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A Near Death Experience

It’s Where What is of Utmost Importance is Revealed

SYNOPSIS: There’s nothing like coming face-to-face with death to bring clarity to what is most important in life. In Psalm 116, the psalmist had either come through a literal near-death experience or he had gone through something spiritually that was so intensely difficult that death would have been a welcomed option. Whatever the reason for this deeply personal psalm, staring the Grim Reaper in the eye led the writer to this bottom line: I love the Lord! I don’t wish a near-death experience for you, but I do pray that you would come to the same overriding conclusion of what is first and foremost in life: The extension of God’s mercy to you and your response of love to the Lord. Tell me, what else in life is more important than that?

A Near Death Experience - Ray Noah

Moments with God // Psalm 116:1-6

I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!” How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.

There’s nothing like coming face-to-face with death to bring clarity to what is most important in life. The psalmist had either come through a literal near-death experience, or he had gone through something spiritually that was so intensely difficult that death would have been a welcomed option. Whatever the reason for this deeply personal psalm, staring the Grim Reaper in the eye led the writer to this bottom line: I love the Lord!

I don’t wish a near-death experience for you, me, or anyone, but I do pray that we would come to the same overriding conclusion of what is first and foremost in life: The extension of God’s mercy to us and our response of love to the Lord. Tell me, what else in life is more important than that?

Now I understand, as do you, that “love” is a term used rather loosely in our world. We love our favorite food, a certain TV show, a song, or a celebrity—we even love our pets (dogs I can understand; cats I can’t). And when we are teenagers, we love our best friends one day and hate them the next. Love is a squishy thing in our culture.

But when a near-death experience peels all the false “likes” and faux “loves” back from the core of what love truly is, we find a response of love for God that expresses itself in very real terms and quite practical actions. The psalmist mentions several:

Prayerful dependence on the Lord in daily life: “Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘Please, Lord, save me!’” (Psalm 116:3-4)

Calm assurance in the face of death: “The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die.” (Psalm 116:15)

Heartfelt gratitude for God’s goodness: “I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 116:17)

Ruthless follow through of our vows to obey God’s law: “I will fulfill my vows to the Lord…” (Psalm 116:18a)

Authentic demonstration of public praise for the God we claim to love: in the presence of all his people—in the house of the Lord in the heart of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 116:18b-19).

Do you love the Lord? I do! How about we don’t just say it but show it today in one of those ways? After all, in his mercy, he has saved us from a great deal of bad stuff in life (“Then I called on the name of the Lord: Please, Lord, save me! … He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” Psalm 116:4,8) and from even worse stuff after death (“The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die” Psalm 116:15).

Wow! Now that I think about it, I really do love the Lord!

Take a Moment: While I don’t wish a near-death experience on you, I do wish for you to realize what that kind of experience brings: a realization of God’s mercy and your response of love back to God for it. So, how about skipping that brush with death and offering your love to God for his mercy anyway? It will do wonders for you!

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The Certain Doom of the American Idol

God Never Accepts Second Place

SYNOPSIS: In Biblical times, idols made of wood, stone, or precious metals were a constant enticement to God’s people. In our day, we don’t worship literal images as the ancients did, but wouldn’t you agree that we are just as susceptible to the seduction of less obvious yet more sophisticated idols of health, wealth, comfort, celebrity, power, pleasure, and self-preservation? Don’t you agree that the love of money, the pursuit of fame (or at least the homage we pay to those who have attained it), the jockeying for top position, and the relentless indulgence of the flesh come between many and their singular devotion to God? Honestly, if you are placing importance, expending energy, and making personal investment in something that drowns out your full-throttled devotion to God, you have made it into an idol. At the end of the day, however, our idols will have amounted to nothing. They cannot speak, see, hear, smell, feel, act, or offer anything that benefits our preparation for eternity. The wealth, power, pleasure, and fame they may produce in this life will crumble on that day when all creation stands before Almighty God—and so will all who have worshipped them along with or in place of God. So don’t give your worship to another. It belongs to God alone.

The Certain Doom of the American Idol - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Psalm 115:8

Those who make idols will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

American Idol! When the show was still in its infancy, nearly 100 million Americans tuned in to vote for one lucky dude who, only weeks before, was just as un-famous as you and me. But after several episodes of weekly exposure to the American masses, he hit instantaneous stardom when he was crowned the new American Idol.

