Thursday February 27, 2014

Read Isaiah 42:8. Exodus 24:15-18

When we speak of the glory of the Lord, we often picture the glory cloud or shekinah glory that descended upon the mountain that Moses ascended to be with God. This same glory is assigned to Christ in Revelation 1:14-16 and 2 Corinthians 4:6.

But the designation ‘the Glory of God’ is far more than the brilliance of light emanating from Him. It includes the infinity of God. God is without limitation. He lives in unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:6) and His paths are beyond tracing out (Romans 11:33).

It also includes the self existence of God. God depends on no one or nothing. He doesn’t need anything in creation to be fulfilled or to exist. Genesis 1:1 does not seek to prove God nor to introduce Him. It simply assumes His pre-existence and allows Him to burst onto the scene. God was there before creation. God was self existent before creation.

Yet this same glory of God is the glory that caused Jesus to descend from heaven, to be found in appearance as a man and to die a cursed death on a tree. It is the same glory that draws us to God to share in the glory of Christ.

Unfortunately for many Christians today worshipping God has inadvertently become about ME! Many Christians today worship God for what they can get out of Him. They attend a church while it serves their own purposes and feeds/nourishes and blesses them! Church and worship of God has become about “self”. Many Christians seek a church that sings songs they like or a church with a style that suits them, or a church that has people like them, or a church that entertains them, or a church that makes them feel good, or a church that … If the focus is ME and MY NEEDS then I am no longer a worshipper, but a consumer! God is not after consumers but worshippers. Richard Wurmbrand highlighted the difference after years of imprisonment for his faith. He acknowledged that people can come to Jesus as consumers for what they can get out of Him, or as apprentices ready to learn from the Master. Which description best fits your life? Are you an apprentice or a consumer?

In the Scriptures we read that God is a jealous God and will not give His glory to another. He will NOT give His deserved and demanded glory to you or I or to any false god. God demands that He be worshipped acceptably in reverence and awe, in Spirit and in truth.

Are you worshipping God acceptably or are you just seeking to please yourself?

Prayer: Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

ª Ask your God to give you and your fellow believers a greater understanding of the glory of God and that this growing understanding would lead to changed and more God-honouring lives.

ª Pray that our youth would grow strong in Christ and that they’d be willing to serve Him, speak out for Him and to shine Him to other youth in their spheres of influence.

 Word Moment –  A text without a context is a pretext to say anything you like. Never read a passage out of context and always ask yourself how that particular passage fits into the rest of Scripture.  We must always let Scripture interpret Scripture.

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Even though proof texting can be unhelpful, why is it important to know/memorise Bible verses?

2. Why is it important to know which heresies were fought in history and also how they were defeated?