GLORIFY GOD

(Copied material compiled and adapted from various sources)

All of us hold things in our lives that we TREASURE.

Things that are WORTH SOMETHING to us.

There’s a lot of talk about VALUES. Values are what we place a PRIORITY on in our lives.

POLITICIANS often like to CLAIM that they STAND UP for VALUES of one kind or another. The things that they BELIEVE IN.

VALUES are... What we count as IMPORTANT What DRIVE us What we CHERISH and UPHOLD.

VALUES speak of... What people count OF VALUE What is VALUABLE to them.

AS GOD’S PEOPLE we have VALUES – the things we want to pass on to our children; what we long to instil in our grandchildren.

Yet sadly, more and more, children are growing up GODLESS in a God forsaking Australia these days.

We are living in A POST MODERN WORLD.

As far as CHRISTIAN VALUES go... Our world has largely FORSAKEN and FORGOTTEN God.

EVEN CHURCHGOERS, by and large, seem to be BIBLICALLY ILLITERATE... day by day they give little thought for what pleases or displeases God.

God is, for some, like a part time hobby, that people maybe show a passing interest in, at certain religious times.

THIS WORLD has ITS OWN VALUES. As far as THE WORLD’S VALUES go... The world puts AN EMPHASIS on SELF GLORY, not on PLEASING GOD.

Many have a “ME FIRST” MENTALITY...

THE WORLD places its value on INFORMATION, or in glorifying HUMAN THINKING. All the while, it rejects GOD’S WORD – which is THE REAL SOURCE of WISDOM.

As far as THE WORLD’S VALUES... The world has a wide open, BROAD ROAD of TOLERANCE. As if ALL ROADS lead to TRUTH and ENLIGHTENMENT, even if they are contradictory.

But, as for God’s people, we know that THE WAY TO LIFE is NARROW.

For us, to know THE TRUTH, it is DEPENDENT on knowing THE LORD JESUS CHRIST and HIS EXCLUSIVE CLAIMS as THE ONE and ONLY SAVIOUR.

So, WHAT is OF TRUE VALUE?

I believe that the VALUE of a LIFETIME all boils down to ONE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLE. Which is:

GLORIFY GOD.

Let us measure everything by this, all important standard.

Everything that is of TRUE VALUE stems from this one truth. It is APPLIED TRUTH:

DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

WHATEVER you do... Do this:

GLORIFY GOD.

Someone has DEFINED ‘GLORY’ as the praise and honour due only to God – for who He is, for what He does and what He is to do.

The GLORY speaks of God’s true NATURE, and CHARACTER, the manifestation of His BEING, His LIKENESS, His PRESENCE.

THE GLORY OF GOD was THE PRIORITY for the people of God, as His tangible presence as they journeyed through the wilderness wanderings. The people followed the Glory of God as God was manifested in the Fiery Cloud. When the people disobeyed God the glory left.

When THE GLORY OF GOD was gone from Israel, it lost direction.

ALL HOPE WAS LOST.

That which is of true and lasting value depends on this ONE THING.

Value this:

The Glory of God.

When THE GLORY DEPARTED from the people of God, it meant a time of DEADNESS, and a SPIRITUAL FAMINE.

In the Old Testament we see times where God’s people were UNFAITHFUL, and WORSHIPPED FALSE GODS. They NEGLECTED to GLORIFY GOD and faced His judgment.

That’s what we are witnessing today.

The glory of God has been exchanged for A FLESHLY SUBSTITUTE.

Likewise, today, people are turning away their ears from the truth. Churches have become mere SOCIAL CLUBS, geared to the SENSES and WORLDLY TASTES.

WHY?

- Because they have lost the glory of God.

Such churches have lost the point of their existence – to GLORIFY GOD.

The four and twenty elders in Revelation 4 knew what THE GLORY was... as they fell down before Him that liveth forever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne, saying

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to RECEIVE GLORY and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

God’s PURPOSE is that we GLORIFY HIM... Now, and forevermore...

This is where our true VALUE is found.

The VALUE of LIFE.The VALUE of a CHURCH...

IT IS FOUND all wrapped up, in THIS one theme:

To what extent do we GIVE GLORY TO GOD?

Do we:DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD?

God has designed us this way... WIRED US THIS WAY. We have been made that THE GLORY OF GOD is to SHINE through us. Through we, mere human beings...

THE GLORY OF GOD s fashioned to FUNCTION and FLOW from within TRANSFORMED HUMAN HEARTS.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the

knowledge of THE GLORY OF GOD in the face of Jesus Christ.

