HEART MATTERS

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:9

My youngest son “CJ” introduced me to the concept of  “a boss.”  This term has become the replacement for what we used to call “bad” (as in good) or “the bomb” (lol, I still say this one) but “a boss,” I believe, means even more.  I have to admit I rather enjoy this term because it aptly describes what we admire in so many leader type personalities.  We love that they are bold, no holds bar, and the fact that they just don’t play!

In Hollywood  “a boss” is the character that seems rather unassuming-nice, simple, peaceful and kind-that is until you mess with them.  Prod, poke, or threaten them and/or those they love and you’ll see a side of them that will blow your mind.  In the movies “a boss” shows up right on time, ushers in justice, and always ends up the victor.  Behind that quiet, self-controlled demeanor is entirely different character who possesses amazing abilities and incredible powers. They are the ones who are always treated in some unwarranted or undeserving way, but who will eventually give their enemies exactly what they have coming, exactly what they deserve.  Even when the odds are against them and it seems there’s no way out, a boss will always miraculously overcome.

(Okay so I’m going to date myself here, but…) think of the character Caine on Kung Fu. Because of his meekness the bullies in the Old West always thought they could trample him.  Boy were they ever wrong!  Caine was a real deal boss!  Remember David Banner on the old television series The Hulk?  He worked odd jobs in order to keep moving and make ends meet, but someone always had to go and make him angry (and like he’d always say “you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”).  David Banner was a boss!  In The Avengers movie series they even let us in on a little secret regarding his character.  It seems he was always mad!  He lived in a perpetual state of self control-containing the beast inside-until the time called for him to unleash the hulk! (I love it!)  In the movie The Matrix, Neo was a boss and didn’t even know it-that is, not until they were trying to shoot him down for the second time and he decided enough was enough.  Everyone loves the part when he put up his hand like “uh-uhn not this time!” and all those bullets just stopped mid-air and fell to the ground.  Rambo was a boss.  Rick and Darryl on The Walking Dead (don’t judge me!)-bosses.  Goku and Vegeta on Dragon Ball Z (that one’s for you “T”)-bosses!  “A Boss” is defined by that characteristic in the main character which makes them a hero and causes us to root for them and cheer them on.  We love them because they seem to be invincible. The fact that they are humble and refuse to abuse or misuse their strengths for their own gain only makes us admire them even more!

This week I was thinking about all those scriptures I read that reveal that part of God’s character that causes me to take a step back like “whoa!” only to then draw me in to exclaim “wow!”.  Those verses I read where all of a sudden I find myself applauding Him and not being able to get over who HE is!  I’ll say it-when it comes to Jesus I’m more than a fan! I’m a fanatic!  As I read His Word and discover more and more of my Lord’s character I can’t help cheering my Hero on and celebrating Him for all that He is!  I hope you enjoyed my introduction to this blog and I hope it served it’s purpose of conveying the concept what “a boss” is and what type of responses it normally elicits from us.  However I have to be clear-I’m in no way comparing Jesus to any of those fictional characters I mentioned above.  When it comes to JESUS, there is no comparison!  HE IS THE TRUTH!  I used the examples of some of the heroes found in the movies and on television and how we react to them to illustrate how revved up and excited I get when I see the awesomeness of the Lord throughout the Scriptures.  I thought about simply trying to describe how certain scriptures affect me by saying I love seeing the “macho-ness” (is that a word?) or the manliness of our Lord, but I just couldn’t reduce it to that because HE is so much more!  Like the song says “indescribable”, “unattainable”,…. Amazing God!

I hope you get the picture.  In this blog I decided I’d share some of my favorite scriptures that cause me to say “You Go GOD!” (with the utmost reverence and respect-HE knows my heart!).  I hope they cause you to bow down and worship our precious Lord!  We better recognize! JESUS IS THE ULTIMATE BOSS.  The first time HE came as the sacrificial lamb of God.  When HE returns, HE’s coming as The Lion of the Tribe of Judah!

“Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm.  He said: “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?  Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.  “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?  Tell me, if you understand.  Who marked off its dimensions?  Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?” Job 38:1-5

“Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.  My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.  Though you do not know him, I know him.  If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”  “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”  Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I AM!”  John 8:54-58

“Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”  And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence.  I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  But, “He said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”  Exodus 33: 18-20

“So He said to him “What is your name?”  He said, “Jacob.”  And HE said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”  Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”  And HE said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?”  And HE blessed him there.”  Genesis 32: 27-29

“But HE said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?  Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?  Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.  But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.  For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”  Matthew 12: 3-8

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand.  Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”  “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence,and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”  The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”  And Joshua did so.”  Joshua 5: 13-15

“When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”  “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”  Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.” Exodus 3: 4-6

“Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them His anger was aroused.  Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.  When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the LORD and the fire died down.  So that place was called Taberah, because the fire from the LORD had burned among them.”  Numbers 11: 1-3

“And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”  Numbers 16: 20-21

“Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”  Jesus answered, ” You say rightly that I Am a king.  For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  John 18: 37

“Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me?  Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”  Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.  Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”  John 19: 10-11

“Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”  So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.  And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them.  Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said “Peace to you!”  Then HE said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side.  Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”  John 20:24-26

“On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”  And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'” Luke 13:32

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”  They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”  “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”  Daniel 3:24-25

“Of how much worse punishment, do you supposed, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  And again, “The LORD will judge His people.”  It is a fearful thing to fall in the the hands of the living God.”  Hebrews 10:29-31

“And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.”  Acts 10:42

“Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”  And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Luke 10: 17-18

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This command I have received from My Father.” John 10: 17-18

Awesome!  Right?!!!  Bless the LORD, O my soul-worship His holy name! (Psalm 103)

Okay so if you have any other scriptures you’d like to share in keeping with this week’s blog please feel free to do so in the comment section!

HEART TO HEART:  JESUS IS THE BOSS OF ME!  WHAT ABOUT YOU?