Blogs - Resonant 7

September 18, 2019 by Sherri Woods 3 Comments

Beautiful God Bea-YOU-tiful ME

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the Bea-YOU-tiful journey of considering the awesome wondrous works of God.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering we explored the awesome Covenant love of Jesus. This week we will examine the awesome wonder of our Beautiful God. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter your holy, glorious beauty. Prepare my heart to consider your wondrous works.”

**Beautiful God created Bea-YOU-tiful Me**

PROMISE: Our beauty is in the eye of God, our Beholder and Creator. Psalm 139:14 reads, I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well (Amplified Version).

You are a wonderful creation of The Lord, Our God. When you consider all the works created by God, do YOU come to mind? Are you convinced in your soul that our Beautiful God made Be-YOU-tiful you in His image? If so, whisper with certainty, “Beautiful God created Bea-YOU-tiful Me.

PSALM: In the song How Great thou Art Carl Boberg marvels at the works of God our Creator. He says:

**Rosh HaNikra Grottoes – cliff on the Mediterranean Sea, Israel**

**Garden of The Gods Colorado Springs, CO**

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

The psalmist took time to contemplate ALL the daunting, impressive, and unexpected beauty of God’s sovereign creations. We can also observe the evidence of God’s amazing creations all over the world. In awesome wonder take a moment and consider the majestic power and beauty of God displayed through the white chalk, soft rock cliffs on the Mediterranean Sea in Israel and the red rock formations of Colorado. Now, take a moment and glance into the mirror and see the wonderful and marvelous creation of YOU.

PARABLE: We come face to face with God’s power when we see the twinkle of a star or hear the roaring of thunder. It is easy to consider and marvel at God’s hand in nature because it has an innate way of beckoning our attention to His astounding works. It is not as easy to see ourselves as astonishing, wonderful formations of God. How do we know that we are one of God’s wondrous works? We can be assured of this because:

Our Beautiful God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1-2).
Our Beautiful God created YOU in His beautiful image (Genesis 1:27).
Our Beautiful God created YOU as a wonderful, marvelous work (Psalm 139:14).
Our Beautiful God created YOU as a beautiful masterpiece to do His good works (Ephesians 2:10).

As a Christian what an incredible empowering truth to believe that Our God the Creator of the moon and mountains, stars and seas made Bea-YOU-tiful you. The YOU in Bea-YOU-tiful is speaking to God saying, I can be full of beauty because YOU made ME in Your image.

PONDER and WANDER:

**I am a Reflection of the Creator of the Mountains and Moon and Stars and Sea**

Ponder the question: Do I believe that I am a beautiful reflection of God’s wondrous work and image?

On the website of the Creation Museum located in Kentucky the first words you see are “Prepare to Believe.” This indicates that the thought of acceptance of creation has to be formulated. This implies we may also need to prepare to believe we are made in the beautiful image of God. It is understandable that we don’t always feel beautiful or believe we look beautiful. It is comprehensible that we don’t always believe that we are marvelously enough. Nevertheless, the truth is God formulated you as one of His wondrous masterpieces and you are created new in Jesus for His planned good works (Ephesians 2:10). If you have not prepared to believe you are a beautiful reflection of God’s wondrous work and image, take time today to construct this belief in your mind and allow that truth to be manifested.

Start with pondering the thought that Our Beautiful God made all things good. Next, deliberate on the idea, God must have made you beautiful because everything He creates is of high quality and superiority. Then, ruminate on the truth that you are the reflection of HIS beautiful image. Now, wander back to the truths that the Word of God declares and let them resonate in your heart. Finally, say with conviction “I am beautifully and wonderfully made.” If you choose you may meditate longer on this truth by clicking on the the link and listening to the declarative song and reading the lyrics by Leah Smith.

