August 24, 2007 by Shane Kastler.

The Second of God’s TEN COMMANDMENTS says:  “Thou Shalt Not Make a Graven Image.” (Exodus 20:4-6) Obviously, it’s a “no-brainer” to most Christians that we should not make any statues that we bow down to and worship.  This brand of idolatry was fairly common in Biblical times….and is still common in many parts of the world today.  But the commandment is not simply against making images of “false gods”….it also includes making images of the REAL God, since part of the commandment forbids us to  make “any likeness of what is in heaven above.” (Exodus 20:4) 

            GOD is all powerful, all knowing, supremely sovereign….and UNSEEN.  He is invisible to our physical eyes, because He has chosen to be that way.  Indeed, God has ordained that it is only with “spiritual eyes of faith” that we are allowed to “see” Him in anyway.

             I think many people in our society struggle with this because we put such a premium on appearance.  Living in the technology age as we do, we expect someone to look a certain way, if we are to give them our praise or support.  Politicians spend a fortune hiring consultants who will help them project the right image.  They concern themselves with the right suit, the right hair style, the right voice inflection….all so they can appear to be fearless leaders, when in fact they may not be.  Richard Nixon lost the 1960 Presidential election to John Kennedy in large part because Kennedy looked so much more polished in their television debate, which was the first such debate ever televised nationwide.  Ironically, a man like Abraham Lincoln, who many consider our greatest President, would have no chance of being elected in our day and age.  He was tall, gangly, bearded, and ugly.  We wouldn’t like his “appearance.”  And the fact is, we might not like God’s appearance either.  Let me explain.

            God cannot be seen by man….unless God chooses to manifest Himself to man, which is exactly what He did.  In fact, God BECAME a man and “dwelt among us” in the person of Jesus Christ.  And we were so impressed with His appearance that we killed Him.  But Jesus did not come to dazzle us with His Physical appearance….He came to dazzle us with the GLORY OF GOD.  By His own choice, He came humbly and unimpressive in appearance. 

            So what did Jesus look like?  Well, He certainly wasn’t a blond haired, blue eyed Anglo-Saxon in a 3-piece suit.  He was born as a Middle Eastern Jew, who worked as a carpenter.  The closest thing we have to a physical description comes from Isaiah.  “He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”  (Isaiah 53:2-3 NASB)  Incidentally, the only other physical characteristic we know of Him is that he had a beard (Isaiah 50:6), which will be a disappointment to the obsessive “clean cut” crowd among us.  Make no mistake; if you are impressed by physical appearance, then you would have been disappointed in Jesus.  BUT, if you’re impressed by DIVINE POWER…..then you would have worshipped Him for the God that He was and is. 

            We don’t really know what GOD looks like…..yet.   But one day we will.  The day is approaching in which He will be “coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.”  Revelation 1:7 (NASB)  On that day we will ALL see Him….but we won’t all be happy to see Him.  Some will see Him as their Savior, and they will rejoice to behold the Lord in all of His Majestic Glory.  He will take us unto Himself and welcome us into His Perfect Pardise.  Others will see Him as the Divine Judge, who has come to shell out the final, eternal reckoning.  They rejected Him on Earth….and they shall suffer forever in Eternity.

            So, what does God look like?  You had better seek the answer with “spiritual eyes” rather than “physical eyes.”  God is Holy, Perfect, Righteous and Just.  But we are woefully sinful creatures.  Yet, God in His Infinite Holiness, is also Gracious and Merciful; inviting us to His table and promising our adoption if we will but repent and place our faith in Christ Jesus as Lord.  You cannot SEE Him…but you CAN have Him as your eternal King and Savior.  We will see Him soon enough, for the day is coming when His people will worship Him, bowing before His throne, at His very feet.  Then we shall see Him…..and our imaginations will be forever satisfied in Him Alone.

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July 23, 2007 by Shane Kastler.

I love to read American History, especially if it is American “Civil War” History.  And one of my favorite practices as I read history is to see how God used various people to carry out His plan.  God is ultimately sovereign over all things…and orchestrates events to serve His eternal purposes.  Not all Christians believe that.  And certainly not all soldiers believe that.  But there once lived a man, who was both a Christian and a Soldier…and he wholeheartedly believed in God’s providential rule over all things, even his own death.  That soldier was Tom Jackson.  Better known as Stonewall Jackson.           

