus asked his disciples “Who am I?” They answered various things, until Peter nailed it, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”

Men and women live their lives with the same question, “Who am I?”

  • “What are you going to be when you grow up, Mary?”
  • “When I graduate from high school, should I work for a while or go on to college?”
  • “I’ve been working in this field for 20 years. Is there enough future here, or should I retrain for another field?’
  • “The children are grown and gone, and I can make some changes in my life. What should I do?”
  • “Now that I’m retired and have more time, what I am I going to do with it?”

While usually phrased in terms of what we do, these questions usually mean, “Who am I?”

The Seattle Phone Book lists about 300 Psychiatrists and about 350 Psychologists. These practitioners have perhaps 25 clients a week—over 16,000 people who are basically asking, “Who am I?”

Whose Are We?

While this is a basic question, I submit it is not foundational. Actually, who we are is based upon WHOSE we are.

photo-1473294312123-83488e2f8e8fWhen I was ordained, one of the ministers in a neighboring church gave me an owl. He said that I was to always listen to the question the owl was asking me, “Whose, whose, whose?” In response I should always question whose I was, whose voice I was listening to and whose demands I followed.

Peter was impetuous. He embraced Jesus as his teacher and became one of the Disciples. His wholehearted commitment placed him at the center of Jesus’ ministry. He tried to argue with Jesus about Jesus death, and was chastised for it. Peter stoutly affirmed his loyalty, but he was the one who publicly denied his Lord. Peter and John raced to the tomb. John beat Peter there, yet it was Peter who had the temerity to be the first one inside. It was Peter whom when he saw his resurrected Messiah on the shore, jumped naked into the water and swam to him.

So when Jesus asked, “Who am I?” Peter blurted out not only the right answer, but the whole answer. He not only stated who Jesus was, “Thou art the Christ…”, but also stated WHOSE Jesus was, “…the Son of the living God.”.

Self vs. Others

The “Who am I?” question is really self-centered. It focuses us in on ourselves, out talents, our feelings, our needs, our goals. The problem with that is that we live in a world of others. Those around us have feelings, needs and goals too. We live in a spiritual world as well—whether we recognize it or not.

The better question, “Whose am I?”, focuses us on the people around us and on God. It allows us to see ourselves in community. We can work out how we fit in. When we include God in this question, we tap into His inexhaustible resources for discovering who we are in this world and in His.

So let’s get beyond the question of who, and investigate WHOSE. To whom do we belong.

While there are myriad possible answers to, “Whose”, I propose three categories. Each of us can belong to self, each of us can belong to other people, or we can belong to God or Satan.

I suppose belonging to self is most appealing to people generally. I also claim that it is ultimately self-destructive. While belonging to other people is in some sense better, it is still very limiting. It is temporal and temporary. We have a sense of wholeness only so long as others live or so long as they are satisfied with us.

We Can Belong to God

Belonging spiritually means we have two choices. Because of the world into which we all have been born, we belong to Satan by default. It is only through God’s action and our choice that we can belong to God.

Jesus’ death on the cross had several purposes. He paid the penalty for our sin. He showed us the way to the Father. And He purchased or redeemed us from Satan. Thus, once we surrender to God and ask Jesus to become our Lord and Saviour, we are cleansed from our sin, justified in God’s eyes, purchased as bond slaves from Satan, adopted into God’s family, and given eternal life.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  (Romans 8:14)

Because we are children of God, we belong to Him. We are joint heirs with Christ. We share his inheritance. We can do all that He could do—that is, if we believe Jesus.

He that believes on me the works I do he will also do; and greater works than these will he do. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do for you, so that I will glorify the Father.”   (John 14:12, 13)

We Share in God’s Kingdom

We also share His priesthood. Peter in his first Epistle tells us in 2:9, “you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” So we are kings and queens and priests of Almighty God. We hold exalted places in this world and the next.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;    (I Peter 2:9)

I Belong to God

So the best possible answer to the foundational question, “Whose are you?”, is, “I belong to God and he has made me His child. As a result I am a prince or princess of Almighty God.” Because we belong to God we have all the rights and privileges thereto appertaining.

In addition we have duties and responsibilities as children of God.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.   (2 Peter 1:5-8)

Live diligently—really working at it, instead of drifting with the tide.

Be diligent in faith—seeking actively to increase your faith; to believe God is greater than you think He is. Expect more of God. Understand you are His child and a joint heir with Jesus. Trust He will do more with you and through you.

Be diligent in virtue—stay honest before God asking Him to guide you into living righteously. Ask Him to cleanse your life of anything that displeases Him.

Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.   (Psalm 139:23, 24)

Be diligent in knowledge—learn more about God. Study the Bible daily. Test the things you read by trying to live them.

Be diligent in temperance—learn where you tend to stray from God’s way. Control you temper, your diet, your tongue,

Be diligent in patience—become aware that, since you belong to God, He is in charge of your time. You don’t have to fret.

They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.  (Isaiah 40:31)

Be diligent in godliness—learn to emulate God in kindness and undeserved love and loving generosity.

Be diligent in brotherly kindness—look for opportunities to do good deeds for one another, grant unmerited gifts.

Be diligent in love—love is not a “special way of feeling. Love is a choice. Love is the most difficult of God’s virtues, because there may be no reward. The majority of the world does not love Him and does not respond. Yet loving the unworthy is the way of victory and the way to God’s own heart. We can begin to understand why love is at the end of this chain of growth.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.   (John 3:16)

Doctrine of Christ

As the Letter to the Hebrews tells us in Chapter 6 there are foundational principles of the doctrine of Christ.

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting,we will do so.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.  We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.   (Hebrews 6:1-12)

The Certainty of God’s Promise

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.   (Hebrews 6:13-20)

Understanding these, incorporating them into our lives and growing beyond them toward perfection is the mark of belonging to God.

These foundational principles are:

  • Repentance from Dead Works—stop believing that we can do something to earn God’s love.  Instead live godly lives, doing good works in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us and to bless those around us.
  • Doctrine of Baptisms—know what baptism means and knowing about the two baptisms God provides.
  • Laying on of Hands—knowing that God acts through us when in faith we place our hands on another and pray for various blessings.
  • Resurrection of the Dead—knowing that all who die in Christ will be raised together at the last day.
  • Eternal Judgment—Knowing that all will be called before God to answer for their lives and what choice they made about Jesus.  Understanding that ALL who do not live perfect lives or have embraced Jesus as Lord and Savior are to be eternally separated from God – eternally separated from love and blessing.

Children of God

As children of God we are called to grow in Christ.  Never be satisfied with milk and pabulum, but earnestly seek to understand meaty issues of Christian doctrine and Christian life.

We demonstrate to the world WHOSE we are by our lives. Living in a way that blends into society communicates that we belong to society. Living in a way that satisfies our own needs and desires communicates that we belong to ourselves. However, living godly lives in opposition to society and in opposition to ourselves communicators that we are not only bond slaves to Christ, but also children of God and heirs to Christ’s Kingdom. It is likely we won’t fit in. It is likely the world will hate us. But this is a small price to pay for an eternity of blessedness.

When you look into the mirror at the end of the day, look into your own eyes and ask, “Whose were you today?”

Let Us Pray

We are here, Jesus, because we know you are God. We we need you. Show each one of us when we are living as if we belong to you. Show us when we are living as if we belonged to another.

Holy Spirit, guide us into the way of righteousness. Make our lives reflect Jesus so much that people will come to us and say, “Please show me the way to Jesus.”

Now the God of Grace, who has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered awhile, make you perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.

Amen

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Glad Tidings

GT—Volume 13 Issue 3

24 Mar , 2016  

Everyone Is A Theologian

Sound theology

Any honest search for God is never in vain, because He has left His fingerprints all over the world. He has revealed Himself in thought, word and deed.

When I was a teen, I read a great deal of Science Fiction. It imbued in me the faith that mankind, given time, could accomplish anything. As I matured into college age, I morphed that concept into the theology that mankind eventually would become perfect and therefore become god.

I was very proud of my reasoning. When I propounded this concept among a group of others, one wise fellow said, “You know, by definition, perfection has always been perfect. It has never been imperfect.” That simple truth collapsed my theology like the house of cards it was.

Since that time, I have been a theist (I believed in God); a Deist (God created the world, but he has pretty much left us on our own to work it out).

Finally, for the last half century I have discovered and lived (as much as my fickle heart can) Christian Theology (God is a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is actively involved in the world and in peoples’ lives in particular. Jesus is the God/man who died for my sins and those who will believe in Him. All people are sinners, which means the reality of Heaven and Hell is of serious concern. Faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior is the sine qua non. Without that faith, it is impossible to please God.)

It is abundantly clear that all people throughout the world who have some conception of God are theologians. Muslims, Jews and Christians are monotheists (believe in one God). The Christians and Jews believe in the same God. Muslims do not.

Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Shintoism are all polytheistic religions, i.e. they have multiple gods.

