I wanted to start off with the idea that we esteemed HIM not; him meaning Jesus. Isaiah has many verses that prophecy about the messiah that was to come, and many are more than eerily similar to who Jesus is (because they are about him). If you read Isaiah 53 to somebody without telling them where it is from in the Bible they will probably say to you--stop telling me about Jesus. And then you can let them know--actually that came many years before him bud.
Isaiah 53:3
English Standard Version (ESV)
3 He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
How much of our daily lives do we not esteem him when he deserves it? How about all of the time.
What can we give God greater than himself? He is the greatest gift of all. We are always the recipient.
He is the ultimate giver.
I love the lyric by Mewithoutyou, from their song "Messes of Men,"
"And if ever you come near, I'll hold up high a mirror.
Lord, I could never show you anything as beautiful as you!" Yet, as much as I love this lyric, when we come to Christ, he can look at us because he sees Christ's righteousness imputed in front of his sight in the place of ours. So he can actually enjoy us, he can actually call us beautiful--because of what HE did. We are only beautiful from his work, apart from Jesus we are all ugly.
And what messes of men there are, isn't that just what this life is like? Chaos, messes, shenanigans. Like Judges, the book in the Bible where it says that everyone did what they saw as righteous in their own eyes. People just seeking what is right in their own eyes. The world runs around living life, believing its meaningless, living for meaninglessness.
Oh yes, it is all a mercy. Everything we have that is good, and all that we are. All of grace. Nothing good that has ever been good has ever come from a man apart from the working of God.
“God is the one being in the universe for whom self-exaltation is the most loving thing. Anyone else who exalts himself distracts us from what we need, namely, God.” -John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life
“There is no such thing as a great man of God, only weak, pitiful, faithless men of a great and merciful God.”
-Paul Washer
Sometimes I’ll get seminary students, and they’ve all got this great idea that they’re going to go
out and do something for God. So, I’ll stand before them and I’ll say, “Okay, I want everybody
to breathe in.” They all breathe in. I say, “Breathe out.” They breathe out. I say,
“Theologically, from where did that breath come?”
They say, “From God.”
I say, “Okay, you can’t breathe on your own. Now, what are you going to do for God?”
-Paul Washer, Examine Yourself
He is the only one in all of existence who if He demands that you worship Him--He is guiding you to the greatest treasure and gift possible or you to receive. If I demand you to love me, then I am prideful and wicked. Why? Because I do not deserve love naturally. But He does, he is all wonderful. If he demands it, then he is in actuality telling you what is best for you and what is most loving. My friend, what do you know of that is good or sweet or nice? Is it not from Him alone? Then why hesitate to love him?
"When we want to be something other than what God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy." - C.S. Lewis
The purpose for everything is God's glory. And rightfully so.
But this is to our best interest also.
1 Corinthians 10:31
English Standard Version (ESV)
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Colossians 3:17
English Standard Version (ESV)
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
(note by Dude:
And so in all things we can see and seek his glory because it was all made for him, by him, and it points to his character and greatness. )
again, Him = Jesus
(note by Dude:
And so in all things we can see and seek his glory because it was all made for him, by him, and it points to his character and greatness. )
again, Him = Jesus
Colossians 1:16
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
John 1:3
English Standard Version (ESV)
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
1 Timothy 4:4
English Standard Version (ESV)
4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
(note by Dude: unless corrupted by the fall or misused of course)
So the goal of this blog will be to point to these things for the sake of your JOY in Christ, that he might look more glorious, not because he changes how he looks from us or our words, but it will help people see what is already true. Illuminating truth that is already there.(note by Dude: unless corrupted by the fall or misused of course)
As Dr. John Piper says,
"God Is Most Glorified In Us When We Are Most Satisfied In Him"
And this is true NO MATTER CIRCUMSTANCE.
**No matter circumstance is important--because the opposite is the prosperity Gospel, which is NOT the true gospel (good news) message of Jesus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTc_FoELt8s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLRue4nwJaA
SO we esteemed him not though he was the only one who deserved it, and we instead:
Romans 1:18-23
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but theybecame futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
We instead exchanged the glory of God for images resembling us, and things that we like, stuff, animals, technology, our pleasure, etc. God's power and divine nature have been clearly seen! Why do we exchange his glory for images of us and things?
Because we always exchange HIS glory for OURS.
The disease of self.
And how many of us lament the fact that the one MOST deserving one, has received the least?
Let us worship him by glorifying him in all things. This is the goal of this blog.
John Piper on the Glory of God in the universe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJYaAbrWsvA
