From the following scripture passages, what would you conclude is God’s first priority?
“But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! . . . Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” Isa 43 1.7
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. “I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. “It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “And I am God.” Isa 43:10-12
“The people whom I formed for Myself Will declare My praise.” Isa:43:21
“For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.” Isa 48:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” .”Rev 4:11
“For by him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether they are kings, lords, rulers, or powers. All things have been created through him and for him.” Col 1:16
“He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. . . to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.” Eph 2:5-6, 12
“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2:9-11
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” 1 Cor 10:31
Having read these passages, might it be that God’s first priority is His own glory? And if God’s first priority is His own glory, how should that be expressed in the way we “do” church (I hate the phrase, but it’s common today)? Should our sermons be all about ‘us’, and what God wants to do ‘for’ us to better our lives, or should they be be more about how we can bring Him glory? What about our worship music – should be more about our “warm fuzzies” or His majesty and glory”? What about our teaching? What about our programs? The list goes on and on. . .
How are things in your church? How are things in mine? How do I view my own life as a believer? Is my life as a believer more about what He can do for me, or how I bring Him glory as one who has been created, first and foremost, for His glory?
The Battle Cry 
It’s all about Him.
I struggle with this though, in my time of need I want deliverance. I keep asking because He hasn’t told me not to ask again (Paul and his thorn). I wonder though if my tears bring Him glory. I hope so because at times that’s all I am able to do.
Does bringing Him glory mean I must speak only positively? I keep hearing that in the Christian world today.
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When God says that He works everything together according to His will and all things together for our good and His glory it means just that – ALL things, even our pain and the tears that accompany that pain.
Positive thinking and positive speaking ONLY allowed – I find that nowhere in the Bible. I find it with Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuler and popular psychology beginning in the mdidle of the last century. At the core is secular humanism and Maslow. there was a time when I bought into the lot of it as expressed in certain circles of the church. The Apostle Paul would be vilified in today’s church for his very non-positive attitude and speaking of himself as the ‘chiefest’ of sinners and his lack of self-esteem, when he was only expressing the notion that the clearer we see God in all his perfection and holiness, the starker the contrast between our sin and His holiness.
The worst of it is in the heretical Word of Faith movement (which I embraced at one time). At the other end are a host of ‘Christian’ fads and couple of major ‘ministry’ methods that center on man and not on God.
Just look through the Bible at all the men and women of faith that were NOT all positive thnkers/speakers, all of the time. Where do I start naming them?
Sayiing only positive things has a lot do do with the fact that the ‘bad news’ of the Gospel (human depravity and inability, along with being in bondage to sin) is never mentioned anymore along with the terms associated with it. But if we leave the ‘bad news’ out the Gospel, we have left out half of the Gospel and it is no longer the gospel!
Know that you are daily in my prayers and I also seek your deliverance. Exactly what that means I don’t know. I’ve found it best to let God paint the picture of what that looks like. Whatever the ‘picture’, it will be a masterpiece.
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Wow, Dan. I knew I would get wise counsel from you. These have been my thoughts, thanks for the affirmation. Sometimes the struggle speaks louder than the Spirit, but He certainly spoke through you today. Thank you.
Knowing Christian brothers and sisters, like you, are praying, gives me much hope.
You hit the nail on the head with this discourse. 😉
♥ U!
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