Today started with a great day at City Church - as usual the message was like a shot into my heart. In a good way. Pastor Judah started his message with his usual humor and a glimps into his own world. Love how he's so real (and funny) and seems to say exactly what we know and think about a situation - but would never admit to anyone else. ha!
He went on to talk about Moses and his desire to see Gods face. Moses said, "Show me your glory"
God tells Moses that he will give him pretty much anything except show his face. He would not live if he were to see the face of God. (must be some pretty bright light!)
Pastor Judah made a very good point - Moses knew of Gods goodness, knew of the power he had....but he wanted more. He wanted to really know God. .
God decides to let Moses see a glimps of his glory. He first situates the scenario a little bit to keep Moses safe. So he arranges it so that Moses could only see his backside. Just by the majestic power walking past him, Moses has to come down from the mountain with a veil over his face because Gods glory is still shining.
Pastor Judah led us to the new testament where it says in Hebrews, "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"
In other words - when we see the GLORY Of God - It's Jesus!.
In Christ we have a tangible, visible representation of the substance of God. We see God in him: He that hath seen me hath seen the Father (Joh 14:9).
It's an old bible story most of us know, but it really impacted me today for some reason. We live in such a dark world - how sad that the darkness can filter into our minds, our wills and our emotions. I've been there. I once believed the lie that being a christian was just a belief I had - but because I could see no practical influence in my life - I continued to just coax through life without any "lighting" of my path. It wasn't like I was out there committing sin after sin - (although I'm sure I committed my fair share) - but I was numb and trying to do it on my own. Life became hard. Worry and fear set in, doubting myself and my abilities to exist in this world and amount to anything were the expectation I had for myself. Things hadn't gone my way. I had failed miserably at some things and believed that just getting by was going to have to be enough.
It wasn't until Jesus showed himself to me in a dream. This was many many years ago and I wish I could say that after that dream I clung to his hands and never let go - but that wasn't the case. I continued on in my state of darkness and confusion. But that dream is what led me back to Him. The dream was that I was pushed into this dark room where I was frantically trying to find a door to get out of the dark room. Suddenly, while standing there in the middle of complete darkness - Jesus appeard to me as light....He was brilliant and he took my hands in his - I woke up but seriously felt the touch of his hands still on my hands. It was something he never let me forget.
Here is a little commentary I found after looking up the some of the scriptures shared today.
The human soul is dark respecting the divine character until it is enlightened by Christ. It sees no beauty, no glory in his nature - nothing that excites wonder, or that wins the affections, until it is disclosed by the Redeemer. somehow it happens, account for it as people may, that there are no elevating practical views of God in the world; no views that engage and hold the affections of the soul; no views that are transforming and purifying, but those which are derived from the Lord Jesus. A man becomes a Christian, and at once he has elevated, practical views of God. He is to him the most glorious of all beings. He finds supreme delight in contemplating his perfections. But he may be a philosopher or an infidel, and though he may profess to believe in the existence of God, yet the belief excites no practical influence on him; he sees nothing to admire; nothing which leads him to worship him; compare Romans 1:21.
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
So - anyhow that sums up what my life was like before I really gave my life to Jesus. I knew he was always there - but my mind was clouded. It's almost like a veil was over my eyes and I didn't know there was anything I even needed to see.
Isaiah 44:18 says "They know nothing, they understand nothing;
their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand."
I have to remember this verse when I think of my friends and some relatives who don't know Jesus yet. This is a good verse to reflect on when praying for them. I pray the scales will fall off their eyes and they will see his glory!!!
If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Well, that's pretty much all I have today. It was a long day. I spent it with five amazing junior high girls. I took them to lunch and spent the rest of the day at Salmon Days. These girls are so precious. All of them are so different yet share the common bond of Jesus as their all in all. The cutest part was hearing them share their hopes and dreams and giggle as they talked about the kind of guy they want to marry one day. These girls are the kind of girls I pray my son Ryan chooses for a wife. It was so refreshing to be around girls who really want Gods best for them. I pray they stay on this path and that they are never swayed from the truth - that they remain steadfast, holding onto Jesus. I can guarantee them one thing - He will never let them go. :-)
Good night.
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