An Issue of Godship

The Critical Question: Who Will Rule

PREVIEW: The problem is, from the beginning of mankind’s history, the human race has tried to reverse the immutable laws that the unchanging God has eternally established. We have done our dead-level best to create God in our image. We have usurped his rightful place. We live as if we were God. That is what ails the world, isn’t it? It’s an issue of godship — who is going to rule. Every sin, every war, every crime, every calamity, and every sad story of a broken home can be traced back to the wrong choice in the decision of godship. We have consistently put ourselves on the throne in place of the One who rightfully owns it all. But truly wise people have settled the issue of godship once and for all — and hopefully, that includes you!

“The issue of godship — who is going to rule — is what ails the world: every sin, every war, every crime, every calamity, every broken home, everything that has ever gone wrong.” —Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 24:1

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.

God owns it all—the entire earth and all it contains, which means you and me. So that reality has huge implications for us, and for every other human being who has ever lived, lives now, and will live in the future. What are those implications? Consider this:

  1. God has the right of rulership over everything, including our lives.
  2. God determines the ways this world must operate, both physical laws as well as the moral code, and even the way we are obliged to live our lives.
  3. We cannot approach Go on our terms; we must bend to his terms.
  4. God doesn’t yield to us; we are to yield to him.

Why? He created it all, therefore, he owns it all. The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it—and that includes every man, woman, boy, and girl!

The problem is, from the beginning of mankind’s history, the human race has tried to reverse the immutable laws that the unchanging God has eternally established. We have done our dead-level best to create God in our image. We have usurped his rightful place. We live as if we were God.

That is what ails the world, isn’t it? It’s an issue of godship — who is going to rule. Every sin, every war, every crime, every calamity, and every sad story of a broken home can be traced back to the wrong choice in the decision of godship. We have consistently put ourselves on the throne in place of the One who rightfully owns it all.

And of course, what is true of humankind in general is true of our lives individually, including your life and mine. Our biggest issue, bar none, is godship: who will sit as Master and Commander of our moment-by-moment lives?

Truly wise people have settled that issue once and for all. They understand that God owns it all, and they are simply managing what he has given them in a way that will bring honor to the Owner. When we get that right in the big and small, seen and unseen moments of life, everything else will fall into place.

The most important question that you will be asked today — the most important question you will need to resolve in life — is this: Who is ruling your life — you or God?

I am not talking about that to which you verbally assent or what you believe in your heart. I am speaking about what is evident in the way you think, plan, talk, react to circumstances, respond to people, spend your money, use your time, and whatever else you do in each of the 86,400 seconds that tick off the clock in each of the days the Creator has graciously provided for you.

The greatest thing you can do with your life is to respond to your Creator’s desire to take his rightful place as your God. And what unspeakable and glorious joy for those who do!

My Offering of Worship: By the evidence in the way you think, plan, talk, react to circumstances, respond to people, spend your money, use your time, and whatever else you do in each of the 86,400 seconds that tick off the clock in each of the days the Creator has graciously provided for you, who rules your life? After you honestly answer that question, it might be a good time to re-surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

There Is Room For Only One God

(And It’s Not You!)

SYNOPSIS: The battle for what we might call “godship” is more prevalent than we care to admit. You see, when we fret and worry over matters we can’t control, when we meddle and manipulate to get our plans fulfilled, when we come to God after the fact for help, when we pray as a last rather than a first resort, when we cut corners in our financial stewardship because we can’t afford to give to the Lord’s work, and when we put our hope in government (or anything else) at the expense of our trust in God, in effect, we have removed God from his rightful throne. There is only One who is God—and that is neither you nor me. In light of that, have you told the Lord lately that you have no God but him? Maybe you should do it now!

There Is Room For Only One God

Moments With God // Psalm 131:1

My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.

There is only One who is God—and that’s not you! Basically, that is what King David is saying of himself in this brief song of ascent. The Message translates verse one this way:

God, I’m not trying to rule the roost,
I don’t want to be king of the mountain.
I haven’t meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.

Yet this business of godship is more prevalent than we care to admit. You see, when we fret and worry over matters we can’t control, when we meddle and manipulate to get our plans fulfilled, when we come to God after the fact for help, when we pray as a last rather than a first resort, when we cut corners in our financial stewardship because we can’t afford to give to the Lord’s work, and when we put our hope in government (or anything else) at the expense of our trust in God, in effect, we have removed God from his rightful throne.

