Worthy Is The Lamb

“God… is infinitely the greatest and best of beings. All things else, with regard to worthiness, importance, and excellence, are perfectly as nothing in comparison to him… The ultimate [goal] of God’s works is… the glory of God.”

– Jonathan Edwards

Psalm 145

Great Is the Lord

A Song of Praise. Of David.

145:1 I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.

10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

[The Lord is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.]
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

You are what you worship. You become like that which you worship. What do you place your confidence in? Where does your hope lie? What do you consider worthy? What carries weight, significance, authority in your life? Is it money? Is it other people's approval? Is it food, sex, grades, worldly success and fame, significance, a lover's affection, comfort, health or financial security? What do you consider worthy? What, if gained, would "make you happy" or "make life meaningful?" What, if lost, would make life meaningless, and "not worth living?"

God's glory is weighty. He is the only one worthy of worship. His glory is infinitely weighty, infinitely significant, infinitely worthy. His beauty, majesty, splendor, worth are matchless throughout all of creation. He is the Creator God, The Only Living God, The True God, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords. He sits exalted, enthroned, enveloped with weighty praise above heaven and earth.

“The Biblical word ‘glory’ is (Heb) kavod [which] means heavy, weighty, significant… The ‘glory of the Lord’ indicates the brilliance that is connected with all God’s virtues and his self-revelation in nature and grace… As an object of loving adoration it is called his [beauty]. As an object of our reverent submission it is called his majesty. As an object of our joyous gratitude it is called his [worthiness].”
– Herman Bavinck

When I first began to draw near to belief in God and even for some time after, I found a stumbling block in the demand that we should “praise” God; still more in the suggestion that God Himself demanded it. We all despise the man who demands continued assurance of his own virtue… but the most obvious fact about praise — whether of God or anything, strangely escaped me. I never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise. The world rings with praise — lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game… Except where intolerably adverse circumstances interfere, praise almost seems to be inner health made audible… Men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: “Wasn’t it glorious? Don’t you think that magnificent?” Indeed we can’t help doing it...because praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation… Our expressions of praise are inadequate — but how if one could really and fully praise things to perfection — then indeed our delight would attain perfect development! To understand what [heaven] means we must imagine ourselves in perfect love with God — drunk with, drowned in, dissolved by, that delight which, far from remaining pent up within ourselves… flows out from us incessantly again in effortless and perfect expression — our joy no more separable from the praise in which it liberates and utters itself than the brightness a mirror receives is separable from the brightness it sheds. The Scots catechism says a man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. But then we will know these are the same thing. To fully enjoy is to glorify — in commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy him.
– C.S. Lewis

When I Sit in Darkness I Shall Rise

My eyes can only distinguish dull grey tones.
A fog lingers all around me.
I cannot see which way I am going.
Where am I?
Is this a dream?
Is this hell?
No taste, No sight, No smell.
Paralyzed, numb, yet frightened,
I look down
at my feet,
but I cannot see them.
Who am I?
The only decision I can make,
is no decision at all.
I cannot breathe;
only weep.
A light,
in the distance,
breaks through small holes in the thick cloud.
Beams of hope,
Burn into my skin.
My face grows warm.
My eyes focus on the light.
I was blind, but now I see.
The fog dissipates.
I can see my feet.
But where do I go?
Follow the light.
There's life in the light.

Thinking, thinking, thinking...

Jesus, I long for thee,
And sigh for Canaan's shore,
Thy lovely face to see,
And all my warfare o'er;
Here billows break upon my breast
And brooding sorrows steal my rest.

I pant, I groan, I grieve
For my untoward heart;
How full of doubts I live,
Though full of grace thou art!
What poor returns, I make to thee
For all the mercy shown to me!

And must I ever smart,
A child of sorrows here?
Yet, Lord be near my heart,
To soothe each rising tear;
Then at thy bleeding cross I'll stay,
And sweetly weep my life away.



-John Berridge




Sometimes God's grace looks like me flat on my face.
It isn't plastic smiles. It isn't comfortable, cookie-cutter, American bullshit.
It's messy. It hurts. It's perpetual.
Being transformed, remade into God' image isn't like putting fancy ornaments on a Christmas tree. It's killing the tree by chopping it down, digging up the dead roots, and burning the whole tree by fire.
The Gospel is good news.
Jesus wins.
God plants new trees with imperishable seeds.
He is making me fit for heaven, my true home.
I am so polluted. I desperately need God's grace,
even though I run from Him. Like a shepherd who chases down his wandering, stupid sheep. When the shepherd finds him he, oftentimes, breaks the sheep's leg to prevent him from running any further. In the same way, God graciously wrestles me to the ground and breaks into my life. He uproots and shatters all of my false presumptions about Him, myself, and the world. "By Gods blessing my old foundation was broken up, and I saw that my righteousness would not save me."

