THERE'S NOBODY LIKE HIM! (4)

'Let all that I am praise the Lord;...' PSALMS 103:2 

The Bible equates God with light, and light with holiness. '...God is light; in him there is no darkness at all' (1 John 1:5 NIV). Paul said that God dwells in '...unapproachable light...' (1 Timothy 6:16 NIV). Scripture refers to Christ '...who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners...' (Hebrews 7:26 NIV). So how should you approach such a God? As you would an auditor when your books don't balance? Or a dictator who holds the power of life and death? No, Jesus told us to pray, '...Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name' (Matthew 6:9 KJV). There's your answer! You must come to God as a father who loves you dearly and desires only what is best for you, while always regarding Him with profound reverence. As your awe of God expands, your fears in life will diminish. A big view of God translates into big courage; a small view of God generates no courage at all. A puny God can't help you when cancer strikes, your family is in trouble, or you've no way to pay your bills. A 'do-me-a-favour' Jesus may look good stuck on your dashboard, but that image can do nothing for your fears. You need an awesome God, who, while diminishing your ego, enlarges your faith and blows your mind. David wrote: 'Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things...' (Psalms 103:2-5 NLT).

THERE'S NOBODY LIKE HIM! (3)

'..."This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"' MATTHEW 17:5

On the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses, the law giver, and Elijah, who represents the prophets, stood side by side with Jesus. But Jesus outshone them all. The Bible says, '...His clothes shimmered, glistening white, whiter than any bleach could make them...' Mark 9:3 TM). In that moment Jesus was God in His purest form. Awed by Him, Peter said, '..."Lord...if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"' (Matthew 17:4 NKJV). It was a sincere sentiment, but it was sincerely wrong. 'While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!' The word beloved implies 'unique.' There is no one else like Jesus! Not Moses. Not Elijah. Not Peter. Not Zoroaster, Buddha, or Muhammad. No one in heaven or on earth. Three shrines would have made Moses and Elijah equal with Christ, and God would have none of it. Only one shrine should be built, because only one person on the mountain deserved to be worshipped. 'When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid' (Matthew 17:6 NKJV). The One who hung the stars in space and left Pharaoh dead at the bottom of the Red Sea stood among them. The sight of Him took their breath away, removed every trace of arrogance and caused them to end up face-down on the ground. How long has it been since you felt such reverence for God?

THERE'S NOBODY LIKE HIM! (2)

'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...' PROVERBS 9:10

In a world out of control, we like a god we can control: a comforting presence who blesses, provides, and advises. Kind of like 'God in a box.' But when it comes to Christ, no box works. His contemporaries designed an assortment of boxes for Him, but He didn't fit in any of their boxes. They called Him a revolutionary, but He paid taxes. They labelled Him a country carpenter, but He confounded scholars. They came to see His miracles, but He refused to entertain them. He was a Jew who attracted Gentiles, a rabbi who gave up on synagogues, a holy man who hung around with prostitutes. In a male-dominated society, He recruited females. In an anti-Roman culture, He opted not to denounce Rome. He talked like a king yet lived like a pilgrim. People tried to put Him in a 'box,' but they couldn't. And we can't either; indeed we must not! '...Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God...' (Proverbs 9:7-12TM). Most of our fears are unhealthy. They rob us of peace and joy. But the fear of the Lord does the opposite. One author writes: 'There is nothing neurotic about fearing God. The neurotic thing is not to be afraid, or to be afraid of the wrong thing. That is why God chooses to be known to us, so that we may stop being afraid of the wrong thing. When God is fully revealed to us and we 'get it,' then we experience the conversion of our fear...'fear of the Lord' is the deeply sane recognition that we are not God.'

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