Monday, May 27, 2013

THERE IS NO ONE LIKE THE LORD

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“There is no one like You, Lord, and there is no God but You, as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like Your people Israel — the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for Himself, and to make a name for Yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt? You made Your people Israel Your very own forever, and You, Lord, have become their God.”

1 Chronicles 17:20-22

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

“There is none like You, No one can touch my heart the way You do, I could search for all eternity Lord and find there is none like You.”

These words from a great song titled In the Garden (None Like You) by the group Watermark should serve as our daily anthem as we come before the Lord of all Creation. For truly, who in life is like the Lord our God?

Going back to our continued study of 1 Chronicles and the life of King David, we find him lifting up a prayer before God. And after he wonders why he and his family were so worthy of God’s goodness, present and future, as shared by Nathan the prophet, David enters into words of praise, exalting and magnifying the Lord to His rightful place above all things. Look at his words:

“There is no one like You, Lord, and there is no God but You, as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like Your people Israel — the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for Himself, and to make a name for Yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt? You made Your people Israel Your very own forever, and You, Lord, have become their God.”

David’s words in just three verses offer us incredible takeaways that we should use when discussing the Lord with others. Here are three key points we should latch onto:

1. There is no one like the Lord. Period.

Ask yourself this, “Who else in life can do for me what the Lord can do?” The answer is simple. No one can.

No one possesses the transformative, re-creational, regenerational, salvational, miraculous power that the Lord has.

He and only He can give life. Because of Him, we gain existence and then continue to exist.

He and only He can change us from the inside out. He is the only One who can see and reach into the deepest depths of our hearts and mend what is broken.

He and only He can save us. We have no hope short of receiving God’s salvation promise through His Son Jesus Christ, the only way to the Father (John 14:6).

Providing life at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. No one can do that but the Lord.

2. There is no God but God.

Like the Israelites, we can see this truth as read the words of scripture and hear God’s unrivaled position of majesty and authority over all things trumpeted. You’ll recall this statement from God Himself:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.”  Exodus 20:2-4

When God says that there is to be no other god before Him, there really isn’t any room for interpretation or debate.

We are to refrain from worshiping anything else in life except for God and God alone. Nothing is to be placed above Him. Nothing is to be held in a higher esteem than Him. And nothing is more important in life than Him, no matter what the world might present to entice us.

All our attention, all our glory, honor, and praise are to be directed to the only One worthy of receiving it.

3. There is no people like God’s people.

Although we live in a world rife with diversity in demographics such as nationality, skin color, gender, and language, the truth of the matter is that there are only two categories when it comes right down to it: those people who are saved and those who are unsaved.

Those people of the world who have chosen to accept Jesus as their Savior have been set apart, sanctified, glorified, and justified by the Father through the Son, different and distinct from those who choose to reject the salvation offer. That’s just the fact of the matter.  

The Bible speaks clearly about the distinction. When Christ returns, there will be a sorting out process that will take place. Here’s what Jesus told us about what that will look like:

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”  Matthew 25:31-34

For the people saved by God through Christ Jesus, the sheep on the right, this day mentioned will be the best day ever. For those on the left, it will be the worst. Here’s what their fate will be:

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Then they will go away to eternal punishment.’”  Matthew 25:41, 46a

If you’re reading this today and have accepted Christ as your Savior, rejoice and be glad in the salvation promise you have received. Those who are in Christ are victorious people and should live in joy, peace, and hope that comes with that truth.

If you’re reading this and are among those who will be on the left, I recommend you consider accepting Jesus as your Savior today. Without Him, you are without hope and the scriptures are clear on what awaits those who don’t accept the salvation that God offers through His Son, a salvation no one else can offer because there is no one like the Lord.

Not now. Not ever.

Amen.

Listen to the song, In the Garden (None Like You) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZRMlbGyddg

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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