LOST IN THE WONDER OF HIS GLORY

 

LOST IN THE WONDER OF HIS GLORY

Verse for Today: Exodus 24:18

“And Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights”

            It’s unthinkable for a person to be secluded in the top of a mountain even for a day. Such isolation and deprivation of basic environment and facilities will make a man dry in his emotions and physically weak even for a day. There will be a feeling of emotional and physical suffocation and even cause fear and confusion. But we see the Man God (Jesus) was without food and rest for forty days and forty nights confronted by Satan in all possible tests in the wilderness. Yet Moses, the first human who was isolated in a mountain, survived the long isolation and deprivation for forty days and nights in the presence of God without causing any damage to his mind, body and soul. We can envisage how God had him for intimate fellowship. God strengthened him to withstand the pressures of this unusual mountainous experience. Moses was enabled to be in the mountain for forty days and forty nights without human contact and food and water and basic amenities in life. He was sustained during this time with divine energy and enablement through the glory of God which encompassed round about him.

            Similar experiences were granted to many of God’s servants like Enoch, Elijah, Joshua, Samuel, Soul of Tarsus, Apostle John and many of God’s prophets in varying degrees when they all entered the presence of God. They heard the voice of the Lord and received the revelation of God. Some of them like Apostle John and Prophet Daniel fell as though dead when they were in God’s presence.

            God’s presence has a nurturing power centre for His children. It’s a spiritually, emotionally and physically empowering and nurturing place which enables His children to enjoy and to fill with His power. God’s voice is a healing, soothing and impacting panacea for all the ills of His servant in all their physical, emotional and spiritual realms of life. The vision of the glory of God exposed to God’s servants give them full healing of their spiritual eyes to see the entire truth God wants them to see and understand. It’s these realities that sustain them to continue to serve God in the way in which God wants them to preach and forewarn the people of God about God’s plans for the ages to come.

            Today all God’s children are privileged to draw nigh unto Him to see His glory and get lost in the wonder and awe of Him. It is then that we are challenged to see the reality of His plans and programs for the church and for the world. All of these are in God’s eternal plan for the people of the world who are to get saved. It reveals the plan of God for His church and all its ministries embodied in its heavenly frame. It encourages, strengthens and empowers God’s servants to preach and teach these truths so as to build up His children. It touches upon the hearts of His shepherds to touch the lives of God’s children through the various ministries they are called upon to undertake. The power these ministering brethren receive through the visions they are blessed with which they will minister among God’s people according to God’s perfect will.

            There is a powerful, loving and challenging invitation for us today to draw nigh unto the Lord in His holy presence. We are motivated by His Spirit to leave behind all our fleshly attachment to the world and the Vanity Fair. He wants us to climb up to Him in His Mountain with great expectations. He wants to share His love, plans and programs with us so that we can share it with His people and with the people of the world. He wants us to go to Him with great passion to see His glory. He also wants us to have a deep thirst to drink of His plans and programs so as to enable us to share with others. He wants us to be a blessing to those we are expected to minister unto. His promise of blessings will be with us as we spread His passion to others for His glory.

Isaiah 40:10 – They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Thought for Today

The more we get meshed with the Lord and His presence, the more we will be lost into His wonder and awe, thereby get to know His perfect will and pleasure in all that we do and cherish.

Prayer for Today

Dear Lord: Please give us your immeasurable grace today to get lost in Your glory so as to know You, Your will and pleasure for us and those around us. Amen!   

HIS REWARDS FOR HIS SERVANTS!

                     His Rewards for His servants

Verse for Today: Revelation 22:12

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with me, to give to everyone according to his work”.

            Every master gives reward to his servants who work diligently for him. The reward is offered as a motivation to work hard with loyalty. It’s often according to the quality and quantity of work and the time spent in the master’s field.

            Jesus, the Master has His called out servants. He has a lot of work to be accomplished. He has the power to accomplish His entire task by Himself. He also has millions of angels who can be entrusted with His tasks. But the Master is pleased to allocate His tasks to His servants who are His saved servants. He gives them spiritual gifts to suit each task. He motivates His servants to work in His vineyard. There are the tillers, the sewers, the irrigators, the veeders, the stone pickers, the reapers, the vinedressers, the watchmen and the field builders (Isaiah 5:1-2).  All of His servants have specific tasks and time schedules. He supplies them with all the necessary resources and tools to accomplish their tasks. The Master reminds His servants that a reward is waiting for them and it is offered according to the work put in by each worker.

