Our Wonderful God.

The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, "Praise God for the Son of David." But the leaders were indignant.  Matthew 21:15

When he (Jesus) said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing. 
 Luke 13:17

As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.  
Mark 9:15

This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great. Isaiah 28:29

O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. 
Isaiah 25:1

Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.  
Psalm 107:21

Lenny Leblanc - What A Wonder Lyrics 

You give hope to the hopeless
You give faith to the faithless
Your love comes through
Like the morning light
You give grace to the humble
And have mercy on the merciful
This world's never seen anybody like You

O what a wonder
A wonder You are
You hide the sun and let it rain
O what a wonder
Jesus what a wonder You are
O what a wonder
A wonder You are
To save somebody like me

O what a wonder
Jesus what a wonder You are

You bring healing to the nations
There's no other salvation
You're the only One who can turn it around
You make a way for the wanderer
You give freedom to the prisoner
All of hell must tremble
At the sound of Your name

O what a wonder
Jesus what a wonder You are
O what a wonder You are 

Does God Threaten?

Photo by: Bernard Gagnon

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Bgag

I notice when I read comments on articles about religion that many non-believers bring up the subject of threats from God. They say, "Why should I love a God who threatens people with death if they don't believe in him?"

I believe God is warning people, not threatening them. In Ezekiel chapter 33, God likens his warnings to that of a soldier guarding a city. If a soldier on the wall sees the enemy coming and does nothing then the death of the people is on his shoulders. But, if the soldier warns the people an enemy is coming he has done his duty. It is now up to the people to get ready to fight or not. What they then do will be on their shoulders.

God says, "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die..." Ezekiel 33:11

When Israel joined with the other nations, sacrificing their children to the pagan god Baal and doing many wicked deeds, God said,"Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows." God loves people and wants them to have eternal life but if they choose to stay away from God he has to let them go.

The reason God says you will die if you don't come to him for life is because it is a simple fact. Not because he wants you to die - you just will. God is the source of all life. If you don't belong to him; if you don't want him in your life, he respects your decision. Therefore, when God raises the dead he will not take you to heaven. God knows you would not be happy in heaven anyway because in order to enjoy heaven you must be born again, as Jesus said in John 3:16.

People also seem to think that if a person is a "good person" then God will take them to heaven and he should take them to heaven. Well, first of all "good" is relative.  Jesus said, "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone." Luke 18:19 You may think a person is good, and perhaps by the world's standards they are, but without God in their hearts they are not truly good. Someone I knew very well told me, "I think I'm a good person and will go to heaven." But everyone knew what kind of person he was. He had said and done some terrible things. He loved himself above all others.

Also, will people who don't know God enjoy worshiping him in heaven? Will they love to sing of his saving power? Will they love to hear his commands? No. If they think their goodness has gotten them to heaven, what is there to thank God for?

The reason true Christians love to praise God and sing about him is that they know where they have come from. They know they were definitely not good. They know they were saved from a life of giving in to their compulsions and passions. They know they were like a ship without a rudder drifting through life at the mercy of wind and wave. They know the joy living for God has given them. They know the peace God can give when a loved one dies, they become sick or don't have the rent. God is a person to go to in trouble and eventually a Christian learns that every time something bad happens; God brings good out of that something.

That's why we never tire of thinking about God, talking about God and praising God. He is our family, our Father. We will be at home with him in heaven. This earth, with all its violence, rebellion, and evil is not our home. It is not your home. We were created for a perfect home and none of us will ever feel at home here.

Jesus said about his followers, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." John 17:16

With the shape this world is in right now, I am glad I belong to a better world.

The Sacrifice of Praise.

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name." Hebrews 13:15

"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God." Psalm 50:23

"To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the LORD." Psalm 116:17

The Treasury of David
"Whoever offers praise glorifies me." Praise is the best sacrifice; true, hearty, gracious thanksgiving from a renewed mind. Not the lowing of bullocks bound to the altar, but the songs of redeemed men are the music which the ear of Jehovah delights in. Sacrifice your loving gratitude, and God is honored thereby."

In the times before Jesus died, Jews offered sacrifices of thanksgiving. There are no longer sacrifices of animals or food to the Lord. But Paul says we should offer the sacrifice of praise continually. How can praise be a sacrifice?

Some say that to praise God when life is hard and you are suffering is a sacrifice. Since Paul says to praise continually, then this may feel like a sacrifice. The definition of "sacrifice" is to give up or surrender something. Perhaps giving up our feelings of fear and pain and instead praising God is the sacrifice.