THE GLORY OF GOD ought to dictate THE STANDARD of OUR CONDUCT.

It should INSPIRE us – to ASPIRE to being our HIGHEST and BEST – all for His Glory – to be excellent at what is good.

THE CHIEF AIM of every believer ought to be this:

To GLORIFY GOD and to ENJOY HIM NOW and FOREVER.

So then,

What are SOME WAYS we are TO GLORIFY GOD?

We GLORIFY GOD – as we uphold THE SCRIPTURES.

As God’s people we are committed to the SCRIPTURE as our ABSOLUTE and ULTIMATE AUTHORITY.

Our world foolishly teaches people to DISMISS and DESPISE ABSOLUTES.

But – AS A GOD GLORIFYING PEOPLE – we are committed to TEACH the whole counsel of God – AND to make an APPLICATION of it in our lives...

God calls us to be RADICALLY and COMPLETELY BIBLE BASED.

Paul and Barnabas DECLARED the Word of God.

And it says,

Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and GLORIFIED THE WORD OF THE LORD: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

We should GLORIFY THE WORD OF GOD... TREASURE it HONOUR it ESTEEM it.

The BIBLE is our FOUNDATION – our BLUEPRINT for life... it is THE ONE REDEMPTION STORY that we have to tell.

We know that THE BIBLE IS NOT VALUED by today’s society...

It’s been said that ‘THE FURTHER A SOCIETY DRIFTS FROM THE TRUTH THE MORE IT WILL HATE THOSE WHO SPEAK IT’.

We want to be A WORD DRIVEN CHURCH – to PROCLAIM IT, BOLDLY, and FEARLESSLY, yet GRACIOUSLY and with HUMILITY.

We want to GLORIFY GOD as we IMPART the Word of God to OUR CHILDREN...

Deuteronomy 6:6-7And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt TEACH them DILIGENTLY unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

As believers who want to glorify God, we want to be like Mary, and SIT AT THE FEET OF JESUS AND HEAR HIS WORD, at every opportunity we can.

The Lord said of Mary that she had chosen the best part...

Luke 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

Paul asked the Thessalonians to PRAY that the Word would HAVE FREE COURSE and BE GLORIFIED...

2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

As a church that is committed to the glory of God, we want the Word of God to be glorified. Let us value that.

We want to do all to the glory of God.

As a God-glorifying people we want to deliver PLAIN BIBLE PREACHING that directs people to God.

We pray that THE WORD WILL BE GLORIFIED. That it will be CENTRAL in our teaching, training, counselling, discipleship, small groups, and other ministries.

That we will:DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

As A GOD GLORIFYING PEOPLE we also want to give God the glory in our WORSHIP.

That our WORSHIP will be to the GLORY OF GOD.

We want our songs to reflect BIBLICAL TRUTH. As such, we will choose them with an eye to the GLORY of GOD.

The songs we sing are meant to maximise the glory of God. To magnify Him. To be TRUTH – as we worship God in SPIRIT and in TRUTH.

We must beware lest we stray, and become MAN CENTRED in our THEOLOGY and our WORSHIP.

In some quarters it seems like PRAGMATISM PREVAILS. In other words, “the-end-justifies-the-means”.

We are witnessing much ‘TRUTH DECAY’ today, as some churches SELL OUT and adopt the mantra of CULTURAL RELEVANCE and turn aside from authentic Christianity, to please the flesh, to please men, and draw a crowd, not caring to offend and displease a holy and jealous God.

As a God-glorifying people, we pray, that AT CENTRE STAGE it will not be a performer on a platform, but it will be CHRIST, who is exalted! Christ crucified! Christ risen! Christ, high and lifted up. Christ magnified and adored. Christ, soon to return as King.

We want our worship to glorify Him. To truly bring our Lord the HONOUR and GLORY due unto His Name.

That our WORSHIP will be to the GLORY OF GOD.

We believe that we were CREATED for this main PURPOSE: TO WORSHIP GOD.

By OUR WORSHIP may we GLORIFY God.

GIVE Him GLORY.

Psalm 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

God alone is worthy of all praise, honour and glory.

As A GOD GLORIFYING PEOPLE, we also want to gather together in FELLOWSHIP with like minded believers.

We VALUE that. God VALUES that.

Whenever we have church to glorify God, He shows up. I think that’s important. Something we ought to value.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

God puts a value on such blessed fellowship, wherever two or three show up in His name, to His glory. Don’t miss this. We should value this. Don’t limit yourself if you can make it, turn up!

We pray that our fellowship will be PLEASING TO GOD. That it will GIVE HIM GLORY.

