April 22, 2017

Giving

Relax. This is not about money.
This is about something much more valuable than the currency of any nation on earth. This is about the heart. More than a muscle or a pump for pushing blood round and round inside of us, the heart is who we really are. Our inmost thoughts and deepest desires are what the heart really pumps through us.

And the heart is what God wants us to give. He gave His heart to us—not just sharing His image with us—but sending Jesus to save us. The Gospel is the heart business.

The heart can deceive.

• A rotten heart spoils worship that is otherwise flawless.
• A deceptive heart creates a fantasy world for us to live in, not a real one.
• We believe the lies our hearts tell us and build our lives on this brand of shifting sand.
• When the storms come and the waters rise, our hearts are swept away with our furniture leaving us wondering how God could let something like this happen to us!

But there is another way to live.
Because Creator God has sent His Heart—King Jesus—to live in our world and conquer it for us,

• His truth can fill our hearts.
• Then, with the guidance of the Abiding Spirit within, our hearts start telling us the truth.
• The truth goes coursing through our veins into every bit and bone, molecule and muscle of our being.
• We believe the truths our redeemed hearts tell us and build our lives on this brand of solid rock.
• Storms still come and waters still rise, but our hearts and all our accumulated stuff stay where they are, secure in the grace of God.

All of this to say this: When we gather with the saints of God to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, it is not really about receiving—it is about giving—giving our hearts to God. We are commanded to give the Lord the “glory due unto His name.” That’s a lot of glory! We can’t do that on auto-pilot. It takes our whole heart and our complete focus. We should not be distracted by anything or anyone. It is time to obey the Great Commandment, to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

With all the songs and the confessions and the prayers and actions of worship adoration, we are giving to God the thanksgiving and praise—the glory!—He deserves.

We are giving Him our hearts. After all He gave His to us!

Scriptures:
Psalm 29
Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!” The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.
Revelation 4:8-1; 19:4-7 NIV
Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!” Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 13:15-16 NKJV
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Colossians 3:17 NKJV
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Acts 20:35 NKJV
… remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I cannot add to Your stature with my praise. The honor and glory I give You does not increase Your magnificence at all. When I give You glory, my soul sees Your splendor more clearly. My heart hears the music of Your Throne Room and sings along with abandon. I come boldly to the Throne of Grace bearing my petitions, knowing You hear me and care for my needs. I cannot add to Your glory but I can express it to the best of my ability. Let the measure of my praises be “the Glory Due Your Name!” Amen.

Song:
Give unto the Lord
Words from Psalm 29; Music: Steve Phifer

Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due His name.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Give Him blessing. Give Him honor.
Give Him glory. Give Him power.
Give unto the Lord the glory due His name.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

We give You blessing. We give You honor.
We give You glory. We give You power.
We give unto You, Lord, the glory due Your name.
We worship You, Lord, in the beauty of holiness.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved