THERE MUST BE MORE
TURN ON THE LIGHTS
Psalm 73:25-26 NASB
Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
First Super Bowl
Parris and I went to our first Super Bowl party this year (that's kind of an inside joke). We ate too much food and watched a game we weren't really interested in and joked about the funny commercials like everyone else did. We were surprised at how much promo the half time show got. When half time finally came we quickly turned the television off. What was supposed to be entertainment and fun for the whole family looked strangely like old fashioned porno. It's seems like the world keeps changing (not for the better) and the definition of entertainment and fun has become quite weird. No wonder people are not interested in the real heaven. It is quite unattractive to those who find their pleasure in other things. Here is a quote from Jonathan Edwards about the pleasures found in God.
THERE MUST BE MORE
"The Mohammedans, for instance, suppose that in heaven are to be enjoyed all manner of sensual delights and pleasures. Many things which Mohammed has feigned are to the lusts and carnal appetites of men the most agreeable that he could devise, and with them he flattered his followers. But the true saint could not contrive one more agreeable to his inclination and desires, than such as is revealed in the Word of God – a heaven of enjoying the glorious God and the Lord Jesus Christ. There he shall have all sin taken away, and shall be perfectly conformed to God; he shall spend an eternity in exalted exercises of love to Him, and in enjoyment of His love. If God were not to be enjoyed in heaven, but only vast wealth, immense treasures of silver and gold, great honor of such kind as men obtain in this world, and a fullness of the greatest sensual delights and pleasures – all these things would not make up for the want of God and Christ, and the enjoyment of them there. If heaven were empty of God, it would indeed be an empty, melancholy place. The godly have been made sensible, as to all creature-enjoyments, that they cannot satisfy the soul; and therefore nothing will content them but God. Offer a saint what you will, if you deny him God he will esteem himself miserable. God is the center of his desires; and as long as you keep his soul from its proper center it will not be at rest." I remember someone noted the emptiness of that Super Bowl half time extravaganza. That is the way the whole world appears once you have tasted the goodness of Christ for yourself. The pursuit of pleasure in the things of this world will always leave you with a giant void in your soul. Christ alone can satisfy the soul. Would somebody please turn on the lights?!
NONE ON EARTH
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. The saint prefers what he has already of God before anything in this world. 1.That which was infused into his heart at his conversion is more precious to him than anything which the world can afford. John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 2. The views which are sometimes given him of the beauty and excellency of God are more precious to him than all the treasures of the wicked.
BEHOLDING THE GLORY
Psalm 27:4 NASB
One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple.
BEHOLD!
châzâh * khaw-zaw -- behold* A primitive root; to gaze at; mentally to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); specifically to have a vision of: - Because of the importance of the revelatory vision as means of the prophets' special knowledge of divine things, the word sometimes means to speak as a prophet. It might be that this active sense (prophesying, to speak as a prophet), rather than the passive one of receiving prophetic revelation, 3. The relation of a child in which he stands to God, the union which there is between his soul and Jesus Christ, he values more than the greatest earthly dignity.
An heir through Christ
Galatians 4:6-7 NASB
Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
4.That image of God which is stamped on his soul he values more than any earthly ornaments.
2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
5. It is, in his esteem, better to be adorned with the graces of God’s Holy Spirit than to be made to shine in jewels of gold and the most costly pearls, or to be admired for the greatest external beauty.
1 Peter 3:3-4 NASB
Your adornment must not be merely external-braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
6. He values the robe of Christ’s righteousness, which he has on his soul, more than the robes of princes.
Luke 24:49 NASB
And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
7. The spiritual pleasures and delights which he sometimes has in God he prefers far before all the pleasures of sin.
Psalm 84:10 NASB
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
There must be more!
Hosea 6:3 NASB
"So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth."
There must be more!
But God is pleased sometimes to give such discoveries of His glory and of the excellency of Christ as so draw forth the heart that they know beyond all doubt that they feel such a spirit as Paul spoke of when he said that he counted all things but loss for the excellency of Christ Jesus his Lord; and they can boldly say, as in the text, “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon the earth that I desire besides Thee” At such times the people of God do not need any help of ministers to satisfy them whether they have the true love of God; they plainly see and feel it, and the Spirit of God then witnesses with their spirits that they are the children of God. Therefore, if you would be satisfied upon this point, earnestly seek such attainments; seek that you may have such clear and lively exercises of this spirit. To this end, you must labor to grow in grace. Though you have had such experiences in times past, and they satisfied you then, yet you may again doubt. You should therefore seek that you may have them more frequently. And the way to that is earnestly to press forward that you may have more acquaintance with God, and have the principles of grace strengthened. This is the way to have the exercises of grace stronger, more lively, and more frequent, and so to be satisfied that you have a spirit of supreme love to God.
JOY THAT COMES FROM SEEING THE IMAGE OF CHRIST UPON OUR SOULS
2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
JOY THAT COMES FROM SEEING THE IMAGE OF CHRIST UPON OUR SOULS
But the believer may rejoice, and does rejoice, to see the image of God upon their souls, to see the likeness of his dear Jesus. The saints in heaven, who have all remainders of pride taken away, do yet rejoice to see themselves made excellent by God and appearing beautiful with holiness. And if it be a great pleasure to see excellent things, it must be a sweet consideration to think that God of his grace has made me excellent and lovely. If they delight to see the loveliness of Jesus Christ, it must needs be matter of delight to see that Christ has communicated of his loveliness to their souls.
DELIGHTING IN GOD
Psalm 27:4 NASB
One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple.
DELIGHTING IN GOD
Fifth. There is very great delight the Christian enjoys in the sight he has of the glory and excellency of God. How many arts and contrivances have men to delight the eye of the body. Men take delight in the beholding of great cities, splendid buildings and stately palaces. And what delight is often taken in the beholding of a beautiful face. May we not well conclude that great delights may also be taken in pleasing the eye of the mind in seeing the most beautiful, the most glorious, the most wonderful Being in the world?