There is room for only one God in your life, so let God be God. He has a great track record in that role, you know, and you don’t.

And by the way, when you allow God to be God, good things happen for you:

  • You become the recipient of greater grace. Recognizing God’s rightful role takes true humility (the opposite of pride and haughtiness), as David describes, “My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty”—Psalm 131:1a. Of course, the Bible repeatedly tells us this is always the catalyst for greater grace. (Prov 3:34)
  • You become the recipient of greater security. You put things that are above your pay grade back into the hands of the only One wise enough to handle them—what David calls “great matters or things too wonderful for me” —Psalm 131:1b (See how Paul describes them in Rom 11:33-36)
  • You become the recipient of greater confidence. Someone else is running the universe, which means you don’t carry that great weight upon your shoulders. David says, “But I have stilled and quieted my soul” —Psalm 131:2a … which is possible only when you first walk with the Shepherd who leads you beside quiet waters and restores your soul.
  • You become the recipient of greater contentment. David describes it, “like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content” —Psalm 131:2b (MSG) Paul says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Tim 6:6)
  • You become the recipient of greater hope. “O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore”—Psalm 131:3. It is by Biblical hope, as Paul teaches, “we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?” (Rom 8:24) “Hope” as Paul says in Romans 5:5, “does not disappoint us…”

Hmmm…grace, security, confidence, contentment, hope. I think I’ll let God be God!

Take A Moment: Have you told the Lord lately that you have no God but him? Maybe you should do it now!

Two Roads Diverged

Decisions Decide Destinies

The battle over who is going to sit on the throne of my life is the ever-present contest in the core of the human soul. We might call it godship: who will be in charge—God or me? If my flesh wins out, I will seek the comfort of doing things my way; I will work to get fame for myself; I will seek to make me happy. But in the long run of life, and in eternity, I will get none of those. If I go with God, however, to sacrifice the comfort of my way for the adventure of his way, he has promised me the blessing of influence and success along the journey and the joy of receiving his smile throughout eternity.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 12:1-2

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.”

Two roads diverged on the path to God…

What a contrast Abraham’s life is to those in the previous chapter who wanted to build the Tower of Babel. They wanted to keep themselves from being scattered in order to become famous. (Genesis 11:4) In this chapter, the Lord made a promise to the childless Abram—soon to be called Abraham, which meant, the father of many nations—that if he would trust the word of the Lord and step out in obedience to leave what was familiar in order to go with the unfamiliar of following God, then the Lord would scatter Abraham’s fame throughout the earth and make him a blessing to all the people on the planet.

Two roads diverged on the human path: stay on your own course to find wealth and fame—at least temporally, or go with God to gain significance and satisfaction—not only in time but for all eternity. Those who choose the risky road of faith will never be short on gratitude.

The battle over who is going to sit on the throne of my life is the ever-present contest in the core of the human soul. We might call it godship: who will be in charge—God or me? The humanistic mind says, “do it my way, protect what I have, and seek fame for myself.” The God-centered mind says, “if I let go of what I have in order to follow God’s voice, he will make me prosperous, he will give me success.” Joshua 1:8 famously backs up the assumption of the godly mindset: “Don’t let my Word depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night. Then I will make your way prosperous and give you success.”

The world’s logic is to “get all you can, then can all you get, sit on the lid, and spoil the rest.” God’s logic calls us to give it all away to follow him, and when we do, we will always have plenty to give away—he will make sure of it. That is the right-sided logic of God.

Rebellion says follow your own desires. Redemption begins when you follow what God desires.

Genesis is the story of contrasts: The rebellion of man at first dominates the narrative. It is first seen in Adam, then perpetuated through Cain, the Babel builders, and right on down the line. The human race seems hopelessly lost when we consider the self-centered lives of these rebels of the early chapters of Genesis. But the story takes a hopeful turn when human rebellion is interrupted by a few who were willing to listen to God, trust his call to the life of faith, and put the Lord’s desires ahead of their humanistic longing. Abel, Noah, Abraham—all imperfect men who, nevertheless, found favor with God and found God to be trustworthy as they stepped out into the unknown to hear his voice and follow his call. These are the true heroes of the human race.

