February 8, 2016:
Worship: Amen by I Am They
I have no words to say.
Don’t know what I should pray,
God, I need You. God, I need You.
Oh Lord, my faith is tired.
And tears fill up my eyes,
But I will trust You, I will trust You.
Whatever comes my way,
You have taught me to say,
Amen, Let Your kingdom come!
Amen, Let Your will be done!
And through the rise and fall,
You’re God above it all!
Amen! We’re singin’ amen!
When I can barely stand,
You strengthen me again!
I will seek You. I will seek You.
Though troubles may arise,
My hands reach to the skies.
I will praise You, I will praise You.
Whatever comes my way,
You have taught me to say,
Amen, Let Your kingdom come!
Amen, Let Your will be done!
And through the rise and fall,
You’re God above it all!
Amen! We’re singin’ amen!
From everlasting to everlasting!
From everlasting to everlasting!
From everlasting to everlasting!
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen,
Amen, Let Your kingdom come!
Amen, Let Your will be done!
And through the rise and fall,
You’re God above it all!
Amen! We’re singin’ amen!
We're singing amen!
Don’t know what I should pray,
God, I need You. God, I need You.
Oh Lord, my faith is tired.
And tears fill up my eyes,
But I will trust You, I will trust You.
Whatever comes my way,
You have taught me to say,
Amen, Let Your kingdom come!
Amen, Let Your will be done!
And through the rise and fall,
You’re God above it all!
Amen! We’re singin’ amen!
When I can barely stand,
You strengthen me again!
I will seek You. I will seek You.
Though troubles may arise,
My hands reach to the skies.
I will praise You, I will praise You.
Whatever comes my way,
You have taught me to say,
Amen, Let Your kingdom come!
Amen, Let Your will be done!
And through the rise and fall,
You’re God above it all!
Amen! We’re singin’ amen!
From everlasting to everlasting!
From everlasting to everlasting!
From everlasting to everlasting!
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen,
Amen, Let Your kingdom come!
Amen, Let Your will be done!
And through the rise and fall,
You’re God above it all!
Amen! We’re singin’ amen!
We're singing amen!
Video:
Witness:
It’s mid-afternoon. It’s cloudy and windy outside and the temperature is 53 degrees with a real feel of 46. I could look at life that way – cloudy, windy, chilly. However, cloudy means there is some sunshine outside; in fact, as I look outside and not on my phone app, there appears to be plenty of sunshine. And the wind? As it blows through the wind chimes it is making a beautiful melody.
Perspective is important and perspective is colored by what you believe about reality. If your perspective is naturalistic then you are going to feel and see only things as you want to feel and see them. If you are a pessimist, then you will see the clouds and feel the chill in the air. If you are an optimist, then you will see the sunshine and feel uplifted by the beautiful sound of the wind chimes. If you boast that you are a realist, then you probably won’t care about any of this. However, if you are a Christian then you will see things in an altogether new perspective. You will see things as God sees them. You will accept things as they are. You will also see the blessings when they are evident and trust God’s sovereign wisdom when they aren’t. This isn’t fatalism, for that comes with an air of resignation. That person will live their life in the spirit of Eeyore or at best in the spirit of Que Sera Sera (what will be, will be) with no reference to any outside influence. No, the Christian sees things by faith as expressed in Hebrews 11:1-6:
11 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Heb 11:1-6 NIV
They also see the clouds and sunshine and the wind as the psalmists saw it:
19 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.
Ps 19:1-6 NIV
They (I) should also, but often live as they (I) don’t, trusting that the very God who made this world will provide for them:
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matt 6:24-34 NIV
This does not lead to laziness, but a trusting diligence:
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 2 Thess 3:6-13 NIV
Perspective is found in the words of the song above titled Amen. This is the song I referenced above in my previous day’s entry. In fact, ironically (or not so ironically), it is playing again as I type these very words. “Amen” is the word the Christian uses versus the "que sera sera" of the fatalist. “Amen” is the life word breathed out by the believer not only at the end of a prayer, but also that which punctuates every act for God in their life. It also should be the word that serves as a banner that flies over the whole life of a Christian.
The word is a word of affirmation on the lips of the believer meaning: “so be it”.
AMEN
A particle expressing affirmation, equivalent to "so be it."
(from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, revised edition, Copyright © 1979 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. All rights reserved.)
