Lesson 35
How High is God?
by
Ruth Mahoney Swaim
Have you ever wondered about the exaltation, the lifting up, the height of God?
The chorus "Be Exalted O Lord, Above the Heavens" runs through my mind. I find myself singing it and humming it around the house.
Psalm 97:9: For thou Lord art high above all the earth; thou art exalted far above all gods.
How big is our God? How high is He? How exalted is He?
Psalm 57:5: Be thou exalted O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
Everything God does is to lift up, to make higher, to grow, to give life.
John 6:63b: The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life.
Psalm 3:3: But you, O lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.
When the scripture tells us of His glory, it is always above, up, ascending.
What a wonderful concept. Our God is UP. He is always going higher. He is always lifting us higher. Never to descend into depth of despair, depression.
Those are things only of the devil and his minions.
The things of God are high and lifted up.
Isaiah 6:1...I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throng, HIGH and LIFTED UP, and his train filled the temple.
In the ancient days of the Holy Land when someone was discouraged or down, a true friend would come along and take hold of their chin and lift up their head. It was symbolic of how they were a true friend and would help them out of their despair.
The Lord is our glory and the lifter of our head. He comes along and lifts us out of despair.
Psalm 40:2: He brought me UP also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings.
He didn't leave me there or join me there. He lifts us out, takes us out. He sets our feet on a glory path. He's our glory and the lifter of our head.
Psalm 34:3: Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Please note in the above verse that first we praise Him. We magnify Him. Then he begins to work of our behalf. He begins to lift us up where He dwells. He dwells in the praises of His people. He wants us to come up where He is and we do this by praising, exalting Him.
Whenever He speaks to you it's always a lifting up. He says come on up higher. I have things to show you that are higher. "My ways are not your ways." His ways are higher.
And remember, he doesn't join you in your despair. He lifts you out of it.
Psalm 24:7-9: Lift up your heads O ye gates, and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this king of Glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
So lift up your heads O you beautiful gates (that's you) and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors (that is also you) and He will flood your life with uplifting blessings.
Heaven is spoken of as above and hell is beneath. Everything about God is lifting, encouraging, upholding.
Everything about the devil is down, discouraging, death, depressing.
The Lord shows us something interesting and wonderful in Deuteronomy 30:19. He is giving His people a choice. One is blessing and life, the other is death and cursing.
Then he says something very gracious. He says to them "Choose life". He is instructing them in a way to fulfillment.
Wow! Choose life. He so wants us to look up, see Him, trust Him. Choose life. He is our life, our breath, our wonder. Choose Him. He doesn't lead down. He leads UP.
What choices are you making today?
Choose life!
He is our glory and the lifter of our head. Look up. He is wanting you to trust Him. He will lift you up. Begin to praise Him. Begin to see Him high and lifted up. He will bring you up to HIs heights....His glory.
Bless the Lord O my soul
And ALL that is within me
Bless His Holy Name!
This teaching by Ruth Mahoney Swaim may be copied, distributed and shared free of charge.
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