Thank God, when we step out in obedience to follow the Lord, trusting that even in the unusual way he calls us to walk, risking faith to let go of selfish desires to take on eternal values, he fulfills the same promises to us that he made to the Genesis heroes: personal blessing, eternal fame and earthly influence—100% guaranteed.

Thank God for the steps of faith that he places before us.

Going Deeper: Has God brought you to a place where he is calling you to step out into the unknown to follow him? Perhaps it’s scary. That would be a normal human emotion. But turn your fear into a offering of thanks. Thank God for the opportunity to trust him, and the blessings of impact and success that he has said will follow. Then step!

Room For Only One God

And It’s Not You!

There is room for only one God in your life, so let God be God. He has a great track record in that role, you know—and you don’t!

Enduring Truth // Focus: Psalm 131:1

My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.

There is only One who is God—and that’s not you! Basically, that is what the King David is saying of himself in this brief song of assent. The Message translates verse one this way:

God, I’m not trying to rule the roost,
I don’t want to be king of the mountain.
I haven’t meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.

Yet this business of godship is more prevalent than we care to admit. You see, when we fret and worry over matters we can’t control, when we meddle and manipulate to get our plans fulfilled, when we come to God after the fact for help, when we pray as a last rather than a first resort, when we cut corners in our financial stewardship because we can’t afford to give to the Lord’s work, and when we put our hope in government (or anything else) at the expense of our trust in God, in effect, we have removed God from his rightful throne.

There is room for only one God in your life, so let God be God. He has a great track record in that role, you know, and you don’t.

And by the way, when you allow God to be God, good things happen for you:

  • You become the recipient of greater grace. Recognizing God’s rightful role takes true humility (the opposite of pride and haughtiness), as David describes, “My heart is not proud, O LORD,my eyes are not haughty”—Psalm 131:1a. Of course, the Bible repeatedly tells us this is always the catalyst for greater grace. (Proverbs 3:34)
  • You become the recipient of greater security. You put things that are above your pay grade back into the hands of the only One wise enough to handle them—what David calls “great matters or things too wonderful for me” —Psalm 131:1b (See how Paul describes them in Romans 11:33-36)
  • You become the recipient of greater confidence. Someone else is running the universe, which means you don’t carry that great weight upon your shoulders. David says, “But I have stilled and quieted my soul” —Psalm 131:2a … which is possible only when you first walk with the Shepherd who leads you beside quiet waters and restores your soul.
  • You become the recipient of greater contentment. David describes it “like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content” —Psalm 131:2b (MSG) Paul says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (I Timothy 6:6)
  • You become the recipient of greater hope. “O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore”—Psalm 131:3. It is by Biblical hope, as Paul teaches, “we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?” (Romans 8:24) “Hope” as Paul says in Romans 5:5, “does not disappoint us…”

Hmmm…grace, security, confidence, contentment, hope. I think I’ll let God be God!

Thrive: Have you told the Lord lately that you have no God but him? Maybe you should do it now!

Room For Only One God

Let God Be God

There is room for only one God in your life, so let God be God. He has a great track record in that role, you know—and you don’t!

Read: Psalm 131 // Focus: Psalm 131:1

“My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.”

There is only One who is God—and that’s not you! Basically, that is what the King David is saying of himself in this brief song of assent. The Message translates verse one this way:

God, I’m not trying to rule the roost,
I don’t want to be king of the mountain.
I haven’t meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.

Yet this business of godship is more prevalent than we care to admit. You see, when we fret and worry over matters we can’t control, when we meddle and manipulate to get our plans fulfilled, when we come to God after the fact for help, when we pray as a last rather than a first resort, when we cut corners in our financial stewardship because we can’t afford to give to the Lord’s work, and when we put our hope in government (or anything else) at the expense of our trust in God, in effect, we have removed God from his rightful throne.

There is room for only one God in your life, so let God be God. He has a great track record in that role, you know, and you don’t.

