When we came to the chorus, the phrase that jumped off the page to me (and still does every time I sing it) was the line: “Praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice.” We are used to making requests in our songs and prayers that the Lord listen to our praises and hear our petitions. But this song calls on the earth and all it contains to give attention to the divine voice of their Creator.

We certainly hear His voice with regard to salvation. In fact, “To God Be the Glory” was originally entitled “Praise for Redemption.” When we read the inspired word, we are in awe of the “great things He has done” to provide for our pardon from sin. We can hear with great clarity His voice from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him” (Mark 9:7)!

But that’s not the only way God communicates His existence and expressions of love (Ps. 19:1; Rom.1:20). Fanny J. Crosby, the blind hymnist, wrote this beautiful song during one of her famous “night watches.” Her experience testifies to the fact that the earth can hear the Lord’s voice in the beauty of His creation.

We Hear His Voice of Power

Flooding along the Mississippi River… Tornadoes in Alabama and Missouri… Wildfires in Texas… These recent natural disasters remind us how helpless we are to control the forces of nature. We have made remarkable advancements in the fields of communication, science, and technology, but we will ever be at the mercy of Him who spoke it all into being. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen.1:1). And thousands of years later, this is still our Father’s world.

What this power demands is submission. In recognition of God’s power and might, we glorify Him when we revere His name and obey His will. The winds and waves do. How much more ought we who are anchored in hope and washed in the blood? Let the earth hear His voice and bow before Him.

We Hear His Voice of Provision

God not only created the heavens and the earth, He sustains their existence. I am reminded of this every morning when I take my coffee out on the front porch and watch the world wake up. We have a bird feeder, but it’s more for our enjoyment than the bird’s nourishment. The Lord carefully looks after them and over all His creatures, great and small. Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the Father” (Matt.10:29).

What this provision calls for is thanksgiving. Not only do we tend to blame God for things He does not do, we take credit for the great things He has done. When God provides, let Him hear our voices of thanksgiving. When we began to worry about food or drink or clothing, let us be reassured by His voice of provision in creation. He cares for the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. “So do not fear, you are more valuable than many sparrows” (10:31). Let the earth hear His voice and trust Him.

We Hear His Voice of Purpose

Sometimes, when looking at a breath-taking sunset or majestic mountainside, someone will say, “I don’t know how anyone could look at that and not believe in God.” That’s the point. We’re not supposed to. But what’s even more amazing is that the One who ordered and arranged the universe did so with you and me in mind. David marveled at the same truth. “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him” (Ps.8:3-4)? God not only considered man, He crowned him.

What this purpose requires is fulfillment. Is there anything that has been created that does not have some function or use? When wolves were killed off in the Rocky Mountain National Park, the elk population reached dangerous levels and was deemed out of control. The solution? Reintroduce wolves back into the ecosystem. Let us not lose sight of our even greater purpose in the world. When we allow sin to cause us to fall short “of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23), we are not fulfilling what we were put here to do. Let the earth hear His voice and serve Him.

“Praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice! …And give Him the glory, great things He hath done!” This we must do while we await the new heavens and the new earth.

The last scene that John paints of Jesus’ life in his gospel account is of the Lord having breakfast with His disciples. It was certainly not the first time they had shared this meal during their three-and-a-half years together. But for Peter, this breakfast was not just the most important meal of the day; it was the most important meal of his life.

The truths Peter learned on this occasion are the same ones we would do well to digest as we seek to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

Love Involves More Than Words

Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me more than these” (v. 15). Much speculation has emerged concerning what Jesus meant by “these.” Was He referring to the fish that had been prepared for the meal? Was Jesus asking if Peter loved fishing more than fishing for men? It seems more likely that “these” were Peter’s fellow disciples gathered around the table.

It was at another meal, the Last Supper, when Peter made a bold prediction about his allegiance to his Lord. After Jesus revealed that one of the apostles would betray Him, Peter made a separation between him and the others when he said, “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not” (Mark 14:29). At the breakfast, Jesus was not trying to start a competition between Peter and the rest of the disciples when He asked if he loved Him more than these. He just wanted to know if Peter really meant what he said.

The Lord asked him a second time and a third time, “Do you love Me?” Peter denied Jesus three times when surrounded by his enemies. In the company of fellow believers, he confessed his love for Him three times. He needed to learn that love is much more than something you say. It is what you do regardless of who you’re around.