The Lord is my Shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and your staff they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil.
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The sweaty summer afternoon provoked it,
a day at the pond.
I didn't know who's pond it was.
A friend of mine, more like an acquaintance,
had a special tie with the woman who lived there.
She kindly allowed us to swim.
She had two rowdy dogs. One, a small golden retriever-
the other, a beefy black lab whose shoulders reached my hips.
We rolled up to the house as the dogs darted toward the car.
We tried not to squish them beneath the tires.
Soon, we reached a cove
at the far end of the pond.
The bank of the pond was a steep rolling slope covered in mud and rock.
There was a small wooden platform at the top of the bank.
In front of the platform hung a rope with a make-shift handle.
It was nearly thirty feet from the water.
We took turns swinging out over the pond.
We made Tarzan calls to one another.
The two dogs would chase us up and down the embankment.
The golden retriever would swim out to us.
He thought he could rescue us from drowning.
I admired his concern.
The big black lab was more like a cow than a dog.
He had a large gaping mouth,
and his teeth were tarnished yellow.
His breath was overpowering,
but his dopey smile made him tolerable.
My brother was up next.
We cheered for him to swing out to us
who were wading in the muddy water.
He grasped the handle.
He leaped in the air.
The golden retriever, as usual, chased him down the slope.
The beastly lab wasn't chasing him this time.
He jumped upward
with his mouth wide open
like a black, bottomless pit.
The number of his yellow teeth showed
that he was not merely playing.
His tremendous jaws clamped shut
with a thunderous clap
that echoed within the cove and throughout the rest of the pond.
My brother screamed.
He hurtled down toward the surface of the water
in a chaotic display of frenzily flailing limbs.
Awkward splashes shot through the air.
I tore through the water to get to him.
The golden retriever tried to rescue him as well,
but he only made the situation more hectic.
Splashing, thrashing, kicking, scratching.
I quickly pulled my brother from the water.
He leaked crimson colors from his ass.
We covered the deep gash with a t-shirt.
He sat uncomfortably in the backseat,
and complained at the bumps in the road.
We took him to the hospital.
The doctor stitched his wound,
and giggled a bit.
We never swam at that pond ever again.

O Worship The King, All Glorious Above!

O worship the King, all glorious above
O gratefully sing His wonderful love
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days
Pavilioned in splender, and girded with praise

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace
Whose robe is the light and canopy space
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm

O measureless might, ineffable love
While angels delight to worship above
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend

You alone are the matchless King
To You alone be all majesty
Your glories and wonders, what tongue can recite?
You breathe in the air, You shine in the light



The Lord is the King of all the earth!
The Heavens and the earth quake at the sound of His name!
All nations will come and bow the knee.
All the kings and rulers in the earth will fall on their faces before his throne.
Their kingdoms will pass away, but yours, O Lord, will never pass away.
You reign forever and ever!

Jesus is King. Jesus is Lord.
Maranatha, Maranatha,
Come, Lord Jesus, Come.

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.



Every breath, every thought, every moment is doxology.

Jesus the Messiah has come and set me free to live out a life of praise, wonder, and thanksgiving.

The King has come wielding a mighty sword, the sword of the Spirit, and has slain the enemy and has set the captives free. Jesus is the one who was to come, the Anointed Son of God, the one greater than David. And He has come to lead his people like a shepherd back to the Father's house. That he might have a household of priests reigning over the creation forever and ever. And he has done this not with weapons made by men or through coercion, but through obedience to His Father's will, through suffering and weakness displayed supremely on the cross! It is true. It is true. It is true. Praise God for his mercy. His wisdom and power and authority are above all mankind. Indeed, over heaven and earth He reigns supreme. All allegiance and love and praise be unto His name now and forever.


Amen.

!

Why am I scared of people in a room?
Why can't they see a good time
are the people close to you?
Why don't I just give in?
Have a drink and shake some hands

Oh ey oh
Oh ey oh

Why am I scarred from what she did to me?
Why can't I trust anyone?
No, not even me
Why don't I just give in?
Have a drink and shake some hands

Oh ey oh
Oh ey oh




It's raining outside. And it is muggy.
I feel like I'm inside of a giant armpit.
yum...

Thinking, Thinking, Always Thinking...