Primitive religions are animistic. They have the theology that there are powers in everything, e.g. the sun, moon, trees, earth, and wind. They seek to respect everything, lest they offend the spirits who in vindictiveness would curse them.  dove-vector-clipart

Are Atheists Theologians?

Likely they would claim they are not; however, “atheist” in Ancient Greek ἄθεος (atheos) means “without gods”. To be without gods implies that there are gods to be without. Thus they have a theology that there are no gods. Apparently, an atheist has studied all religions and all history and can find no credible evidence of any god. Thus their theology, their study of God is that he does not exist. Many of them are quite evangelical, requiring everyone else to protect them from any contact with proof of His existence.

Thus, it is my assessment that, as everyone else, atheists have a concept of God that they have studied and rejected. Yes, they, too, are theologians.   dove-vector-clipart

Living Out Our Theology

There is academic theology and there is practical theology. Academic theology is what people say they believe in, e.g. “I believe that God is a God of love. He is a good God who cares for his people.”

OR, I believe Allah’s will is the governing force of my life, “Insha Allah (Insya Allah) “ ماهر زين – إن شاء الله”, i.e. “if God wills, it will happen.”

I was flying Pakistani Airlines from Lahore, Pakistan to New Delhi, India. As we approached the airport the pilot spoke over the intercom, “We will land in New Delhi, Insha Allah.” Irreverently, it occurred to me that if Allah did not will us to land, we might be flying around forever.

Various teachers and scholars and preachers have defined Christian academic theology over the centuries. Because Christianity had so many streams that express their understanding of the message of God differently, there have been uncounted theologies written. Scholars examine the various tenets of the faith and write a lengthy exposition of each. True Christian theology includes:

  • the reality of Jesus the God/man who did live and did die and did raise from the dead; and who is mankind’s only Redeemer
  • the truth that God is a Trinity of three persons, and yet one
  • the fact that man is a sinner and is incapable of reaching God’s righteous heaven
  • the actuality of Hell as the doom of un-redeemed sinners
  • the verity of Jesus’ redemption from Hell and eternal life in Heaven for all who submit to His love

Practical theology is demonstrated in the way people live. Anyone who claims to be a Jew, but does not live by the Laws of Moses and the ordinances of Judaism is practically an agnostic. Sabbath breaking, eating pork are two evidences that while they may have Jewish ancestry, they are not in fact Jews,

People who call themselves “Christians”, but do not believe the above tenants are not Christian in reality. Those who practice homosexuality, choose abortions as birth control, who cheat at business or at cards are giving evidence against themselves of their lack of faith.

People who style themselves Muslim, but who do not fast during Ramadan, who go to X-rated movies, who consume alcoholic beverages are unfaithful to their religion.

Because the majority of Americans profess to be Protestant Christians, I will concentrate on this branch of Christendom.

Cheerful Child

A ready smile indicates that Jesus has transformed one’s heart.

We show our practical theology when we are cheerful in our demeanor. A ready smile indicates that Jesus has transformed one’s heart. A mark of a believer is generosity in meeting a neighbor’s need, whether it be praying for them, offering physical help or offering money in a crisis.

Another mark of a believer is forgiveness. Whether the offender is repentant, asks forgiveness or not, the practicing Christian forgives the offense.

One of the remarks that unbelievers said about Christians, “Behold how they love one another.” The heart that is open to God’s love manifests love.   dove-vector-clipart

The Value of Theology

Theology is the study of God. There is one, true God. He has revealed Himself to mankind. He chose one man (family) to be the bearers of the truth that God exists and that He is intimately involved in the lives of people on a daily basis. He is unapproachable in His glory and holiness, but he has come to minister, to serve mankind on a constant basis.

“Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3)

Belief in God is the foundation of having Him a part of one’s life. One can study about God in the Bible, in theological textbooks, in the lives of believers. With an open mind, one can not only find God, but also learn a great deal about Him. Because He is infinitely superior, our finite minds cannot comprehend the majesty of God. We can, however, encounter Him.

Study can reveal much about God, but there will always be a barrier to true knowledge. Just as there is a limit to what you can know about a person by reading her biography, or even his autobiography. If however, you move next door to a famous person and begin to converse, invite him or her into your home and be invited into hers or his, a relationship develops and you learn the “inside story”. You get to know the real person.

It works that way with God. The relationship is all-important.

It astounds me when I begin to ponder that the Creator of the universe, the perfectly holy One, the Almighty God, chooses to become involved in an intimate way in the lives of men and women of every character. He gets involved with our messy lives. He accepts out foulness and still loves us.

Once in a relationship with God, all that we study about God begins to make sense. He corrects all our concepts, until we have a heart for God. We find His character far greater than we believed. His revelation of Himself reveals His magnificent aspects.