Forgiveness Leads to Usefulness

Jesus who prayed, “Father forgive them” (Luke 23:34) to the ones that crucified Him, offered the same pardon to Peter who denied Him. Each time Peter professed his love for the Lord, Jesus countered with “Tend My sheep” (vv. 15–17). Though Peter had failed, he had also been forgiven, and the time had come for him to lead once again.

Jesus Himself had prayed for Peter’s faith; “once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). The apostle certainly made the most of his second opportunity. He preached the gospel to the Jew first (Acts 2) and also to the Greek (Acts 10). He became an elder in the Lord’s church (1 Pet. 5:1) and encouraged his flock to follow the Chief Shepherd. He was forgiven, not forgotten. Thank God He can still use those who have failed.

Following Christ Includes Carrying a Cross

Jesus made sure Peter understood the cost of his discipleship. “When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you were you do not want to go. Now this he said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God” (vv. 18–19). Peter’s service to the Lord would end in a martyr’s death. This was not the first time Jesus predicted that this would happen to him. In John 13, when He told the apostles that He would be with them just a little while longer, Peter wanted to know where He was going. The Lord answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now. But you will follow later” (13:36). That time of later was now nearer.

Peter would have to take up his own cross. That someone would “stretch out” his hands when he was older may indicate that he was crucified in death, an event attested to by several historical writers. But this kind of commitment is one that Jesus wants from “any man who wishes to come after Me” (Matt. 16:24). That doesn’t mean that every disciple of His will be executed for his faith. But it does require a readiness to endure suffering for His sake. This, Peter would later write, should not cause anyone to be ashamed of being a Christian, but to “glorify God in this name” (1 Pet. 4:16). He can transform a cross into a crown.

Duty Demands Personal Application

After learning what his future held, Peter wondered what was planned for John. He asked, “Lord, what about this man” (v. 21)? Because of the way Jesus answered him, I detect that Peter wanted to make sure he wasn’t the only one who was going to die for the cause. Perhaps his death would be more acceptable to him if he knew the same fate awaited the disciple whom Jesus loved.

But the Lord responded, “What is that to you? You follow Me” (v. 22). Peter’s own labor would be enough to occupy his time and keep him busy during his lifetime. Why did the Lord owe him any explanation about His plans for another disciple? As Robert Turner used to say, he was “whittling on God’s end of the stick.” Peter came to accept his responsibility to do what he could with his allotted time, “knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus had made clear to me” (2 Pet. 1:13–14). The question is not, “What about this man?” It is, “What must I be about?”

We will not be privileged to have breakfast with Jesus on this side of eternity. But if we continue to cultivate a relationship with Him and follow Him wherever He leads, we can secure our invitation to the “marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9). “Lo! The table is spread and the feast is waiting there.”

Sadly, some people see their service to God in the same way. It’s a matter of “have to” instead of “want to.” There is no joy or happiness involved in it, just a mere going through the motions. To them, discipleship itself has become a tax or a burden rather than a blessing.

That’s not what God wants. It certainly is not the spirit behind His favor toward us. All that He provides is a demonstration of His love toward man, not something He was forced or goaded to do. What does He want from His people in return?

God Wants Workers Who Want To

Not everyone loves their job. To some, getting up every morning is a chore. Going to the office is a seemingly unending cycle of monotony. Even coming home only signals the end of a process that will repeat itself in a matter of hours. But God’s work must be viewed in a different way.

The Lord’s desire is for a people who follow His will with a “pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Tim.1:5). He wants disciples who choose to serve Him because they trust that His commandments are not burdensome. He wants children who are faithful to their Father out of love, not just for fear of the penalty of disobedience. He wants workers who can rejoice even in suffering instead of constantly complaining or bragging about it. God’s will for us is that we never want to be off duty.

God Wants Worshipers Who Want To

The worship service is not a box to be checked off the list so that we can get it out of the way and move on to something “important.” It ought to be considered the focal point of our entire week, what we plan to do first before everything else on our schedule. Why? Because our parents make us go or so the elders won’t keep calling us if we don’t show up? No, because we want to.

Forsaking the assembly was already a problem in the First Century as the writer of Hebrews identified that as “the habit of some” (Heb.10:25). But perfect attendance doesn’t solve the problem either. True worship must flow from a thankful heart, from one who is glad to go up to the house of the Lord (Ps.122:1). If our life’s goal is to “grow with a growth which is from God” (Col.2:19), where else would we want to be when the door of opportunity is opened?

