Isaiah 6:3 - "Holy Is The Lord"

"Holy is the Lord God Almighty...the earth is filled with His glory..." Oh how I love when the Lord wakes me up with a song that is so encouraging! When we sing this song, we are showing Him our adoration. "For the joy of the Lord is our strength..." When we allow Him to be our joy and our strength, we are showing Him our worship. He is so wonderful in the way He loves on us so greatly. The song continues...

It's rising up all around
It's the anthem of the Lord's renown

Yes! The word 'renown' means 'a state of being widely acclaimed; honored'...that is exactly what we need to do. We need to raise our voices with honoring Him. When we do, we bless Him. In return, He blesses us. Tomorrow people will gather in churches as corporate bodies of believers. There will be many stories represented among the people. I am praying for...

• ones who are in the valleys of life who do not feel like praising the Lord...may they find a reason to praise Him in the place they are in
• ones who are on top of the mountain who feel like they are ready to explode...may they realize the mountaintop is not where they will stay
• people who are 'unhappy' with the music, preaching, etc. in the body of believers they are in...may they listen to the Lord for direction
• those who are feeling stifled in their worship...may they not worry about what man will say but instead listen to the Only One who matters
• worship leaders who are not following the Lord's direction...may their hearts be open
• worship leaders who are discouraged...may they be encouraged by someone

God deserves our worship. God desires our worship. God demands our worship. Church is not to be a social club. It is to be a place of worship. It is not be a place to tear one another down but instead should be a safe place where people are encouraged. Church is not about what we will get out of it but what the Lord has in store for us to receive so we can give. You do not have to go to church to be a believer but it sure does help in our walk when we go and participate with other believers. It is not about us but about Him. 

Isaiah 6 is a vision Isaiah had of what was going to happen. In this vision Isaiah sees the Lord sitting inside the temple. He was seated on the mercy-seat over the Ark of the Covenant. Isaiah saw the glory all around the Lord. In this vision the Lord was represented in everyone in the world. The angels in this vision represented those who were ready to do whatever He asks of them even when they don't understand. He told Isaiah to go out and tell the people about Him. He warned Isaiah that people would not listen or if they did listen, they would not grasp it. But He also told Isaiah to not give up until the end of time. That is exactly what we are to do. We are to walk in obedience to Him, worshiping Him, sharing His love with others and most importantly never stopping. No matter what obstacles come in our way we are not to give up. The easiest way to accomplish the tasks set before us is to praise Him in the process. No matter how many times we get knocked down we need to praise Him and continue sharing Him with others. That is easier said than done but it is the only way we will spend eternity with the Lord.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You so much for this song and Scripture this morning. What an encouragement to never give up sharing You! Lord, these are some tough days but I know You will continue to be My Joy and My Strength as I walk in obedience with You. Cleanse me of anything not of You that will hinder my witness. Fill me to overflowing with more of You so people will see and hear You through me. Bless my prayers for others in abundance. Lead me to opportunities today to be You to all I meet. Thank You Jesus for being My Joy and My Strength. Amen.