Encouragement
The original Swedish lyrics,'O Store Gud', were inspired when Pastor Carl Gustav Boberg of Sweden was caught in a fierce thunderstorm, followed by a clear brilliant sun.
Soon afterwards he heard the calm sweet songs of birds and the experience led the pastor to fall to his knees in humble adoration of his mighty God.
As the result of that experience, he wrote a poem in 1885 that was translated into English in 1925 by Missionary Stuart Hine, 'O Mighty God When I Behold the Wonder'.
The hymn 'How Great Thou Art' was made famous by George Beverly Shea....
during the Billy Graham Crusade in London.
'HOW GREAT THOU ART'
"O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power through-out the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God. how great Thou art"
Christian author, Catherine Marshall, wrote about the presence and power of God in her book entitled, 'Meeting God at Every Turn'.
"I have met God at numerous turning points along the road...in romance and illness, birth and grief, success and failure. I have experienced the warmth of God's love and the sternness of His disapproval. At times I have felt far from Him when life had some 'grey areas' until I found the way back."
When she died in 1983, she found in death that her God in life....
was also 'big enough' in death.
She knew intimately the immensities of God in life.....AND in death.
For your Bible Study (and better intimacy with the immensities of God) study this list:
Please remember that God has no favorites, but He does have intimates.
Resolve to be one of those!
1) GOD IS LOVE -
Unconditional love for your highest good. (John 3:16 and I John 4:10 and Jer. 31:3)
Please read the poem by Roy Lessin at the end of today's lesson.
2) GOD IS TRUTH -
He keeps His promises to both nations and individuals in perfect agreement with Himself.
He cannot lie. (Romans 3:4...John 14:6)
3) GOD IS SOVEREIGN -
Absolute, supreme ruler of all. In complete harmony with love and truth. (Ephesians 1)
Sovereignty of God and free will (responsibility of man).
4) GOD IS HOLY AND DEMANDS A MEASURE OF HOLINESS FROM US~
Saved - Separated - Sanctified (Christ-like)
(I Peter 1:15-16...Leviticus 20:7...Matthew 5:48)
5) GOD IS JUST -
Savior now...Judge then. (Acts 17:31)
6) GOD IS OMNIPRESENT -
(Psalms 139...Matt.28:20 and Hebrews 13:5)
7) GOD IS OMNISCIENT -
All knowing
8) GOD IS OMNIPOTENT -
All powerful (Matthew 28:18)
9) GOD IS INFINITE -
Without limits
10) GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE -
Always true to Himself....it is not in His character to change! (Heb.13:8 and James 1:17)
11) GOD IS FAITHFUL -
( I Cor. 10:13) and GOD IS ABLE (Ephesians 3:20-21)
God in Christ...(and through the work of the Holy Spirit) is a great 'find'.
A great friend...
A great fellowship...
A great future...
And we are created and saved to be God's Friend~
The story of the Bible is that God has no favorites, but He does have 'intimates'.
Chapters 1-14 of Isaiah is an interesting study:
1) Intimacy with God is DENIED by the people....
and Isaiah fought a battle over this very thing.
Here are select verses that picture the rebellion of the people.
Vs. 1:3-4: They did not 'know' God.
Vs. 5a: The whole head was sick.
Vs. 5b: The whole heart was faint with lips that did not praise God.
Vs. 6: The whole body is in bad shape.
Vs. 7: The whole country was desolate.
Vs. 10-15: There was ritual without relationships and worship without intimacy.
Ch. 2:8: Worship of idols.
Ch. 5:11-15: "You have committed sins of all kinds and no discernment of right/wrong".
2) Intimacy with God is DESIRED ~ (Isa. 1:18-20)
"Come now and let us reason together says the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
3) Intimacy with God is DEMONSTRATED ~ (Isa. 6:1-11)
Vs. 1-4: Contemplation of God's Holiness: "I saw the Lord high and lifted up".
Vs. 5: Conviction for sins: "Woe is me".
Vs. 6-7: Cleansing from sin: "He touched me and my sin is gone".
Vs. 8: Commission: "Whom shall I send and who will go for me?"
Vs. 9-10: Commitment: "Here am I Lord, send me".
Vs. 11: Continuance: "How long?" "Forever!"
CONCLUSION:
In my estimation, Isaiah was the greatest prophet of the Old Testament.
After these experiences, he prophesied in Ch. 7:14: "The Lord Himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bare a Son and shall call His name 'Immanuel' which means 'God with us".
In Chapter 9: 6-7, he states further, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His name shall be called 'Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace".
In Chapter 12:2: "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song and my salvation. Sing unto the Lord for He has done excellent things."
LOVE was in God's eyes when He looked upon you....
LOVE was in His voice when He called you....
LOVE was in His hands when He drew you....
LOVE was in His plans when He led you...
LOVE was in His heart when He made you His own!
~ Roy Lessin (Co-founder of Day Spring Company)
"For God so love the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have Eternal life." (John 3:16 NRSV)
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Thank you for another beautiful and encouraging article Travis. God is our all in all isn't He? "How Great Thou Art", you have counted so many of the ways of His greatness. Thank you once again for your faithfulness in sharing. I love you both, Sharon
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