Concert Convictions

Well, myself at 5,000 or my closest friends were brought before the Throne of God Sunday night as Travis Cotrell equipped up (as he shared) to worship. It was amazing. It was beautiful. It was life-changing...because God showed up to talk to me.

There have been moments that God has truly "spoken" to my spirit. It's not a shout that others can hear...but it is a shout to my soul. Whenever we come into contact with a holy God...we are changed! One of those moments was over 7 years ago when I heard the words...

"It's over for you."

Nice. Yeah, I was at a conference and listening to CeCe Winnans sing about being broken like an alabaster box...and that word hit me like a punch to my chest. And from that moment on...my life RADICALLY changed. That was the day I began the journey of a lifetime...the journey into LIVING day and night on the Word of God. That was the day that I mark everything by. It changed my history...and rocked my world!

Well, it was the same voice...and the same blow to my chest. The end of the concert was rapidly approaching and I had cried, lifted my hands in surrender, and grieved my own frailty as a human in the midst of a holy God. Then, Travis decided to sit down to the piano and begin the song that stirs my core..."In Christ Alone." Oh Boy! I was thrilled and ready to really bust loose with all manner of worship. I knew just how this thing was gonna come down...and I was ready.

Um...no. Right smack dab in the middle of the song it happened. I was singing the verse:"And on the cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was SATISFIED."And God spoke in the very same life-changing way to my soul. He said to me..."The cross satisfied me...does it satisfy you?"I can't even write that without tears welling in my eyes. I can now after 7 years say without a moment of doubt or hesitation that God's Word satisfies my soul as with the richest of foods. But, the cross?Oh, yes I have always been thankful for the cross. Yes, I know without the cross I am bounding straight for hell. Sure I know that my eternity is sure because of that sacrificial and substitutionary act by Jesus Christ. But, am I satisfied in the cross like God is satisfied in the cross? I guess not...otherwise God would not have asked.

Everything stopped at that moment. I couldn't breathe much less sing. It was burned into my mind and my soul. Am I satisfied in the Word...all of HIM?

This morning I read a verse from Revelation 19:11-16...devour and really hear these words:

"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

He is dressed in a robe that is dipped in blood...and his name is the Word of God! The Word of God is dipped in blood. It's not just a book...it is our Savior...whose blood satisfied the righteous wrath of God over sin. It is all because of Him that we have eternal friendship with a holy God.I've always known that. But, God is driving deep into what it means to be truly satisfied with the Word of God. He wants me to know what satisfaction truly is...and it just keeps getting deeper and deeper. Deep calls to deep. The cross satisfied God. Does it satisfy you?

This morning as I sat meditating on these words from Revelation I had a picture in my mind of the supreme value of Jesus. I saw the righteous wrath of God that was deservingly aimed directly and focused on my sinful self. But, in an instant Jesus was there taking that wrath on Himself and allowing me to serve a completely satisfied God.

This has rocked my world. Just like reading my Bible wasn't a new concept to me 7 years ago...these facts in themselves are not new to me. But, God in His grace and mercy, decided not to leave me to milk but to feed me little by little the meat of His Word.

Being satisfied in the Word of God means more than just getting up every morning to read verses and then walk away. It means looking on the one whose robe is dipped in the blood that forever reminds us of His sacrifice...of the blood that satisfied God. His name is the Word of God.This changes everything! Looking daily on the Word of God and seeing Him as Faithful, True, and judge with a sword coming out of His mouth and treading the winepresses of the fury of the wrath of the God Almighty changes me. I can't parent the same, I can't think the same, I can't write the same, I can't exist the same on this planet.

I can't even write it all here...though I have tried. It's deep calling to deep. It changes everything and everything now changes. The Word of God satisfies me, and every day that becomes more than I could every think or imagine. I can't look on that Word the same way.

Are you satisfied with the cross today?