God Wants Husbands and Wives Who Want To

We know that God hates divorce (Mal.2:16). Recent proponents of gay marriage have used the climbing divorce rates to prove that heterosexuals are in no position to act as an authority on who has the right to marry (as if one sin sanctions another). But it was the Lord, not man, who long ago legislated the matter. Woman was created a “helper suitable” for the man (Gen.2:18). God Himself joins a husband and his wife together and makes them one flesh (Gen.2:24; Matt. 19:6). That gives Him the right to rule on what He wants in the marriage relationship.

Just as simply showing up to the building does not qualify as worship, merely living in the same house does not constitute a union. Husbands who are selfish with their time and only think about their own needs do not love their wives as Christ loved the church. Wives who abandon their God-given role are not pleasing to the Lord. No one has to get married. But everyone who is married should want to follow God’s desire and design for a happy home. In so doing, we not only show our reverence to Him who made us one flesh, we graciously serve our fellow heir of the grace of life.

God knows and wants what is best for us. Whether we’re at home or work or worship, His desire should be our pleasure.

Two of the gospel writers include the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness: Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13). Matthew’s primary mission seemed to have been to convince the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, the fulfillment of the promise of God for a Deliverer. Luke, on the other hand, uses the phrase “Son of Man” more than any other. In so doing, he connects Jesus with all of humanity as the Savior miraculously born of a woman.

These two purposes come together in their narratives of the temptations of Christ. Jesus endured suffering and trials just like the rest of His people. But He did so without sin. That means He can show us the way through temptation and deliver us from its power when we do sin. For “He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” (Heb.2:17-18).

Temptation is something that is certain. That means we had best prepare for it. How can this historical record of the Son of God be a source of help for all sons of men?

Be Sure That the Devil Will Find You

Though he is certainly not omniscient, he knew where Jesus was. In the beginning, the enemy had no trouble tracking down the first man and woman in the Garden. If this same serpent of old was not afraid to slither up to Jesus, what makes you think he is scared of you? Peter describes him as one who “prowls around…seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet.5:8).

In so doing, he seeks an opportunity. Jesus was hungry from His forty-day fast. The devil didn’t tempt Him first with illicit pleasure or covetousness. “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread” (Luke 4:3). He wants you to satisfy whatever need or craving you have at the time. But when we look to Jesus, He reminds us that “man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt.4:4).

You Can Withstand With What Is Written

If Jesus used His deity or supernatural powers to thwart the attempts of the evil one, that wouldn’t aid us very much in temptation. Remember, He is a high priest who can “sympathize with our weaknesses,” who was “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb.4:15). The Son of Man relied on what is available to all when He said, “It is written” (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10). He is, after all, the Word.

Whatever your plans or resolutions are for the New Year, I hope they include some form of regular, even daily, Bible reading. With all of the tools that are available in this age, we certainly are without excuse. The Scriptures are what furnish us with “everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet.1:3). When we look to Jesus, we see that He readily called them to mind and made them applicable to His situation. A sword that stays in its sheath is sure to bring about defeat.

Never Neglect to Keep Your Guard Up

After the final temptation, Jesus commanded the devil, “Begone, Satan” (Matt.4:10). He had answered him on every front and called on him to flee. According to Luke, the devil did leave, but only “until an opportune time” (4:13).

What a powerful assurance to know that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7). But even when he runs away, it is only so he can regroup for a second attack. He was not finished with Jesus; he just waited for his next opportunity. And such a time may come for you when you’re not looking for him. When we look to Jesus, we see that He was ever careful to keep the devil behind Him (Matt.16:23).

We fight a formidable foe. He is sure to make his presence known in our lives again. But take comfort; “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The next time you are tempted to yield to temptation, “look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.”

How can we profess to be “one nation under God” when we can’t say prayers in school but we can distribute contraceptives for “safe sex?” How can we be “one nation under God” when we have laws that allow babies to be aborted but protect endangered species of animals? While we certainly have advanced immeasurably in every field of technology, we have digressed to the lowest depths in almost every area of morality. Can we call that progress?

We are all under God in the sense that He is sovereign, ruling every nation of men from His throne. And throughout history, He has caused kingdoms to rise and fall, punishing those who refused to honor Him or have regard for things that are right and pure. If He did not even spare the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from the day of destruction, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

The history of God’s dealings with the nation of Israel was written “for our learning” (Rom. 15:4) and as an “example for us” (1 Cor.10:6). It was not recorded so that we could wag our heads and say, “They must have been blind not to see that!” Rather, it should cause our humble contemplation, “That could be us if we’re not careful.” The same things that led to the fall of national Israel are the same symptoms that exist among spiritual Israel—a people who are supposed to be “under God.”

