A LIFE WELL LIVED, Part 4 - AWE

Webster's dictionary describes AWE as an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred.Another dictionary defines awe as "a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder". In both cases, we see two things - the use of the words "feeling (or emotion)" and secondly - "sacred (or reverential)".

Both definitions include the words "dread and fear" and both have the same word, wonder, at the end of their respective definition. So that does that mean to us? No one could have said it better than the great prophet Isaiah in Chapter 6 of his book. Remember, as you read this short passage, Isaiah was already a servant of the Lord - as we are! Remember also, and then search your own soul, that we are no better than Isaiah!

Why do I say that? Well, we live in the same corrupt and profane world as Isaiah. Just like when King Uzziah was reigning, we live in relative prosperity, ease and comfort. Just like that time in Judah's history, we are a corrupt, foul-mouthed and perverse generation. Just like these early days of the ministry of the great prophet, the people of God are tolerating perversion, misrepresentation and misapplication of the Word by politicians and pastors who are no more sons of God than the fig tree that Jesus cursed.

ISAIAH 6 (NKJV):

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”

4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 So I said:

“Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:

“Behold, this has touched your lips;
Your iniquity is taken away,And your sin purged".

When we have an encounter with the Living God like this, it is all we could do to react in the same way as the Prophet did in Verse 5 (re..."woe is me, for I am undone..."). The Word which is used in the Hebrew for "undone" is "DAMAH". In the AWESOME Presence of the Great God of Heaven, he became completely "destroyed physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and any other "-ly" you can think of!

In using the word "Damah", the Holy Spirit Who wrote this Scripture through Isaiah is recounting exactly what happened to Isaiah in the awesome presence of God! He was not just "undone" but was brought to the end of his corrupt earthly tradition! The word also means "silenced" and "ceased". The profanity and cultural "Christianity" (to put it in today's terms) which Isaiah was living had now been silenced and ceased/destroyed/wiped out and cancelled forever!

Isaiah was sanctified, literally sanctified, right in front of God...and it was confirmed in verse 6b, when The Seraphim touched his mouth with the hot coal to now, physically purge his mouth from speaking the world's stuff, so he could now speak clearly and cleansed for God!

The key to a Life Well Lived is being in that same place as Isaiah - UNDONE! DAMAH! It is only the cleansed and transformed vessel that God, through Jesus Christ, can send to the World, to speak and live and minister for Him. But it begins as with falling at His feet in completely awe, reverence and submission and then saying to the King - "Here I am, send me"!

THIRTY DAY PRAYER CHALLENGE - DAY 22

PRAY THE NAMES OF GOD

DAY 22


GOD IS FAITHFUL


There was once a king, who grew up in the presence of a family who bowed down to both pagan gods and Jehovah God Himself. This king remained faithful. In the midst of the enemies of God, he drew a line and never crossed it.


When the enemy surrounded him, he and his spiritual advisor cried out to God and reassured their people that they should "be strong and courageous, because the Lord our God will go before us and fight their battles"! This occurred during Year 14 of his reign.


This leader, King Hezekiah,  prayed a childlike prayer which both you and I should remember. He prayed the following: 2 Kings 19:14-19 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. 
“It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men’s hands. Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God.”


This leader, King Hezekiah, remained faithful to the Lord. God sent His Angel, who killed 185,000 of the enemy in their tents over that same night. When the enemy's leader, Sennacharib, woke up that morning and saw all his men dead, he retreated to Assyria.


Now here is where it got interesting. Right at that time, Faithful King Hezekiah became deathly ill with what many of us believe to be an extreme form of skin cancer (or the Bible calls is a boil on the skin). God sent His prophet Isaiah to tell King Hezekiah to put his house in order, because he was going to die!


Hezekiah again prayed another child-like prayer in tears and supplication! He prayed this simple prayer: "Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, and said, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.(Isaiah 38:2-3 ESV)


God proved Himself FAITHFUL to those who are faithful to Him! In the very next two verses of Isaiah 38, Jehovah Rapha - God Who Heals, sent a message to King Hezekiah via Isaiah "Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life". (Isaiah 38:5 ESV)


Scripture and secular history books from both Egypt and Assyrian, confirmed that Hezekiah lived another 15 years after it was well known, the king had a deadly disease, from Judah to Babylon!

God's Name is Faithful!