"This commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

I can't help but wonder and marvel at this amazing verse.
I begin to imagine just how much Christ loved his own disciples.
Not one grudge.
Not one vestige of sinful anger.
Not one moment of hatred.
Never once did he embarrass or harass another.
Never a moment of jealousy or envy.
Not one strike; not one blow.

No,

He was perfect in every respect.

Always:

Patient. Loving. Merciful. Meek. Tender. Sacrificial. Peaceable in all things. Humble. Encouraging. Prayerful. Mindful of others, especially the poor and broken in spirit.

"He committed no sin. Neither was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled He did not revile in return. But, He continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly."

"Like a lamb lead to the slaughter so he opened not his mouth..."

A Crucified Savior. A King who dies for his enemies. A Deity who sacrifices his own power and wealth for rebels.

This is ultimate power.
This is supreme wisdom.

I need you now, Holy Spirit.

Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus!


"My soul waits for you,
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning."

It's Bedtime now...

I just saw Transformers.

1) Awesome Special Effects

2) Megan Fox is so hot


There is a bigger story that we all long to be apart of. It's one marked by good and evil, a conflict, and the triumph of one greater than ourselves. Every story gives a taste of what we all long to see true in our own lives. Every story points to THE STORY---the Gospel. Through faith we enter into that triumphal victory in Jesus Christ the one who came down from His throne in Heaven to slay Satan, Sin, and Death. He alone is the victor, the one worthy of worship and praise. He alone has been obedient at every point of the law, and this to the point of death. His perfect life, His perfect death, His perfect resurrection sacrificed as a perfect substitute on behalf of rebellious sinners has brought the climactic resolution for which all of humanity and even creation long to experience.


Check out these amazing musicians:

Immanu el

http://myspace.com/immanuelband

Struggling with sin is evidence of God's amazing grace at work in my life...

I am always searching for new things to satisfy new passions.
I am always waiting for new days to come with old fantasies in the form of a Hollywood movie.
Then I could really live...right?
Then I would have real meaning and substance in my life.
Then I would have purpose, identity, and real happiness.
Then I could love people the way that I imagine myself loving people.
Then I would be a "faithful" Christian.
Then I wouldn't sin as much or perhaps not even at all.
Then I would be like God.
This is how my thinking eventually breaks down.
My entire paradigm needs to be changed.
All of my passions and desires have my "happiness" and myself at the center.
All of my fantasies, perhaps even well-intended wants and desires, are functionally controlled by my desire to suit my own corrupt passions.
It is a vicious cycle that continually feeds itself.
I'm like a stupid dog who keeps chasing his own tail around.
"More! More! MORE! GIVE ME MORE!"
Thank God that he doesn't leave me in my sin.
He doesn't let me stay the same.
He breaks into my life. He is still at work removing the junk from my heart.
He is making me into the image of his Son,
the one in whom he finds Supreme delight and joy.
This is what redemption looks like. God breaking into real history, real time and space, to do and to be what men cannot and will not do for themselves.
Perfect obedience. Perfect righteousness.
God should kick my ass out of his holy presence and into the pits of hell, but instead he has come down in the person of Jesus to perfectly obey on my behalf and then He, himself, was cut off as my substitute.
What a crazy story in which I find myself!
The story isn't over yet.
It's still being played out with living characters and in real time, space, history!
I am comforted to know my Father in Heaven, Yahweh, The Creator God, The Only One True God, The King who has given me His only Son to fulfill His promises.
He has given me his Son in real time, space, and history; but, also, he has given me His Son in His Holy word-in the Bible.
And I can have full confidence in His promises and in his faithfulness to carry them out because His word is sufficient to know and follow Him.
I look forward to the day that I can be with Him and behold Him in the fullness of His glory.
But, I find comfort in knowing Him now, and that I can trust Him fully.
In Christ, the veil has been lifted.
In Christ, I reign as a Prince.
My allegiance belongs to Jesus, the Warrior-King.
"The Lord is a warrior."

Summer in Georgia is so hot these days.

The summer heat dries my skin,

enough to fill an ocean.

All emotion, all thoughts,

begin to evaporate.

These roads are crooked.

These trees stand straight like giants,

and redirect my gaze up towards heaven.


The earth is still. The cities are quiet up there.
Their lights still pulse in all directions.
The moon is content with reflecting the light
of something brighter than himself.


But, my imagination soon tumbles back down to earth.

The heat burns it up and soon it is erased forever.

The sun does not reflect off of my skin so much,

but continues to dry it like old leather.

I wonder if the weather will ever change.

