“PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY!”

1 Peter 1:6-9                                (ESV)

“6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in “PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” at the revelation of JESUS CHRIST.

8 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,

9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

In Genesis 50:19-20 Joseph said to his brothers “But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, FOR AM I in the place of GOD???  As for you, you meant evil against me, but GOD meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”   How many times have I gone through some trying, even very 

difficult times, only to find out that they ALL were to draw “PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  Why couldn’t I SEE they were being used to draw Glory to HIM?

The enemy is strong, but not nearly as strong as GOD ALMIGHTY!  Remember in Job 2:6, GOD tells satan “Behold, he is in your hand; ONLY SPARE HIS LIFE."  Satan can ONLY operate where GOD allows him to, at the level GOD says HE can!  If not, HE would NOT be in control.  A friend of mine used to say, “GOD IS IN CONTROL, even of the valleys”!  HE wouldn’t be very powerful if HE weren’t.  

That is why Peter writes in the scriptures above to ”PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” JESUS, even when we experience “various trials”.  We don’t have control over what our future holds, but we do have control over how we react to trials that the enemy sends our way.  Praising GOD when everything is going smoothly is simple.  To give HIM “PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” when things appear to be “out of control” is precisely when GOD DELIGHTS IN HEARING OUR PRAISE!  

Lately I have used a quote from the book entitled JESUS continued quite often; “GOD, however, never invited me to be a co-GOD with HIM”!  When things don’t go according to “my plan”, I have to quickly remember that I AM NOT GOD, and HE hasn’t invited me to be co-GOD with HIM!  The trial placed before me might be used by HIM to “draw” some lost soul “into HIS marvelous LIGHT”!  If HE can use my trials to gain GLORY to HIMSELF, then may ALL “PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” be HIS as I suffer for HIM!!!

“GOD is GOD of gods and LORD of LORDS!”

Deuteronomy 10:12-17                (ESV)

“12 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your GOD require of you, but to fear the LORD your GOD, to walk in all HIS ways, to love HIM, to serve the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul,

13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?

14 Behold, to the LORD your GOD belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.

15 Yet the LORD set HIS heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.

16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.

17 For the LORD your “GOD is GOD of gods and LORD of LORDS”, the great, the mighty, and the awesome GOD, WHO is not partial and takes no bribe.”

The text below was on a social media website recently, and it spoke volumes to me:

“If you never submit to GOD and HIS order then you're just a liar, deceiving yourself more than anyone else.”

Judas had 

The best Pastor 

The best leader

The best teacher

The wisest

The best friend 

And he failed.....

The problem isn’t the leadership or the church you go to.  

If your attitude doesn’t change or your character transformed. You will always be the same.  

Now, back to my comments, life in “this world” IS NOT all about we individuals, our prosperity, our positioning, nor how far ahead of our counterparts we can become!  Our lives should be dedicated to SERVING HIM and Glorifying HIM, for ALL the world to see!  Making sure we are NOT the focus of everything in our world should be the centerpiece of everything we do.  Unfortunately for some, that is not the case!  

Instead we see some athletes, entertainers, politicians, and even so-called ministers being elevated on a temporary pedestal.  All the while ALMIGHTY GOD, OUR CREATOR, is constantly relegated to a minuscule role of Servanthood, or Someone to “bail us out” when we drive ourselves into another storm.   As humans, we are created FOR HIS GLORY, NOT FOR OUR glory!!!  Isaiah 43:7 says “everyone who is called by MY name, WHOM I CREATED FOR MY GLORY, whom I formed and made."  You may want to believe that this Scripture isn’t talking about you, but there is NO DOUBT in my mind that ALMIGHTY GOD is the CREATOR, and one day ALL will agree!  

Don’t allow yourself to be thought too highly of, as we will ALL bow to HIM one day (Romans 14:11; Isaiah 24:23; Philippians 2:10,11)!  Living on our own earthly throne, no matter how small, makes it difficult to die to self (Matthew 10:38)!  Even people who currently deny HIS existence will one day admit that our “GOD is GOD of gods and LORD of LORDS”!!!  

“DO NOT GRUMBLE!”

John 6:41-51                               (ESV)

“41 So the Jews grumbled about HIM, because HE said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."

42 They said, "Is not this JESUS, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does HE now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

43 JESUS answered them, "DO NOT GRUMBLE” among yourselves.

44 NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM. And I will raise him up on the last day.

45 It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the FATHER comes to ME-

46 not that anyone has seen the FATHER except he who is from GOD; he has seen the FATHER.

