Glorifying God II

Glorifying GodWednesday 09/02/15

 

Series: Glorifying God

 

Message – Glorifying God II.mp3

Click here for the Video

Last week we began talking about glorifying God, so I have kept the definition up this week as well for those who need a reminder.

Following the definition are the ways we can glorify God in our lives which I taught about tonight.

Glory, glory, glory…what does it mean?

The word glory is Doxazo in the Greek and is a derivative of the word doxology whose meaning is very similar. A doxology is a liturgy or a short song focused on praising God for His wonderful and transcendent qualities.

So, “glory” means to recognize, honor, praise and invest with dignity. To give anyone esteem or honor by putting him into an honorable position – either literally or in ones heart.

So, you can see that glorifying God is something that would come naturally to anyone who love Him and reverse Him.

 

How do we glorify God…

Live Godly lives – our witness

1Peter 2:11-16  “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,  (12)  having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

 

WOW really insightful!

 

Nothing in the verse indicates these people change their minds – no repentance is even hinted at. So how will they glorify God when He returns?

It isn’t their condemnation that will glorify God so much as the reason for it. You see they will stand condemned due to the testimony of trusting God desplayed in your life.

 

Consider Heb. 11-12….chapter 11 is often called the Bible’s “Hall of Faith”, but I would content that it is the Bible’s Hall of Testimony or Hall of Testifiers. Now, what gave these great men and women a good testimony was their unconditional faith in God. These people trusted God intimately and unwavering in the face of much opposition and fear.  

Heb 11:1-2,

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.”

The words “good testimony” are the one word marturéō in the Greek and mean…

To be a witness, bear witness.

  • To be a witness, to be able or ready to testify. used in an absolute sense IN 8:3;
  • To be in favor of the one who bears or has a good testimony – examples Jn. 5:33.
  • To bear witness, to testify to the truth of what one has seen, heard, or knows.
  • Emphatically, to testify strongly, bear honorable testimony to be well-testified about, to have good witness, Heb 11:4-5.

This word is used…

  • Of mankind as they bear witness to the truth – Jn. 18:37
  • Of God testifying to the truth by His Spirit – 1 John 5:6
  • Our works – John 5:36

So God is glorified in and through His people as they place their trust entirely upon Him. This ‘testimony’ is stored up for use on the day of judgement…but what many people do not know is that God too will be judged on that day.

Romans 3:1-19,

“What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? (2) Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. (3) For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? (4) Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.” (5) But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) (6) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? (7) For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? (8) And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just. (9) What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. (10) As it is written: “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE; (11) THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS AFTER GOD. (12) THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE; THEY HAVE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.” (13) “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN TOMB; WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY HAVE PRACTICED DECEIT”; “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; (14) “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS.” (15) “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD; (16) DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR WAYS; (17) AND THE WAY OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.” (18) “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” (19) Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

With this thought in mind here are a few ways in which we are to be a good witness…

(13)  Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,  (14)  or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.  (15)  For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— (16)  as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

 

 

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and learn to abide in Him by the help of the Holy Spirit.

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Blessings!

 

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!