“How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory THAT COMES FROM THE ONLY GOD?” (John 5:44)
I wonder how many in this world believe, to some extent, that there is a God and that he even has some authority, yet, their love for the glory and fear of man HAS BLINDED THEM to how lost they really are, STEALING THEIR HEART’S AFFECTIONS? Tragically, it seems, this is the majority of the world around us. As believers, we should ask ourselves, does my life express more of a love for the glory that comes from God or THE GLORY THAT COMES FROM MAN?
“…many even of the authorities believed in Jesus, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that COMES FROM MAN MORE THAN THE GLORY THAT COMES FROM GOD.” (John 12:42-43)
Although I truly desire to bring all glory to Christ, I am also tempted with the pull of having my self-esteem stroked and receiving praise from those around me. I guess it’s natural desire to be successful, appreciated, liked, and known to some degree? Yet sin distorts these desires, causing one to seek these things from the glory of man and for the advancement of our own name, RATHER THAN SEEKING THE LORD’S. This is what the Lord said to us as an example of how we should live:
“I can do nothing on my own…because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30)
My calling is to preach the word, I love pastoring but because of many physical difficulties I am no longer able to do that. I sought the Lord and He directed me to publish the word, after informing the Lord of my inability to do this, He informed me that NOTHING WAS TOO HARD FOR HIM! As I begin each day in prayer and reading the word, I have learned to wait and the Lord inspires me as to what He would have me write,
I just simply obey!
Pray with me: ‘It’s all for your Glory My Abba Father’…Bill Stockham