Paul Email - 11Nov2013- Response to God's Glory

How you doin? What a great sermon by Pastor Ted yesterday. Identity is so important. It's such a crucial stage/step in our process. Think about how you need to identify yourself at the DMV or bank or hospital or anywhere identity theft is common. In the Spiritual realm identity theft is common on earth. Devils are trying to steal our identity regularly. If the devils can steal our identity then Satan is successful at stealing worship from God. Stay with me. If you lived in Manhattan and you were a decedent of the Rockefeller's and a heir to their family fortune, you would certainly identify yourself as such. The name Rockefeller in Manhattan is one the demands a response. N.Y. City wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for the Rockefeller's. So with that in mind if we are truly sons/daughters/heirs of the Creator, should we be responding by identifying ourselves as such?

I also heard a great sermon by Bill Johnson last night. He was speaking on a "Presence Culture". One of the many things he said during his 1 hour and 20 minute sermon was that we need to respond to God's Presence or glory with sacrifice. He referenced Isaiah 6 when Isaiah said "Here I am, send me". (Isaiah 6:8) The verses that precede verse 8 describe the Presence of God like this, "the train of his robe filled the temple" (6:1) and "At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke." (6:4) Isaiah first responded with mistaken identity, “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (6:5) In Isaiah's defense, he lived under the old covenant. Then Isaiah was atoned for in verse 7, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” So picture this scene, Isaiah is in the temple and God shows up with His seraphim. The temple shakes from the seraphim's voices and it fills with smoke (aka "the glory cloud"). Isaiah says (my translation) "Oh crap... I'm in trouble". Once he's atoned for by the hot coals, he sacrifices himself to the glory of God and says "Here I am, send me". COME ON!!!!!!! AWESOME!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!! 

This was no small task Isaiah was volunteering for. Verses 9-10, 
"He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
¹⁰ Make the heart of this people calloused;
    make their ears dull
    and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”
I love Isaiah's response in verse 11, “For how long, Lord?” Humanity even in the Presences. That's a tough prophecy to give. I can imagine that Isaiah didn't get many dinner invitations.

So let me land this thing. Isaiah was atoned for through hot coals on his lips. I/we are atoned for by Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension. That's a good word. Bill Johnson said, "If you don't respond with sacrifice when you're in the Presence... I question what you saw". I love being provoked to ask myself tough questions like, "why am I not offering my life as a living sacrifice or am I and devils are feeding me lies that I'm not?". I will continue to pray for His Presence and for Him to show me His face. Like the 2nd verse of my life's verses say, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose". (Philippians 2:13) His Presence and love is the trump card... it's everything. Respond with sacrifice to God's glory today.     

PS   In the natural, sacrifice has a negative connotation. In the supernatural, sacrifice is worship, praise, and glorious.