Sunday, October 16, 2005
Word For The Week
“Where was God when the terrorists were flying planes into buildings?” I heard that question asked frequently after September 11th and it always puzzled me. How is it that a secular society - one that has rejected God on all fronts and is busy purging any reference to God from all things public - expects this same God to protect it from all hurt, harm and danger? Maybe I just missed it, but I don’t remember the United States of America confessing Jesus as Lord in its Declaration of Independence. I don’t remember America declaring its belief that God raised Him from the dead in its Constitution. I don’t remember America ever receiving Jesus or believing on His name, yet America, somehow, believes that it has been given the right to be called the Children of God. I’m proud to be an American, but the United States of America is not the chosen race, the royal priesthood, a holy nation, or a people for God’s own possession. Americans, who vehemently believes in the separation of church and state, are not the chosen people. America does not minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world – America evangelizes the world on the sanctity of open markets, and when it is convenient, on the value of democracy. America does not believe in a society of the Christ, by the Christ, and for the Christ – America is of the people, by the people, and for the people - as if man is the measure of all things. America has become its own god – nothing can usurp America’s sovereignty without feeling America’s wrath. America does what is right in its own eyes, yet in its time of despair, America actually dares to question the God who is there.
It is one thing to petition God, to let our requests be known to God. God implores us to do that and promises that his peace, that transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. It is quite another thing to question the nature and character of God, and that is what Job did in the book bearing his name. Job, a righteous man by the biblical account, questioned God’s justice. Job understandably felt like he’d been punished for sins that he’d not committed, but he questioned the nature and character of God, and that is where he crossed the line. Job questioned God’s goodness. An undesirable turn of events having befallen Job, Job pinned evil squarely upon God – as if he had that authority. Job, as they used to say, got too big for his britches, so God confronted him in our text.
We can ask God for understanding – James says“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” We can let our requests be made known to God, but we must not let our discouragement shake our faith as it did with Job. When trials and problems arise, we must adhere to the Word of God as did Job when he confessed, “I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” God would say to Job as Jesus said to Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” We must always honor the difference between the creature and the Creator – He is God, we are not. Because He is God and we are not, we can rest in the assurance that He sustains reality, and that since we are His children that all things will ultimately work together for our good – we are in Christ and in the end Christ wins. Heaven will open, and He who is called Faithful and True will ride forth on a white horse, followed by the armies of heaven on white horses. He will strike down the nations – all of the nations, including ours – and rule them with an iron rod. He has a name that is above every name – He is the King of kings, Lord of lords, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Job found out directly about the Father of my King, as Rev. S.M. Lockridge put it:
It is one thing to petition God, to let our requests be known to God. God implores us to do that and promises that his peace, that transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. It is quite another thing to question the nature and character of God, and that is what Job did in the book bearing his name. Job, a righteous man by the biblical account, questioned God’s justice. Job understandably felt like he’d been punished for sins that he’d not committed, but he questioned the nature and character of God, and that is where he crossed the line. Job questioned God’s goodness. An undesirable turn of events having befallen Job, Job pinned evil squarely upon God – as if he had that authority. Job, as they used to say, got too big for his britches, so God confronted him in our text.
We can ask God for understanding – James says“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” We can let our requests be made known to God, but we must not let our discouragement shake our faith as it did with Job. When trials and problems arise, we must adhere to the Word of God as did Job when he confessed, “I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” God would say to Job as Jesus said to Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” We must always honor the difference between the creature and the Creator – He is God, we are not. Because He is God and we are not, we can rest in the assurance that He sustains reality, and that since we are His children that all things will ultimately work together for our good – we are in Christ and in the end Christ wins. Heaven will open, and He who is called Faithful and True will ride forth on a white horse, followed by the armies of heaven on white horses. He will strike down the nations – all of the nations, including ours – and rule them with an iron rod. He has a name that is above every name – He is the King of kings, Lord of lords, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Job found out directly about the Father of my King, as Rev. S.M. Lockridge put it:
My King was born King; the Bible says He's the seven-way King.
He's the King of the Jews- that is a racial King.
He's the King of Israel - that's a national king.
He's the King of righteousness,
He's the King of the ages,
He's the King of heaven,
He's the King of glory,
He's the King of kings and
He is the Lord of lords.
Now, that's my King.