That our FELLOWSHIP will be to the GLORY OF GOD.

Therefore, we will be a SEPARATED people. We will endeavour to walk in relationship with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, with the object of PLEASING GOD.

We will not join party with FALSE DOCTRINE, but we will withstand it, oppose it, and overcome it. We will call it what it is, LEAVEN.

And we must not allow even a little leaven in the lump. Why? Because we don’t want to take any glory away from God...

Ephesians 3:21

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

We will be a people where our gathering together is unto HIM.

The focus of the church will not be on entertaining the masses, but in glorifying God. It will not be on scratching itching ears, but on adorning the doctrine of our God and Saviour.

Titus 2:10 ...that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Our motive in all that is said and done, and all that we establish to be and do, as a church, will be TO THIS END: TO HIS GLORY:

As God’s people, a GOD GLORIFYING PEOPLE, our FELLOWSHIP together will be founded upon how we can bring God glory through our lives.

As a God glorifying people we value SPIRITUAL GROWTH, in growing together, in Grace and Love.

We are called to HOLINESS, to grow in the GRACE and the KNOWLEDGE of Jesus Christ.

And God’s Spirit works in us to bring all this work about.

We want to encourage every believer towards SPIRITUAL MATURITY.

That we will truly be a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle...

Ephesians 5:27

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Let us pray that our FELLOWSHIP will be to the GLORY OF GOD. And that we will want to fellowship more and more.

As we see the day approaching.

One day we will realise what is of true value.

As A GOD GLORIFYING PEOPLE we also want to PRAY...

PRAYER brings us to a place of DEPENDENCE on God, as we acknowledge Him, as the one who holds our lives together.

After Solomon prayed, the glory fell.

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire

came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD

filled the house.

(2) And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.

(3) And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house,

they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

May our PRAYING be to the GLORY OF GOD.

We believe that God is actively involved in our world.

As a God glorifying people we DEPEND upon almighty God, and PRAY.

In prayer we ask God to LEAD us and DIRECT us — and to GIVE US WISDOM...

As believers we have a TOTAL, COMPLETE, AND UNRESTRICTED ACCESS to God through Jesus Christ.

Do we neglect this access we have?

We ought to truly value this.

We GLORIFY God we you pray.

May we pray with EXPECTANCY and BELIEVE GOD to WORK, to the GLORY OF GOD.

As a God-glorifying people we also value the GOSPEL.

We value EVANGELISM. The faithful proclamation of the Gospel.

It’s called the GLORIOUS GOSPEL...

1 Timothy 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

The Gospel is something we should prize and value. This glorious message is what our world desperately needs to hear. Yet many are in darkness...

2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

We give glory to God as we share the Gospel, to the GLORY OF GOD.

Its faithful proclamation will glorify God.

It will bring Him honour.

It is what leads the lost to Christ.

We value bringing HOPE to the HOPELESS. This message is too precious to keep to ourselves.

We want to DEMONSTRATE God’s COMPASSION for LOST PEOPLE, and to POINT THEM TO THE CROSS.

HELL is real. Two people die every second. Most people go to hell.

We give glory to God as we impact a hell bound world.

To recap, thus far,

We are talking about VALUES, what it is that we VALUE.

We’re talking about a treasure that we have... Of great value...

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,

hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the

glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

(7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We have seen that we are called:

To make this one truth live in our own lives: that His glory will work – even in these human vessels here present today...

To...

DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

We have seen that THE CHIEF END OF MAN IS TO GLORIFY GOD... AND TO ENJOY HIM, NOW, AND FOREVER.

We glorify God as we uphold the SCRIPTURES.

We glorify God with our WORSHIP.

We glorify God in our FELLOWSHIP.

We glorify God in PRAYER.

We glorify God as we go share the GOSPEL.

So, let’s make it personal now:

How is your GLORY LEVEL?

To what extent are you giving God the glory?

How would you rate your life as far as how much are you glorifying God?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,

which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price:

therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Our LIVES are meant to honour God – to bring glory to God.

As we walk in INTEGRITY and AUTHENTICITY...

We want to reflect God’s glory and grace in all that we aim to do.

To know grace, to grow in grace, and to extend grace to others...

To be peacemakers.

Are we living our lives for the glory of God?

Do our lives BEAR FRUIT that glorifies God?

John 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

How is our fruit?

Are our lives marked by FAITHFULNESS and INTEGRITY?

Or is it LUKEWARMNESS that mars our walk with God?

We are called to be STEWARDS...

To invest and manage wisely what God has entrusted to us. That which is of true value.

