Exodus 15:2Romans 5:1-4; Psalm 56:4; 1 Chronicles 16:36  (CEB)

The Lord is my strength and my power;
    he has become my salvation.
This is my God, whom I will praise,
    the God of my ancestors, whom I will acclaim.

Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand through him, and we boast in the hope of God’s glory. But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

        in God, whose word I praise.
        I trust in God; I won’t be afraid.
    What can mere flesh do to me?

36 Bless the Lord, Israel’s God,
    from forever in the past to forever always.
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    Praise the Lord!


Reflection

When we study and honor the scriptures (Sola Scriptura), we are led to give glory to the Triune God, the three-in-one who is the only One worthy of praise and worship (Soli Deo Gloria). I once heard that the difference between “praise” and “worship” was that the former was giving glory to God for what God did; the latter was giving glory to God for who God is.  Whether you make this distinction or not, clearly the One who gives us our strength, power and The Cross – bringing us salvation, deserves ALL our glory.  Praise the LORD, the God of my ancestors, whom I will acclaim! (Exodus 15:2)

By the Sola Fide we are BEING justified by faith, knowing where it comes from and who GIVES us “access by faith”. This causes us to REJOICE in HOPE of the glory of God. Notice that all the capitalized words here are in OUR PRESENT! Our salvation, that leads to continued sanctification through strong faith, brings us humbly, but joyfully, to OUR GOD.

The United Methodist Hymnal gives us the hymn “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me” (Pg. 521, 1989) directing us to honor, with our praise and worship, to God alone (Soli Deo Gloria). This hymn illustrates that our only true life will be with Emmanuel: In my trials; When my heart is almost breaking; When I’m troubled; When my head is bowed in sorrow.

Remember the Wesley Quadrilateral: (1) Scripture, (2) tradition, (3) reason, and (4) experience.  

By Brian Harriet


For Pondering & Prayer

How can we best use: Holy Scriptures; Methodist Traditions; Reasoning, that brings us to Christian faith through discerning and cogent thought; and Personal and Saint-witnessed experiences, to help us make good decisions and become more like God’s precious Son, Jesus the Christ in both body and soul?

Prayer: Rejoice Rejoice, Emmanuel, shall come to thee oh Israel!  Amen and Amen!