Reaching for Jesus

REACHING FOR THE SKY

Capt. Ben Marler

One of the most difficult things in my life, believe it or not, was to raise my hands in worship. I could see folks around me reaching out to the Lord with a special peace upon their faces, I desperately wanted to do it but couldn’t. I would bet there are millions today right where I was long ago.

Today it’s hard for me to bring my hands down for I know Jesus and He knows me. I hope no one around me is bothered with my openness to worship the Lord. Really, I wish everyone would do the same. The Bible tells us to lift up “holy hands” unto the Lord. I suspect most don’t feel holy.

Well this word has been used to intimidate the church long enough. All it means is “set apart” as far as we are concerned. We become set apart the instant we receive Jesus as our Lord. We become a brand new creation in the sight of God. He says we have been adopted as His children and are now only passing through, no longer of this world.

The Word HOLY is descriptive of God Almighty. In the Book of Revelations we see the 24 Elders falling down before God proclaiming His HOLINESS. Applied to Him we should understand that He alone is Pure and without equal. We also believe that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are part of the Godhead. He is uniquely ONE in Three.

When we worship God we express our love and devotion to Him and commit to do His will as He reveals it. At the same time, we display our dependence upon Him alone. No Christian should trust himself or herself for God has declared Himself to be our source, Jehovah Jireh or the Lord who provides. In some countries He is the only source for there is so little to sustain life.

Years ago we were called to assist the group, Food for the Poor, that took food to the folks in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

With out God’s provision through His children, mothers there couldn’t feed their children. Many went to bed not knowing what they could give them in the morning. This is tragic and there are many more countries with the populations starving to death. Most are not Christian and have adopted forms of religion hoping they can survive.

We can do something about this but should be directed by the Lord. He will speak to us in worship. The scriptures tell us that God is enthroned upon the praises of His people. If you ever need the Lord in an emergency start praising Him.

Have you noticed that folks on the battle fields lift their hands when faced by a superior force. If they don’t they won’t live much longer. We should learn from them. Right now you may be facing a terrible enemy like overwhelming debt. God is able to meet all of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. Do you believe it?

If you do, take Him at His Word and find your eternal peace in Jesus. God’s promises are to His family and not to the world. Even a casual reading of the Bible you can see in the Old Testament He called the Jews, My people. This is due to His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God keeps promises!

When Jesus came, born to Mary a Jewish woman, He brought with Him a New Covenant from the Father. God would honor His promise of salvation by faith but now it must be in the shed Blood of His Son Jesus.

Our peace, whether in worship or in our daily labors, must be in our submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the Lord and many Jews have already discovered it. There will be many more near the end of the age. God says in Revelations that there will be 144,000 Jewish evangelist, 12,000 from each Tribe, that will go out and evangelize the Jewish nation. I don’t know how many will respond, but I know those who do will have their hands joyfully uplifted to Almighty God.

You may be a Jew or perhaps just someone hungering for God; if you are, lift your hands up and surrender. There is no time like right now to escape the coming horrors.

Once your hands are uplifted, sing praises to the best of your ability. Most of us can’t sing all that well, but it doesn’t matter to Him for He is looking at our hearts. Once we begin and enter into the Throne Room stay focused on Jesus. There is no one else worthy of worship for we who are born again of His Spirit.