3rd October

3rd October 


Pray (AC-ts) 


Read — Romans 1:21


Message Alan Burke


The other night the sky was truly beautiful, breathtaking! As I was staring aimlessly at the sky I was stuck by the glory of God that was being displayed to me there standing looking out the window while trying to do the dishes. It doesn’t matter whether we have eyes to see it or now, day after day creation is revealing the glory of God, such beauty and wonder, that sings forth His praise, and that night as creation sang to the glory of its creation it will never pain such a picture again, but a new one each day that speaks more of the invisible attributes of God, his eternal power and divine nature (Rom 1:20). All of creation was made by God for His glory, it is beautiful and wonderful and scripture makes it clear that you and I and Joe Blogs who lives in some far of part of this planet are without excuse because all for what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them (Ro 1:19). The heavens themselves declare the glory of God, in General Revelation, which is creation God has manifested His glory, he has shown it to all people everywhere. 


Here today we are confronted with the heart attitude of those who are without excuse but fail to as we are told… “For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him… (Rom 1:21). The heart attitude of sinful man is such is that although God has made it clear to us of His existence they will not glorify Him. It is not that we have an excuse to say that we somehow didn’t know, it’s not that we can appeal to ignorance for all of creation, for from the yeast to a yak, from the cow to a piece of coal, from the sea to the sky and everything between, below and above testify to the truth that there is a God. Yet in spite of having the knowledge of God within and despite it being clearly displayed, the sinful heart attitude is such that we by our nature, that we do not give Him the glory to God. 


It isn’t that the reason why people refuse to believe in God is logical or rational or scientific, rather it is because of sin. We do not believe because we do not want God’s rule over us, and we do not give God the rightful place in our lives, and we do not want to give God the rightful places in our lives. Even though we were made for His glory, for the glory of God and to live for Him, our creator as His image, nonetheless, sinful man, sinful men women and children of every age because of our hearts do not by our nature give the glory to God. Instead of living for his glory, we live for our own glory. 


A life rightly orientated understands that when we have God in the central place, when we are seeking to glorify Him, when we do this then loving our neighbour flows from that. Unless we love the Lord our God, seeking His glory then we do not know what it means to love our neighbour, we are confused of what is true and right, even though natural law testifies to the truth for it relives an innate sense of right and wrong that demonstrates God’s existences, yet sadly we because of moral relativism say that there is no such thing as right or wrong. Yet it is by grace that we are saved that enables us to live for the glory of God. For the Christian Life, when God brings us to salvation is one where we are taught to put of what we once were, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of our minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph 4:22-24). As we do this, we move more and more to those who indeed glorify God as we were made for. 


Pray (acTS) 


Sing 


WSC  
Q68 What is required in the sixth commandment?
The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, (Eph. 5:28–29) and the life of others. (1 Kings 18:4)
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