Tag Archives: Abilities

How Do We Bring God Glory?

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-Here’s What It Looks Like!

We often talk about living a life that glorifies God! But, what does that look like? How do we flesh that out? According to the Apostle Peter, we bring God glory, in our lives, as we yield to His Spirit’s work to transform us into Christ’s likeness. He says:  “Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.  If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever” 1 Peter 4:10-11.

-3 Points About Bringing God Glory!

Peter seems to make 3 points, about bringing God glory. First, God’s purpose, for “gifting” us, is to bring glory to Himself. Second, our motive, as we use our gifts, should be to glorify God with them. And, finally, God’s method is to empower our gifts, by His Spirit, so He gets the ultimate glory as they are being used. So, it’s ultimately God’s purpose to bring glory to Himself as we use the gifts He has given us! Now, while the immediate interpretation, of the “gifts” here, is related to the “gifts of the Spirit”, in the broader context it could be argued that Peter means, for us, to include our talents & abilities & anything else that makes us uniquely “us.” God has given you EVERYTHING that makes you YOU—all your gifts, talents, abilities, personality, outward appearance, etc. And, what Peter seems to be saying is that He’s given you all that FOR HIM! For His Glory!

-Our Gifts Come From God, Not Ourselves!

None of these things, that are unique to us as individuals, are to be used selfishly; nor, do we have any reason to be arrogant or prideful about any of it, since, it’s all been given to us by our gracious God! Everyone has been gifted by God—some more; some less—“…according to the VARIED GRACE of God…” And, then he offers 2 examples—of “speaking” & “serving”—and, how these gifts are to be used only in such a way “…that God may be GLORIFIED… to Him belong the GLORY & the power…” (v.11).  God has purposely & intentionally given us all the “stuff”—that makes us WHO we ARE—so that we would bring Him Glory as we use them! Not for our own glory! Glory belongs to God alone, Peter says!

-We Are Tools In God’s Hand!

I’m not very much of a handy man; but I do have a great deal of appreciation for those men & women who are! And, I’ve found that most handy people have specialized “tools” for certain repairs. There’s a specific tool for everything! That’s how God purposes to use us! He’s made us all different with our own unique gifts, personalities & talents. We’re each a special tool in God’s tool chest; and, He intends to use us, in each specific instance, to bring Himself greater glory. But, God is only glorified as we use our gifts out of a motivation to see Him glorified—“…use it,” Peter says, “…as GOOD MANAGERS of the varied grace of God” (v.10).  There’s an expectation of intentionality! Don’t just float through life, living off all the good gifts God has blessed you with! MANAGE WELL! So as to bring God glory in every thing you do!

 

God’s Glory Is A Big Deal!

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-He Alone Deserves The Glory!

God deserves all glory because He alone has designed everything & His Name is ON everything! It’s His Name that adds value to humanity & to the rest of creation! So, when we speak about God’s Glory we define it as, “the essence & beauty of His Spirit.” We’re not referring to His material or aesthetic beauty—like we typically define human beauty—but, to the beauty of His Character—to all that He IS! John Piper defines God’s Glory as, “the manifest beauty of His Holiness.” Holiness points to His absolute “uniqueness.”

-One-Of-A-Kind God!

He is ONE-OF-A-KIND! He is in a totally separate “class” all by Himself! There is no other God like Him! “O nations of the world, recognize the Lord, recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor” 1 Chronicles 16:28-29 NLT. God’s Glory is a really big deal to God; and, it’s a big deal in the Holy Scriptures! The GOAL of ALL things is God’s Glory! And, I’m not overstating that one iota! Let’s not forget that there is GOD & there is “everything He created!” That’s it! There is nothing else! And, in the original creation—before SIN—God declared that all of creation was GOOD! Why? Because ALL of creation reflected God’s beauty;  so, it ALL brought Him… GLORY!

-Redirecting All Praise!

In similar fashion we say that an artist’s painting is a reflection of the artist & the artist’s work brings him a certain “glory”! God has blessed humanity with certain creative abilities; but, they’re all SMALL “c—creative” because ALL mankind’s creative abilities were received from the CAPITAL “C—CREATOR” God. So, every “artist”—who is a true disciple of Jesus—will redirect all praise received to CREATOR God! In part, that is one way that we bring God Glory—by redirecting all praise & compliments received to God who created us with those abilities! We acknowledge that whatever TALENT or ABILITY we have is ON LOAN from God! It ultimately belongs to Him! Our greatest preoccupation must be with God’s Glory because that’s our reason & purpose for existence!

-Mandated To Give God Glory!

Here’s an observation from the 1st Chronicles 16 text—“the writer, King David, was inspired by God’s Spirit to offer this MANDATE regarding God’s Glory.”  This is an imperative or a command to “…declare God’s Glory…” v.28.  When David became king, he determined to make worship a priority again in Israel! And, one of his 1st acts was to return the Ark of the Covenant, which had been neglected under King Saul, back to Jerusalem! And, in the process, David preaches this great message that is included as the inspired Word of God. That means it’s AUTHORITATIVE—NOT because David said it; but, because God INSPIRED him to say it! So, “…DECLARE God’s glory,” he says! Don’t just study it and keep it to yourself! We’re commanded to declare it; and, that’s a general statement that means to declare it EVERYWHERE to everyone!