My interest in Jackson has spanned most of my life.  I’ve always been told that I was related to him, albeit as a “distant relative.”  My Great-Great Grandpa (also named Tom Jackson) was a first cousin to Stonewall, so I read my first book about the great Confederate General when I was boy.  I recently read another biography of Jackson and relished what I discovered.            

Stonewall Jackson was not born into a devout Christian family.  In fact, the Jacksons of Virginia were a pretty rowdy bunch.  Both of his parents died when he was fairly young, so Stonewall and his sister lived most of their growing up years with an uncle who was a little on the shady side.  It wasn’t until he was in his early twenties, and serving in the Army, that Jackson believed the gospel of Christ, and was radically saved.  Eventually Stonewall would marry a Presbyterian minister’s daughter, and become a Deacon in the church.  But make no mistake; Stonewall wasn’t acting religious to get a girl.  He took his relationship with Christ very seriously. 

From the time of his conversion, he began trying to share the gospel with others.  In the letters he wrote to his sister, he frequently told her that he was concerned for her soul and that he was praying for her.  Stonewall’s faith was as solid as a rock…and it would have to be.  While delivering their first child, his wife and newborn daughter both died.  It jolted him to his core.  Though he wasn’t the type to share his feelings, it was obvious to anyone paying attention that this loss affected Jackson deeply.  At the time, he was an Instructor at the Virginia Military Institute, and for over a year, he wore a black armband in memory of his beloved wife.  But time marches on and eventually, Jackson re-married; once again, to a Presbyterian minister’s daughter.            

When the Civil War broke out, Jackson sided with his native Virginia and seceded from the Union.  The funny thing about the Civil War is that everyone assumes the South was racist, and the North was not.  But this simply isn’t true.  In fact, by today’s standards, both sides would have been considered racist.  But, with that said, it surprises people to know that Confederate General Robert E. Lee abhorred the practice of slavery.  Yet he sided with the South because of State loyalties.  Likewise, Stonewall Jackson had a deep love for black children and for many years he taught a special Sunday School outreach to the black children of Lexington, Virginia.  Even after he was fighting the Civil War, he would faithfully send a monthly financial gift to his pastor to support the black children’s Sunday School. 

In addition to this, Jackson would always take off his hat and bow in the presence of a lady.  Of course this was a very common practice in the Old South…but Jackson would show this courtesy to both white and black women.  That was unheard of.  During the course of his life, he bought 2 slaves, both of whom he purchased so that he could set them free.  If you try to paint Stonewall Jackson as the stero-typical Southern bigot, it simply won’t work.  He was a Godly man, who showed great respect to the black people of his day.              

Once the Civil War began and Jackson attained the rank of General, he continued to be a tremendous witness and example of Godly living.  He surrounded himself with other Christians and frequently led the troops in prayer.  He appointed Robert L. Dabney, who is widely considered one of America’s greatest theologians, as his Chief of Staff, and part time chaplain.  Dabney’s hard-hitting gospel sermons became a norm in Stonewall Jackson’s brigade.  And after Jackson’s death, Dabney wrote the first biography of his friend, detailing Jackson’s spiritual walk with Christ, through the horrors of a violent war.            

Stonewall Jackson was a devout Christian in an atmosphere that wasn’t always favorable towards religion.  When his men used profanity, Jackson would rebuke them.  When offered a drink of whiskey, Jackson always refused, stating:  “I never drink intoxicating beverages.”  Once, when he was pressed to have a shot of whiskey on a cold rainy night, Jackson told his colleague that before he was a Christian he drank quite frequently and rather enjoyed it, and because of the fact he enjoyed the taste of liquor so much, he knew he must never touch it….and he never did.            

But I would like to talk specifically about Jackson’s rock-solid belief in the Sovereignty of God, because it’s that belief that led to his bravery…and his nickname.  At the first battle of Bull Run, while being bombarded by the Union, Jackson stayed mounted upon his horse and defiantly raised his face toward the enemy.  Jackson’s brigade withstood the onslaught, and Brigadier General Bernard Bee, exhorted his own troops saying:  “There stands Jackson like a Stonewall.  Men, let’s determine to die here with him.”  Ironically, Bee was killed, but Jackson lived.  And his brigade became known as the Stonewall Brigade.  The Confederate Army even “officially” changed their name to the Stonewall Brigade…and from that day on, Tom Jackson became known as Stonewall.  Though Jackson maintained until his dying day that the nickname “Stonewall” belonged to the Brigade and not him personally.