And in whatever we do we are not ever to take the glory for ourselves:

2 Corinthians 10:17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord...

‘The glory belongs only to God, never to man and certainly never to that which man has done.’

We are called to DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD...

We are called: To SPEAK UP To COURAGE, NOT COWARDICE.

May we speak openly and truthfully with love in all situations.

To DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

I think we need more ZEAL to the glory of God.

I like how a man of God of yesteryear expressed it, talking about Zeal...

‘Zeal is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way.

‘A zealous man is pre-eminently a man of one thing. He is more than earnest, hearty, uncompromising, wholehearted, and fervent in spirit. He sees only one thing, cares about one thing, lives for one thing, swallowed up in one thing, and that one thing is to please God.

Whether he lives or dies, has health or has sickness, whether he is rich or poor, pleases people or give offense, whether he is thought wise or foolish, gets the blame or the praise, whether he receives honour or is given shame, he burns for one thing, and that one thing is to please God. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal.

If he cannot preach, he will work and give money, he will cry and sigh and pray. If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, he will hold up the hands of Moses until the battle is won.’

God is glorified when His people have COURAGE.

May we have godly zeal to the glory of God.

He is looking for such people to glorify Him:

Psalms 94:16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

Either we take a stand, or we buckle under, and quit.

As a GOD GLORIFYING PEOPLE, I PRAY:

May we FEAR NOT... To PROCLAIM THE TRUTH, and To CONFRONT DECEPTION.

It may mean to judge righteous judgment.

God has not called us to DIALOGUE with ERROR, but to STAND FAST for THE TRUTH, NO MATTER THE COST.

THE FIGHT IS ON.And we must enlist today.

In a world where marriage is being trashed... We value the FAMILY.

We VALUE what God VALUES.

Let us seek to glorify God in our relationships with others, in our homes, in our hearts... Are we giving God the glory where it matters most? Where the rubber hits the road, with the people in our lives?

Our families are gifts from God.Precious souls are all around us and need the glorious Gospel.

The hardest part of this message is not grasping a definition of this marvellous gripping reality of the marvellous glory of God, but in how we translate His GLORY into action within our own personal lives.

We may get the definition and the theology right, BUT MISS THE APPLICATION OF IT.

And that’s what matters most.

The Bible says we all fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Yet God in His mercy extends grace and makes up the gap. Cry out for His grace to be extended to you today.

As God’s people we still come short of the glory of God, yet He extends grace, and He fills in the gap...

We, each of us, have A RESPONSIBILITY, A STEWARDSHIP – to live as God has designed – to be vessels of His glory – in

accordance with HIS REVEALED WILL, the Bible.

Our Biblical mandate is clear:GLORIFY GOD.

Above all, direct the glory to God.Unto Him.Unto Him.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, CROWNED WITH GLORY and HONOUR; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

He Who wept above the grave,He Who stilled the raging wave, Meek to suffer, strong to save,He shall bear the glory.

He Who sorrow's pathway trod,He that every good bestowed—Son of Man and Son of God—He shall bear the glory.

He Who bled with scourging sore,Thorns and scarlet meekly wore, He Who every sorrow bore—He shall bear the glory.

Monarch of the smitten cheek,Scorn of Jew and scorn of Greek, Priest and King, Divinely meek—He shall bear the glory.

On the rainbow-circled throneMid the myriads of His own, Nevermore to weep alone—He shall bear the glory.

Man of slighted Nazareth,King Who wore the thorny wreath,Son obedient unto death—He shall bear the glory.

His the grand eternal weight,His the priestly-regal state; Him the Father maketh great—

He shall bear the glory.

He Who died to set us free,He Who lives and loves e'en me, He Who comes, Whom I shall see, Jesus only—only He—He shall bear the glory.—William Blane

Let us strive to glorify God in all that we do.

Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.

People of God, give Him all the glory.

THE CHIEF END OF MAN IS TO GLORIFY GOD... AND TO ENJOY HIM, NOW, AND FOREVER.

How is your GLORY LEVEL?

Glorify God.THIS is what matters.HERE is true value WHEN YOUR LIFE IS MEASURED.

The question will be:

Have you given God the glory?

May we...

Glorify God as we uphold the SCRIPTURES.

Glorify God with our WORSHIP.

Glorify God in our FELLOWSHIP.

Glorify God in PRAYER.

Glorify God as we go with the GOSPEL.

Unto Him be glory in the church.

Jude 1:24-25 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless

before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (25) TO THE ONLY WISE GOD OUR SAVIOUR, BE GLORY and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.