LOOKING BEYOND THE TEMPORAL Sunday March 16, 2014 Our Father who art in heaven (Matt. 6:9). Author H.G. Wells wrote of a man who had been overcome by the pressure and stress of modern life. His doctor told him that his only hope was to find fellowship with God. The man responded, What? That, up there, having fellowship with me? I would as soon think of cooling my throat with the Milky Way or shaking hands with the stars. Poet Thomas Hardy said that prayer is useless because theres no one to pray to except that dreaming, dark, dumb thing that turns the handle of this idle show. Voltaire described life as a bad joke. He added, Bring down the curtain; the farce is done. Such is the blasphemy and despair of all who insist that God is uninvolved in human affairs. The Greek and Roman philosophers of Jesus day rejected the fatherhood of God because it contradicted their philosophical systems. The Stoic philosophers taught that all of the gods were apathetic and experienced no emotions at all. The Epicurean philosophers taught that the supreme quality of the gods was complete calm or perfect peace. To maintain their serenity, they needed to remain totally isolated from the human condition. Scripture refutes all such heresies by declaring that God is an intimate, caring Father. The significance of that truth is staggering. He conquers your fears and comforts you in times of distress. He forgives your sins and gives you eternal hope. He showers you with limitless resources and makes you recipients of an imperishable inheritance. He grants you wisdom and direction through His Spirit and His Word. He will never leave or forsake you. When you humbly approach God as your Father, you assume the role of a child who is eager to obey his Fathers will and receive all the benefits of His grace. Let that take you beyond your present circumstances and motivate you to dwell on whats eternal. Suggestions for Prayer: • Thank God for the joy and purpose He gives you each day. • Commit yourself to pursuing His will today. For Further Study: Read Exodus 3:1-5 and Isaiah 6:1-5. What attitude should you have when you pray to God? What does Hebrews 4:16 say you can receive when you approach God in prayer? Exodus 3:1-5 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up. When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am. Then He said, Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. Isaiah 6:1-5 In the year of King Uzziahs death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. From Drawing Near by John MacArthur. May God continue richly blessing you / Dios continúe bendiciéndole ricamente! Jesús Martín Romero
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 17:05:50 +0000