Well, I wonder if you know Him -
Do you know Him?
Don't try to mislead me - do you know my King?
David said, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork."
My King is the only one, whom there is no means of measure can define His limitless love.
No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supplies.
No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
He's enduringly strong, He's entirely sincere, He's eternally steadfast, He's immortally graceful, imperially powerful, He's impartially merciful.
That's my King.
He's God's Son,
He's the sinner's Saviour.
He's the centrepiece of civilisation,
He stands alone in Himself.
He's awesome, unique, unparalleled -
He's unprecedented.
He's the miracle of the age.
He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
He is the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously.
He supplies strength for the weak.
He's available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathises and He saves.
He foreguards and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleanses the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captives.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent, and He beautifies the meek.
Do you know Him?
Well, my King is the King of knowledge.
He's the wellspring of wisdom, He's the doorway of deliverance.
He's the pathway of peace,
He's the roadway of righteousness,
He's the highway of holiness,
He's the gateway of glory.
He's the Master of the mighty,
He's the Captain of the conquerors,
He's the Head of the heroes and He's the Leader of the legislators!
He's the Overseer of the overcomers,
He's the Governor of the governors.
He's the Prince of princes,
He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords.
That's my King.
His office is manifold and His promise is sure.
His light is matchless,
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting and His love never changes.
His Word is enough, His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous,
His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Well, I wish I could describe Him to you, but He's indescribable!
He's incomprehensible, invincible, irresistible.
I'm trying to tell you the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him,
let alone a man explain Him!
You can't get Him out of your mind.
You can't get Him off of your hands.
You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him!
Well, Pharisees couldn't stand Him but they found out they couldn't stop Him.
Pilot couldn't find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree and Herod couldn't kill Him.
Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him.
That's my King!
He always has been and He always will be.
I'm talking about, He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor.
There was nobody before Him and there will be no one after Him.
You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign.
That's my King!
Do you know Him?
He's the King of the Jews- that is a racial King.
He's the King of Israel - that's a national king.
He's the King of righteousness,
He's the King of the ages,
He's the King of heaven,
He's the King of glory,
He's the King of kings and
He is the Lord of lords.
Now, that's my King.
Well, I wonder if you know Him -
Do you know Him?
Don't try to mislead me - do you know my King?
David said, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork."
My King is the only one, whom there is no means of measure can define His limitless love.
No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supplies.
No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
He's enduringly strong, He's entirely sincere, He's eternally steadfast, He's immortally graceful, imperially powerful, He's impartially merciful.
That's my King.
He's God's Son,
He's the sinner's Saviour.
He's the centrepiece of civilisation,
He stands alone in Himself.
He's awesome, unique, unparalleled -
He's unprecedented.
He's the miracle of the age.
He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
He is the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously.
He supplies strength for the weak.
He's available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathises and He saves.
He foreguards and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleanses the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captives.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent, and He beautifies the meek.
Do you know Him?
Well, my King is the King of knowledge.
He's the wellspring of wisdom, He's the doorway of deliverance.
He's the pathway of peace,
He's the roadway of righteousness,
He's the highway of holiness,
He's the gateway of glory.
He's the Master of the mighty,
He's the Captain of the conquerors,
He's the Head of the heroes and He's the Leader of the legislators!
He's the Overseer of the overcomers,
He's the Governor of the governors.
He's the Prince of princes,
He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords.
That's my King.
His office is manifold and His promise is sure.
His light is matchless,
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting and His love never changes.
His Word is enough, His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous,
His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Well, I wish I could describe Him to you, but He's indescribable!
He's incomprehensible, invincible, irresistible.
I'm trying to tell you the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him,
let alone a man explain Him!
You can't get Him out of your mind.
You can't get Him off of your hands.
You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him!
Well, Pharisees couldn't stand Him but they found out they couldn't stop Him.
Pilot couldn't find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree and Herod couldn't kill Him.
Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him.
That's my King!
He always has been and He always will be.
I'm talking about, He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor.
There was nobody before Him and there will be no one after Him.
You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign.
That's my King!
Do you know Him?
May The LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who wants you to truly know Him,
My He turn His face toward you and give you peace.
May the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And may the LORD,
Who wants you to truly know Him,
My He turn His face toward you and give you peace.
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