Tag: Worship

Three Spheres United

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Journal Entry // December 17, 2022

And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven (ESV)

Revelation 10:5

As I was thinking through my reading this morning in Revelation 9 and 10, I read through the notes in my study Bible and it mentioned that this verse shows the uniting of the three spheres of creation. We see this in that the angel has one foot on the sea, one foot on the land, and his right hand raised to heaven. I found this detail intriguing as I had never really contemplated the importance of this image alongside the proclamation that the angel was delivering. That message being that he swore by the Creator (the one who created these three spheres) that there would be no more delay in the fulfillment of the mystery of God. This mighty angel was here to proclaim that the long awaited for mystery would be revealed to all the world. There would be no more delay as the Lord would unite all of heaven and earth under the headship and authority of Christ alone.

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Grief and Worship

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Journal Entry // December 7, 2022

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. (ESV)

Job 1:20

In this chapter of Job, we see the response of Job to the trials and sufferings brought upon him. The enemy was given permission to assault all that Job possessed and cared about in this world. So the enemy was ruthless and relentless in fulfilling this desire to strike down everything that was near and dear to Job. The enemy had Job’s livestock slaughtered along with the servants assigned to care for them. Then not being satisfied with this, the enemy set upon Job’s children and took their lives as well.  Job receives all of this news within a short span of time and we are told of his response in verse 20. His response to all of this grief, violence, and loss of life that was reported to him was to express his grief through worship. Job chose to grieve the loss that was reported to him but he did so through a humble and reserved trust in the goodness of God. He acknowledged that it is the Lord’s right to give and take away as he determines and he deserves only blessing and honor. The Lord tells us that in this response Job held fast to his integrity.

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Canvas for God’s Glory

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Journal Entry // August 18, 2022

Galatians 1:24

And they glorified God because of me. (ESV)

A changed life is what Paul is speaking about in this passage. A life that he once thought was dedicated to serving God but was actually persecuting the Son of God. A life that was full of zeal and passion for the things of God but was so full of pride and self-righteousness that then led him to work against the gospel and the Kingdom of Christ. It was not until Paul encountered the risen Jesus and was given a new heart and had become a new creation that Paul was then able to see Jesus as his true and only Savior. His life changed instantly and completely. The man who once sought to destroy the church of Christ was now not only a part of the congregation, but one of its leading advocates. This complete life change, that was only by the hand and appointment of God himself, is the canvas that was used to demonstrate the power and grace and mercy of Christ. And it was this godly life changing picture that encouraged and motivated the people to glorify God because of Paul. Not because of what he had done, but because of what God had done.

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