Endless Wonder Genesis 1:1 Ecclesiastes 3:11 Isaiah 46:8-11 Isaiah 53:6-11 2 Corinthians 5:21 Isaiah 40:13-14 Romans 11:33-36 Proverbs 1:5-7 Proverbs 9:9-10 01.14.19

ENDLESS WONDER

BREAD

¹ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Genesis 1:1 (NIV)

¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)

⁸ “Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. ⁹ Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. ¹⁰ I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. ¹¹ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.”  Isaiah 46:8-11 (NIV)

⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. ⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. ¹⁰ Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. ¹¹ After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.   Isaiah 53:6-11 (NIV)

²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

¹³ Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor? ¹⁴ Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?  Isaiah 40:13-14 (NIV)

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ³⁴ “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” ³⁵ “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” ³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.  Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

⁵ Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-- ⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. ⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.  Proverbs 1:5-7 (NIV)

⁹ Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. ¹⁰ “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  Proverbs 9:9-10 (NIV)

BUTTER

“Guessing without God does not yield comparative brilliance.  All speculation inevitably distorts the reality that is God.  Speculation apart from revelation is dangerous.  The Bible calls it darkness.”  Ronnie Collier Stevens

“Amazing love!  How can it be, that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”   Charles Wesley

“It’s an ethos and conviction underscored by so many I’ve met since being here -- men and women placed by God in the portals of power. In education, government, the military or entertainment, they’re there, holding sway and affecting for good. I keep meeting them -- nuclear physicists, university presidents, business moguls; social entrepreneurs.  Others are advisors, entertainers, journalists, and yes, even politicians. From across the globe, they are power-holders and influencers; living for God, risking all, spicing our world with His precepts, His standards, and with His grace, Amazing Grace.  These invigorating experiences have so broadened my perspective of God and the canny, brilliant ways He works. His people are everywhere -- His ‘sent ones’ who wear not the vestments of religion nor hoist the banner of traditional ‘missionary’.  Yet they are equally dedicated to the purposes of Jesus -- to the death if need be.”    Paula Kirby

“And if you don’t lie prostrate on the ground before that cross, you have never seen it:  if you are not humbled in the presence of Jesus, you don’t know Him.  You were so lost that nothing could save you but the sacrifice of God’s only begotten.  Think of that, and as Jesus lowered Himself for you, bow yourself in lowliness at His feet.  A sense of Christ’s amazing love to us has a greater tendency to humble us than even the conscious awareness of our own guilt……Pride cannot live beneath the cross.”   Charles H. Spurgeon

“The darkness cannot understand the Light and the darkness cannot overcome the Light, Who is the LOGOS, Who is Jesus.  There is neither comprehension nor victory in opposition to the Light.  The darkness cannot overcome because its power is temporary, and its influence is temporary.  This Light shone before the world was.  This Light will shine after the world is no more.  The darkness cannot comprehend the Light.”  Ronnie Collier Stevens  

“Jesus gave all His followers – not just a few - the immense privileged duty of the ministry of reconciliation.  He sent us to proclaim the Good News – with both our actions and words - that through His blood we no longer need remain alienated from God and even each other – wallowing in the filth of our sins, lacking significance, always coming up wanting.  His desire is for all to be turned back from our miserably sad point of departure – which we were all born into excepting Adam and Eve – to walk again in the garden, so to speak, in the cool of the day; to commune with Him; to be filled with the fullness and completeness that He alone gives and to experience the life that is truly life.  God greatly desires to bring back the lost wanderer to the former state of harmony that our original parents were privy to and He confoundly uses people like me and you to accomplish this great work.  That’s actually what the word reconcile means in Scripture – ‘to bring back to a former state of harmony.’  Christ’s blood reconciled us allowing those who would believe in Him the changing back to that time of no variance.  That amazing Truth is to be shared and not hoarded and He calls all of His followers to be faithful to the task.”   BHY 

“Amid all this chaos of a confused, sick society, Christ comes quietly as of old and invites us to come to Him.  He invites us to follow Him.  He invites us to put our confidence in Him.  For He it is who best knows how we can be satisfied.  He knows that the human heart, the human personality, the human soul with its amazing capacity for God can never be satisfied with a substitute.  Only the Spirit and life of Christ Himself will satisfy the thirsting soul.”  Phillip Keller  

“The Bible is the most amazing book in the world. And when we’re tempted to feel bored with it, we may need to step back and remember how marvelous and unique and powerful this piece of literature is. The Bible is simply unequaled in its influence, audacious in its claims, and unrivaled in its power to transform hardened sinners into humble saints.”   Jon Bloom

“If the Bible is the word of God and inspired, all who refuse to believe it are in fearful danger; they are living on the brink of eternal misery.”  J. C. Ryle

“From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea  Creation revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring  Every creature unique in the song that it sings  All exclaiming:  Indescribable, uncontainable, You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name. You are amazing God  All powerful, untameable, Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim You are amazing God.  Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go  Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow  Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light  Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night  None can fathom:  Indescribable, uncontainable, You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.  You are amazing God  All powerful, untameable, Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim  You are amazing God  You are amazing God.  You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same.  You are amazing God.  You are amazing God.”  Chris Tomlin -  Laura Story

HEART SAVOR

• ·         Oh the endless wonder of it all that Christ my God should die for me.
• ·         God is so totally other that we will never be able to “check the box” that says we have a full understanding of Him – He is an Endless Wonder.
• ·         We cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.