Home Pastors Pastor Blogs 2011 National Conference, Session 1: Louie Giglio

2011 National Conference, Session 1: Louie Giglio

Louie Giglio just concluded the first session of the Desiring God National Conference. We aim to have the audio and video available for download by Monday evening. Here are a few high points from his message:

This world is messed up in magnitude. But there is a more amazing God who has invited us to know him, linking arms with us that we might be amplifiers for the beauty of Jesus to all peoples.

He is not only a global God — he’s a galatic God. He is bigger than anything we can imagine. We don’t have a clue, really, about who we are dealing with. The universe was one of God’s thoughts.

Consider the scene of Isaiah 6: Isaiah saw the LORD. God was high and lifted up, not low and watered down. Isaiah realized at some point in that scene that worship will happen with or without him. And it wrecked him. Isaiah felt the weight. He was finished. Are we carrying this? Do we feel this, too?

Here are three questions we must encounter with Isaiah:

  1. Have you seen that God?
  2. Have you felt that desperate and been touched with that kind of grace?
  3. Did you hear him when he said “who shall we send?”

Psalm 148:1-5

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.

God tends to direct our attention to things greater than us to lead us to worship. We don’t understand the expanse of the worship that constantly surrounds the throne of God.

One of the most amazing things about redemption is that we are apart of it. It is a great commission and an unthinkable invitation. God is not throwing a manual in your lap. Marvel that the God who doesn’t need you has welcomed you into his glorious plan.

If you want to know Jesus you need to be where he is. If you want intimacy with him then be where he is at — among the peoples of the earth. You may be missing intimacy with Jesus because you’re out there doing your thing while Jesus is doing his great work. Will we respond to his invitation to be a part of it? The nations would be glad. They are waiting. And we’d be happy because there we will know Jesus — when we’re on mission with him.

There are people around the world waiting on you. And you are dying and shriveling up because you are off doing your thing. We are invited to go. Who is inviting us to go? A great God who doesn’t need us.