Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.

Psalm 115

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. v1

Selfishness is a sin that drives many other sins.  I know for myself that a desire for glory, status, etc. is strong - I often want to exalt myself.  Yet we exist to exalt God and we must not exalt our selves over God - see here.  Humility - see here - is critical in our relationship with God.  If we see ourselves as important, this blinds us from seeing a need for God.  Instead we remind ourselves of Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount (Beatitudes):

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:3-10

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You alone are great and all good and perfect gifts come from You.  I can no good things apart from You.  Thank You for how You have blessed me - well beyond what I deserve.  I am weak and I often exalt myself - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects of chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

"For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18

"For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” v14

There is ample mention in scripture for humility.  The most striking discussion of humility comes from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." v3

Humility is a critical step in your faith journey and one which must be acknowledged daily...it leads to a total dependence on and desperation for Jesus Christ. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed worthy of my worship...perfect in every way and not in need of anything or anyone to make You complete.  You are not only complete but also pure, holy, and blameless.  And You know everything about me, sin and all, yet You still suffered and died for me, and You love me.  Amazing.  Because I continue to be selfish and quick to anger I am worthy of such love.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin.  Help me be the man You intend for me.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

 1 Peter 5

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

This morning, I pause my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books to use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today explores anxiety and its relationship to our faith.  John Piper rhetorically asks how anxiety about the future "is a form of pride."  He then answers his question by paraphrasing how he thinks God would answer that question - he points us to Isaiah 51:12 where God asks rhetorically why are we afraid of man and what man may do to us.  Man is God's creation and all of God's creation is mortal and will not last whereas God lasts forever and He promises eternal life to those who believe in Him.  Thus our faith in Him should strengthen us and if it does not it means our faith is weak and we believe more in ourselves than in God.  By highlighting 1 Peter 5:6-7, Piper wants us to follow Peter's words and humble ourselves and cast our anxieties on Him. In concluding the devotion, Piper shares "pride is a form of unbelief and does not like to trust in God for his future grace. Faith, on the other hand, admits the need for help. Pride won’t. Faith banks on God to give help. Pride won’t. Faith casts anxieties on God. Pride won’t.  Therefore, the way to battle the unbelief of pride is to admit freely that you have anxieties, and to cherish the promise of future grace in the words, “He cares for you.” And then unload your fears onto his strong shoulders."

 Great words of encouragement - God DOES care for us!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and cares for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessing me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.   Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Daniel 4

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. v37

In my previous post, we saw Nebuchadnezzar begin to recognize the true nature of God as the God who reigns over all.  Today we see Nebuchadnezzar greatly humbled and he makes continued progress towards seeing God for who He truly is.

In verse 27, Daniel interprets a new dream from the king and encourages him to repent, humble himself before God, and to be kind to the oppressed.  Yet we don't see this (verse 28) and Daniel's interpretation of the dream (v19-26) comes to pass and Nebuchadnezzar becomes a beast of the field.  John Piper's team discusses here the arrogance that can lead many of us to be transformed into a beast.  Piper's team writes: ..."we won’t be that impressed with our salvation until we're thoroughly disgusted by the perversion we're saved from".   It's likely Nebuchadnezzar begins to reach this point and in v34-36 he is restored to his throne and offers worship of God.  John Piper does not believe however that Nebuchadnezzar becomes a true convert.

I am left with how destruction awaits us (either now in this life or at the end of our live on judgement day) if we fail to heed God's words for us or if we refuse to submit to Him as our Lord and Savior.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves us and who defeated the sting of sin and death for us.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I worry and I am often arrogant.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...[H]e died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

 2 Corinthians 5:15

...[H]e died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 2 Corinthians 5:15