By the way, even after several seasons, my wife still loves the show, so I dare not use this blog to trash it. That would not go well for me. But as entertaining as this and similar shows are, they expose a growing problem in our culture: Far too many people are way out of balance in their adoration of anything celebrity. We have an American idol problem, so to speak. Just like the people to whom the psalmist referred, we, too, have our idols, and we would be wise to take note of his warning that not only will these idols come to certain doom, but so will those who have created them, as well as those who elevate them to places of disproportionate importance in their lives.

Of course, we don’t worship literal images made of wood, stone, silver, or gold like the ancients did, but wouldn’t you agree that we are just as susceptible to the seduction of less obvious but more sophisticated idols of wealth, celebrity, power, and pleasure? Don’t you agree that the love of money, the pursuit of fame (or at least the homage we pay to those who have attained it), the jockeying for top position, and the relentless indulgence of the flesh come between many and their singular devotion to God?

Perhaps you would have to admit your guilt of divided devotion. Maybe you sometimes struggle with hanging on to “your” money when you really ought to be investing it in God’s work. Perhaps you wrestle with the desire to be admired for what you have done when you should really be offering acts of selfless, anonymous servanthood. It could be that there are times when it is difficult for you to put the things of God ahead of your own plans for pleasure, comfort, entertainment, and self-preservation.

If you are placing importance, expending energy, and making personal investment in things that drown out your full-throttled devotion to God, you have made them into an idol. If so, here’s the deal: At the end of the day, those things will have amounted to nothing. They cannot speak, see, hear, smell, feel, act, or offer anything that benefits your preparation for eternity. (Psalm 115:5-7) The wealth, power, pleasure, and fame they may produce in this life will crumble on that day when all creation stands before Almighty God—and so will all who have worshipped them ahead of God.

Don’t give your worship to another. It belongs to God alone. As Psalm 115:1 tells us, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.” Friend, worship only God, and he will be for you:

Your protection: “All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.” (Psalm 115:11)

Your provision: “The Lord will bless those who fear him, both great and lowly.” (Psalm 115:13)

Your posterity: “May the Lord richly bless both you and your children.” (Psalm 115:14)

Your prosperity: “May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity.” (Psalm 115:15)

Your peace: “The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord, for they have gone into the silence of the grave. But we can praise the Lord both now and forever! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 115:17-18).

No idol will do that for you—American or otherwise. Only God can, and only he is worthy of your worship.

Take a Moment: If you dare, invite the Holy Spirit to point out where you have elevated money, pleasure, power, comfort, self-preservation, or anything else above your full and singular devotion to God. Then, let him take your idols out to the trash.

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Earth Worship

Why Worship Something That Worships Someone Else?

SYNOPSIS: I love the earth. I think God brought his A-game when he created this planet. But don’t miss the point: Like everything else, it was created. And we, as the highest order of God’s creation, were given the assignment to manage the rest of creation on God’s behalf—and that includes lovingly and wisely caring for Planet Earth. But we are the earth’s stewards, not its Savior, and while this planet is our home, don’t confuse it with our heaven. We are simply to watch over the created cosmos, being careful not to cross over the thin line that exists between watching and worshiping. Grasping this is so important, you see, because the earth actually worships its Creator. We should follow suit! I don’t want to get caught up worshiping something that worships Someone else. Do you? I want to give my worship to the Creator.

Earth Worship - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Psalm 114:1-4,7

When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—
the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary, and Israel became his kingdom. The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! … Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob..

You see a lot of earth worship these days. If you don’t know what I am talking about, pay a little more attention to what is going on in the environmental movement. In my view, a radical form of environmentalism that is tantamount to idolatry has replaced common-sense stewardship of the earth—earth worship, to be precise—the worship of creation over the Creator.

Think about it: Blind loyalty, if not fawning love, is offered to the cosmos, monetary offerings are given to uphold its cause, the words of its high priests are revered without challenge, its message is spread by aggressive followers with the fervor of door-to-door evangelists, and those who don’t readily accept the message are mocked and marginalized.

Sounds like a religion to me!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the earth. I think God brought his A-game when he created this planet. But don’t miss the point: Like everything else, it was created. And we, as the highest order of God’s creation, were given the assignment to manage the rest of creation on God’s behalf—and that includes lovingly and wisely caring for Planet Earth. But we are the earth’s stewards, not its Savior, and while this planet is our home, don’t confuse it with our heaven. We are simply to watch over the created cosmos, careful not to cross over the thin line between watching and worshiping.

Grasping this is so important, you see, because the earth actually worships its Creator. That’s what this psalm is about. And though God has put the systems in place that run the physical world day in and day out, season by season, eon after eon, every once in a while, he breaks back into it and commands the cosmos to fulfill extraordinary things for his purposes. Those extraordinary acts are, in reality, nothing more than the release of pent-up praise the creation longs to give its Creator. In other words, during those extraordinary moments of earth-shattering activity, the planet is praising.

And yet, when the earth simply goes about doing what the earth does—rising and resting with each twenty-four-hour period, moving seamlessly from one season to the next—it too, in those ordinary moments, is offering praise to the One who created it and by his mighty power, sustains it. Moment-by-moment, day-by-day, year-by-year, the earth is worshiping.

The creation worships its Creator. What an awesome thing to consider. What an amazing thing to behold. I don’t want to get caught up worshiping something that worships Someone else. Do you? I want to give my worship to the Creator, and as I care for his creation, even then, I am offering him his rightful worship.

Earth worship! Sure, go ahead. Join the earth in worship of its Creator.

Take a Moment: Maybe you know someone who leans toward uncritical or even radical environmentalism. Look for an opportunity to share, in your own words, what I have talked about in this blog, but more importantly, what the psalmist described in Psalm 114.

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The Condescending Creator

Thank God for a Savior Who Stoops

SYNOPSIS: Whenever man invents god, there you find a deity who is unapproachable, aloof, angry, interested only in his subjects keeping him happy, and characteristically impossible to please. But God is not an invention; He is the Inventor. And the Great Inventor has taken the initiative to walk among his people. Moreover, he condescends to lift them up and fill their lives with satisfaction, significance, and joy. He is the God who stoops—imagine that! And this God who stoops was at his condescending best when he not only walked among his people but when he became one of them. You see, he was not merely a God who got his hands dirty for a day before returning to the riches of heaven; he became poor for a lifetime so that we, through his poverty, could become rich for eternity. Yes, thank God for a Savior who stooped!

Condescending-Creator - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Psalm 113:4-9

For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. Who can be compared with the Lord our God, is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the Lord.

Who is like the LORD our God? He is the God who stoops.

No one could ever have invented a condescending deity like that in a million years. Even if we had thought God up, it would have been a long stretch to imagine One who would be moved by interest in the plight of his creation, full of compassion and pity, extending grace and mercy, exuding love and kindness, much less One who actually stoops to do something about it.

The God who stoops—who’d a thunk it?

Whenever man invents god, there you find a deity who is unapproachable, aloof, angry, interested only in his subjects keeping him happy, and characteristically impossible to please. But God is not an invention; He is the Inventor. And the Great Inventor has taken the initiative to walk among his people. Moreover, he condescends to lift them up and fill their lives with:

  • Satisfaction: “He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.” (Psalm 113:7)
  • Significance: “He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people.” (Psalm 113:8)
  • Joy: “He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.” (Psalm 113:9)

He is the God who stoops—imagine that!

And this God who stoops was at his condescending best when he not only walked among his people, but when he became one of them. You see, he was not merely a God who got his hands dirty for a day before returning to the riches of heaven, he became poor for a lifetime so we, through his poverty, could become rich for eternity. (2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 2:6-8)

He is the God who stoops!

The late Carl F. H. Henry, arguably America’s preeminent twentieth-century theologian, put it simply yet so profoundly: “Jesus Christ turns life right-side-up and heaven outside-in.” The Condescending Christ stooped to lift fallen humanity from the quagmire of sin into the undeserved riches and indescribable glory of Almighty God.

Yes, thank God for a Savior who stooped!

Take a Moment: Considering all that God has done through Jesus to stoop to your level not only to raise you to his but to seat you in a position of kingdom authority, perhaps the best and only appropriate response you could offer is to simply give him heartfelt praise and thanks.

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Bad News Immunity

Bad Things Are Not The Same As Bad News

SYNOPSIS: I know what you are thinking: “No bad news for the believer—you gotta be kidding!” Yes, there is no such thing as bad news for the God-fearing, commandment-keeping believer. I realize that you could point to any number of faithful people in the Bible—Joseph, David, Daniel, Jeremiah, the disciples, Paul, even Jesus himself—and remind me that they indeed experienced bad news during their respective journeys on earth. And talk about bad news—what about Job? If you were to look up the definition of bad news in the dictionary, you would find Job’s picture there.! I wholeheartedly agree with your point, but that is not what I am talking about. I didn’t say that the godly are immune to bad things, only to bad news. You see when God is on your side, or perhaps more correctly, when you are on God’s side, no matter what, you win! And that’s good news.

Bad News Immunity - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Psalm 112:6-8

Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

You’ve heard it said, “No news is good news.” The psalmist puts a different spin on that old bromide: There is no bad news! Let’s take a look at what he said:

  • This applies to the one who reverences God and relishes his law: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.” (Psalm 112:1)
  • For that one, good things will happen, and even bad things will be turned into blessings: “Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.” (Psalm 112:4).
  • Furthermore, God will not only pour blessings on the one who fears him but he ensures prosperity to their posterity: “Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.… They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. (Psalm 112:2,9)
  • When you fear the Lord, you have nothing to fear: “Heart ready, trusting in God, Spirit firm, unperturbed, Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies (Psalm 112:8 MSG)

Now I know what you are thinking: “No bad news for the believer—you gotta be kidding!” Yes, there is no such thing as bad news for the God-fearing, commandment-keeping believer. I realize that you could point to any number of faithful people in the Bible—Joseph, David, Daniel, Jeremiah, the disciples, Paul, even Jesus himself—and remind me that they indeed experienced bad news during their respective journeys on earth. And talk about bad news—what about Job? If you were to look up the definition of bad news in the dictionary, you would find Job’s picture there.!

I wholeheartedly agree with your point, but that is not what I am talking about. I didn’t say that the godly are immune to bad things, only to bad news. You see when God is on your side, or perhaps more correctly, when you are on God’s side, no matter what, you win! And that’s good news.

How so? God turns even bad things into good things for you, and while he is at it, he uses them to bring glory to himself as well. That’s what is promised to God-fearing, commandment-keeping believers in his Word. I love how John Newton, the former notorious slave trader who was dramatically and profoundly converted to Christ, put it,

“We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to His glory and our own advantage.”

Wow! No bad news for believers! If you doubt Newton’s theology, take a moment to read Romans 8:28.

Now, again, please don’t think I am promising a pain-free life. I am not; nor is God. What God promises is to use all the things that occur in your life for his purposes and even use them as the very catalyst that will conform you to the image of his Son. From that perspective, what others consider bad news you can embrace as good news. So, in a very real sense, you, dear God-fearing believer, are immune to bad news.

Now that’s what I call good news!

Take A Moment: If you are experiencing bad things, adjust your thinking so that you will be able to distinguish between bad things and bad news. The good news is that God will see you through and bring you out on the other side, looking more like Jesus and much more useful to him.

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Praiseful Pondering

Ponder Anew

SYNOPSIS: God wants you, on a regular basis, to call up from your memory banks the things that he has done. He wants you to delight in his sovereign acts and stand in awe of the mighty works of his hand. God didn’t perform them only to have them written in the history books and then to be forgotten. They are to be remembered, pondered, delighted in, and to lead his people to offer him eternal praise. I’m sure if you allow yourself some time to ponder anew the past acts of God on behalf of his people and on your behalf, too, nothing but good things will come from it. I can’t think of a downside to a session of praiseful pondering, can you?

Praiseful Pondering — Ray Noah Blog

Moments With God // Psalm 111:1-3

Hallelujah! I want to express publicly before his people my heartfelt thanks to God for his mighty miracles. All who are thankful should ponder them with me. For his miracles demonstrate his honor, majesty, and eternal goodness.

When was the last time you took some time to remember what God has done? Psalm 111:4 says, “He has caused his wonders to be remembered.” In other words, built into God’s mighty acts is a reminder to remember the One who performed them.

God wants you, on a regular basis, to call up from your memory banks the things that he has done. He wants you to delight in his sovereign acts and stand in awe of the mighty works of his hand. God didn’t perform them only to have them written in the history books and then to be forgotten. They are to be remembered, pondered, delighted in, and, as Psalm 111:10 says, to lead his people to offer him eternal praise:

Praise him forever!