And by the way, when you allow God to be God, good things happen for you:

You become the recipient of greater grace. Recognizing God’s rightful role takes true humility (the opposite of pride and haughtiness), as David describes, “My heart is not proud, O LORD,my eyes are not haughty”—Psalm 131:1a. Of course, the Bible repeatedly tells us this is always the catalyst for greater grace. (Proverbs 3:34)
You become the recipient of greater security. You put things that are above your pay grade back into the hands of the only One wise enough to handle them—what David calls “great matters or things too wonderful for me”—Psalm 131:1b (See how Paul describes them in Romans 11:33-36)
You become the recipient of greater confidence. Someone else is running the universe, which means you don’t carry that great weight upon your shoulders. David says, “But I have stilled and quieted my soul”—Psalm 131:2a … which is possible only when you first walk with the Shepherd who leads you beside quite waters and restores your soul.
• You become the recipient of greater contentment. David describes it “like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content”—Psalm 131:2b (MSG) Paul says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (I Timothy 6:6)
You become the recipient of greater hope. “O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore”—Psalm 131:3. It is by Biblical hope, as Paul teaches, “we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?” (Romans 8:24) “Hope” as Paul says in Romans 5:5, “does not disappoint us…”

Hmmm…grace, security, confidence, contentment, hope. I think I’ll let God be God!

Making Life Work: Have you told the Lord lately that you have no God but him? Maybe you should do it now!

An Issue Of Godship

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 24
Focus: Psalm 24:1

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

God owns it all—the entire earth and all it contains, including me. He has the right of rulership over it all, including my life. He determines the ways this world must operate, both physical laws as well as the moral code, and even the way I must live my life. I cannot approach him on my terms; I must bend to his terms. God doesn’t yield to me, I am to yield to him.

Why? He owns it all. The earth is the Lords, and everything in it—and that includes me!

The problem is, from the beginning of man’s history, mankind has tried to reverse the immutable laws that the unchanging God has eternally established. We have done our dead level best to create God in our image. We have usurped his rightful place. We live as if we were God.

That is what ails the world, isn’t it? It’s an issue of godship: Who is going to rule. Every sin, every war, every crime, every calamity, every sad story of a broken home, everything that has ever gone wrong can be traced back to the wrong choice in the decision of godship. We have consistently put ourselves on the throne in place of the One who rightfully owns it all.

And of course, what is true of humankind in general is true of our lives individually. Our biggest issue, bar none, is this business of godship: Who will sit as master and commander of our moment-by-moment lives?

It will go against the grain of your instinctual pursuit of self-interest, self-preservation, self-advancement and self-gratification, but make God the master and commander of your life and all that you are pursing. At the end of the day, no one has ever regretted that—and you won’t either.

__________________

“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling ‘darkness’ on the wall of his cell.” (C.S. Lewis)

 

Making Life Work: Truly wise people have settled that issue once and for all. They understand that God owns it all, and they are simply managing what he has given them in a way that will bring honor to the Owner. When we get that right in the big and small, seen and unseen moments of life, everything else will fall into place.

Room For Only One God

Read Psalm 131

Featured Verse: Psalm 131:1

“My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.”

There is only One who is God—and that’s not you! Basically, that is what the King David is saying of himself in this brief song of assent. The Message translates verse one this way:

God, I’m not trying to rule the roost, I don’t want to be king of the mountain. I haven’t meddled where I have no business or fantasized grandiose plans.

Yet this business of godship is more prevalent than we care to admit. You see, when we fret and worry over matters we can’t control, when we meddle and manipulate to get our plans fulfilled, when we come to God after the fact for help, when we pray as a last rather than a first resort, when we cut corners in our financial stewardship because we can’t afford to give to the Lord’s work, and when we put our hope in government (or anything else) at the expense of our trust in God, in effect, we have removed God from his rightful throne.

There is room for only one God in your life, so let God be God. He has a great track record in that role, you know, and you don’t.

And by the way, when you allow God to be God, good things happen for you:

  • You become the recipient of greater grace. Recognizing God’s rightful role takes true humility (the opposite of pride and haughtiness—Psalm 131:1), which is always the catalyst for more grace. (Proverbs 3:34)
  • You become the recipient of greater security. You put things that are above your pay grade back into the hands of the only One wise enough to handle them—what David calls “great matters or things too wonderful for me.” (See how Paul describes them in Romans 11:33-36)
  • You become the recipient of greater contentment. David says, “like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content.” (Psalm 131:2, MSG) Paul says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (I Timothy 6:6)
  • You become the recipient of greater hope. It is by Biblical hope, as Paul teaches, “we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?” (Romans 8:24) “Hope” as Paul says in Romans 5:5, “does not disappoint us…”

Hmmm…grace, security, contentment, hope. I think I’ll let God be God!

“I have one passion. It is He, only He.”
~Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf