Monthly Archives: January 2022

Chosen by God: Journey to Magnify God – 4

Mary, the mother of Jesus, praised God for being “chosen” by God to give birth to the Son of God. Jesus, the Son of God lived within Mary’s womb for nine months. Amazing to think that the majestic God who is full of glory and splendor lived within that very small space of her womb (Phil. 2:6-7).

Mary was confused and full of fear. She wondered how could such a thing happen. The angel told her it would be through the Holy Spirit that this would happen.

In the days in which Mary lived this “choosing” by God brought difficulty and suffering, possible death. An unwed mother in those days brought much shame and reproach upon herself. In Matthew we read that even her betrothed, Joseph, doubted her innocence and resolved to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:19-20).

Yet, Mary gave thanks and praise to God for this honor, not only the honor of bringing the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior, into the world; but also, the honor of having God, the Son of God, live in her.

“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He has looked with favor (grace) on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation…” Luke 1:46-50

Mary: Not the Only Chosen One
Like Mary, you and I have been and are being chosen to have the presence of God inside of us, and to grow into that presence.

God is very upfront in revealing this truth to us that God, the Spirit of God lives in us.

Peter revealed this truth in Acts 2:38. This was a truth for his generation and for all the generations of true believers to come after.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off (from generation to generation) —to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.” Acts 2:38-39

Other scriptures verify this truth:

  • “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”  2 Timothy 1:14
  • “. . . the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.” John 14:7
  • “ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11

These are deep truths.  Do I believe them? Will I hold unto them when the evidence of my own life contradicts them? Will I let them set me free?

Christ Growing in You
As Jesus grew inside the womb of Mary, so He is growing inside each believer.

As I give space to Jesus by dying to myself, Jesus’ nature and character are being formed within me and I am becoming more “one” with Him. Scriptures promise us this, John 17:20-23.

You may think if you knew me and how messed up I am, and even how very unlike Jesus I am; you would know how hard it is to believe this.

It is hard for me to believe this, especially when I look at myself and do not look at Jesus or the power of His Spirit to raise up and to give life. It is hard for me to believe when I try to fix or change myself and do not give myself over to the truth and the power of God’s Spirit.

When Mary was struggling with belief and trying to “reason it out” she asked the angel, “How can this be?” The angel answered her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and do this. (Luke 1:34-35)

God encourages us with the same words when we try to reason out how can this change happen. God says it is the Spirit who does this.

Meditate on these truths:

  • And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:18
  • But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13
  • He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7
  • Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

So then …
As you contemplate how to give thanks to God and how to formulate your words of praise to Him think about praising Him for “choosing to live inside of you.”

As you take time to praise God ,let the understanding of who God is, and what He is doing in you be magnified to you  – and reflect on these questions:

  • What does the story of Mary’s having been chosen and the scriptures of you being chosen to have God in you, say to you? What words describe your feelings about this?
  • How does this truth that “God lives in you” change your view of who you are and what your value is?
  • What are ways that you have seen Christ growing in you? List these and give thanks to God for this growth.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.        1 Peter 2:9

Stand by Me (Magnifying God -3)

The Bible is like a magnifying glass.  The scriptures have a way of focusing my sight and enlarging my understanding of God. I am reading the scriptures to see God magnified up close so I can know Him and then magnify Him to others. As I do this, I am finding truths about God’s character and heart towards us, and I am learning how to express praise and thanks to Him.

Psalm 75:1 reveals and magnifies the truth that God is near to us, and that is a cause for praise to God.

  • “We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.”

The phrase “your Name is near” means that God is near to us. God’s name(s) are very important because they represent who God is. For example, in Exodus  3:14 God reveals that His Name is Yahweh – I AM WHO I AM. That term means God is self-existing and is the source of all life and existence.  God Is.

When the psalmist writes Psalm 75:1 that the Name of God is near to us, he means Yahweh, the “I AM”- the source of all existence is near to us. I am reassured to know that the “Life giving God” is near me.  This truth has given me courage and comfort as I daily walk through this pandemic.

In Joshua 22: 22a  some of the Israelites call God by the name LORD (Yahweh) and then they refer to God as Elohim which means “the Mighty One.”

  • “The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God!” Josh.22:22a

So, in Psalm 75:1 when the psalmist says “for Your Name is near,” he is saying, “God the Mighty One,” is near to me/you.

I am encouraged to know that God, the Mighty One who has all power and strength is near me.  When I am feeling weak, vulnerable, frustrated and overwhelmed with life, knowing that I can turn to “the Mighty One” for help gives me relief. He is by my side. I am not alone.

We could go through the list of the names for God and get the same reassurance in faith as with these two examples, that the God who is the definition of all His Names is near to us.

In Other Words
The scriptures provide many ways of conveying this truth that God is near; that He is a personal God involved in our life.  God is not just a distant power, but rather, He is a God who seeks to be close to us all the time and most especially in our times of need.

Here are some of the ways the Spirit confirms this truth.

  • Psalm 34:18 – The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
  • Psalm 145:18 – The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.
  • Psalm 119:151 – You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are truth.
  • 16:8- I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
  • Psalm 73:28 – But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.

Psalm 119:7-10 poetically expresses this continual nearness and presence of God who acts on my behalf.

  • “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

Hard to Believe
When I am hurting, feeling  confused by the difficulties of life or betrayed by my own contrary nature which often seems to default to thinking, saying and doing things I don’t really want to,  I can struggle with believing God is near, or that God even wants me near Him.

This thinking is flawed and not based on truth.  God wants to be near us, He wants to have a deep personal friendship with us. The scriptures reassure us of this truth.

In James 4:8a we read, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” So, it is not a matter of whether God wants to be near me, but whether I am choosing to come near to Him, and whether I am making moves towards Him in faith.