Before you leave this time of reflection on Psalm 111, perhaps you should take a moment to speak forth your delight in the great things God has done. The psalmist has even provided a wonderful template of praise just for you. For instance,

  • You can reflect on the undeserved compassion that God has extended to you: “How gracious and merciful is our Lord!” (Psalm 111:4)
  • You probably ought to include a verbal gratitude list for the gracious provision he has made for your daily needs: “He gives food to those who fear him.” (Psalm 111:5)
  • While you are thinking about that, thank him for staying true to his character and his promises: “He always remembers his covenant.” (Psalm 111:5)
  • You might want to bask in the Divine power that has led to victories in your life: “He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations.” (Psalm 111:6)
  • You could add your appreciation for his fair and just rule, too: “All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy. They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.”(Psalm 111:7-8)

And best of all, why not let the reality of your redemption cause you to be undone with love all over again: “He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!” (Psalm 111:9)

I love Joachim Neander’s 17th Century hymn, Praise To the Lord the Almighty, especially the words of the third verse:

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

I’m sure if you allow yourself some time to ponder anew the past acts of God on behalf of his people and on your behalf, too, nothing but good things will come from it. I can’t think of a downside to a session of praiseful pondering, can you?

Take A Moment: Take a moment to listen to the Hymn, Praise To The Lord, The Almighty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNq0WtMSmIY&t=8s. Then offer your own verbal praise to the Amighty, the King of Creation.

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The Final, Full, and Forcible Reign of Jesus

The Day is Coming When Christ Will Rule the Earth

SYNOPSIS: The day is coming when God will call a halt to this current season of gentle persuasion, and Jesus will literally, physically, and forcefully return to earth to rule over it in power and glory. And to those who have refused his rule, he will crush them as with a rod of iron. This time of rule is what we refer to as the millennial reign of Christ—the thousand-year period between the Second Coming and the Great White Throne judgment, where the Kingdom of God will thoroughly cover the earth from one end to the other. That time is coming, my friend, and it is coming soon! I urge you then, in light of God’s unbreakable promise, to lovingly and willingly submit to his thorough rule as Messiah, King, and High Priest of your body, mind, and heart. Do it today!

The Final, Full, and Forcible Reign of Jesus - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Psalm 110:1

The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.

Psalm 110 is arguably the most thoroughly messianic of all the psalms. The Holy Spirit inspired King David to write of a future time when the Messiah, not only his descendant but, more importantly, his Lord—he who was superior to David and to whom the king would submit both his life and kingly authority—would rule the earth as both king and priest:

The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”( Psalm 110:4),

Moreover, this Lord, King, and Priest would rule in wrath and judgment over those who refused his authority

The Lord stands at your right hand to protect you. He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts. He will punish the nations and fill their lands with corpses; he will shatter heads over the whole earth. (Psalm 110:5-6)

What we need to remember as we read this psalm is that this is what the future holds—for Jesus, for you and me who have willingly submitted to his righteous rule, and for a world that has grown tone-deaf to his loving invitation to submit to his rightful authority. In this present moment, God is preparing Christ’s enemies for destruction (Psalm 110:1), Christ is representing the needs and concerns of believers in heaven before the Father as our high priest (Psalm 110:4, cf. Hebrews 7:24-26), and the Holy Spirit is calling the world to God through Christ through the witness of the church (2 Corinthians 5:18-22).

Now, as much as anything, here is what this psalm should cause us to think about: The day is coming when God will call a halt to this current season of gentle persuasion, and Jesus will literally and physically return to earth to rule over it in power and glory. And to those who have refused his rule, he will crush them as with a rod of iron. This time of rule is what we refer to as the millennial reign of Christ—the thousand-year period between the Second Coming and the Great White Throne judgment, where the Kingdom of God will thoroughly cover the earth from one end to the other.

That time is coming, my friend, and it is coming soon! I urge you then, in light of God’s unbreakable promise, to lovingly and willingly submit to his thorough rule as Messiah, King, and High Priest of your body, mind, and heart today.

Christ’s full and complete rule over you is only right and fitting!

Take A Moment: Does Jesus have complete rule over your life? If not, perhaps today is a good day to have a conversation with him about that.