I agree with this post on DesiringGod.com that states that Holy Week is the most important week in all of history. As such, I continue with one of the recommendations from the post to prepare for Holy Week, which is to read John Piper's 50-day devotional Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. Today I read reason #32: To Enable Us to Live for Christ and Not Ourselves.  In today's devotion, Piper unpacks a truth that he says troubles some - that "Christ died to exalt himself."  Some may view this as vanity but Piper dispels this thought.  To unpack this truth, the devotion first shares that "[t]he very essence of sin is that we have failed to glorify God—which includes failing to glorify his Son (Romans 3:23). But Christ died to bear that sin and to free us from it. So he died to bear the dishonor that we had heaped on him by our sin. He died to turn this around. Christ died for the glory of Christ."  The devotion then continues by sharing that Christ's death on the cross should be viewed as "the supreme act of love."  As such, it is both an act to exalt Himself and to show His love for this He seeks to save.  Piper then shares: "Christ is unique. No one else can act this way and call it love. Christ is the only human in the universe who is also God and therefore infinitely valuable. He is infinitely beautiful in all his moral perfections. He is infinitely wise and just and good and strong....To see him and know him is more satisfying than having all that earth can offer."  See also Hebrews 1:3.  Paul describes this in Philippians 3:7-8.  When scripture states that "we might live for Him," Piper emphasizes that God does not need our help - see Acts 17:25 and Mark 10:45 - "[w]hat Christ died for is not that we might help him, but that we might see and savor him as infinitely valuable. He died to wean us from poisonous pleasures and enthrall us with the pleasures of his beauty. In this way we are loved, and he is honored. These are not competing aims. They are one." The devotion concludes by pointing us to John 16:7, 14 and John 17:24, which describe how (1) Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help believers glorify Him, and the Holy Spirit is the "greatest help in the world" and another act of love and (2) how Christ's love for us is so great for us that He prayed that those who have faith in Him would join Him in Heaven.  Rejoice in Him who loves us so much that He died for us and gave us help to glorify Him (we exist to glorify Him) and to give us "everlasting enjoyment."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an incredible God that gives us Your Son and the Holy Spirit so that we can enjoy You now as infinitely valuable and for eternity with You.  Incredible - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor the blessings You provide for such everlasting enjoyment.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.    

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.

Isaiah 25

Lord, you are my God;

I will exalt you and praise your name,

for in perfect faithfulness

you have done wonderful things,

things planned long ago.

A few weeks ago, our worship pastor sermoned on the importance of worship.  Take away is that we are made for worship, in everything we do.  This past week, the sermon emphasized that our worship and thanks should be for Him not for what He has done for us.

I of course agree that God has done wonderful things and He is above all - He IS worthy of our praise not just in song but in everything we do.

My Prayer: Lord, You are the only true God - perfect, blameless, holy, almighty, all knowing and all loving.  Amazing.  I need You in my heart and life not just for what You do in wiping my sin away but also for who You are - Truth.  Your word is truth and without Your word I would be nowhere - lost in broken world of sin, deceit, and eternal damnation.  I am full of harmful thoughts and talk about others - Lord, I know you love me anyway so thank You.  Yet I seek Your forgiveness and I seek Your help to purify and refine me so that Your desires are my desires.  Transform my heart and life and make me Yours in all ways.

The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Matthew 23

The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. v11-12

In Matthew 23, Jesus continues to warn His followers to avoid the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and teachers of the law.  Jesus did not come to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45).  We are called to deny ourselves, be more like Jesus and draw others to Him by allowing the others to see not us but the light of Jesus in us.

Be a light.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who as King did not come to be served but to serve - thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for me and for paying the price not just for my sin but for all of humanity!  Thank You - the greatest gift of all time.  I am not worth such love.  I am selfish and weak and lazy.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness....But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Leviticus 2

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness....But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Romans 6:13, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - looking at chapter two - Giving to God in Worship - covering 2:1-16, looking specifically at the theme We Exalt Jesus, the Center of Our Worship. Here, the commentary looks at how the grain offering as described in Leviticus 2 points to Jesus and how we are to exalt Jesus in all aspects of our worship. 

• We demonstrate gratitude for how God provides
• We demonstrate dedication to God as our Lord and Savior, including dedication to how God expects us to repent from our sins and ask Him for forgiveness
• We are reminded that with the sacrificial system, first given here in the Old Testament with Leviticus and then done away with as Jesus died once and for all, God is not interested in empty worship rituals but in our heart condition - see post from a few days ago

The commentary emphasizes how Jesus makes possible our dedication by giving us a new self and new life.  Romans 6:13 is referenced how we are to dedicate ourselves to God and righteousness/holiness - we can do that through the life and new creation Jesus makes possible. 