            The reward is determined by the Master according to His yardstick and balances. He is the perfect judge who will decide how much each worker deserves. He is eager to come and reward His servants as they accomplish their tasks. There rewards are presented publicly. It’s on the basis of His honor-roll which He prepares Himself on the basis of the completed tasks and the transparency with which tasks are performed. The servant is expected to work on the basis of his love for the Master and his degree of commitment.

            It’s the Master who appoints us and trains us to serve Him according to His perfect will and pleasure. He has given us His Holy Spirit as the powerhouse to energize us to work. We must find pleasure in serving the Master. But we must work out of our loyalty to the Master and not for any reward. Our reward is more like grace shown to us by the Master, but we must serve out of our obligation to Him in return for His grace to us.

            We servants must ask ourselves as to whether we are working hard or lazy and negligent in our responsibilities. We must consider it a great privilege to work for such a benevolent, merciful and compassionate Master who is pleased to use us for His kingdom and His honor.  As we receive the opportunity to serve Him, He is pleased to reward us. So it ought to be work without desiring anything in return. But our compassionate Master makes sure that we get recognized for our work for Him and give us a fitting reward. Thus no one will be able to complain or murmur about the yardstick that He uses to decide what kind of reward we may receive.

            Today let us evaluate our work ourselves and realize that we have not worked commensurate with the reward that He offers. This truth ought to make us surrender ourselves to greater work with greater zeal and enthusiasm. Let us be grateful to the Lord for His desire to give us greater reward than what we ever deserve. This ought to cause us to praise Him forever.

Matthew 16:27 – For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and He will repay each person according to what He has done (ESV).

Thought for Today

“Let us anticipate looking at the glorious face of our Lord when we see Him rather than the rewards He will give us”

Prayer for Today

“Dear Lord! May we be motivated by your love and grace to make us your servants rather than the reward you will give us. Amen!”

A MEETING AT HIS PEAK!

 

A Meeting at His Peak

Verse for Today: Genesis 22:2

“Take now your son, your only son Isaac and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you”. 

            Some of the greatest blessings of God to His children were imparted at mountain peaks. It was on a mountain peak at Sinai that Moses met God for a personal encounter, thereby received the Law (Exodus 34:2). It was on the Mount of Transfiguration that the Lord revealed His glory to His three disciples (Matthew 17:1; John 1:14). It was on a mount that Jesus preached the sermon of blessedness (Matthew 5:1). When the inheritance of the promise land was divided, Caleb requested for Mount Hebron as he felt that he could climb the mount by faith. It was given to Achsah his daughter. Hebron was the place where Abraham built a tent. It was the tent of faith and fellowship.

            The mountain peaks from where God’s people received spiritual blessings had to be climbed by His people by faith. These mountains were peaks of promises of God. But His children had to climb these peaks by faith. To seek after these mountains, they had to look up heavenward. They had to climb the mountains with great expectancy. They had to believe on God and His promises. They had to have the right expectations as they looked up and climbed. They had to prepare themselves as they climbed. A great spiritual experience awaited the climbers as they moved up a step at a time. There at the peaks, they heard the voice of the Lord. They all saw the glory of the Lord. They were enabled to worship the Lord. They were confronted with the power and prominence of God at the top of these peaks. These climbers were enabled to encounter the Lord and His very person. There they saw the Lord and through Him, they saw themselves. These meeting-points gave them all a new start in life and ministry. 

            We are called upon to follow the pathway earmarked for us today to desire and focus on a blessed mountain peak experience. We must climb with great expectations as we encounter the Lord. These peaks give us a new goal in life. It’s far more than what we would ever envisage. The Law God gave Moses led God’s people throughout the last centuries. The worshipful experience of Abraham on Mount Moriah is the foundation of worship of God’s children when he learnt a new name for God (Jehovah Jireh) which helped them to know how to worship. The vision of the glorified Lord on Mount of Transfiguration helped the disciples see a glimpse of the glory of God. The mount of the Great Sermon exposed the disciples to the manifesto of the Kingdom of God as the guideline for their life and ministry.

            A life and ministry of God’s children begins with a vision of the glory of God. There is an invitation to go to the peak where God dwells. But we must go with adequate spiritual, mental, emotional and physical purification and preparedness. We must confess our sins, failures and inadequacies before we begin to climb. We must go with full surrender to the will of God which He will reveal to us as we meet with Him and listen to Him at His peak. All disobediences must be confessed before we go to the Lord. He is out there to receive us with open arms and heart. He evaluates us and our capabilities. He understands our needs. He is there to strengthen us to obey Him and to equip us to take His Word with total seriousness and full commitment. He wants us to go to Him with worshipfulness. He expects us to listen to Him keenly. We must be keen not to allow anything that would distract us from listening to the Lord.

            Today there is a great challenge for us to climb up to His peak into His presence for a spiritual encounter with the Lord. It’s a testing ground for our faith and commitment. It’s an encounter of love for our Lord. It’s an opportunity to leave behind all that is dear to us and detach from it all. We must aspire to draw unto the Lord with ardent attachment to Him. It is then that the Lord will reveal Himself and His glory to us and capture our minds to listen to Him and His plans and programs for us.

Psalms 24:3 – “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? (Or) who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart….”  

Thought for Today

The faith to climb the hill of the Lord and the passion to surrender ourselves to Him will help us to expect great things from Him to create a spiritual impact in our environment through us.  

Prayer for Today

“Dear Lord! Help me to develop sustainable spiritual thirst for your nearness at the top of Your Mountain”. Amen!

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS IN THE MORNING

 

Mountain Climbers in the Morning

Verse for the Day: Exodus 34:2 

“So be ready in the morning, and come up in the Morning to Mount Sinai and present yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain”.

            It’s amazing how God is keen to speak to His children all day long. He wants them to start early in the morning when their hearts are clean, without getting corrupted by the world. He wants us to give our days and our hearts totally to Him to fill it with His presence. When God gives His children a new day, He expects them to start the day with Him by surrendering themselves to Him in His Holy Presence. He wants His children to begin the day with Him so that from the morning, He can fill their day with the exuberance and the glory of His person and His presence.

            God lives far above the earth and the earthly and wants us to climb to the top to reach out to His level. He knows that we can be free from the corruption of this world and the sound of temptations of the world and Satan if we are far above the earthly. But it’s equally amazing how He grants us the power and the strength to climb up above the top of the mountains of the world which try to attract us. It’s only in His presence far above the earthly that we will listen to Him and focus solely on Him with our whole heart, soul, mind and attention. He wants us to give Him our undivided attention. He wants us to listen to Him keenly and with the commitment to obey Him.

            When we are in His presence, we will behold His glory and worship Him. When we behold His holiness, it will help us to catch a glimpse of His awesomeness and present ourselves to Him in all sincerity and seriousness. But this demands us to leave our earthly environment and all the attractions of the world. All powers that try to attract us away from Him and distract us will then leave us.  It’s then that the Lord will get us completely in His hands to speak to us, exhort us, comfort us and instruct us to walk His ways. Such a spiritual environment will help us to present ourselves to the Lord and that we will escape the cares of the world, human life and the aches and pains that the world will try to challenge us with.

            Today let us start our day with the Lord in His presence. Let us climb His Mountain in our spiritual quest to reach out to Him as He waits to reach out to us. Let us behold His glory and get ourselves enchanted with that heavenly glory. Let the power of His glory create a deep thirst in our hearts to know the Lord more deeply and touch Him by faith. It was such an experience that changed the lives of Abraham, Enoch, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David and Job in their encounter with the Lord and His glory. Let us give ourselves and our days to Him to speak to us beginning with our early morning like Abraham (Genesis 19:27).

                        When we draw near unto Him in His presence early in the morning, He wants us to go to Him with the freshness of mind, with a clean heart so that God can write His perfect will on it for us to follow and obey. Anything that the world and the flesh have written on it with their priorities, likes, dislikes and goals will need to be erased so that the Lord will be able to write His goals, priorities and preferences written on it with His own hands as He wrote on the stone tablets Moses had.

            Meeting with God requires thorough preparation of the mind, heart, soul and even a holy body to enable us to know His perfect will for our lives like that of Moses. Each of His children ought to climb individually.

            Dear reader: Are you prepared to meet your God early in the morning? Are you climbing the mountain of God and reach the heavenly to see God’s glory? Are you ready to listen to God and obey Him irrespective of consequences? God’s divine gifts of oil, honey and milk await you as you reach out to God in the morning for your whole day. It will continue to flow to you daily if you start the day with God in His presence on the mountaintop. It will make you strong to fulfill His desires for you as He enables you.

  Psalms 36:9 – For with You is the fountain of life: in Your light we see light.

Thought for Today

We climb God’s Mountain by faith to behold His glory and receive His light to enable us to live for Him.   

Prayer for Today

O Lord! Thank You for your love in drawing us to Your presence morning by morning and fill us with your light and glory! Please equip us to live in Your light today and forever by climbing Your Holy Mountain! Amen!