The Glory of God!

^{Isaiah 6:1} In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

   “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
   the whole earth is full of his glory.”

 ⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

 ⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

 ⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

 ⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

   And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

I read this last night and found myself speechless.  Wow.  I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the seraphim with 6 wings.  The train of Gods robe flowing and filling the entire temple. Not to mention the seraphim flew to Isaiah and put hot coals on his lips purifying him!!! Of course he is saying "pick me God"!! He witnessed first hand Gods Glory! Now he just wanted to serve.  Amazing.  

I have witnessed first hand Gods glory as well.  Not the way Isaiah did.  Oh, but how I would love that.  I have seen him transform lives.  I've witnessed Him save people from death.  I've watched him shine through a mother who recently lost her only child and give her peace. I have witnessed Gods Glory!  Truth is anymore its hard to miss Him.  CS Lewis said "I believe in God like I believe in the sun.  Not because I can see it, but because I can see EVERYTHING else because of it."  When God removes the scales off your eyes and we stop and look, he is everywhere! And I know lately I have been screaming "God pick me!"  When you encounter the Holy, Magnificent, Powerful, Almighty One, the only thing we can do after he washes us clean is shout "Pick me!"  

Its hard to comprehend that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords wants to use us but he does.  He just needs us to have that willing spirit.  I want that willing spirit.  I want to be used by him and for him.  Sometimes though he calls me, I should say most times, he calls me to the uncomfortable tasks.  The ones I don't want to do.  Things that I can't possibly know why he would be asking me to do.  Many times I miss out on his blessings because I said no.  Maybe I said no because of fear, maybe because it was a ludacris idea, or maybe it didn't fit into "my" life. That's a part of me I don't like.  

Isaiah said Ill go not knowing the task, but he knew that anything he did for God wasn't nearly enough for such a perfect God. I want to be like that!

God,

You are above all.  Your glory is way beyond my comprehension.  What I can see, the beautiful blue oceans, the mountains, the sunsets, babies, laughter, love, is enough to know your Glory is immeasurable  I have witnessed your love, your grace, your mercy, and your power.  Thank you for revealing to me who you are.  Lord I shout to you Pick me!  Even if its uncomfortable for me God. I want to dedicate my life to your service.  Help me daily die to myself so I can live for you.

Thank you God,

Amen.

Thanksgiving to God!

Thanksgiving has come and gone another year.  Yesterday was a great day spent with my family, eating and being thankful.  The whole country for the most part stopped and appreciated all they had in their lives.  We gave thanks for family,  for shelter, clothes, employment, running water, food, food, and more food, the list goes on. But after the dinner, football and family games came the night sales.  Black Friday.  Quite the opposite of the thanks we just gave, now we're all saying gimme, gimme, gimme. The country goes absurd trying to cash in on the best sales.  So crazy that a woman made the news for macing other customers who were getting in her way.  Heart breaking.  This led me to a conversation with God this morning.  Why lord?  How can we go from one extreme to the other? Why are we not satisfied with the blessings you have given us?  I know I am guilty of this my self.  God can give me just what I asked for and a minute later I'm requesting something else. We never seem to be satisfied.

Well even though this thought was new to me this morning, its not new to God.  This morning God brought me back to the beginning.  The very Beginning. In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And it was Good!  I imagine if God said it was Good, then it truly must have been magnificant. He created Adam and Eve.  Gave them dominion over all the animals and gave them free range of the beautiful garden he created. They could eat from every tree except one.  The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He warned them saying if they ate they would die.  No mistaking his words.  Eat=Death. Low and behold the Devil entered into a serpent and fooled the woman saying "surely you wont die, eat and you will be like God knowing all". And there was the first time we were not content with what God had given us. We had everything but one tree! AAAAAhhhh many days I think of slapping Eve for her mistake. But truth be told I make the same if not worse mistakes every day.   I wake up in a warm comfy bed every morning, walk to my car, drive to my job, laugh with my friends, dinner with my husband, go home at night where I am safe, and rarely do I stop and say thanks to God.  Every good thing comes from him. My sight,  my family, my friends, my breath, my salvation!    He is a God to be praised! Not just once a year but in everything I do. Oh, how I miss the mark.  With everything God gives me, the thing I am most thankful for is his Grace! Because I am going to miss the mark, mess up, and fail. But praise God his grace covers me.  The precious blood of Jesus deems me worthy!

So with this revelation this morning I pray to be as Paul said in Philippians 4, In whatever state whether I am in need or I have plenty, whether I am hungry or am full to be content.  Knowing that God is a God of many blessings and so deserving of praise.

Psalms 150
PRAISE THE LORD
PRAISE GOD IN THE SANCTUARY
PRAISE HIM IN HIS MIGHTY FIRMAMENT
PRAISE HIM FOR HIS MIGHTY ACTS
PRAISE HIM ACCORDING TO HIS EXCELLENT GREATNESS!
PRAISE HIM WITH THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET
PRAISE HIM WITH THE LUTE AND HARP
PRAISE HIM WITH THE TIMBREL AND DANCE
PRAISE HIM WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS AND FLUTES
PRAISE HIM WITH CYMBALS
PRAISE HIM WITH CLASHING CYMBALS

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD!

PRAISE THE LORD!

God,
Thank you for EVERYTHING! Help me Lord to remember you in all things and to give thanks.  God you are  so deserving of it.  Please create in me a thankful heart. I know I don't deserve anything, I certainly didn't earn anything, it is all because of you I have everything. Thank you Lord!

In Jesus Holy Name,
Amen.

The words of our Testimonies

Rev 12:11 They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. I love this verse. Jesus precious blood is powerful.  It saves lives. It reconciled us to God. We all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God Almighty.  The perfect creator, the Alpha and Omega, our Heavenly Father.  We never could bridge the gap on our own with our own strength.  We would never be able to pay the price for our sins. It was only Jesus blood that built the bridge leading us from hell's fiery furnace into the Holy of Holy's. I can see clearly why the bible says they overcame because of His blood, but I don't quite understand the word of their testimonies.  God is saying that the words of our testimonies are powerful. Our story is vital in us overcoming this world.  Our story is really His story. 

God has been showing me lately that it isn't my story.  All my feelings, fears, insecurities that I want to hide from the world is really Gods glory, Gods love, Gods story.  Yet, as I go to tell my story I get scared.  This is the devil.  A very handy tool he uses to keep Gods people silent.  If you have a relationship with God, you have experienced his miracles and his love and that needs to be shared.  The world is dying to know the Truth. People need to believe in love again.  Jesus is Love. Our testimony is a witness to this love. We have to tell it.  This is the great commission.  Jesus said Go and tell the world.  So as I begin telling the world Jesus story in my life knowing this is what we are called to do, I pray for Jesus strength and love to come through and give me the ability to share the Truth.  

Lord,

Thank you Father for all you have done in my life.  Thank you for life.  You have brought me through some very difficult times, and you have brought me many many blessings, all which you want me to share.  God help me to get out of the way and let your story shine through.  Help me die to my self so that you may manifest through me.  Let the world see Your Love.  Let the world see You.  Thank you father.

In Jesus precious name,

Amen