We are urged to see how Paul uses Levitical language (see Leviticus 2:12, 14) in 1 Corinthians 15:20 where he refers to Jesus as the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."  The commentary states: "the resurrection of Jesus is the first of a great harvest of souls who will be gathered in heaven for worship."  We are urged to reflect on how our worship here on earth, and how despite how we may strive to dedicate ourselves in worship now, it cannot compare to the worship we will experience in Heaven.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is worthy of my full attention, dedication, and white hot worship...You loved me and saved me, even though I was an enemy of God; and you still love me and never leave me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings - not at all!  My sin continues and I am easily distracted by the world and I often seek my own comfort first above You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Luke 14

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. v11

Humility is critical for believers - the two most important commandments (see Matthew 22:34-40) focus on love of God first then love of others.  God wants us to love others, to snatch others from the fire, and to ensure that as many of His children are saved as possible.  Jesus words on this subject are further clarified in v12-14 where He explains how we should be focusing on glorifying God and eternal rewards vs gain in this life.

Lord Jesus please help me be humble.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who I know has saved a place for me in Heaven - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such a gift but nonetheless grateful!  I daily miss the mark and often neglect my relationship with You by focusing on my own comfort.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message fro me today and every day.

And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Daniel 4

33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion;

his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

35 All the peoples of the earth

are regarded as nothing.

He does as he pleases

with the powers of heaven

and the peoples of the earth.

No one can hold back his hand

or say to him: “What have you done?”

36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

The Lord is able tear down all those who exalt other Gods, including themselves...He also is able to restore those who repent and turn to Him.  God gives us second (and third and so on) chances.  The key thing here is that we don't know when God will tear us down and how He will tear us down. We MUST live as if God can tear us down at any time.  Live in irreverent fear of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

My Prayer: Lord, You are the Most High...pure, holy, and perfect.  Able to know and do all things - creator of the universe and everything in it.  That You love me personally is amazing because You certainly don't need me nor am I worthy of such love.  I am imperfect and I have critical thoughts and comments about people and this is just ONE example of my sin.  Thank You that You love me anyway but PLEASE forgive me!  Rid me of such sin and help me live a life more worthy of Your love...help me such that Your desires are my desires.  Help me such that I can have a daring faith.

So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 5

So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 5:5-6

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 5:1-10, as I lean on my commentary and explore what the commentary describes as the second division "Our Appointed High Priest," which looks at Hebrews 5:5-6.  For this text, the commentary almost exclusively focuses on v6 where Christ is described by the author of Hebrews as "a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."  It shares how Melchizedek only showed up in two places in scripture:

• Genesis 14:17-24: The commentary describes this text: "Melchizedek is a king and yet performs a task not common to kings: offering bread and wine. Genesis then identifies Melchizedek as a priest of God Most High. Thus, in some mysterious way, God appointed a priest from a foreign people unto himself. He then brought this foreign king who was a priest to Abraham, the one with whom God had established his covenant. Melchizedek first blesses Abraham, and Abraham responds by giving him a tenth of everything. Then Melchizedek abruptly disappears."
• Psalm 110: The commentary describes this text: "This psalm’s immediate fulfillment happened in David’s own kingship, but its ultimate fulfillment came later in David’s line—in the one who sits at the Father’s right hand, Jesus Christ. Given that Melchizedek seemingly has little to do with the messianic nature of this psalm, the inclusion of his name likely would have surprised the original audience. “A priest forever” points to the messianic figure who fulfills this prophecy and distinguishes the order of Melchizedek’s priesthood from other priesthoods. Other priesthoods had a termination date because all other priests died. Death prevented them from serving as priests forever. Jesus Christ, however, on account of his resurrection from the dead, serves as a priest forever. His priesthood knows no end."