It was also during this battle that Jackson’s calm shone through.  In the heat of a relenting assault, Jackson was brought a message from a courier.  Jackson opened the envelope, read the message, and turned it over and began writing his reply.  All the while, shells were going off all around him.  One shell blew up a tree not far from Jackson, peppering him with wood chips.  He calmly brushed the chips off of his paper and continued writing.  Then re-mounted his horse as though nothing happened. 

Those who witnessed the event were shocked, and after the battle a Captain enquired as to how Jackson could always appear so calm in the midst of the fiercest battles.  Jackson’s response is deeply profound and thoroughly Biblical.  If you have a loved one in the military, then take comfort in Jackson’s words.  If you have a loved one on the mission field, then take comfort in Jackson’s words.  If you fear YOUR future, then take comfort in Jackson’s words.  Jackson responded:  “Captain, my religious belief teaches me that I’m just as safe on the battlefield as I am in my bed.  The Lord has already appointed the day of my death (Psalm 139:16) so I need not worry about that.  I live my life and prepare myself so I will always be ready to meet my Lord, when death does overtake me.”  Jackson’s high view of God was astounding to the young Captain.  But Jackson wasn’t finished.  He wasn’t content with a theology lesson; he had an evangelistic motive as well.  Jackson continued:  “Captain, my religion is one that ALL MEN should follow.  If they did, then ALL MEN would be equally brave.”

Without question, Jackson was devout…but don’t make the mistake of thinking he was soft.  He was as tough as nails and had an uncanny discipline.  He pushed his men hard as they hiked the rugged hills of Virginia.  They jokingly became known as the “foot cavalry” because of the speed at which they could travel.  Once, one of his Colonels approached him asking his advice about what to do concerning a handful of deserters.  Jackson was shocked the Colonel had to ask:  “Why Colonel, you should have shot them right where they stood.”  However, Jackson cooled a little and instead had the men bound and marched to the firing line where riflemen took aim at them.  Jackson then gave them a choice:  they could either return to their unit…or be shot.  Amazingly, they all chose to return to their unit (surprise, surprise).  When Jackson gave the command to his artillery man at Bull Run, he gave the order to fire with these words:  “May the Lord have mercy on their wicked souls…NOW FIRE!”  In another battle, Jackson was surprised to meet some of his troops retreating from the front.  When he asked why, they said they were out of ammunition.  “Gentlemen, a bayonet makes for a fine weapon…now turn around and fight!”

I don’t think Jackson was a mean man at all….He just believed firmly in rules and insisted that they be followed.  He also had a strong belief in right and wrong; and he was willing to stand for what he believed to be right at any cost.  But make no mistake, he had his faults.  For example, he had little patience for anyone who lacked the amazing discipline he had.  He wouldn’t hesitate to bring court martial charges against anyone who stepped out of line, including his senior officers.  He could be very bull-headed, overly confident, and set in his ways….but that was largely because he believed firmly in the Confederate cause…and the Sovereignty of God.  But, surprising to some, Jackson had a soft side as well. One account, which is included in the movie “Gods & Generals” tells of Jackson spending Christmas with a family during the days surrounding the Battle of Fredericksburg.  The family had a 5 year old daughter who befriended Jackson, and everyone was amazed to watch the tough and gritty General speak so kind and sweetly to the little girl.  Several days later, Jackson got word that the girl had died of scarlet fever.  He walked to the edge of camp, knelt down within sight of his men, and began to weep uncontrollably.   His men were astonished.  He had witnessed the violent death of numerous soldiers and scarcely batted an eye.  Yet the untimely death of this little girl brought the warrior to his knees.It’s one thing to SAY you believe in God’s perfect providence over your life.  It’s another thing all together to LIVE it, when life deals you a hard blow.  By an amazing twist of fate (or more specifically, providence), Jackson, whose days were appointed by God, died a tragic and freakish death.  In the midst of victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Jackson rode to the front to personally examine the situation.  As he rode back towards his troops, right after sundown, he was fired upon, being mistaken for the enemy.  He was immediately taken to a field hospital where his left arm was amputated.  Upon hearing of the incident, General Robert E. Lee, Commander of the Confederate Army remarked famously:  “Jackson has lost his left arm, and I have lost my right.”  Though Jackson had a difficult time getting along with many people, he had a very close relationship with Lee, and the accident came as a severe jolt.  But, the initial reports were promising.  Though an amputee, Jackson was expected to make a full recovery….that is, until the pneumonia set in.  Eight days after being shot, Jackson died, at the age of 39. 

