(Dt.4:32-34,39-40; Ps.33:4-6,9,12,18-20,22; Rom.8:14-17; Mt.28:16-20) "You must know now, and fix in your heart, that 'the Lord is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other.'" "Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?" Moses asks the Israelite nation. "Did any god venture to go and take a nation for Himself" with the great "signs and wonders" that accompanied Israel's release from Egyptian bondage? No. For the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of heaven and earth, the one true God. For "by the word of the Lord the heavens were made; by the breath of His mouth all their host." Yes, "He spoke, and it was made, He commanded and it stood forth." None is great as the Father in heaven. And of the power of the Father, Jesus, the Son, shares: "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me," He declares in truth. It is He who suffers and dies for us; it is He who thus reveals God's love – it is He whom all nations adore in the holy court. The words of the Father He brings to our ears; His commands, which bring life and "deliver… from death," He speaks in our hearing. Here is the Word by which all comes to be made flesh in our sight. And we, "we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ" – to this "the Spirit Himself bears witness," speaking in our souls the NAME of God. Yes, "those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God," and the Spirit is now with us to lead us, to help us "keep His statutes and commandments," that we might "have long life on the land which the Lord, [our] God, is giving [us] forever." And now so on fire with the Spirit of God, Jesus present with us always in body and soul, and standing as holy children of the Father… we must "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [the Lord has] commanded." "Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield." His presence is upon us always for good, and we long now to know the fullness of the Trinity. He whose "works are trustworthy" we seek to make our own, that we might be one with Him who is One. "Of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full." May He who "loves justice and right" be known in His fullness by all. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Speaking of God" (second half) from The Whole Whale, eighth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, let us remain in your NAME and in your power, and carry our cross unto Heaven. YHWH, you are God of Heaven and earth; there is none beside you. By your Word all came to be, and all is held together by your love. We can but hope for your kindness, LORD, to preserve us from the death we deserve. We can but be baptized in your NAME and pray to be as your children. O LORD, let us be your heirs with Christ. Let us suffer with Him that we might be glorified by the Spirit and come to dwell as one with you in the kingdom. To this earth bring your Word and let us be remade in His image. For He is one with you and the Spirit, worthy of all our worship; and as we worship Him, the Spirit inspires us to cry out, "Abba, Father!" with your only Son. O LORD, what great grace and mercy you have shown us! You have taken us from the midst of darkness and sin and brought us into your marvelous light by the sacrifice of your Son. In the fire of the Holy Spirit you speak to us and guide us on our journey to you. Help us, LORD, to keep your commands that we might prosper and have eternal life with you in Heaven.