In Ephesians 1: 4 and  2:13, we read how God brings all men near to Him through the blood of Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles: “ For He chose us(Israel) in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love, He preplanned for us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will. . . 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”

God’s desire for us to be near Him, in a very personal relationship with Him, was not a mere “good idea,” but it became reality in sending Jesus to destroy the barrier between God and us so we could be near God.

God in Us!
God is so “near” that He is in us who believe
. The scripture speaks this truth in many forms. At times, when I am lost in my “self”  I need to be reminded of this truth. Here are a few encouraging passages for study and meditation.

  • “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16
  • “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col. 1:27
  • “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him/her.” John 14:23
  • “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” 1 Corinthians 2:12

 Respond with Praise
As I learn who God is and what His heart is towards me, I am encouraged, re-assured, and filled with a sense of security to know God  is near me and in me. The psalmist who wrote Psalm 75:1 describes correctly what my response should be: “We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near.”

  • Meditate on this truth, that God is near to you. Consider these questions:
    What does this truth that God is near me and in me mean to my faith and my life?
  • Have I been living in the presence of God?
  • What will I do today to draw near to God?
  • Take some time to give praise and thanks to God for choosing to be close to you.

Remember, Recount, Revived!

When I was growing up there was a boy in my class in elementary school who stuttered. His name was Johnny. His stuttering was to such a degree that he rarely was able to express his thoughts, ideas and feelings. His frustration was palpable, you could see it and feel it in the air. I see Johnny’s face to this day, the frustration, the sadness  and shame that he could not share his ideas and his heart with us. I wish I could have helped him.

In my quest to learn how to magnify God and to praise Him, I can experience a similar frustration as Johnny did. I stutter to magnify God – to make Him big; to tell of Him in a way that brings His value and His glory to light.

What kinds of words do we use that are capable of showing how great and wonderful God is? What can I say that can enlarge God to others in such  a way that they see His nature, His power and His love in a very real way?

I was reading in Psalm 66 the other day and I realized that God actually tells us how to do this. In Psalm 66:3, the Spirit says: “Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! How great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.”

The Spirit is telling us what to say in order to magnify God to others, and what to say as we praise God in our private and public worship.

I could not help Johnny in elementary school to express himself, but today through the word of God, the Spirit helps me express praise to God and magnify Him.

Say It! Again!
When I recount or re-tell the awesome deeds of God, I am magnifying Him to others and praising Him. This thought is presented over and over again in the scriptures. Here are a few references to this way of magnifying God.

  • “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds.” Psalm 145:4-6
    (We magnify God to our children by recounting His wonderful deeds, in so doing they know God and learn to trust Him).
  • “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” Psalm 107:21
  • I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High

What are the wonderful deeds of God?
They are many, we can’t recount them all. We do not know them all. But when you are meditating on the wonderful deeds of God think about what is written in the Word. Think of how he planned, even before the creation of the world, to save us through the redemptive work of His Son, Jesus, (Ephesians 1:4-7)

Think about how God created the world out of nothing, just from the power of His thoughts and words. (Genesis 1-2; Hebrews 11:3)

Think about the wonderful deeds God performed to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt, and to deeds God performed to establish His King, our Messiah in this world.

Think of the wonderful deeds Jesus did that reveal the character and heart of God. Think of how Jesus gave sight to the blind; showed compassion and healed the lepers; straightened crooked limbs; gave life to withered hands; healed the body and the souls by forgiving sins; raised the dead, and many more.

We cannot magnify God to others, or worship and praise Him without recounting His wondrous deeds, because God is these deeds.

Remembering + Recounting = Revival
Recounting the wondrous deeds of God is a way we praise God, but in so doing it also can revive our faith in Him and restore in our hearts a sense of awe for God.

This idea of recounting and reviving is described very specifically in Psalm 77. The psalmist is  experiencing hard times. He talks  about groaning, sleepless nights, and an inability to express his struggle in words.

In his personal agony he questions God’s love and care of him. He accuses God of rejecting  and forgetting him, Psalm 77:7-8. He doubts God’s love for him, and questions if there ever was love from God for him, Psalm 77:8. He feels that he cannot trust God’s promises and wonders if God has any sense of compassion for him, Ps. 77:8b-9.

I have felt some of those things at times; forgotten and pushed aside by God, and questioned God’s trustworthiness. The psalmist searches his memory and what he knows of God. As he does this he reviews the wondrous deeds of God.

So, he remembers and recounts the wondrous deeds of God, and as he does his faith is revived and he concludes:

“ I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What God is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. “ Psalm 77:11-14

Remembering and recounting or re-telling the wondrous deeds of God, revives my faith!

God’s Ultimate Wondrous Deed
We may never be able to recount all the wondrous deeds of God, because we do not know all of them. However, the greatest of the wondrous deeds has been revealed to us and that is God was sending His Son into this world in the form of a man to become the ultimate sin offering to atone for our sins that we might come into God’s presence, into a right relationship with God. And, that through His Spirit, God would live inside of us. Let’s read a little about this wondrous deed.

  • “… all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” Romans 3:24-25a
  • “Brothers and sisters, because of the blood of Jesus we can now confidently go into the holy place (the presence of God).” Hebrews 10:19 (GWT)
  • “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor. 3:18

This short article cannot adequately express the wondrous deeds of God, so let’s end with this prayer.

Father God, teach us about you, how magnificent and wonderful you are. Teach us how to magnify you to others by knowing and  recounting your wondrous deeds. Help us to see and understand the wondrous salvation you provided for us through the atoning blood of Jesus, through his resurrection; and the breathtaking truth that Your Spirit lives in us and transforms us to be like you.

      “Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3