Louie Giglio - Close Up With The Inexhaustible Creator
Let's focus for just a moment on who He is, because this is what we've gotta know if we're gonna have a lifestyle of worship that's appropriate to God for who He is. The Psalmist said, "Taste and see that the Lord is good". And the main idea of this message today is that God is inviting you to that promise. "Taste and see that the Lord is good". "Come to me," He is saying, "And see that I am good". Moses had an opportunity with God later in the book of Exodus to kind of push for something amazing. And he said to God, "Show me your glory". And God said, "Okay, come on up on the mountain".
God dwelling in the heights. He said, "I'll meet you on the top of the mountain. Come up, prepare yourself, get ready, and I'll meet you there. But when I meet you there, you won't be able to see me fully. So, I'm gonna put you in a little crack in a rock, and I'm gonna put my hand over you, and I'm gonna pass by you. And once I get past you, I'm gonna move my hand and let you peak. But what you're gonna see is my backside, 'cause no one can see my face and live". And so, he did. And He sits Moses in this crack in a rock and He puts His hand on him. Imagine that the hand of Yahweh is on him. And then, Yahweh passes by and somehow His hand comes off.
And Moses sees just the backside of Yahweh. His goodness passes by. But then the result of it is that His glory illuminates Moses' face so that when he comes down from the mountain the people look at him and they're like, "Your face is on fire". And he says, "I saw the back of His glory". "Taste and see that the Lord is good". And so many of us are on the cheese sticks and the mozzarella sticks, and He's saying, "Come up on the mountain and taste and see that the Lord is good". There are four lines I wanna give us today and then I wanna drill down into some details and then we'll be done.
The first one is this, and I wanna give you some practical things to do for the next 30 days, as I'm encouraging you. I want to encourage you around the power of observation. In other words, to taste and see that the Lord is good requires the power of observation. In one of our core classes here and Bible study methods, they were reminding me last week that they give people, I don't know if they people an orange or they just, they hand them an orange. And they'd have them stare at the orange for five minutes. Is this right? And just stare at the orange, you know, like, "I already know it's an orange. I've known oranges since I was a kid. I already know this is an orange. And oranges are orange. So, what am I gonna do? What am I gonna do? For five minutes! You know how long five minutes is to stare at an orange"?
Do it when you get home today. It's a long time to stare at an orange. But what happens is, the longer you look the more you see. Louis Agassiz from way back in the day really unfolded this. The power of observation. This guy was a Harvard professor, and he was over one of the museums there. And he would have his students just look at a fish and they look at it for 15 minutes and make these observations. And then, he'd come in and they would be ready like, "Hey, here's all my observations". And he said, "Hey, I gotta run, but why don't you stay here for a few more minutes? I'll be back in an hour. Look at the fish". They'd be like, "No, we already looked at the fish for 15 minutes".
But in the next little chunk of time lo and behold, lot more observations coming out. He'd leave them in there all day with a fish, looking at the same fish. Because there's power in focus continued observation. And there's certainly power in it in a culture where there's no focus or continued anything, unless you're playing a serious game of Fortnite. The continued focused observation. The power of observation. So, we wanna get God in view and we wanna stay there. We don't wanna rush away and go, "Oh, I see. You're faithful". No, we wanna look into His faithfulness. We wanna just take some time with His faithfulness. We don't wanna rush away from that faithfulness.
The second thing is the power of specific praise. In other words, not just saying, "God, I praise you," but, "Why do I praise you"? It's like complimenting your spouse or your girlfriend, your friend or your coworker. And it's one thing to say, "Hey, good job". But it's another thing to say, "When you did X, it was fantastic. And the specific way that you did it is really amazing and they're not many people like that. And I just wanna say well done on that specific thing that you did and the specific way that you did it". And this is what our worship can be like, not just, "Praise you, Lord. Praise God. Praise God in the heavens. Holy, holy, holy".
These are all true phrases, but just specifically praise God. For me, for a long, long time it has helped me to think about the attributes of God. The box score of God is His character, it's His names, it's His attributes. It's His facets. It's holding the orange and not moving away too fast. It's turning the orange around. It's looking again. And this is the way I want to approach an invitation like, "Taste and see that the Lord is good". I don't wanna go, "Got it".
I wanna look. I wanna look around. I wanna turn Him around. I wanna let Him turn me around. I want Him to turn around so that I can see more of Him. I know even His backside it's got some kind of powerful attribute. I wanna see all of it. I wanna see on the top, and on the bottom, and on the inside, and on the outside. I wanna see all the different layers, and all the different facets, and all the little nooks, and all the crannies of the greatness of God. His attributes.