47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

48 I am the bread of life.

49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is MY flesh." 

Briefly this morning, I find it interesting that JESUS said in yesterday’s passage “HAVE FAITH IN GOD”, then this morning I am writing about HIM telling me to “DO NOT GRUMBLE” among yourselves! If we “HAVE FAITH IN GOD” alone for our salvation, then it becomes almost nonsensical to dispute with others about being DRAWN to HIM unless we convolute the issue with our own “reasonings and emotions”?  When something makes sense, it requires less FAITH to Believe!  

When we “HAVE FAITH IN GOD”, we essentially are placing our TOTAL TRUST in HIS ability to “DRAW” us to HIM, and not in our ability to follow HIS laws to get to Heaven!  Although my desire is to live HOLY before GOD, my ability to do so leaves me falling tremendously short of what is required of me to enter Heaven.  We could not fulfill the law, so JESUS came to earth to FULFILL the law and overcome death, Hell, and the grave.   

We must REST in HIS WORD and realize that most people will never SEE (Matthew 13:10-16) with their eyes and understand with their hearts the things of the Spirit!  Unless our EYES are OPENED we can’t SEE Spiritual things that they think are folly.  When ALMIGHTY GOD reveals HIS TRUTH to us, we don’t need to Glory in being used by HIM.  “DO NOT GRUMBLE” with those who GOD has yet to DRAW to HIMSELF.  He may be using you to DRAW them later on in life???

“HAVE FAITH IN GOD!”

Mark 11:22                                (ESV)

“And JESUS answered them, "HAVE FAITH IN GOD”.”

There aren’t many times that I expound on a single verse of Scripture.  However, today will be an exception.  Are you looking for answers for something?  Many of you have seen me previously write that former President Ronald Reagan is quoted as saying, “Within the covers of the BIBLE are the answers for all the problems men face.” Most of us understand that the BIBLE is GOD’s owners manual for all of mankind.   Sine HE Created us and knows exactly what and how we were made, HE alone has the answers for our health concerns, our financial concerns, our relationship concerns, and any other concerns we have, or think we have!

Could you please explain why mankind continues to look elsewhere for the “answers for all of the problems men face”, instead of looking to The Creator?  It is obvious that we don’t TRULY believe that ALMIGHTY GOD is in control of our everything, or we would live our lives in an entirely different manner.  We “worry” about our retirement plans, yet we have no assurance that we will live through the remainder of the day we have been blessed with.  We “worry” about our offspring having the things they need to succeed in life, but unless ALMIGHTY GOD is drawing them, they will wander in the wilderness of life with NO HOPE of an eternity with GOD.  

The HOLY BIBLE “IS” GOD’s revelation of HIMSELF to us, and we should honor and respect HIM so much that we follow HIS instructions for our lives.  Yet, I fail multiple times daily to reflect HIS Love to a lost and dying world.  If I spent more time in HIS WORD, perhaps I would live my life in a more reverent mode.  Genesis 1:3 says “And GOD said....”, and IT WAS!  Perhaps if I “HAVE FAITH IN GOD”, the ONE WHO spoke these worlds into existence, I would have more “answers for all of the problems men face”?  

“KEEP THEM FROM SEEING!”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4                     (ESV)

“3 And even if our gospel is veiled, IT IS VEILED TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING.

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to “KEEP THEM FROM SEEING” the light of the gospel of the glory of CHRIST, who is the image of GOD.”

Not long ago during a Bible Study I was exposed to the phrase “GOD never invited me to be a co-god with HIM!”  Recently I saw a phrase that said “No matter how big a hammer you use, you can’t pound common sense into stupid people”, which really got me pondering why some just don’t “get it”?  Former President Ronald Reagan astutely submitted once that “Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face."  So let’s visit what Scripture reveals about people who can’t SEE?  

Jeremiah 5:21 says “"Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, WHO HAVE EYES, BUT SEE NOT, WHO HAVE EARS, BUT HEAR NOT.”  It seems that my BIGGEST challenge is letting GOD be GOD!  Exodus 14:14 says “The LORD will fight for you, and YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT!”  Psalms 27:14 (KJV) says “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and HE shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”  Psalms 46:10 (ESV) says “"Be still, and know that I AM GOD. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  GOD is more than capable of selecting who HE wants to spend eternity with. All I am called to do is to offer HIM to everyone and let HIM call whom HE chooses!  