On the lips of our Savior it meant “truly”:
In the Gospels a new and unique use of am¢¡n appears with the sayings of Jesus. Here the term means "surely" or "truly." All four Gospels record Jesus' use of the term as an introductory formula (am¢¡n légœ hymín, "truly I say to you") emphasizing the authority of what He has to say, somewhat analogous to the messenger-formula of the OT prophets, "Thus says the Lord." (Cf. Matt 5:18,26; 6:2,5,16; etc.; Mark 3:28; 8:12; etc.; Luke 4:24; 12:37; etc.; John 1:51; 3:3,5,11; etc. [always am¢¡n am¢¡n in John].)(from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, revised edition, Copyright © 1979 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. All rights reserved.) (from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, revised edition, Copyright © 1979 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. All rights reserved.)
"The repetition of the word employed by John alone in his gospel (twenty-five times) has the force of a superlative, most assuredly"(from The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright © 1988.)).
On the lips of the Church it was a word of affirmation and trust at the end of a doxology and prayer:
AMEN
Among the Jews the liturgical use of the word is illustrated by the response of the woman in the trial by the water of jealousy (Num 5:22), by that of the people at Mt. Ebal (Deut 27:15-26; cf. Neh 5:13; see also 1 Chron 16:36). It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues into the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed had offered up a solemn prayer to God the others in attendance responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own (1 Cor 14:16).
(from The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright © 1988.)
The early Church stuck with the practice. In fact, New Unger’s Bible Dictionary shares this fact:
Several of the church Fathers refer to this custom, and Jerome says that at the conclusion of public prayer the united voice of the people sounded like the fall of water or the noise of thunder.
(from The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright © 1988.)
So this is my prayer, that my life will be, as it were, an Amen to God. That the testimony of my life, such as it is, will end in a thunderous AMEN!
Let these words by I Am They describe yours and my life:
Amen, Let Your kingdom come!
Amen, Let Your will be done!
And through the rise and fall,
You’re God above it all!
Amen! We’re singin’ amen!
We're singing amen
Amen, Let Your will be done!
And through the rise and fall,
You’re God above it all!
Amen! We’re singin’ amen!
We're singing amen
WORD:
Ps 24:7-10 NIV
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty —
he is the King of glory.
Selah
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Ps 24:7-10
7 Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
8 Who is the King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty;
the LORD, invincible in battle.
9 Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
10 Who is the King of glory?
The LORD of Heaven's Armies—
he is the King of glory.
Interlude
Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
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After this rather long witness section above; I came to this section wondering what to talk about? I wanted to go deep into the phrase King of glory, but no one really expounds on it in depths. Now don’t get me wrong. This phrase appears frequently in the early church fathers and especially in dealing with a defense of the faith with various Jewish leaders of their day. The early church almost invariably identified this with Christ’s ascension into heaven. It seems that this phrase, that appears so prominently here (5 times), is only found here in all of the scripture, so is meaning must be found here, though more could be said of the words separately, especially the word glory. Assuming that this is happening at the time the Ark of the Covenant is being brought to Jerusalem to reside in the Tabernacle we can deduce this. The Ark represented the presence of God. The Pulpit commentary says this:
God was regarded as dwelling between the cherubim on the mercy-seat, where the Shechinah from time to time made its appearance. The entrance of the ark into the tabernacle was thus the "coming in of the King of glory."
(from The Pulpit Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
And Barnes says:
Psalms 24:7
The glorious King. The allusion is to God as a King. On the cover of the ark, or the mercy-seat, the symbol of the divine presence-the Shekinah-rested; and hence, it was natural to say that God would enter through those gates. In other words, the cover of the ark was regarded as his abode-His seat-His throne; and, as thus occupying the mercy-seat, He was about to enter the place of His permanent abode. (from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
We find in the scholarly reference work popularly called “Kittel”, which actually is a work on the Greek language, but discusses them in relationship also to O.T. usage in Hebrew; a discussion of the Greek word doxa and its corresponding Hebrew word kabod. After discussing various meanings or uses, it settles on this meaning as the primary meaning or use:
D. dóxa in the LXX and Hellenistic Apocrypha
The primary sense, then, is the divine glory which comes to expression in God's acts in creation and history. dóxa is the divine nature in its invisibility or its perceptible manifestation, as at the giving of the law, or in the tent or temple. God is the God or King of glory (Ps 24:7 ff.; 29:3 ). To give him glory is not to impart something he does not have but to acknowledge the honor that is his due (Isa 42). (from Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, abridged edition, Copyright © 1985 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)
So to open wide the gate or our hearts or the gates of heaven is to glorify the glorious One and honor the King Who is glorious. Perhaps a little more on this tomorrow. I have been at this for about 7 hours now and am weary in thinking.
