Why is it some people are afraid to acknowledge the name Jesus or the presence of God? Instead of the weather man saying an 'act of God' they say 'mother nature'. Not sure that God is a woman since he is referred to as our 'Heavenly Father'. Then there is the one where people say "the man upstairs is watching us" and don't forget about 'the big guy'. Why is it some people have to make a joke out of God's name? Sure we know what they mean but it seems more 'politically correct' to refer to him in these terms to some and perhaps less threatening or 'religious'. But the fact is God is God!
Jesus is Abba Father, the Almighty, the Alpha and Omega. He is Redeemer, our Defender, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Beginning and the End. He is Light and he is Truth. He is Glorious. He is Jehovah Jirah our Provider. He is our Saviour. He is Master over all things.God is Love.God is our Protector. God is Peace. God is Holy. He is the Bright Morning Star. He is Ruler over all the earth. He is the Creator of the universe.He is more than the 'man upstairs'.
Some say they worship God in nature as their excuse for not going to church. Sure God is out there, he is everywhere and that is wonderful, but when you worship Him in nature do you actually talk to Him and sing His praises as you walk through the forest? One of my favorite places to be to be close to God is at this one state park nearby. I go there occasionally for DAWG days called 'Day Alone With God' but we should not necessarily use going to the woods on Sunday as an excuse for not being in his house of worship with others. It is a convenient excuse to say that you are out in his creation as a way to justify not being in church on Sunday. God is a jealous God. Yes he loves you and he wants you to love Him. Deuteronomy 6:14-15 says "Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land." Further in Deuteronomy 11:28 it says "But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the LORD your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before." Are you rejecting God? Something to ponder in your heart. Only you can decide to make Him first place in your life. Just doing 'works' is not putting Him first place but do you truly spend time with Him and want to know Him better?
Philippians 2:10 says "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." Psalm 95:6 says " Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker." Romans 14:11 says "It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" Do you ever feel like bowing before the Lord or raising your arms up to heaven to declare his glory and to praise Him? Ephesians 3:14 says "For this reason I kneel before the Father." Kneeling is an act of honor and respect. We see in foreign countries how people bow to rulers. The ultimate ruler over all is God Almighty. We should be bowing before Him. Revelation 5:13 says "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
Do you feel about God this way? Does He have first place in your life? Do you want Him to? It says in Revelation 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Christ is knocking on your hearts door. He wants first place in your life not just on Sunday but every day of the week.
PRAYER: Lord I want you to be first place in my life. Forgive me when I have treated you like an obligation and have not wanted to spend time with you each day. Forgive me for only thinking about you one hour on Sunday .From this day forward I want you to take complete control of my life and I want to live for you and serve you. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Note: click on link to experience a wonderful worship song to go along with this devotion. Be blessed.
http://youtu.be/-YYIHIqdSkk
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