It is not because I am so Holy and devout a Christian that is that I live “above sin”.  Isaiah 64:6 says “....our righteousnesses are as FILTHY RAGS” before a HOLY GOD!  It is solely due to HIM “...calling us out of the darkness into HIS marvelous light...” (2 Peter 1:9) that I can SEE Spiritual things!  The enemy “KEEPS THEM FROM SEEING”, selling them on the lies he has presented since the garden of Eden.   Don’t be misled!  KNOW THE TRUTH!  Don’t let the enemy “KEEP YOU FROM SEEING“!!!

“FAITH APART FROM WORKS!”

James 2:18-20                              (ESV)

“18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your FAITH apart from your works, and I will show you my FAITH by my works.

19 You believe that GOD is ONE; you do well. EVEN THE DEMONS-AND SHUDDER!

20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that “FAITH APART FROM WORKS” is useless?”

Recently, during a discussion with a colleague of mine, the point was brought up about BELIEVING, about how those who have actually experienced certain “things” live their lives in a different manner than those who only know “about” them.  Living the lives we have been assigned can sometimes be challenging.  Sure, being born into a wealthy family would be a preference for most people, but being born to a poverty stricken family in a “third-world” country is also a possibility, a possibility that we seldom consider?  GOD is all about gaining glory for HIMSELF, not glorifying us!!!

Having FAITH that our future will bring desired results is one of the most important things a person can have.  There is a phrase on my prayer list that says “Do you want to live a life without hope?”  We ALL have a HOPE that things will turn out “the way we want them to”!  When the children of Israel were leaving Egyptian captivity, they “plundered” (Exodus 12:36) the Egyptians, taking valuables from them.  The Israelites were headed for the Promised Land, but GOD had yet to be Glorified appropriately.  And, a few short days later, the Israelites were in a “tight spot” on the banks of the Red Sea with the Egyptians rapidly approaching, and they were “doubting GOD”!  

How many times do we have to experience similar “fear and doubt”, and be delivered, before we grow up to have FAITH?  How many “valleys of the shadow of death” do we have to traverse before we KNOW that HE WILL BRING US THROUGH, or HE will bring us HOME?  Isaiah 43:2 says the flames may get hot, but we will not be consumed.  Since GOD has told us HE will never leave us or forsake us, why do we cry on the banks of our Red Sea?  

In Exodus 14:4 GOD says “I WILL GET GLORY OVER PHARAOH AND ALL HIS HOSTS”, and HE did!  My life should not be an attempt to gain as much wealth as I possibly can, rather I should do everything I can to Glorify HIM!  By demonstrating that “FAITH APART FROM WORKS” is useless, we are proclaiming that we are trusting HIM to Glorify HIMSELF.  HE WILL deliver, all we have to do is be silent (Exodus 14:14)!  

“wisdom of the world!”

1 Corinthians 1:18-21                   (ESV)

“18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of GOD.

19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." 

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not GOD made foolish the “wisdom of the world?”

21 For since, in the wisdom of GOD, the world did not know GOD through wisdom, it pleased GOD through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”

It has been reported that a television show host was quoted as saying that people who “hear from JESUS” may need psychological assistance.  This should excite all of us who hear from, and listen to, GOD IN HEAVEN.    

GOD speaks in several different ways.  The most common way HE speaks is through HIS WORD.  JESUS said in Matthew 10:32-33 “So everyone who acknowledges ME before men, I also will acknowledge before MY FATHER WHO is in heaven, but whoever denies ME before men, I also will deny before MY FATHER WHO is in heaven.”  There are some who choose NOT to believe in GOD, and the things of GOD.  As a matter of fact, JESUS also said in Matthew 7:14 “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, AND THOSE WHO FIND IT ARE FEW!!!”  

Being able to HEAR from GOD doesn’t make us better than anyone else, it only means HE has “chosen” us to open our EYES and EARS to the things of Heaven. Since they cannot SEE or HEAR Spiritual things, they think it is “folly”, since it doesn’t “make sense” to them!   

Revelation 1:7 says “Behold, HE is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see HIM, even those who pierced HIM, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of HIM. Even so. Amen.”  On that day, the “wisdom of the world” will be “folly” to everyone!  It certainly won’t “make sense” that our CREATOR would sacrifice HIMSELF just to keep a FEW of us from going to HELL!  But FAITH has nothing to do with making sense.  Making sense belongs to the “wisdom of the world”!!!