GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  HE IS A GOD OF JUSTICE

TEXT:  "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." - Jeremiah 23:5

When I went to school, every morning we would recite the pledge of allegiance.  As I stood before the American flag with a hand over my heart, I would pledge allegiance to a flag that represented a republic that stands for "... liberty and justice for all." 

Our nation was founded upon Biblical principles, including the concept of "liberty and justice for all."  As the years go by, the liberties we once enjoyed have eroded significantly.  Furthermore, justice has become more of a theory instead of reality.

We have to admit that justice is not always served in our nation.  Even though our judicial system is better than many nations, justice is not always achieved through our courts.  Sometimes the guilty are set free and the innocent are imprisoned.  Even the United States Supreme Court makes decisions that are not always just. 

Despite all of the injustice of our world, one thing remains true.  God is just.  Do not let the injustice of our world blind you from the fact that justice will ultimately be accomplished. 

Here are a few things we need to know about the justice of God:

1.  THERE IS A JUDGMENT TO COME

First of all, there is a judgment to come.  This is an unpopular fact.  I think that the reason many embrace atheism is because they don't want to be held accountable for their actions.  Yet all of us are accountable.  We are responsible.  Although you may never stand before a judge in an American court, you WILL stand in judgment one day.  The Bible tells us that "... it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). 

2.  GOD IS THE ULTIMATE JUDGE

Our nation has petit courts, magistrate courts, different levels of state and federal courts, and ultimately, the Supreme Court.  Yet the ultimate Judge is not an American.  God Himself will be the ultimate judge.  Here in America, if a jury finds you innocent of a crime, the "double jeopardy" law prevents you from being tried again.  However, if you are guilty, you have not escaped judgment.  There is a judgment to come and God will be the judge.

3.  GOD'S JUDGMENT WILL BE TRUE

God's justice will not be based upon our nation's constitution, but based upon His Word.  His judgment will not be swayed by emotions or bribery.  Politics will not influence His decisions.  Since He is God, He knows every word you've spoken, every deed you've done, every thought you've entertained and the motives behind all you've said and done. 

In fact, God is keeping a record of everything.  Your entire life is being recorded.  His record will be used as evidence as you stand before Him. 

Although many will disagree with His verdict, all His decisions will be accurate and just.

4.         HIS VERDICT WILL BE FINAL

There will be no appeal to God's final judgment.  There is no one higher to appeal to.  There will not be sleazy lawyers filing appeal after appeal, trying to delay God's verdict.  In fact, the sleazy lawyers will be judged themselves. 

When it comes to human atrocities, we find comfort in the judgment of God.  We know that terrorists, child molesters, rapists and murders will one day receive what they deserve.  However, we must recognize that we, too, will stand before the same Judge and face His judgment.

You may think you have nothing to worry about.  After all, God knows your heart.  He does know your heart.  This is what God says about your heart:  "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). 

Some foolishly think, "If my good deeds outweigh my bad deeds, I'll be okay."  Is that so?  Think about a man who tells a judge, "99% of the time I don't murder people."  Do you think that a good judge will let the man go free?  Absolutely not!  His crime deserves punishment.

Our sins deserve punishment.  The truth is, we are all sinners who deserve the wrath of God.  You may think, "God is merciful, so I think I'll be fine."  Such a belief avoids the fact that God is just.  God cannot exercise mercy at the expense of His justice. 

The only way we can be saved from the wrath we deserve is for the mercy of God to be extended to us while satisfying the justice of God.  This was accomplished through our Lord Jesus Christ.  When Jesus died on the cross, the price for our sins was paid, satisfying the justice of God.  Jesus received the wrath we deserved.  Through His death, mercy and grace was extended to those who would repent and believe.  When a sinner repents of his sin and places his faith in Jesus Christ, grace is extended to him ... and the justice of God is satisfied.

God is just.  Everything He does is right.  One day, the lowly will be exalted, the exalted will be abased and every wrong will be made right.  

GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  HE IS HOLY

TEXT:  "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts." - Isaiah 6:3

In some circles, the holiness of God is rarely mentioned.  It is easy to talk about the love of God, the grace of God and the mercy of God; but it is not popular to speak about the holiness of God.

The problem is that most people have a poor understanding about God's holiness.  How may we define God's holiness?  God's holiness is His moral perfection, defining His intrinsic glory.  It is not simply that God is morally excellent.  Instead, He is morally perfect.  Every aspect of His being (His attributes) is impacted by His holiness.

These days, morality is defined by personal preference rather than a Biblically defined standard.  Mankind has sunk to such a low level of depravity in order to avoid the standard God has already set.  However, mankind is still held responsible to God -- not according to their self-subscribed standard, but by His ultimate standard.

What do we mean by God's holiness?  God's holiness is His divine perfection, free from fault, flaws or failures.  God is spotless from all sinful impurities. 

Have you ever had surgery?  If so, you know that an operating room should be kept spotlessly clean.  Unclean instruments, unclean surgical hands, and an unfit setting are detrimental to surgical success.  We expect the hospital to provide a clean environment for a medical procedure.  We expect dirt and grime to be kept away from such a place.

