The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

“The heavens declare the glory of God,

    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Day to day pours out speech,

    and night to night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words,

    whose voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out through all the earth,

    and their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun,

    which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,

    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.

Its rising is from the end of the heavens,

    and its circuit to the end of them,

    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” (Psalms 19:1-6 ESV)

My husband and I enjoy watching nature videos, and every time that I watch one of these nature videos, I am utterly amazed at God’s handiwork in how he created such a vast array of creatures on this earth and how intricately he designed each and every one of them with regard to physical appearance and personalities and habits and nature, and with regard to how they interact with the other creatures on the earth, too. 

Now, many of these videos are not created by God-fearing humans, and so they give the credit to something called “mother nature,” as though nature created itself, which is impossible. But through God’s creation he reveals himself to all of humanity so that we are without excuse if we choose to reject God and to go our own way, instead. For God’s invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.

[Romans 1:18-23; cf. John 1:1-3; Genesis 1:1-31; Genesis 2:1-25]

And when I go for walks or we go for a drive, I love to look at all that God created, from the creatures on the ground, to those in the air, and to the trees standing tall with full leaves on them now, to the grass on the ground and the flowers which are blooming, etc. And I love looking at the clouds in the sky and how they form different shapes, and I love sunrises and sunsets and seeing a full moon on a dark night. And I see God in all of his created works, and I am amazed, and I worship God, but not his created works.

But there are people on this earth, some of them professing Christians, who serve and who worship God’s created works instead of worshiping and serving God who created all of us. And the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against those who, in all their ungodliness and unrighteousness, suppress the truth that can be known about God as seen through his created works. And they do not honor God as God, but they exchange the glory of God for the idols of this world which they create in their own minds.

And so God gives them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, because they exchange the truth about God for a lie and they worship and serve the created rather than the creator. And so they engage themselves in all sorts of evil practices, including sexual immorality, homosexuality, malice, murder, deceit, gossip, slander, disobedience, foolishness, faithlessness and heartlessness. And, though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them, but they give approval to those who practice them (see Romans 1:18-32).

But Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Jesus we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience to his commands, we will gain eternal life with God. For it is not those who give lip service to the Lord who have eternal life, but it is those who are doing (obeying) the will of God (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

For Our Nation  

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

https://vimeo.com/379406352