Today’s Above All Else Scripture uses a phrase that is easily misunderstood: fear of the Lord. It is actually my hope that through our 21 day Above All Else feast our fear has increased dramatically. By fear we mean reverence and commitment to our King of kings.
I wrote about authenticity in faith with reverence and commitment in Chapter 1 of Just RISE UP! Does this speak to your heart this morning?
I truly believe that people in this generation respect those who stand for something, who live differently because they believe in something—any- thing—greater than themselves. This goes back to the desire to make your “mark” on the world. We have the opportunity to make a meaningful and eternal mark when we model lives of praise, when we live an authentic faith, full of reverence and commitment to the King of kings. Our friends and family may not always understand just who it is we serve and why we place Him above all, but our authenticity in faith will catch their attention. Even those who say they are Christians but don’t live out their faith will be challenged to examine what they believe or in whom they believe when they see us living differently for the sake of making Jesus famous. They may think we are weird. Weird is good! It means we are set apart from the pack . . . exactly what the Bible says we are supposed to be (2 Cor. 6:17).
The condition of our hearts—full of reverence for His name and commitment to love and obey Him always—steers us to a long-lasting passion to live with boldness for the fame of Jesus. When we cultivate a lifestyle that praises God daily, a strong passion arises. This passion is a daily discipline and a choice that starts with our thoughts which affect our actions and outward expressions.
With that in mind let us Press In…
All of you who revere Him—God will satisfy your desires. He hears the cries for help, and He brings salvation. (Psalm 145:19 THE VOICE)
Lord, we lift Your name Above All Else. We have called out to You in worship and we trust that You hear our praises and our please. This is our offering today, to bring You both. Amen!
Pour Out and Pour Forth
All of our feasting on the fame of Jesus over the past 21 days in no way negates our please and cries for help in the midst of worship. Yes, we have spent much time praising His great works. This places us in a position to better deal when life throws us twists and turns. It is in the trusting that He hears our cries for help. This trust is an act of worship.
As we lift our hands in praise, let us lift up everything…the good and the bad. The praise and the pleas. The Yes! and the Why?