Consider that the perfectly righteous God desires, and eagerly works to have a relationship with individuals that are venal, are liars and cheats, are arrogant and stupid. He cares deeply for the cast-offs of society: the disabled, the souse, the thief, the prostitute, the degraded humans of the world.

He, in the person of the Holy Spirit, is active in the world, taking care of people. It is He who inspires inventors, whether they believe in Him or not, to devise ways to tap ground water to bring water to parched lands. He had leads people to devise improved methods of farming, so that the same land will produce far more than it did 100 years ago.

Fruit of the Spirit

Working in the hearts of believers the Holy Spirit manifests Love, Joy and Peace, as well as the other Fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23

Working in the hearts of believers the Holy Spirit manifests Love, Joy and Peace, as well as the other Fruit of the Spirit.

Today, millions of Americans are pursuing happiness in the hope of finding lasting Joy. It eludes them because they do not go for the gold. God provided Joy as a free gift of the Holy Spirit. We do not have to strive for it, we have to surrender for it.    dove-vector-clipart

The Astounding Truth of God

Theology teaches us that God was not content to sit outside the physical world and take pot shots at His creation—mankind. He is not a Monday Morning Quarterback: “You should have done this instead of that. You should have done it this way.” He, Almighty God, limited Himself and was born a man-child. He grew up over 30 years before He entered into His teaching ministry. God, Himself, became a man to share our limited life. He lived, got hungry and thirsty. He got dirty and had to bathe. He had friends and enemies. He shared all of life. And. wonder of wonders, He shared our death; real death. Yes, brain dead. God, omnipotent, hung on the cross and actually died there.

In our society we sanitize death. Most people die in clean sheets at a hospital, separated from family and home. However, in Jesus’ day death was a part of life. Old folks died at home in the midst of family. The women of the family tended the corpse. They knew what death was and what a dead body was. They knew, from handling His body, that Jesus was certainly dead. Jesus the God/man died in truth that fateful day.

When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit. (John 19:30)

One of His Last Words was “It is finished!” He was not talking about His life, although that was true. He was not talking about the pain and suffering of the Cross, although that was true. He was talking about the reason He came to be born a man.

Theology teaches us that there was a greater purpose for God to become a man than to experience what it was like to live a moment in eternity, to live with pain and suffering, to live with love for friends, to live in the joys and triumphs of life.

He came with a far greater purpose; He had a cosmic-sized purpose. Jesus came to provide the only way for individual people to be able to live forever in the Presence of Almighty God, in the Presence of Love Unspeakable, in Joy beyond our wildest dreams, and in utter Peace with never a threat of not enough, never a threat of harm, never a threat of rejection. Jesus’ work of the cross was to bring about the reconciliation of individual men, women and children with the Holy, righteous God. Jesus made the way for individuals to enter into God’s Presence, where before their sin barred them.

Theology teaches us that the sacrificial system established by God through Moses was a precursor of Jesus sacrifice on the cross. God taught the Children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings that to atone for sin required an innocent victim’s blood and life. Theology teaches us that Jesus was that perfect, innocent victim who became the complete oblation and sacrifice, who satisfied God’s offended righteousness, allowing us to be forgiven under the blood of Jesus.

Theology teaches us that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. But he humbled Himself to serve our need of forgiveness. God Almighty, out of love for us, provides for all our physical needs.

Theology teaches us that we are in a training ground. All that occurs in our lives can be lessons to teach us. They can be tests to prove what we have learned.

Theology teaches us that we are in a war; that there is a real, alive enemy shooting at us. He sends spies to tempt us to turn our backs on God. He uses propaganda to say that God is not real, or a distant, uncaring God. He sends his army to cause us physical, emotional and mental harm. God does not leave us without defense. We have weapons to use that will defeat his overtures, attacks and insinuations.   dove-vector-clipart

Theology of Almighty God

Theology, rightly taught, reveals to us the truths of God. The Apostle Paul was a foremost enemy of God. He did not think he was. He thought He was protecting Judaism from heretics. In his zeal he was instrumental in both the arrest and slaying of uncounted numbers of believers. He was zealous for God, but his theology was all wrong.

He was raised to believe the Law of God would save him and all Jews. Paul was taught that Gentiles, and even unobservant Jews, were ultimately lost and without hope of redemption, because they were not slaves to the LAW. His theology was all wrong.

When Jesus came preaching that God was a God of love and forgiveness, Paul was furious. He was convinced that because Jesus was not a punctilious practitioner of the LAW, he was a heretic and worthy of being eradicated. To rid Judaism of Jesus would prevent Jews from being drawn away from the LAW.