The commentary wraps for this text by sharing that Jesus's priesthood "must mean that Jesus’s priesthood, like Melchizedek’s, is born out of the sovereign purposes of God. The order—that is, the nature—of Jesus’s priesthood is of a sovereign order, a sovereign nature. Like Melchizedek, Jesus did not take the honor of priest upon himself; he was sovereignly appointed. And in his appointment and service as high priest, he was exalted above all others." 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed appointed by God for His sovereign purposes to be King of Kings and my Lord and Savior.  You came to save me!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin, and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:10-11

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 23 of Advent, and today John Piper looks at how God reconciles us to Himself through Jesus Christ.  Believers know that reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel.  We all sin, sin separates us from Christ, but Christ died to forgive our sins - forever - so that believers could have life now in abundance, and forever with Him in Heaven (John 3:16-18, 10:10)...with Christ now in our hearts, God is with us...always (Matthew 28:20) - Emmanuel.  Piper describes how Christ purchased this reconciliation for us, how Christ enabled us to receive this reconciliation, and finally, how Christ came into the world as flesh (see also post from 2 days ago on incarnation) so that we can exalt and worship Him.  Piper wraps the devotion today by exhorting us to respond: "Exult in [Christ]. Experience him as your pleasure. Know him as your treasure."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, who purchased my reconciliation, who enabled me to receive it, and You give me Yourself so that I can exalt and worship You - and I know this is why I exist.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings and gifts.  My sin is great and it continue...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

"For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 14

"For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” v11

I often think of myself as humble...yet in the workplace I strive for recognition and status, believing that I deserve more recognition and status...how sinful! As I read yesterday, I must focus on serving others, primarily the Lord Jesus.

At work, I must serve my earthly masters...

Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 1 Peter 2:18

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and in need of nothing...yet You came to serve.  How great You are and so full of love!  I am not worthy of Your love and blessing.  I seek glory for myself...I know this is wrong.  Thank You Jesus that You love me anyway but please forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn from such sin.  Help me turn from such sin and help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. 

[W]hen he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

2 Thessalonians 1

[W]hen he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 2 Thessalonians 1:10

I pause on both my studies of Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion - which today focuses on how we can reconcile how followers of Christ are commanded to seek humility (and glory of Christ), yet Christ Himself seeks glory for Himself.  This at first glance seems to be a contradictory pursuit by God - He commands others to pursue humility (not to exalt self) while He seeks to exalt Himself.  In the devotion, John Piper uses 1 Corinthians 13:5 as text where others might see this as a contradictory pursuit.  Piper refutes that this is a contradictory pursuit by God by first stating that "[b]ecause God is unique as an all-glorious, totally self-sufficient Being, he must be for himself if he is to be for us. The rules of humility that belong to a creature cannot apply in the same way to its Creator."  He then goes on to state that "[i]f God should turn away from himself as the Source of infinite joy, he would cease to be God. He would deny the infinite worth of his own glory. He would imply that there is something more valuable outside himself. He would commit idolatry....This would be no gain for us." We should of course seek humility, as this is one of the most prominent themes and commands in the Bible, and recognize that we exist to glorify God...and not stumble on how God seeks glory for Himself.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who is full of love, compassion, grace, etc. for me and You are worthy of my efforts to glorify You.  You are my all in all - thank You Jesus for all that You are and for all that You have done and will continue to do for me to save me and to never leave or forsake me!  I am not deserving of these blessings nor any of the blessings You pour for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

"For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Matthew 23

"For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." v12

This chapter offers up a lesson on humility as Jesus implores us to avoid the trappings of status and arrogance as this often leads to hypocrisy where one says one thing and does another.  Jesus points out that there is only one father:

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. v8-10

I must remain humble and focus on glorifying Jesus alone.

My Prayer: Lord, You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, creator of the universe and all its inhabitants.  You are pure, holy, blameless, and perfect.  Your design and Your will is perfect.  You don't need me at all yet You love me and died for me.  And You continue to be an active God and spirit in my life.  I am blessed beyond what my words can describe.  Jesus...I am not worthy of such love and blessing - I am angry, selfish, and impatient.  Yet You love me anyway...thank You Jesus.  I need Your forgiveness...help me turn from these sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me be the man You intend for me.

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Luke 18

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. v14

I need reminders often about arrogance and how dangerous it is.  I am afflicted with this sin and although God has refined me in this area more work is to be done.  Arrogance causes people to stumble in their faith or block it entirely.  It also harms others who are hurt by the words and actions of those dominate with their arrogant attitudes.  

Jesus - please help me remain humble.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God that has helped me see the foolishness of my arrogance - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of a God who loves me so much that You would die for my sins and love and save me despite my sin! I daily miss the mark and need You badly!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

Psalm 63

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. v2

As David has, I HAVE seen God's hand in my life, as He demonstrates a glimpse of His power and glory.  As I have drawn near to God He has drawn near to me (James 4:8) and I have felt the glow of His light...I continue to feel the glow of His light (Psalm 119:105).  Praise and worship is an essential part of our daily life with God.  