They Got too Close to the World

“All the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations” (2 Chron.36:14). They were warned about this possibility before they ever entered the land of milk and honey. The reason the Lord did not want them to marry or associate with other nations was because He knew they would turn the heart of His people away from Him. And that’s exactly what happened. First, they just wanted a king. In the end, they lost their whole kingdom.

The love of God cannot coexist with the love of the world. Jesus demanded a decision, one or the other (Matt.6:24). We try to get around that by saying, “I’m not in the world, but I’m going to get as close as I can to it.” The problem with that philosophy is that those who continually live on the edge, end up falling off. The question we ought to ask ourselves is not “How close am I to the world?” but “How far am I from God?”

They Put Their Trust in Things

Idolatry was their timeless plague. Despite all the wonders God worked among them and the power He displayed in their deliverance, they turned to graven images. They even took their idols and “defiled the house of the Lord which He had sanctified in Jerusalem” (2 Chron.36:14). Instead of trusting the living God, they placed their confidence in things that could not hear their prayers or see their predicaments or speak for their assurance.

Remember, Paul said that this is recorded “that we should not crave evil things as they also craved” (1 Cor.10:11). And in that same opening is the admonition to “flee from idolatry” (v.14). We are naive if we think that serving idols is limited to worshiping a golden calf or bowing down to some statue. It is anything that stands between us and whole-hearted service to God. It is whatever we turn to when we ought to be turning to the Lord. We have been created in His image, not made to trust in created images.

They Mocked the Message

“And the Lord sent word to them again and again … but they continually despised His words and scoffed at His prophets” (2 Chron.36:15-16). They were given plenty of opportunities to repent. But as each spokesman came on the scene, “they laughed him to scorn and mocked him” (30:10). By rejecting the words of God, they rejected God Himself. Thus, “the wrath of the Lord arose against His own people, until there was no remedy” (36:16).

We dare not lose our reverence for the Bible, the inspired message of God. We do so when we reduce simple and straightforward Scriptures to a mere “matter of interpretation.” We do so when we make no time to read it as individuals or with our families. We do so when we neglect to put it to work in our lives so that others can see Christ in us. We do so when we regard it as outdated or old fashioned until there is no standard of right and wrong. Remember, “God is not mocked” (Gal.6:7).

Let us pledge our full allegiance to the Lord. Because no matter what happens in the courtroom or in Congress or in culture, we will forever be a people under God’s rule.

I found a book in the religious section there a few years back entitled How to Study Difficult Passages in the Bible. It was good for me to see that because I used to think that the preacher had to have every single Scripture figured out. Whether it was some obscure vision of the Old Testament or some revelation in the last book of the New Testament, nothing was supposed to be too difficult for him to understand or explain. But even the Apostle Peter commented on Paul’s writings, “in which are some things hard to understand” (2 Pet.3:16). I just know he had the book of Romans in mind.

That said, there is a different kind of difficult passage in the Bible. These are challenging, not just with respect to their information, but with regard to their application. One such Scripture is Philippians 2:5: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” That’s hard for me.

The call to be like Christ is no easy task. Peter gave instruction to follow “in His steps” (1 Pet.2:21), and Paul invited the Corinthians to “be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor.11:1). But walking in those steps includes an imitation of Jesus’ summation of His whole life’s work when He said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). If you want to follow Jesus, you’re going to have to become a servant.

Just how is a servant made? What are the ingredients needed for such a transformation?

A Voluntary Spirit

Jesus was not forced into His role as a servant. He “emptied Himself” (Phil. 2:7). “He humbled Himself” (2:8). No one did that for Him. No one coerced or forced Him in this regard.  He did it Himself. Just as He said in the Good Shepherd passage, “I lay down my life for the sheep…no one has taken it from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative” (John 10:15,18).  Such is the spirit of a servant.

God’s army must be made up of volunteers. Yet, we sometimes look like waiters in a restaurant who are serving only because we are under obligation and feel like we “have to.”  Service ought to be viewed as the privilege of those who were shown favor by the greatest servant of all, Jesus Christ. Without Him, our spirits would be without hope.