PRAYER: Father God, the Creator of the Universe, How great thou art! Yet, I admit that I don’t always accept the great truth that I am Your beautiful and wonderful creation. One day I will be transformed and stand face to face with the beauty of Your holiness and all my disbelief will cease. Until then, when I can’t trust my view of who I am and whose I am let me gaze upon the beauty of Your creations. Help me to pay attention to Your wondrous portraits of nature and know if they are reflections of Your beauty, I am more so because I am Your image. Help me declare even when my eyes don’t see it and my heart doesn’t believe it that I am bea-YOU-tifully and wonderfully made in Christ Jesus. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank God for making you beautiful and marvelous in His image and for His purpose. Let the work of your wandering fill you with the assurance that our Beautiful God made Bea-YOU-tiful You!

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

Image and music attributions:
Grottoes: Photo by Mary Shortreed
Garden of the Gods: Photo by Troy Woods
Creation reflection: Pixabay photo
Beautiful You: Pixabay photo with text added
Beautifully and Wonderfully made: Leah Smith

September 17, 2019 by smattern 1 Comment

When Was the Last Time You Were Filled with Wonder?

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

How Great Thou Art
By: Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940)

Listen to this awesome electric guitar version as you read. And make sure to check out the video log below which will guide you through a worshipful reflection of this stanza.

So today we begin our five week journey through one of the greatest of all hymnody. So much has been said about this great hymn that even pondering adding to that body of work is daunting, but I was reminded today of the purpose of Resonant 7. It is not to be the last word on these wonderful songs of faith, but to use them to create an atmosphere to help you, our readers, cultivate and awareness of God’s presence. We pray that happens again today. Let’s tune our hearts.

When I Consider

Nature is a go-to for me when I want to commune with God. It is just natural for me to sense the supernatural in the beauty of the created world around me, so this hymn has always been a favorite of mine. For this reason, I want to take you on a little journey with me.

I had walked with Jesus a little over the year and had the opportunity to be visit the Rockies. While at a camp high in the mountains I recommended to my friends that we awake before dawn to catch the sunrise from one of the ridges surrounding us. We underestimated the magnitude of those ridges and so were not able to make it to the top before the sun began to peek over the peak we were climbing to west.

I remember stopping to take in the view as it slowly began to illuminate the opposite ridge to the east of us. The four of us just soaked in that moment, fully aware of the greatness of our God. It was a moment of awesome wonder to be sure.

I have had several others over the years, but that one certainly stands out in my mind as one of the most breathtaking. I want to invite you to take a few moments and remember a time when your encounter with your creation and the way it pointed to your Creator simply took your breath away.

Recall those moments of inspiration. Where were you? Was anyone with you? What did you see? How did you respond? Take a moment and express your gratitude to God for those moments of wonder. And then ask Him for more.

The Worlds

We a blessed to live in a very beautiful world. What is your favorite place on it? Maybe where you grew up, or where you are loving now, or hope to visit someday. Now consider for a moment that this is but one of countless other worlds across all of creation.

We simply lack the capacity to understand the magnitude of all that God has made. I could spout some numbers that would try to demonstrate our smallness in the vastness of the cosmos, but they would only begin to demonstrate it. Can you imagine the unique beauty of your favorite place replicated billions of times over and over again? I can not.

The sense of the insignificance of my tiny being set against the expanse of all the created worlds is humbling to say the least. My perspective of our world fills me with awesome wonder. When I consider all the worlds His hands have made, I am overwhelmed.

Big Daddy Weave wrote a song with that title a few years ago. Want to take a few moments and ponder another perspective of being overwhelmed by our God? Listen to it here.

Thy Hands

We will consider later in this hymns some of the other work His hands did, namely purchasing our redemption as they were nailed to a cross, but here we are reminded that those hands that made my re-creation possible where the same ones that created everything in the first place. He spoke it all into being, but I like image His fingers forming rivers and valleys, planets and stars.

He is the Creator God. He made it all, so He has the power to remake it. A friend once said, “If a man made it, a man can fix it.” This is true. How much more-so is that the case with our God?

We will spend time acknowledging His power to re-make things later, but for today, marvel at His creative force involved in everything He has made. On this little ball where we exist is your minute life. Give Him praise for all His handiwork!