So, let's start with A. Let's just start with A. This is the way you start with the attributes of God. So, I'll give you a moment. Write 'em down. Some one actually has a pen. Just write down the attributes of God with A. If you got your phone, just write 'em down real quick. All the attributes of God, start with A. Just real quickly. Just knock 'em out. If you're a slow typer like me, I'm sorry, this not for you. I'd be over there with my one finger. The attributes of God. The layers. What do you got so far? All mighty. Who got, who's got Almighty? Everyone now. Who's got something else? Five 15, what you got? Able. Awesome. Gotta have awesome in there. All the Brits in the house. They love Americans 'cause everything is awesome. But He's awesome. How do you know He's awesome?
So, it's just something you gonna say? No, 'cause one of my favorite texts in scripture says, "Who among the Gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you? Majestic in holiness, awesome in glory". What else you got? Available. Trilith, feel free. That's my first one. Alpha and Omega. Say it with me, "Alpha and Omega". Say it again, "Alpha and Omega". Where do we get that from? From the Greek alphabet. First letter, Alpha. Last letter, Omega. From the beginning to the end. That's who you are. You're the first and you're the last. That's who you are. You're the Alpha and the Omega. So, I might be in the story, but I didn't start the story. I might be trying to figure out life, but I'm not the one who is gonna end life. It didn't start with me, it doesn't end with me.
I'm not at the beginning and I'm with Him in the end. But He's the one who opens this thing and the one that closes this thing. He is the Alpha and Omega. I'll give you a few, if you have something to write with or you can take a picture of these when they come by. Just hold on for a second, we're gonna be here for a few minutes before we close. He is the Alpha and Omega. Revelation 22:13, "I am the Alpha and the Omega". So, I'm not making this up about Him. He told me that's who He is. "The first and the last, the beginning and the end". Revelation 1:8, "'I am the alpha and the omega,' says the Lord God who is and who was and who is to come. The almighty".
There we get another A. Bonus A. "Thus says the Lord God". Isaiah 44, "The king of Israel and His redeemer the Lord of host. I am the first and I am the last, besides me, there is no God," Isaiah 44:6. My second A is that He is almighty. Could use the word in Hebrew El Shaddai or the All-powerful one. The almighty one. Genesis 17, this is early in the story of scripture. God calling Abraham, "I am Almighty God. Walk before me and be blameless and I will make my covenant between me and you, and I'll multiply you exceedingly". Psalms 91:1, what a beautiful text. "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the most high", so, you can save that one for your M's a little bit later.
"Will rest in the shadow of the almighty". And they were calling to one another in Isaiah 6, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory". So, one of the facets is that He's the all powerful one and He's almighty. And I just wanna stop there for a minute and I wanna dwell on, chew on, think about, meditate on the fact that my God is the All-powerful one. And that I can rest, hello, in the shadow of the Almighty. That His All-powerfulness cast a shadow on my circumstance, and I can get up under that shadow and go, "El Shaddai is my God. Praise Him. Praise you. Praise you, Almighty God. I am not All-powerful, but I'm under the shadow of the one who is. Praise Him".
And you come into the house of God and you're like, "What do you got to praise God for today"? I'm praising God today because He's all mighty. I need to be under the shadow of Almighty. I'll speed up a little bit 'cause I'm giving you 30 days' worth. We're on day two. He's awesome. Thank you. Someone said that. We've already got the text. Exodus 15:11, Psalm 47:2, "For the Lord most high is awesome. He is a great king over the all earth". He's available. "The Lord is near to all who call on Him in truth," Psalm 145:18. "For I am the Lord your God". This has been one of my key texts for this season. "Who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear I will help you.'"
He is always, "Jesus Christ," Hebrews 3:18, "Is the same yesterday, and today, and forever". And these are Jesus' words at the end of the gospels. Matthew 28. He says, "And surely I am with you," say it with me, "Always to the very end of the age". He's attentive. There's an A letter. Anybody get attentive? Great. "For the eyes of the Lord," this is 1 Peter 3:12, "Are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer. Then you will call on me, Jeremiah, and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are numbered.
So don't be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows". He is the architect. You drive up and you see a building, and you're like, "Man, some crazy guy or lady did something amazing right there". You know there is an architect behind that beautiful design. And when you look around in this universe, you understand Genesis 1:1 that, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". Are we doing okay? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven days, seven layers, seven facets, seven things to stare at. Seven things to praise Him for. Seven scriptures to root in. Seven days' worth of getting to know God.
And the next time you're praising Him, and you go through faithful, and loving, and holy, and grace, and merciful, you say, "Oh, yeah. And I'm throwing in architect from here on now". He's the I am. You can put it under the I's or the A's. In Hebrew, it really goes under the A's. It's just Am. God said to Moses, "I am who I am". Jesus said, "Before Abraham was I am". "He's able to him," Jude 1, "Who is able to keep you from stumbling". Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more. He is alive". I love Jesus speaking to John in the Revelation 1 when John fall to the feet like a dead man, and he puts His hand on him, and He says, "Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last".