Jesus loves

Jesus is active in the world taking care of people.

The risen Jesus took from Paul wrong theology and gave him a new birth under true, right, and blessed theology. Then the Holy Spirit sent Paul into solitude for years to teach him the truths of God. He transformed Paul’s theology of the LAW into the theology of grace—love and forgiveness.

With correct theology, Paul became the foremost proponent of the truths that God wanted our generation (and all others) to learn.

We learn about sin in the first few chapters of Romans. We learn about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians. We learn about freedom from the Law in Galatians. In Ephesians, we learn about the weapons of our warfare. Each of Paul’s thirteen letters have theological teachings, without which Christianity would be hollow.

Numerous theologians in the last 150 years have sought to write a theology, but have fallen into the trap of writing an exegesis; that is writing their own prejudices into their expositions of Scripture. Much to their pleasure, they discover that their “Christian Theology” is really “Liberation Theology” or “Feminist Theology” or “God is Dead” Theology or “Environmental Theology”.

Because God is Sovereign and we are His creation, we must come to God with empty hands to learn from the Holy Spirit what truth is.

Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16).

The purpose of Theology is to discover the truth about God. In the pages of the Bible are uncounted kernels of truth that when planted in our hearts grow us up in our knowledge of God. As we live out those truths, we find ourselves walking hand in hand with Christ along the narrow path to God. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit with one accord desire that we learn the truths of God. They desire that we have a firm theological foundation so when the winds of controversy and alternative doctrines assail our spirits, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.

Knowledge without experience is barren. God calls us not to just know Him, but also to live out that knowledge in the real world. This means encountering both believers and unbelievers in the confidence that we have the truth. This is not arrogance, but a humble confidence that Jesus is real and that the Holy Spirit is leading us in the truths of God. In those encounters we build up believers as they build us up. In addition, we inform unbelievers of the truths they need for life.    dove-vector-clipart

Questions Demanding Answers

This is a recurring feature. I pose a question in one issue. You have the opportunity to send me answers. I publish the best ones in the next issue. Please cite Biblical authority, and keep you answer within 250 words.

QUESTION: Why doesn’t God give another chance to the people in Hell?

ANSWER: C.S. Lewis addressed this question in The Great Divorce. Lewis shows what happens when inhabitants of Hell visit heaven. For most, it was too REAL. They got on their bus and went back.

This fiction has a basic truth: they had made their choice and would not change.

There is a deeper reason. God is omniscient; He knows our hearts. God knows that some people will embrace the truth of Jesus and will believe at a very young age. Others in their preteen years, in their young adult lives, as Paul was, despite their rebellion, are open to change. Still others live deplorable lives, but in the last extremity reach out for Jesus.

God confronts others all through their lives with His truth and His life. Tragically, all too often, regardless of how many times God approaches them, they ignore Him or reject outright His offers. They will not believe, because they choose not to believe. God has given them all the chances they need. They would not change if He gave them another.

The Bible says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness“. It is belief that is the key. We have all our lives on earth to believe. If one does not believe here and now, he will not in another life.

QUESTION: There are lots of miracles in the Old and New Testaments. Why don’t we see them today?

The Holy of Holies

Join me in bowing before our God in gratitude that we can speak directly and personally to Him. He is our loving Father, so we can embrace Him boldly, but respectfully.

You have filled my heart with Yourself. You are everything. Almighty God, You are worthy of all honor dominion, glory and praise!

You have given us Your truth. Hallelujah!

You revealed Yourself to the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.

You delivered the Children of Israel from Egyptian slavery with a mighty hand.

You led and provided food and water for the Children of Israel in the barren Sinai desert.

You raised up Judges in the Land of Promise to deliver Your People when they had strayed from You into oppression.

You anointed David, a man after Your own heart, to be King over Your people.

You gave his descendants the promise of eternal Kingship.

You called the Prophets to the hard duty of telling the Chosen People they were going the wrong way.

You sent Your Son into the world, anointed as the Messiah, to communicate Your truth to us.

You in these later days have appointed missionaries to take Your Gospel to the remote peoples of the world.You called and sent Apostles to communicate the Gospel to the world.

You have loved Your People with an everlasting love and called them out of every tribe, tongue and nation. You have built an enormous Family, some are triumphant, having finished their course; and some militant, still serving in Your mission field – the world.

I praise You for Your love; I praise You for your fantastic gift to me of forgiveness of sin, life eternal; and most of all, I praise You for You!

 Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Praise God for the joy of knowing You. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen

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