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June 21, 2007 by Shane Kastler.

Knowing Jesus with your head won’t save you. You must know Him with your heart. One of the most brilliant Jewish scholars of the 1^st century was a young man named Saul of Tarsus. By his own admission, he was advancing in Judaism “beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen , being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.” (Galatians 1:14 NASB) Not only was Saul bright and zealous, he was also educated by the best Rabbi in all of Jerusalem. Gamaliel poured his vast Hebrew knowledge into his protégé Saul, and no doubt longed to see Saul reach the pinnacle of Judaism. Gamaliel was so highly respected in Jerusalem that he had earned a nickname among the Jews. They called him, “The Rabbi.” Not “A Rabbi” mind you, but “THE Rabbi.”

For a young Jewish man to be educated at the feet of Gamaliel would have been the 21^st century American equivalent of having a Ph.D. from Harvard. Just as the Old Testament King Saul was “head and shoulders” above his cohorts, so this New Testament Saul, was “head and shoulders” above his contemporaries in a Jewish intellectual sense. In fact, Saul may have even reached that pinnacle of Judaism by serving as a member of the ruling group of 70 men, known as the Sanhedrin. And it was about this time, when Saul was around 30 years of age…that he first became acquainted with the Name of Jesus.

Stephen was a Christian. And not just any Christian, he was a faithful, and you might even say, zealous Christian. In fact, he was to be the first Christian martyr, stoned for his faith by the 1^st century Jews. Saul was there when they killed him…and he couldn’t wait to see Stephen die. Saul hated Stephen, and everything Stephen stood for. When it came time to vote on his execution, Saul heartily cast his vote against him. (see Acts 26:10) But Stephen wasn’t quite ready to die. Though his death was imminent, he was going to go down in a blaze of glory. He would die preaching the very gospel that led to his fate. In Acts 7, we read Stephen’s final sermon. In an amazing combination of Old Testament history, reasoned argumentation, and Spirit empowered zeal, Stephen starts with Father Abraham and goes all the way to Jesus. As the Spirit inspired Stephen, his rapid-fire dialogue became more and more bold. With one final pronouncement of judgment upon the Jews, Stephen rails, “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.” Acts 7:51-53 (NASB)

And now…Stephen must die. To say the Jews were livid would be the understatement of the millennium. They gnashed their teeth and charged him. Like any good thug, they first took off their coats. It wouldn’t do to get blood on the cashmere jacket. Saul, guarded their coats for them, while they furiously flung rocks at Stephen’s head and torso, until he was savagely bludgeoned to death. But Stephen’s final sentence was chilling: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60 NASB)

Saul was now, not only enraged…he was also inspired. Young men can be very dangerous, if they believe in a cause. Many have been willing to kill and be killed for something they believe in……even if they’re wrong. And so it was with Saul. He made it his life’s work to destroy these followers of Christ. He would chase them down. He would imprison them. If need be, he would see to their death. And yet, what was it about this message that SO ENRAGED Saul? Perhaps, it was because, way down deep within Saul…if he was honest…he had to admit, that Stephen’s gospel…………made sense. Saul HATED even thinking that…and would have never said it aloud. But that message stuck with him. That witness. That boldness of Stephen. Saul knew the Old Testament as well as anyone. And if he were honest, he had to admit, that Stephen’s sermon was right on. The Jews REALLY HAD killed the prophets sent to them. The Old Testament REALLY DID speak of a coming Messiah. And Jesus Christ fit the description down to the tiniest detail. Saul’s HEAD was starting to believe Stephen’s message……but his hardened heart, cried out against it. And at least for now, Saul’s emotion triumphed over his reason. He would destroy this Christian threat to his brand of Judaism.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Today, some people know the gospel, with their head. If you tell them of their sin and God’s forgiveness through Christ…they know that. If you tell them they deserve Hell, but can go to Heaven…they know that. If you point out that they’re life doesn’t show any commitment to Christ…they know that. They know ALL OF THIS, with their head….but Jesus must be bowed to…with the heart. The responses can be varied. Some people know they’re not living right and simply put off change. They plan to get right with God sometime before they die. Of course 99% of them NEVER WILL. Others, don’t seem to have plans of turning to Christ. They know the truth of the gospel with their heads……and it infuriates them. The more they hear it, the angrier they get! Any talk of Jesus, causes the blasphemy and insults to fly. They don’t want to hear about it! They want to destroy this message that is a threat to their sinful pleasures. They are……just like Saul.

