The Inspired Box - May 2

 

PSALM 27:1

The LORD is The Strength of my life:

of whom shall I be afraid? 

    We are to be bold as lions when we testify of God's amazing grace on our lives (Proverbs 28:1). Though we are like sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16), we are to be shrewd/wise/sensible/cunning (strategic thinking) as serpents and innocent/sincere/blameless/unsophisticated as doves. On a side note, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance describes sheep as "easily led, forward walking". 

    When we follow our Shepherd faithfully, it is entirely possible to be not only a sheep in His flock, His pasture, but also a lion following The LION OF JUDAH (Revelation 5:5). When Christ spoke to the crowds surrounding Him, He told them He could only speak what His Father was speaking. When we hear Him speak to us, we hear our Father speaking His Word over us and into us. This is our STRENGTH. What, indeed, do we have to fear from anyone? 

    Since we see that God's people are likened to sheep, we also see that the places we will go when we speak God's Word into the ears of those who hear us, will be the territories of they who will try to kill us, for that is what wolves do:they are predatory and viciously attack when least expected. Our weapon in overcoming these wolves are the same as David's: his faith in God to give him strength to defend his position and his flock.  Sometimes the wolves will be allowed to win and overcome the Christian, at other times The Word of God will cause the wolves to cower and slink away. Psalm 27:2. 

    Let us kneel before God in the privacy of our prayer closets/war rooms and find strength in His presence, seeking only to be with Him in His kingdom. And in these times of prayer with our God, let us also pray to be filled with His Light, His Word and His Spirit that we may truly walk as lions in a world filled with wolves. 

THIS IS THE AIR I BREATHE - Michael W. Smith 

CONSUMING FIRE - Hillsong    

 

Intelligent Worship Series -- Intro

 Intelligent Worship brings us into the presence of God. There are 12 parts to this series, plus this introduction. 

What do we see when we enter the presence of God? John, in the Spirit, saw an emerald rainbow around the throne of God. Emeralds come in just about every color known, so while many envision a green bow around the throne, I see so much more. 

 

--John heard a voice like a trumpet speak to him. 

Revelation 4:1

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 

--John saw a throne and someone sitting on it.

Revelation 4:2

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

--John saw the radiance and could only describe what he saw in colors he knew.

Revelation 4:3

And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 

Ezekiel saw so much when he entered the eternal presence of God that I can only list a couple of them here.

--Ezekiel was always in the presence of God, for the Word came to him. 

Ezekiel 1:3

The Word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

--Ezekiel saw a sapphire throne.

Ezekiel 10:1

Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

--Isaiah saw the Lord on His throne.

Isaiah 6:1

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 

Isaiah saw and heard the worshiping seraphim and instantly repented.

Isaiah 6:2-6

--Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord.

Isaiah 6:8

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

--Daniel saw the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man together.

Daniel 7:9-14

Many are the wondrous things to see in the presence of God, not the least of which is the Lord God Himself! Intelligent worship brings us into the presence of God, but it won't keep us there. For there is much work to be done before our day arrives to be there permanently with Him. 

Until then we will read and re-read all the gloriousness of being in God's presence. 

Adam had it, then he lost it. That can happen to us, too, if we're not careful. Let us watch and pray, therefore, that our testimony may be perfect when we see God.