I would like to stand in the rain.

And let it soak into my skin.

Song/Poem

We drive back in the afternoon.

Somehow we pick the hottest time of day.

The mountains were beautiful.

And so were you.

It's hot and muggy in this old car.

The A/C broke last January.

Kind of ironic, don't you see?

We didn't need to stay cold back then.


But summer's here. The sweat leaves traces on the steering wheel.
I'm not dead yet, but I oddly feel I should be in bed by now.
But, somehow, I know I've got a long way to drive. And there are things left unsaid.


The house was a mess when we first left.

I hope that it hasn't gotten worse.

The dog was alive and well.

I hope she checked on him from time to time.

I'd like to see him again.

All of these concerns run through my head.

I know there are things left unsaid.

I should open my mouth.

And I almost do, but you are asleep in the passenger seat.



But summer's here. The sweat leaves traces on the steering wheel.
I'm not dead yet, but I oddly feel I should be in bed by now.
But, somehow, I know I've got a long way to drive. And there are things left unsaid.

In My Bed

The bed is soaked with my groanings.

The sheets are damp with my complaints.

My belly aches are tangled in white sheets.

How could this be God's grace?

The darkest moments are very bright now,

Though the blinds obscure all light from the window.

The beams pierce through the deep dark clouds.

They push through like lightning,

and break apart the thick walls I have built,

made from bricks shaped like white lies.

Soon, I see the reality of it all.

The pain I feel,

The darkness which surrounds me.

Is grace, indeed.

My senses are numb with self-centered cancer.

The sickness goes deeper than my belly.

It could be worse.

It should be worse.

Thank God for his amazing grace.

God Leaves Fingerprints In the Sky...

God Moves in A Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.

-William Cowper


Behind a frowning Providence...He hides a smiling face.

Poem

All of my affectations are fleeting.

I walk along a crooked path with crooked feet holding a crooked stick.

I look beyond the fence and see what fantasies I wish lay there for me,

but I soon stumble upon a rock and I wake up to reality.

The fog rises, a cloud hangs in a fuzzy haze about my eyes.

If only the wind would blow it away.

I would soon see the sun beginning to rise.

Another Day For Grace

I am not who I think I am. . .

Hymn 30

John Newton

Why should I complain?

When my Savior, my Shepherd is near, How quickly my sorrows depart! New beauties around me appear, New spirits enliven my heart: His presence gives peace to my soul, And Satan assaults me in vain; While my Shepherd his pow’r controls, I think I no more shall complain

But alas! what a change do I find, When my Shepherd withdraws from my sight? My fears all return to my mind, My day is soon changed into night: Then Satan his efforts renews To vex and ensnare me again; All my pleasing enjoyments I lose, And can only lament and complain.

By these changes I often pass through, I am taught my own weakness to know; I am taught what my Shepherd can do, And how much to his mercy I owe: It is he who supports me through all, When I faint he revives me again; He attends to my prayer when I call, And bids me no longer complain.

Wherefore then should I murmur and grieve? Since my Shepherd is always the same, And has promised he never will leave Jer 1:19 The soul that confides in his name: To relieve me from all that I fear, He was buffeted, tempted, and slain; And at length he will surely appear, Though he leaves me awhile to complain.

While I dwell in an enemy’s land,

Can I hope to be always in peace?

’Tis enough that my Shepherd’s at hand,

And that shortly this warfare will cease;

For ere long he will bid me remove

Rev 2:10

From this region of sorrow and pain,

To abide in his presence above,

And then I no more shall complain.

Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done. . .

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen."

-Romans 11:33-36

All things having been planned, created, maintained, upheld, and sustained by the wisdom of the Father have been reconciled, restored, affirmed, fulfilled and satisfied in the weakness of the Son and are now being redeemed, accomplished, completed, consummated and concluded by the power of the Holy Spirit. "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen." Every plan, every purpose, every scheme and every thought are being irrevocably and inevitably captivated for the ultimate purpose of Him from whom, by whom, through whom and to whom all things exist. 2 Corinthians 10:5 "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." The Kingdom of God has come; the Day is at hand. The darkness is passing away. All will soon be saturated in the fullness of light and truth; all will soon be revealed in eternal, physical reality; all will soon be right with the world and with our Maker.



Matthew 4:17 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Romans 13:11-14 "Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

I need to go to bed!

The sweetest moments of my day are those spent in silence before the Lord.

I am filled with awe and wonder when I think about the cross.

I wish I always saw it so clearly.

I have no words to say.

Sleep calls.

Z
z
z.