Keep coming back and we will work to assist you in offering God praise with your entire life. We will help you tune your heart to live out your praise by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.

Awe-ful Tuning!

Jesus, thank You being Creator and my Lord. I acknowledge Your creative power at work in all thy worlds Your hands have made. I am filled with awe and pray You will help me stay so throughout this day, and every day. In Jesus name. Amen.

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Enjoy this video and the transcript below!

Video 10.1 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

From the very first line one thing is clear, the writer esteems God with a great deal of reverence. It is marked by awe and wonder, but it is also personal. This mingling of friendship and fear is an unusual characteristic of Christianity. Praise God for that reality.

And what fills him with reverence, a careful consideration of all the worlds our Creator God has made with His hands. Remember the most beautiful vista you have ever seen. Are you recalling it? Give God glory for how He puts His work on display on the earth.

Not only on the earth, but in the heavens above as well. Whether the immediate skies above filled with thunder and lighting, or all the starry host beyond, the magnitude of His grandeur is truly awe-inspiring. Ask Him to open your eyes today to see it afresh.

Throughout our universe, and all the multi-universes beyond, the sheer size of space is mind-boggling, let alone the power on exhibit. All the while, we have access to speak directly to the One who has made it all. Hallelujah! Thank Him for revealing His greatness!

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Awesome Wonder – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfUBnNez72w
The Worlds – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/background-space-sky-planets-stars-1475670/
Thy Hands – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfUBnNez72w

September 12, 2019 by smattern Leave a Comment

A Promise Which Prompts Our Praise

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

My Jesus, I Love Thee
By: William Ralph Featherston (1848–1875)

Listen to this simple piano arrangement as you read. Members, be sure to experience the worship-cultivating podcast below.

As we close out our look into how we love Jesus in different moments we consider the ones that will go on forever. It is the last great “ever”, and like every now before it, this one will also be filled with our response of love to Jesus. Tuesday we considered the place this will happen, (read that here) and today we consider the promise. Let’s think about that.

I’ll Sing

In the previous stanza we committed to speak our love to Jesus as we came to and beyond the end of our life. We find ourselves in this stanza breathing in the celestial air of our forever home and exhaling not in a speech but a song. We will sing. Oh, how we will sing!

When we finally find ourselves walking the hallways of those eternal mansions, realizing the fullness of our inheritance come to pass, we will sing as never before. I have often remarked at how different our lung capacity will be in our glorified bodies, not to mention the fact that our musculature will be able to control that breath with much more efficiency. All that joined with overwhelming desire to glorify our Lord which will consume our entire being will bring us to an utterance of praise beyond imaging.

If you have been on this journey with us for long, you know that our desire here at Resonant 7 is to remove the hindrances in our lives to our reverberating with God’s praise. When we get to heaven every single thing that inhibited our praise in any way in this life will be gone. We will unhindered be!

I am sure you are looking forward to that day, but I want to encourage you to consider what those first moments of praise will be like. Imagine that scene as you are confronted with the awe-evoking presence of Jesus, when you can finally take a breath and then begin offering your adoration. Ask the Spirit to help you render that in your mind.

Glittering Crown

As if the place and the presence of Jesus were not enough to stimulate your worship, imagine this. Jesus walks over to you with a crown in His nail-pierced hands, a crown which has been prepared for you, not because you earned it but because you are a child of God through faith in Jesus. As He draws near He lifts it up to gently place it on your head.

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8 ESV

If you were not singing before, you must be by then. But not only you. Your voice echoes with all who have longed for His appearing.

Before we move on I want you to wrap your mind around one more reality. Two stanzas before another brow is mentioned. In that second stanza as we considered the sacrifice of our Lord, we declared our love for Him which was prompted by wearing a different crown on His brow, a crown of thorns. Juxtapose that against the image created in this last stanza at you are left with a startling truth: you will wear a glittering crown because Jesus wore a thorny one.