God is far more spotless than an operating room.  His moral perfection so permeates His being that the dirt of sin is never permitted near Him.  He is holy. 

Our pagan society wishes for God to be known only as a "God of love."  Certainly, God is love.  However, when Isaiah saw the LORD high and lifted up, he heard the seraphims crying out, "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts."  Notice the emphasis of their cry.  Three times they referred to God as holy.  We tend to dismiss such emphasis, but we should not.  His divine nature is so perfect that the utterance of the word "holy," was not sufficient to describe Him.  Instead, three times God was proclaimed to be holy.

As we worship the Lord, we need to remember His holiness.  The utter perfection of His being should have us in awe of Him. 

God's holiness also creates a problem for us.  Since He is morally perfect, no dirt or filth is permitted in His presence.  Each one of us must admit that we have been soiled by the dirt of sin.  In fact, we are filthy sinners.  Like Isaiah, the thought of God's holiness such drive us to say, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5).

Sadly, many think they are going to heaven because they are "good."  Their concept of goodness is shaped by human comparison.  When we view our situation in relation to God's holiness, we are prompted to see our filthy condition and know the hopeless situation we are in.

How can filthy sinners come in the presence of God?  First of all, through God's convicting power, we must see our sinful state.  Until a man sees his condition in light of God's holiness, he is prone to continue in self-righteousness.   Recently, while cleaning the house, I realized how deceitful dust and dirt could really be.  In a dimly lit room, everything seemed fine.  However, when I turned on the light, I began to notice how dusty the furniture really was.  The same is true for your life and mine.  We think we are relatively clean until the light of God's Truth exposes the reality of sin in our lives. 

Secondly, a man must repent.  He must reject his self-righteousness.  He must come to the end of himself, with genuine contrition.  Like the prodigal son, he must admit his unworthiness to come to the Father.

Finally, a man must turn to Christ, alone, for salvation.  Not only must a man throw himself at the mercy of God, he must see that the only provision for his sin is found in the finished work of Christ on the cross.  Placing his faith in Christ, the blood of Jesus cleanses him from sin.  At that moment, the righteousness of Christ is imputed unto him.  Through Jesus Christ, a sinner becomes a saint.  Through faith in the Lord Jesus, an unrighteous man becomes a righteous child of God.

We need an experience similar to Isaiah's.  We need a fresh view of God's holiness.  We need to spend time in prayerful contemplation of His divine perfection.  He is holy.  He deserves and demands holiness from His people.  Being transformed by the Holy One, we have incentive to worship and serve Him.  

God is not just "a regular guy."  He is the Sovereign God of the universe.  He is holy.  Even the Name of God is holy (Isaiah 57:15).  That is why we should be VERY careful in our use of His Name.  "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." (Exodus 20:7).

We need to have a healthy understanding of God.  Even American Christians tend to humanize God --- acting as though God is just a human being.  I believe we'd experience revival in our churches if we began to think of God as the holy, divine being that He really is.

GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  HE IS FAITHFUL

TEXT:  "...great is thy faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:23

It is difficult to find people you can count on.  Very few people are reliable.  There was a time in our country when written contracts were not necessary --- a man's word was sufficient. 

These days, it is not uncommon to hear of lawsuits because a company refuses to own up to its commitment.  Many marriages end with divorce because one or both people prove to be untrue.  When a stranger makes a promise, you can't trust him to keep that promise.

It is comforting to know that God is still faithful.  Our text teaches us that His faithfulness is great.  The old hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," is based on this verse.   Do you remember the words of that great hymn?

"Great is thy faithfulness," O God, my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not,

As thou hast been Thou forever will be.

God is faithful.  Even if everyone proves unreliable, you can always depend on God.  God's faithfulness will never be compromised by deceit, incompetence or ignorance.  God will never find Himself unable to keep His Word because of a busy schedule or forgetfulness. 

Our faith rests upon the faithfulness of God.  When we repented and believed, we relied upon Him to keep His Word and save us.  We depend upon Him daily to meet our needs.  We are relying on Him to keep His promises.  Our resurrection and future in heaven is contingent upon the faithfulness of God.

Consider our salvation for a moment.  Most people think that salvation is contingent upon our faithfulness.  Actually, our salvation is based upon God's faithfulness rather than our own.  Even when we sin as Christians, we experience forgiveness because of God's faithfulness, not our own.  Look at 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (emphasis added).  If our salvation or preservation were dependent upon our faithfulness, we would all perish.  Adrian Rogers once said, "I wouldn't trust the best fifteen minutes I ever lived to get me into heaven." Our salvation is based upon Christ alone.  He is faithful to keep every promise He has made.

Your spouse may have proven to be unfaithful.  A close friend may have betrayed you.  A co-worker may have deceived you.  But you can depend upon God.  In our text, Jeremiah wrote to God, "... great is thy faithfulness" (emphasis added).  His faithfulness is great.  God does not have to sign a contract.  His Word is sufficient.  He cannot and will not fail to keep His promises.