That's the Alpha and the Omega. "I am the living one," put that under the L's for later. "I was dead and now look, I am alive". So, we get both I am and Alive, "Forever and ever and I hold the keys to death and Hades". "But the Lord is the true God," Jeremiah 10:10, "He is the living God, the eternal king". He is our assurance or assuring. You can say it either way you want to. He's assuring this God of ours. "Let us draw near with a true heart," Hebrews 10, "In full assurance of faith". And I am sure of this. "He who begin a good work in you will bring it to completion". He is Adonai. This is one of the names or titles of God. It's a Hebrew word used for God or title for God when they didn't wanna use the word Yahweh which they held in such high esteem.
Adonai, it would be the word that we see. "He will swallow up death forever and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces," Isaiah 25. That word is Adonai. "Oh, Lord," this is Psalm 8, "Our Lord, how majestic is your name in the all the earth". Oh Lord, Yahweh, our Lord, Adonai. "He is the Amen to the angel of the church in Laodicea write, 'These are the words of the Amen," capital, "The faithful and true witness". He is the anointed one. "The spirit of the Lord is on me," Jesus said in Luke 4. "For He has anointed me". He's the ancient of days. This title of God, name of God, only appears in the book of Daniel and it's just referencing again the eternality of God.
"As I look, thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days," all caps, "Took His seat. He's the author. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith". He's abundant. "The thief comes to steal, to kill, and destroy, but I came that they might have it abundantly". "And God is able to bless you abundantly". 2 Corinthians 9, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory". He's affectionate. Isaiah 40, "He tends His flock like a Shepard. He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads those that have young".
Long ago, the Lord said to Israel, "I have loved you my people with an everlasting love with unfailing love. I have drawn you to myself". He's absolute. He's admirable. He is approachable. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. He is amazing. He is accurate. Jesus said, "You say that I am a King. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me". He is abiding. That means He's never going anywhere. "But the Lord," Psalm 9:7, "Abides forever. He has established His throne for judgement". He's astronomical. "Oh, Lord God it is you who made the heavens and the earth. By your great power and outstretched arm". He is august. Not August, but august.
Don't you love that word, by the way? Eminent, noble, praiseworthy, of high standing, august, august. Praise Him for His acts of power. Praise Him for His surpassing greatness. He's august. He's ageless. "Before the mountains were brought forth and thou thus formed the earth and the world," this is from a literal translation. "Even from age to age, thou art God". He's amaranthine. I just, where did you find all these? Well, I started with all the ones I knew, then I search names of God and I got all the ones that I didn't remember. And then, I just went to adjectives that start with A that are positive. And then, I went to nouns that start with A. That's where I found anchor, 'cause I'd forgotten anchor. And it's not an adjective, but it is a noun. And when I got to the noun list, I found anchor and what I forgot anchor. He is an anchor. He is the anchor.
And when I was looking at the adjectives, I found amaranthine or amaranthine. You can pronounce it either way you'd like, apparently. Never heard of this word before, ever. Anyone? I know we got some English Lit people in here. Amaranthine? Going once, going twice, three times. And I was like, "What in the world does that word mean"? And it means eternal beauty. I said, "It is going on the list". From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty. God shines in glorious radiance. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine in it for the glory of God gives it light, and the lamb is its lamp. He is amaranthine. He is eternal beauty. He is the anchor, and He is authority. "All authority in heaven and on earth," Jesus said, "Has been given to me".
I wanna taste and I wanna see that the Lord is good. Alpha and Omega. Almighty. Awesome. Available. Always. Attentive. Architect. I am. Able. Alive. Assuring. Assurance. Adonai. Amen. Anointed one. Ancient of days. Author. Abundant. Affectionate. Absolute. Admirable. Approachable. Amazing. Accurate. Abiding. Astronomical. August. Ageless. Amaranthine. Anchor. Authority. This is my God, and I will praise Him. I will praise Him. And I don't wanna just praise Him, I wanna give Him specific praise for who He is. And when that happens, I'll close, it reshapes the narrative. 'Cause whatever you've been saying about, whatever you've been talking about, about whatever you've been worried about, about whatever you've been afraid of, about whatever's stressing you out, about whatever you can't solve.
You can change the narrative by saying, "Today, I'm observing that He is Almighty and an all mighty architect. And today, I got a new story. I can't see it, but my God's building it. I don't know how it's gonna come up out of the ground, but my God is building it. My God is at the drafting table right now. My God is doing the CAD drawings as we speak, and I have a new narrative". And lastly, is the power of personal transformation. "I'm now becoming an abiding person with an astronomical size faith, whose character is becoming more and more august. Because I'm realizing that I'm a part of a story that doesn't wear out".