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Hebrews 13:15

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1

As part of my praise, I am deeply grateful for how God sustains me and all things - see also here.

My Prayer: Lord, You are a great God who has done wonderful things in the world and in my life, and in the life of those around me.  You are a great God who knows no equal.  You are the Lord of Lords and worthy of my praise.  I am deeply grateful for the gift of Jesus Christ and for his blood shed for me.  I am not worth such a gift as my worry, impatience, etc. continue - please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Leviticus 9

And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. Leviticus 9:23-24

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - moving on to chapter nine - Powerful Worship - covering Leviticus 9:1-24, looking specifically at the theme - Powerful Worship Follows Preparation for God's Presence.  Here, the commentary focuses on how in Leviticus 9 we see a description of the "inaugural worship service for the tabernacle that God had commanded to be built during Israel's wilderness wandering.  God had told them to build the tabernacle; they obeyed and built it.  God had told them to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests, and they did that [Leviticus 8].  God had told them what sacrifices to offer and how to offer them [Leviticus 1-7]. Now, the time of preparation was over and the time of worship had arrived, and, and if any worship experience could be described as powerful, this one was powerful.  It was ordained by God, blessed by God, and visited by God.  God can use it to teach us something about powerful worship."

The commentary describes powerful worship as an undeniable demonstration of God's power moving in our life or in the life of others near us.  The commentary then pivots to how believers can consistently experience powerful worship as believers often do not experience such powerful worship because we are focused perhaps solely on secular aspects of the worship experience such as the music, or the sermon. Or believers may focus on earthly concerns or cares and such distractions prevent us from experiencing powerful worship. We are then urged to see how we don't experience powerful worship simply because we weren't ready to receive anything from God[, as p]owerful public worship is so often preceded by powerful private worship."  The commentary points out how the Israelites inaugural public worship was preceded not just by preparation via learning about how to perform the sacrificial system as the means of atonement or or learning about how priests are to be consecrated and ordained.  The inaugural worship was also preceded by a recognition and acknowledgement of all that God had done for Israel at that point: delivery from bondage in Israel (including the 10 miracles/plagues God demonstrated to Pharaoh/Egypt), provision for food and water in the wilderness, God's awesome presence at Mount Sinai, the giving of the Ten Commandments, etc. As we prepare for worship on Sundays, we too prepare our hearts for worship.  We should recognize and acknowledge all that Jesus has done for us and how He is all that we need.  We should pray that we exalt Him during our time in worship, and for God to prepare our hearts to receive Him and His Word for us.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has done so much for me - my words and worship cannot fully describe the breadth and depth of Your love for me, how You reign, and how awesome You are.  Thank You Jesus for Your love for me and of course for my salvation - the greatest gift of all time.  I am not dserving of such a gift and for how You love me.  I am often harsh with others.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Daniel 11

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

I continue my study of Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 11:21-45 as I lean on my commentary for this text.  The commentary's main idea for this text is that "God reigns sovereign over the greatest enemies of his people and even uses those enemies for his own purposes."  It shares two primary divisions for this text:

I. God Raised Up a Contemptible Person to Refine, Purify, and Sanctify His People (11:21-35): Here, the commentary discusses how Daniel's vision prophecies the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes (who reigned from 175-163 BC), and how his wicked and sinful reign led to great suffering of God's people. Yet as we see with other periods of suffering throughout scripture, it is in response to sin and used to purify and sanctify God's people. 

II. God Will Raise Up the Antichrist, Who Will Exalt and Magnify Himself as God (11:36-45). This section of scripture is discussed by the commentary as being markedly different in terms of redemptive history, as the commentary shares that the antichrist highlighted here and the ensuing conflict is reflective of end times.

The commentary urges us to see Jesus in all scripture and here is no exception.  We are urged to see the contrast between Antiochus/Antichrist and Jesus and provided the below table to highlight the differences.  Once again, take heart that God overcomes (John 16:33).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace, compassion, and You save!  Thank You for how You speak to me and all believers and give us peace and confidence knowing that You have already won the victory over sin and death!  I am not deserving of how You save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.