Themes

The following is a excerpt from the WORSHIP THEME section of FQWORSHIP.com. Take time today to stand amazed in Him.

Amazed / Amazing

DEFINITION
1. surprised and filled with astonishment 2. inspiring or invoking a sense of wonder and awe.

INSIGHT
So many times in the New Testament, the authors of the gospels describe the effect that Jesus had on people as “amazing”. In seven different chapters, Matthew described the people as “amazed by His teachings” and “amazed by his works”. Mark, Luke, and John used the same word, “amazed”, to describe similar encounters between Jesus and the people of Jerusalem. Many people were amazed. For some of them, this was the first step of faith in accepting Jesus as the Christ- their Savior.

It is not a secret that when faced with God and His character, we cannot help but be amazed by Him. John Newton wrote about his experience of encountering God in the well-known song, “Amazing Grace”. Newton was a captain of a slave ship that carried slaves from Africa to America. He did this work for many years before being confronted by the Holy Spirit. Newton made a decision to turn his back on his sin and invited Christ to be His Lord and Savior. He describes his experience in the words of his song:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!

That saved a wretch like me-

I once was lost, but now I’m found

Was blind but now I see.

-John Newton (1772)

***Interesting Fact: The first recording of Amazing Grace was in 1922!

WORSHIP THE AMAZING GOD
Just being in your presence leaves us in amazement, God. Knowing You and learning more about You leads us to even greater depths of worship. You are the source of goodness and joy and the fact that You desire for us to experience You amazes us. You are amazing, God!

It seems that life is one big conquest to find joy.  From our earliest years the world encourages us to do what makes us happy.  However, few find joy.  Even the most intelligent, rich, famous people have died with emptiness and lack of joy.  Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of money. When dying, he said: “I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth.”  Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent, before he said, “There are no more worlds to conquer.”  Extensive power, money, and pleasures are void of the lasting and permanent joy that Jesus Christ offers.  In John 15 (NIV), Jesus uses the vine and branch to describe the importance of remaining in him.  Then, He explains that if we obey Him and remain in His love, our joy will be made complete.  There is a constant grabbing for our attention.  The dark and devious acts of Satan seek to steal our joy in Christ through frustration, loneliness, and lack of trust.  However, when we cry out to the Lord, remain in Him, and fight for joy- He promises to deliver.

May your JOY be renewed this Christmas season!

Creator
to own authorship or to have created something or someone.

Insight
Life began with God- the creator of heaven and of earth.  When comparing the story of creation in Genesis 1 with the New Testament account in John 1, it is interesting to note that the account in Genesis speaks of life and light while John echoes this account and makes ready to tell the story of Jesus and the opportunity for new life through His Light. His creation also reveals His glory and His power.

The more I study nature, the more I am amazed at the Creator.
-  Louis Pasteur

Worship our Creator
When we consider the works of your fingers- the moon and the stars…what a God you are!  You created us from the beginning and even before you laid the foundation of the earth, you knew our names.  Creator God, there is none like You!  Thank you for your display of power and greatness, let us never forget the thoughtfulness, the genius, the power of You, our Creator.