So Father, in the Name of Jesus, Numbers 23:19 says God is not man, that he should lie,  or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it?  Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? God You proved that when You fought the battles for King Hezekiah. 


You not only fought the battle against Sennacharib and Rabshakah and destroyed evil, but You fought the battle against cancer and delivered Your Faithful servant Hezekiah from it. Because You gave him 15 more years to live, many in the ancient world came to Jerusalem to visit him and saw Your Glory and witness Your Sovereign will and power.

Father, today, that Faithfulness to Your promises to never leave and/or forsake us, no matter what battles in life we face, stands. You are Eternal Father, All Creation worships You. I do. I will. I always will. Even if you never add 15 or 20 or 30 years to my mortal life, I will. Even if you never destroy those who persecute me, I will. Even if You heal the enemy and cause me to fail, I will.


I will adore You. I will glorify You. I will magnify Your Name through all the Earth.


Psalm 145:13 says "The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made". Father God, I believe that. I know You love me, because You sent Your own son to die for me and then called me to His Salvation.


2 Corinthians 1:20 says "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "YES" in Christ. And through Him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the Glory of God"!


Wow, Father! Thank you for that Precious Precious Word.  


You, oh God are Faithful! Your mercy endureth forever, oh God! Because Your promises are Yes and Amen, I can rest secure in my Faith in Christ and my faithfulness to You, just as Your servant Abraham! Father, I count on Your promises because when You say it, I believe it.


Lord, I believe that, right now, in the Name of Jesus, there is someone reading this who is going through a major health or relationship issue. Father, I pray right now...right now, that they will turn to You in tears and supplication and pray this same prayer King Hezekiah prayed “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” 


Father, may they pray that prayer, with all submission of a heart committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and may they believe, in His Name, that You will never leave or forsake them in their marriage, their health, their parenting (if a parent) or their relationship with peers (in school, business or community).


God Your Name is Faithful. When the Lord Jesus returns on His Great white horse of Heaven, Revelation 19:11 says "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True"...Faithful and True! And it is in this Only One True Faithful and Wonderful Son of God I believe, pray and obey, Jesus Christ NOW AND FOREVER.....Jesus Christ - YES AND AMEN, amen and amen!!!!

TOMORROW: GOD IS WRATHFUL

(image by google images)

THINK ON THESE THINGS - FRIDAY

GLORY...part 3

"Arrayed in Splendor" is what comes to mind when the word GLORY is mentioned. Derived from the Greek noun "doxa", we are given the word DOXOLOGY which is a hymn of praise. The Doxology celebrates the Glory of our Great God in heaven.


This is what Jesus is pointing us at the end of the LORD's PRAYER, which we have been really digging into, these past two-three weeks! Apart from the word Glory, "doxa" also means "honor, renown; glory, an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God and splendor!


The Bible says (in Psalm 19:1a) "the Heavens declare the Glory of the Lord". If we don't, well then, creation will! Something or someone will praise His Great Name!
The Bible says (in Isaiah 42:8) "I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.


The Bible says (in Isaiah 43:7) "Everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom, I have made.


We see it over and over in all Scripture - His Glory, His Glory....His Glory...By now, it should be obvious what this all means. We all know that the chief end of man (and woman) is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is how it will be in a perfect world - the one to come. But for now, let's get to it right now...and Pray and Praise, on this wonderful Friday morning in late October, 2011!

Matthew 6: 8-13:

Our Father in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
      Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done
      On earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread.
   And forgive us our debts,
      As we forgive our debtors.
    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.

LET US PRAY:

Father God, in the Name of Jesus, we come to you acknowledging Your Majesty, Power, Mighty and most of all Your Glory! Lord, Moses saw Your Glory in the Desert. Lord, Isaiah fell on his face in shame as he beheld Your Glory in the Presence of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Seraphim, who cried out to each other "Holy Holy Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, the whole earth is full of YOUR GLORY"!

Lord today, today, Lord, Father, Abba God, we bow down before You and acknowledge this Glory, which You had before the Creation of the World and will personify for Eternity. We long for the day when the Glory of the Lord will be revealed to us, Your people in Beulahland, when we cross Jordan and come to live in fellowship and rest with You, the Lord Jesus and the saints of old, in the Name of the King, Whose Glory we shall also behold one day soon, amen and amen!

(Image by Google Images)