Do you know what causes this anger? The Holy Spirit does. Conviction stings, and they want none of it. Jesus finally had enough of Saul’s antics. On a murderous rampage to Damascus, Saul is knocked off his horse, and flat on his back by none other than Jesus Christ Himself. The biggest problem (from Saul’s standpoint at least) was that Jesus had died. Everyone knew he had been crucified by the Romans, on behalf of the Jews. And yet this blinding figure, towering over the flattened Saul identified Himself, clearly: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:5) And then Jesus says something, very telling. Jesus reveals to Saul, and to every reader of the Bible, that the vicious killer Saul, had in fact, been mulling over the claims of the gospel. Saul had, in fact, been convicted by the Holy Spirit. Saul, had in fact, begun to see the truth of the gospel. Jesus said to Saul, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (Acts 26:14)

Just like a stubborn cow that refuses to adhere to the shoot…Saul refused to submit to the gospel. His head could see that it was true. But his wicked heart refused to believe……until now. Saul, NOW, would be forever changed. “You are My chosen instrument,” Jesus said. And so it was. Finally Saul’s head and Saul’s heart converged at the feet of Jesus. There was no denying the resurrection, when the risen Christ is standing over you talking. And if the resurrection is true, then the gospel must also be true. Deep down, Saul knew this. His Old Testament knowledge clearly pointed to this Jesus of Nazareth as the long awaited Messiah. At last, Saul was saved.

The Lord’s conviction is a sheer gift of grace. So often, we kick against the very thing we know to be true and saving. God might let us continue on in that rebellion, and many do. They have rejected the truth and will pay for it in an Eternal Hell. Others submit to Christ. If you have come to Christ, be thankful for His Grace that saved you. It wasn’t your brilliance, nor your character…it was HIS GRACE. If you’re feeling that conviction right now…that’s also grace. Stop running. Bow before Him. Find forgiveness. Commit your life to Him. And be forever changed. Saul was. In fact he even changed his name. As a Jew, he went by Saul. But as a Christian he went by Paul. As in “The Apostle Paul.” He’s remembered to this day as one of the greatest followers of Christ.  He wrote half of the New Testament. And just as Gamaliel was known as “THE Rabbi.” Paul is often know as “THE Apostle.” He loved Jesus more than anything. He lived for Him, and He died for Him. And now…he worships Him forever, in Heaven. All true followers of Jesus will one day worship Him there too. Will you?

………

And Paul said, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief.” (1 Timothy 1:12-13 NASB)

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June 20, 2007 by Shane Kastler.

Believing in a Sovereign God can be a dangerous thing. Don’t get me wrong, I think you should believe in God, as He is…..and He is sovereign. But when you let your mind and heart bow before a God of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY … it will change the way you live…the way you think…the way you act…the way you pray…and the way you worship.

This past weekend (actually it was Sunday night-Tuesday morning which is as close as a Pastor ever gets to a ‘weekend’), I took the family camping. Of course, you have to understand that camping (at least with me) is always a bit of an adventure. First of all, my truck doesn’t have air conditioning…so we piled the family into the truck, hooked on to the trailer, opened the windows and headed to the great outdoors. As we pulled out of town it was hot and sunny, within 10 minutes it was cloudy and cool. It even looked like it might rain…but it never did. SOMEONE chose to knock the temperature down 15 degrees and send a cool breeze as we spent an hour driving in the UN-air conditioned truck.

The next day, the kids were begging to go swimming but I knew that might be painful. The cloudy and cool temperatures didn’t do much to entice most people to the swimming beach, but my kids were not deterred. Finally, at about 11 o’clock I announced, “After lunch, go put your swimsuits on…We’re GOING TO TRY and go to the swimming beach.” We got to the beach, the kids walked towards the water…AND THE SUN broke through the clouds just as the kids reached the shore. SOMEONE chose to let the sun shine, while my kids swam. (In fact it shinned so well that Andrew had a touch of sunburn.)