This year, Cumberland Valley Music published a song I wrote entitled, "Faithful To Me."  The chorus summarizes my personal experience with God's faithfulness:

He's been faithful to me,

He's been faithful to me,

He shows mercy and hears my heart's plea;

I have found Him to be true,

He's done all He said He'd do,

Yes, the Lord has been so faithful to me.

Faith is nothing more than taking God at His Word.  We can have confidence in God because He is faithful.  Our assurance is anchored in the faithfulness of our Lord.

Lay your anxieties down and find rest in the faithfulness of God.  

GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  HE IS SOVEREIGN

TEXT:  "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." 

- Psalm 115:3

For some time, people in America have been creating an image of God, based upon their own personal preferences and desires.  This ideology breaks the first two of God's Ten Commandments.  The end result is not God, but an idol that is powerless and worthless.

It is not shocking that talk-show hosts and entertainers are guilty of such idolatry.  What is shocking is the number of "ministers" who portray God in such ridiculous ways.  These days, some portray God as a grandfather-type figure who winks at sin and accepts everyone unconditionally.  Others consider God to be a bellhop who waits to serve us.  The humanization of God is nothing more than idolatry.  God is not a human.  He is divine. 

When a man takes his Bible and explains how God REALLY is, most get quickly offended.  Through the pages of the Bible we come to know God as He really is, not as a talk show host portrays Him to be.  In the end, we come to realize that the modern thought about God is nothing more than foolish thinking, contrived by the enemy to deceive and destroy souls.

As we get to know God, we learn about a major truth that most reject:  God is sovereign.  The word, "sovereignty," is defined as having absolute power or authority.  On the surface, I think most of us would agree that God is sovereign; after all, He is God.  The application of this truth bothers many people.  If God is sovereign, He takes orders from no one.  The prayers of many professing Christians resemble a lord ordering his servants.  We must understand that God is Lord, not us.  We do not order Him around; instead, we receive commands from Him.  Sadly, many church members consider obedience an option.  We cannot correctly call Him our Lord, when we refuse to obey Him.

Since God is sovereign, we must also face this fact:  God does what He wishes.  The Psalmist states this:  "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."  Modern "Christianity" teaches that God responds to situations the way we want Him to.  Furthermore, some "religious" teachers state that God uses the same logic we do.  Of course, they forget that our logic is flawed by sin.  Thus, most people are offended when God does not act the way they expect Him to. 

More than once, the Bible refers to God as a potter and mankind as the clay.  The imagery produced by this comparison is comforting to some and troubling to others.  Many are offended that mankind has no more influence over God than clay has over the potter.  Deep within us is a desire to be divine ourselves.  We want God to be in charge when problems get too great for us, but we want to be in control otherwise.  Despite our idolatrous hearts, the fact remains that God is the potter and we are the clay.  We did not create God.  He created us.  It is His design, not ours, that will be used.

Even more troubling for professing Christians are verses of Scripture like Romans 9:18: "So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills," and Romans 9:21:  "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?"  These verses do not describe God like we want Him described.  But what do these verse teach?  These verses emphatically state that God is sovereign.

Sadly, many will attend church on Sunday morning, hoping that God will give them an injection of excitement or joy.  Instead, God desires that we come to His house to worship Him.  Worship is not about feeling warm and fuzzy inside.  Instead, worship is about kneeling before the Sovereign of the universe and giving Him the honor that is due. 

One of the common lies that people believe is that there are many roads to God.  Talk show hosts tell people that there is a Muslim way to God, a Christian way to God, a Buddhist way to God, etc.  This kind of heresy exalts every religion to the same level as God.  But there is just one God and just one way to Him.  Some believe that mankind is on the same level (or very close to the same level) as God.  This too is heresy.  God is sovereign.  He is not sharing power with the "prophet Muhammad," or anyone else --- including us.

Since God is sovereign, He is not accountable to us.  Some foolish people demand that God give them a reason for a calamity or some mysterious event.  There are many things I do not understand, but God is not required to give me an explanation.  When bad things happen, God will not answer to a congressional hearing or respond to a subpoena.  One day, we must answer to Him for our lives, but He will never have to answer to us.  I just know this:  God is sovereign.  He is good.  He knows what He is doing, even if I don't understand.  Since He is sovereign, He does not owe me a reason for anything He does.

God is sovereign.  For the Bible-believing Christian, this is comforting.  Despite the fleshly desire to exalt "self" to the position of divinity, we humbly recognize that God is Lord and we are His servants.  Thus, we find our honor in simply being servants of the Most High God.  We simply give our honor to Him.  He deserves our honor, worship and devotion for a number of reasons; primarily because He is God, the Sovereign of the universe. 

Since God is sovereign, He deserves and demands unconditional surrender and unfailing obedience, honor, and worship from us.  As God, He is worthy of nothing less.

Can you honestly call yourself a servant of the sovereign God?