Are you longing for His appearing? That is the criteria mentioned in Timothy to be able to be awarded that crown. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal how strong your longing is, then ask Him to make it even stronger.

If ever…it’s now!

From the first moments of our walk with Jesus, and then over time as we understood better what that even meant, we love Him. We have already committed to speak in the previous stanza and then sing in this final one. For me this alludes to a natural crescendo that is occurring as this hymn progresses. I think it beautifully portrays what happens in the life of the believer.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 1 Peter 1:8 ESV

In those earliest moments, we are overwhelmed with love for Jesus, our Savior. As we grow in that love, it matures through a deeper sense of His sacrifice. This prompts us to commit to love Him while living, and even while dying which requires an even greater level of maturity. Finally we come to a place of rest in the fact that our best love will likely be offered beyond this life.

Even as you long to offer your highest praise in that Day, commit to loving Jesus in every “now” until that one comes. Across more than four stanzas, but whatever days remain ask the Spirit to help you declare with your lips and your life more and more each day, “If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ’tis now!”

Jesus, I love You. Even as I long to see You face-to-face, help me to believe in You and rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. Even though I may fail to truly express it, since it is inexpressible, help me to try. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Joyful Thinking!

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Below is content always available to Subscribers, sometimes to Free Members, but today to everyone. Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here. Or check out some other samples at our Free Member Content Library. We have lots of tools and lots of options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today!!

Members and Subscribers enjoy this podcast! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures shared. Everyone else the transcript below.

Podcast 9.4 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,

John 14:2 ESV

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

Jesus is indeed preparing a place for us, a place of endless delight. We often get caught up on the many roomed mansions, but simply being in His presence eternally will create a rest unlike we can even fathom now. Take a moment and imagine what endless delight feels like.

I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;

Revelation 21:23 ESV

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

He will be our light, and we will adore Him forever. Does that mean that all that we will do is sing praises? I don’t think so. We will have the light of His presence to praise Him, but it will also give us the illumination and inspiration to engage in every pursuit with an undivided purpose, to adore Him. Think about that.

I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,

2 Timothy 4:8 ESV

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

As I ever adore Jesus, no doubt some of that will be singing His praise. No doubt some of our songs will be thanksgiving for placing a crown of righteousness on our brows, and that is only part of the award He has in store for us on that Day. Give Him praise.

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

1 Peter 1:8 ESV

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

We have not seen Him, yet we love Him. Imagine how our love will expand when we finally lay our eyes on Jesus. We will have loved Him in many different moments for many different reasons but surely we will love Him in those moments with an inexpressible and glorious joy. Commit to do so now.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
I’ll Sing – https://pixabay.com/illustrations/women-face-reflecting-elegance-1003240/
Glittering Crown – https://pixabay.com/photos/crown-gold-royal-luxury-golden-2661334/
My Jesus – https://pixabay.com/photos/faith-love-hope-fog-forest-clouds-4045660/

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

My Jesus, I Love Thee
By: William Ralph Featherston (1848–1875)

Listen to this simple piano arrangement as you read. And make sure to check out the video log below which will guide you through a worshipful reflection of this stanza.

As we close out our look into different moments when we love Jesus we consider the ones that will go on forever. It is the last great “ever”, and like every now before it, this one will also be filled with our response of love to Jesus. We will consider two aspects: the place, and the promise, today looking into the place and some of what we will do there. Let’s tune our hearts.

Mansions of Glory

We simply do not have the capacity to fathom the place Jesus has in store for us. He spoke words that make sense. He described things that we have a context to understand. But they pointed to reality that surpasses what even our sanctified imagining can concur.

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? John 14:2 ESV

We spend so much time thinking about the realities of this existence, and so little time setting our minds on things above. When was the last time you just let your mind wander along the streets of gold? It is our inheritance because of what Jesus has accomplished and is preparing for us.

There is a room for you. Do you believe that? Have you ever wondered what might be in that room? What it may look like? What is the view from your window? It is a real place and one that is waiting for us.

Take a few moments and imagine what the mansions may look like. Imagine what your room or rooms may look like. Now thank Jesus for preparing that place for you.

Endless Delight

A cursory look at this line might lead one to believe that the the mansions of glory are reason for the endless delight. But the saint knows better. The endless delight is the supernatural consequence of the environment of heaven.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4 ESV

That sounds like endless delight to me. Obviously Jesus is the He described in that passage, and the One who makes all that possible through His sacrifice. It also frames the context for our response to this atmosphere which affords endless delight even as it defines the last, great “ever” of the hymn. Forever.

Ever

We have considered several other “ever’s” as we have walked through the hymn.

The ever of salvation.
The ever when Jesus took me deeper into His sacrifice.
The ever of life and death,
And now this final one, on the other side of death, for-“ever”.

We have made the statement poetically, “if ever I love Thee, Jesus ’tis now.” In this final one we acknowledge the enduring response we will offer. “I’ll ever adore Thee”, or “I will adore You forever”.

We have confessed and committed to loving Jesus at the moment of salvation, when we went deeper in our understanding of His sacrifice, in life and death. There are two ways to look at this last statement.

It is an acknowledgment of what we will do.
It is a commitment to what we will do.

It should be both simultaneously. The first one alone is not enough.

Have you resolved and committed to that eternal adoration? Doing so influences your ability to look forward to it because it informs your perspective. Commit right now to adore Him forever. Just say it, “I will adore You forever!”

Heaven So Bright

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:23 ESV

Here is another aspect of our eternal adoration that is hard for us to fathom, the enduring glory of God, in the form of eternal light. No sun or moon, yet there is never an absence of light. What will that be like?

In our modern minds this seems like no big deal because we have become accustomed to artificial light. We have so much ambient light in the sky at night it effects our ability to see the stars clearly. This makes me wonder how much more significant the truth of this Scripture may have been in the eyes of the ancients.

We have already established there will be no more pain, now we acknowledge there will be no darkness. Indeed, the former things will have passed away and this new reality provides the scenario for and the impetus to our unending praise. I can hardly wait. How about you?

Keep coming back and we will work to assist you in making and practicing that commitment. We will help you tune your heart to sing such praise by providing resources like this to help you love Jesus, and become Resonant, 7 days a week.

Eternal Tuning!

Jesus, thank You for preparing a place for me to offer my eternal adoration. Not only the rooms themselves, but also the entire environment. For these reasons, and so many more, I will adore You forever. In Jesus name. Amen.

Like what you finding here? Fill out the form to the right to get an email with each fresh post and updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Please comment below and share if you have found this helpful in your journey of being more resonant.

Enjoy this video and the transcript below!

Video 9.4 Transcript

Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Of course, our loving Jesus does not end in death. Death is the beginning of the rest of our destiny for everyone who loves Jesus. This stanza draws from Scripture and speaks of two realities of the beyond: a place to belong, and an inheritance to enjoy. Ask the Spirit to show the wonder of both.

Forever. That’s the other variation of ever we have not considered. In bright heaven we will always adore Jesus. The “ever” in each of the last lines indicates different moments when we love Jesus. This “ever” declares we will spend the balance of eternity loving Him. Are you ready for that?

You get a crown. You not only get to dwell in heaven, the very presence of God, eternally, but you get to do so with honor. You go from death-dew to a crown on your brow in a moment, because Jesus wore the thorns on His. Thank Him for purchasing that privilege for you.

And the culmination of all the “nows” when we have or will ever love Jesus, find us doing the same. Don’t wait until you get there. Determine to praise Him in every now He gives you, no matter the circumstances for He is worthy of all your praise, adoration, and love.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.

Sing

Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Mansion – https://pixabay.com/photos/castle-hluboká-heaven-south-bohemia-852714/
Ever Adore – https://pixabay.com/photos/ascension-celestial-planet-heaven-1568162/
Heaven So Bright – https://pixabay.com/photos/clouds-landscape-beyond-sky-rays-2709662/

Beautiful God Bea-YOU-tiful ME