A Selfless Disposition

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3-4). Jesus certainly showed us the way in this regard. He was not concerned with worldly goods or fortunes; He didn’t even have a place to lay His head. He put no stock in popularity or praise; He sought the glory of His Father. Even on the cross, His focus was not on selfish ambitions but on the very people for whom He was crucified.

In a world that is so often racing to be first at the finish line, God’s servants must place themselves last. Especially ought this to be our attitude in our service to one another. Christians are to “be devoted to one another in brotherly love,” giving “preference to one another in honor” (Rom.12:10). The best way to do that is to dispose of self. It’s where the footsteps of our Lord lead.

A Humble Demeanor

Jesus existed in the “form of God” (Phil. 2:6) yet took on the “form of a bond-servant” (2:7).  Further, “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (2:8). He did not consider Himself too important, too high, or too mighty to stoop and serve. He just humbly submitted Himself to be the sacrifice and the greatest example of service for all men.

One reason I love the hymn Make Me A Servant, written by Tim Jennings and Matt Bassford, is the opening line of the second verse: “Make me a servant, take all my pride.” Jesus never said of the task before Him, “Isn’t there are angel who could take care of this?” Neither is there any work of service in God’s kingdom that is beneath your humble submission. Those who do so are promised exaltation from God at the proper time (James 4:10).

One of the pictures of the redeemed in the book of Revelation is that they are “before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple” (7:15). Servant-hood is our privilege here and our destiny there. It is what we’re made for.

Something I have always appreciated about our elders is that they invite the preachers to their monthly meetings. I suppose the primary purpose in this is to aid our preaching to the current needs of the congregation. But it has also given me the opportunity to see firsthand the most common concern and frustration of their work: straying sheep.

Sadly, the majority of nearly every elders meeting is spent trying to find new ways to encourage folks who don’t attend the services regularly. As individuals and as a congregation, we have set goals to be more evangelistic, to look out into the fields and bring the lost to the Lord. But our own leaders can’t concentrate on inviting outsiders to the services because…they have to devote much of their time finding out why their own members aren’t coming.

If people only knew what they miss when they miss the services…

You Miss the Privilege of Praise

Sometimes, our language reflects that we don’t see worship in this way. When invited to a Sunday morning golf game or a Wednesday night movie, a common response is, “I HAVE to go to church.” This is often said with the same enthusiasm of, “I have to go to the dentist” or “I have to get the oil changed.” In other words, “If it were up to me, I’d do something else.” One preacher commented that the congregation where he worked suffered from a drug problem. That is, they all looked like they had been drug through the doors every time they assembled.  Worship ought to be viewed as our privilege.

Israel sang, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Ps. 122:1). That was one of their Song of Ascents, a Psalm that they sang as they climbed Mount Zion to go to Jerusalem and worship. They were glad to do it in response to all that God had done for them. How much more should we, recipients of the blood of Christ, be willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to commemorate His death and offer our thanksgiving and praise for His love. Remember, Jesus didn’t HAVE to go to cross for you.

You Miss the Opportunity to Overcome

The worship service is our escape from the world. It is our haven. In fact, we often pray during the assembly that the Lord will help us “put away the thoughts and cares of the world and concentrate on what we are doing.” Have you ever come to services tired or worried or discouraged, feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders? And afterward, on the way to the car, you said to yourself, “I’m sure glad I came.” That’s what worship is supposed to do.

In the context of “not forsaking our own assembling together,” the writer of Hebrews instructs, “let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Heb.10:24-25).  That implies that one of the byproducts of assembling together is our stimulation and encouragement. When we engage in a spiritual activity with those of like, precious faith, we are assured that we are not alone in our fight. We are given the opportunity to overcome our difficulties instead of being overcome by them.

You Miss the Obligation to Give

Worship has become all about getting. “I didn’t get anything out of that,” says the one who looked like he rolled out of bed and onto the pew. Perhaps the first question ought to be, “what did you give?” What did you give to the Lord? What did you give to your fellow worshipers?  What did you give to the visitor?

Paul wrote that one of the effects of worshiping rightly is that the unbeliever “will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you” (1 Cor.14:24-25). How can you fulfill this duty when you are not there? Why should visitors want to return when they see the empty seats of members who do not value their own responsibilities? It’s not just about you.  You have an obligation to give, which might mean you have to give up some other competing activity or appointment.

The worship service prepares us for what we will do in eternity.  Let us not forsake this little taste of heaven on earth.