As soon as we were done swimming, the clouds rolled back in. In fact that evening the clouds REALLY rolled in and began to look rather ominous. The camp host told Erin that storms were expected after midnight, and if it got bad enough we would need to go to the bathhouse for safety. That evening, we had one of those moments that only come when camping. All 5 of us huddled into the camper listening to KKOW radio out of Pittsburg. I serenaded the family by singing along with George Strait, then we would all quiet down to listen to weather reports. Once darkness came, Savannah slept (in spite of my crooning). Then Karissa fell asleep. Andrew stayed awake and tried to act like he wasn’t scared of the approaching storms…though he was. The DJ came on the radio and said that a big storm was moving into Bourbon County and Northern Crawford County, and that in 10 minutes we would be having a downpour. I waited…and waited…but it never came. I went outside and watched the lightening and listened to the thunder….but it was just North of us. SOMEONE chose to make the storm pass us by, while my kids slept. NOW, I ask, who might that SOMEONE be?

The next evening I walked over by the lake and beheld nature’s glory. The sky was lit up with pink, which reflected off of the calm lake surface. Birds glided effortlessly right above the water. Crickets chirped. Fish jumped. It was beautiful. As I sat there taking it in, I prayed. And I wondered what an atheist does in a moment like that. The Psalmist writes, “The Heavens Declare the Glory of God, the sky shows His handiwork.”(Psalm 19:1) Does an atheist look at such a scene and say “WOW!!! I love evolution!” or does he say, “The Heavens declare the Glory of the BIG BANG theory!” or does he say, “How glorious that all of this came from primordial ooze over billions of years of natural selection!”…..OR does he simply ignore it? Does he cynically scoff at the God who created him and the beauty that he placed him in? The Psalmist was right…“the Heavens DECLARE the glory of God” (emphasis on DECLARE). God screams His presence through the world…some accept it, some ignore it. But all will one day know the truth. It’ll be too late for them to follow Him as Lord, but they’ll know they wasted their life in pursuit of passing things. Indeed, they’ll know all too clearly…that there IS a GOD!

So, WHO was it that controlled the weather on our camping trip? It was God. In fact it was the same God who allowed the air conditioning to go out at the church that Sunday morning. And the same God that allowed all 3 of our kids to cough the entire first night of camping so that NO ONE slept. The first night was one of those nights, when I was hoping someone would break into the camper and say to me “your money or your life.” I would have responded, “you can have all my money…but PLEASE, PLEASE go ahead and shoot me anyway!” OK, it wasn’t quite that bad, but it was a tough night on everyone…and God allowed it. Then God allowed a raccoon to get into our ice chest and eat all of our butter and cheese…the only thing he left was the hamburgers I cooked the night before, which to be honest, kind of offended me. ( Later I found the wrapper to the burgers, so he actually ate those too…thank goodness.) God allowed us to get several mosquito bites, and a couple of tick bites, and some mild sunburn. This morning, God allowed the battery on my car to be dead. I promptly jump started it with Erin’s van, drove the van back to the garage, walked back around to my car, only to find it was dead again. At that point, I decided God had allowed me a nice walk to the church. And as I walked I thought, and I prayed. The God I was worshipping, allowed a train to roar through town and lay on it’s whistle for 45 SECONDS, almost causing me to curse the train, as I praised the Lord.

Do you believe in the God of Sovereignty? Do you believe in the God of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY? Here’s the point. If you believe in a God who blesses you with little and BIG things…then you must also believe in a God that allows you to face trials in little and BIG things. Some want to have their cake and eat it too. They want God’s blessings with no trials. Or they praise God for good things…and simply curse Satan for bad things. Make no mistake, Satan is evil and vicious…but GOD’S Sovereignty TRUMPS Satan’s power EVERTYTIME. We must bow to the Sovereign ONE when things are good…and when things are bad. THIS is the very essence of worship. Anyone will brag on a God who blesses them. But mature, cross-bearing disciples will praise their King, even when He chooses to send pestilence and misery into their life.

God’s blessings always pose a veiled challenge…..Will we worship the GIVER? Or do we simply worship HIS GIFTS? The first option is Christianity. The second option is Idolatry. God is either Sovereign over all things….or He is sovereign over NOTHING. Anything less is a god of human design….and unworthy of worship. SO, praise Him in the sun…and praise Him in the storms. Praise Him in the air conditioning…and Praise Him in the sweltering heat. Praise! The GOD of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY! For He Alone is Worthy….

… … …

“The Heavens Declare the Glory of God, The sky shows His handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1)