The Journey

The Journey

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

Before a person can come to know the Lord, God must first seek that person. Remember when the Lord came to you and spoke the words “come follow me.” Most of us were not wise by human standards, not influential, or noble and saw the cross as either pure foolishness or merely one way amongst many to live our life (1 Corinthians 1:18, 26). Our unrighteousness Romans 3:11-18) left us blind, deaf, and dumb to the matters concerning God (Mark 4:10-12) but thankfully like the Samaritan woman at the well the words of Christ, “everyone who drinks this water I give them will never thirst, indeed the water I give them will become a spring of living water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14); cut so very deeply into our souls that by His might and power and through our faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ (John 3:16) we became born again, not of flesh and blood but of the Spirit of God Himself (John 1:12-13)! Having passed from death to life (John 5:24), sealed by the Spirit and given every spiritual blessing in the Lord (Ephesians 1:3, 13-14) our promised new hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26) leaped for joy for we knew that nothing would ever separate us from the love of our Lord (Romans 8:38)! And yet while we revel in unspeakable joy of being in the “eternal lifeboat” of His grace and mercy; to obey His command to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16) often leaves us hard pressed on every side, perplexed, and overwhelmed. When we said we would deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23) did we truly know how difficult it would be to attain the full measure of Christ (Ephesians 4:13) when spiritual maturity is often attained by getting into the lifeboats of persecutions and tribulations? And yet our thirst and desire to know Christ compels us to follow Him both through the still and the treacherous waters of life.

Getting into the Lifeboats of Praise and Thanksgiving

When a holy, omnipotent, all-powerful God who created all things seen and unseen (Colossians 1:16) invites you into the lifeboat of praise is it easy to climb aboard? King David wrote, “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour fourth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge” (Psalms 19:1-4). And yet while God’s invisible qualities, i.e. His eternal power and divine nature can be clearly seen (Romans 1:20); then why is it that those who participate in His nature (2 Peter 1:4) have such a difficult time praising His name? I know that God is wholly other and as such our attempts to touch the untouchable are often feeble, but surely those who have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and the Spirit who groans for us (Romans 8:26-27) makes praising Him not only attainable but also the delight of our hearts! While none of us are righteous and often our words must seem like babbling to the Lord (Matthew 6:9), we are more than capable of singing songs of praise that express an attitude of servanthood and love towards Him. Though it be simplistic cannot we sing the words, “I love you Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, oh my soul, rejoice” with passion and thirst to draw nearer to Him? Is it truly that difficult to sing and live the words “faithful one, so unchanging. Ageless one, you are the rock of my peace” with thanksgiving in our hearts for whom of us cannot list but a litany of storms that Christ has walked upon its turbulent waters to rescue us the sheep that have wondered away (Matthew 18:10-12)? Though our knees are getting old whom amongst us cannot willfully and joyfully bow to the only One who when “we are down and, oh my soul so weary” raises us up to stand upon the unshakeable rock of His glorious and holy mountain and walk “upon the stormy seas”? And while getting into this lifeboat of praise requires the sacrifice of our “precious time,” surely, we can enter the gates of He who purchased us at the price of His life (1 Corinthians 6:20) with thanksgiving in our hearts (Psalms 100:4) for is not this treasure and pearl in the field (Matthew 13:44-46) our hearts desire and portion, forever (Psalms 16:5)?

One of our favorite lifeboats to be invited into is the one of blessings! “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.” The fact that we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), a little lower than then angels and crowned with honor and glory (Psalms 8:5) are blessings of infinite value. God has blessed us not only with a beautiful love letter from Him but also here in North America the freedom to read, meditate and apply it and let our light shine so that our deeds might point to God the Father in heaven (Psalms 1:2; Matthew 5:16). God has “chosen us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight” (Ephesians 1:4) and “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). We are to give thanks unto the Father, which hath made us partakers of the inheritance of the saints which is incorruptible, undefiled, and will not fade away (Colossians 1:12; 1 Peter 1:4). Praise be that we have but one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, who enables us to boldly come before the Father’s throne and though we deserve condemnation by His stripes we are healed, sanctified and acceptable in the Father’s sight (1 Timothy 2:5; Isaiah 53:5; Hebrews 4:16)! Whom amongst us are not thrilled beyond words that Christ sent an advocate, who is not only our Comforter but also the Spirit of truth that enables and leads us in the way everlasting (John 14:15-21)? Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for not only will they be comforted but also “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (2 Corinthians 1:4; Matthew 5:10). Isn’t it truly wonderful that we need not worry about food, water or clothing but instead are to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto us as well” (Matthew 6:33)? And finally, praise be to God that we have been given spiritual gifts to perform divine tasks (1 Corinthians 12) and miracles in Jesus’ name far greater than He did while on this earth (John 14:12)! Closeness and the renewal of our minds back into the image He created us is joyfully done in the lifeboats of praise and counting our blessings!