Let’s start by worshiping God by singing this worship song we are all familiar with:
All glory, glory, glory to the Lord. (2x) Alleluia! Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! blessed be the name of the Lord. (2x)
One of the well-known definitions of glory is “the opposite of shame”. This definition can clearly be in the book of Proverbs 3:35 that says, “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.” Glory can also be defined in terms of light versus darkness. Glory is the absence of darkness and all that it represents. In the book of Revelation 21:23 the Bible says, “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” Heaven is lit by the glory of God, no need for the sun or the moon. The glory of God shines without any form of interruption. Heaven is actually the land of endless day. There shall be no darkness nor room for the works of darkness. His glory is actually at this point beyond out comprehension, our goal here is to get as much understanding as we can, with what has be given to us in scriptures.
First, the glory of the Lord is brighter than the noon day sun. In other words, the glory of the Lord is brighter than the sun even when it is at its fullest strength. Pauls encounter with the Lord on his way to Damascus illustrates this. See what Paul said in Acts 22:6-7, ‘And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. [7] And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” We also know that the angels of God that stand before him have special wings with which they cover their faces and their feet so that they don’t get destroyed: “Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.” Isaiah 6:2. In Exodus 40:35 the Bible tells us that when the glory of God filled the tabernacle Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation; “And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” We also see this in 1 Kings 8:10-11 “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, [11] So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.”
Everything about God is glorious. He is glorious in power and in holiness; Exodus 15:6,11, “Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. [11] Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Deuteronomy 28 and verse 58 says His name is glorious. Psalm 66 and verse 2 say His praise is glorious. “Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.” We also understand from Psalm 111 and verse 3 that His work is glorious; “His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.” God is also glorious in honor and majesty according to Psalm 145 and verse 5; “I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.” The gospel of Christ, we are told, is also glorious. 1 Timothy 1 and verse 11 says, “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”
His glory is outstanding. The Bible says it excels; “For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.” 2 Corinthians 3:10. And in Titus 2 and verse13, the Bible tells us that His second coming shall be glorious; “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” And of course, His bride must be glorious. He is coming for a glorious church, without any wrinkles nor blemish. Ephesians 5:27 concurs; “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” It is therefore imperative that we consciously prepare for his second coming. 2 Timothy 2 and verse 19, clearly commands us to stay away from sin; “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
It is pertinent at this point to also note that God is very jealous of His glory. In Isaiah 42 and verse 8, God said, “I am the Lord : that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” When we don’t give God the glory due to Him, we get in trouble. Herod was killed instantly for not giving God the glory due to Him. The Bible says, “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.” Acts 12:23 KJV. Let us clearly understand this; you temper with His glory, He will kill you. This is the reason behind our commitment to always praise and give thanks to God. We were actually created for his pleasure. Everyone working contrary to God’s glory should watch out. Paul became blind when he encountered the glory of God on his way to persecute the Christians in
Damascus. When John in the Island of Potmus saw the glory of God, the Bible says, he, “…fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:” Revelation 1:17.
It is pertinent to note here also that, one of the prayers our Lord Jesus made to the Father before he was crucified was that God should restore the glory that he had with Him before his advent to the earth; “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” John 17:5. The value of this statement can be appreciated when we consider the fact that the wishes of a dying man are often taken seriously. Jesus knew and understood the value of the glory of God, thus he asked for its restoration on him. My prayer for us is that we will live in that glory in Jesus name. The church of the first born of which you and I belong shall be there. Hebrew 12:22-23 makes it clear; “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, [23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,..”. You are right on track to experiencing heavenly glory as long as Christ has truly been born in. “Christ in you the hope of glory” the Bible says. Colossians 1:27
Now let’s look at the various steps our glorification requires. Romans 8:29 and 30 clearly lays out the various steps to glorification; “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. [30] Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
The first step is the foreknowledge of God. This means that God knew us long before we were born and predestined us for glory. Ephesians 1 and verses 3 through 6 make it very clear that God did not only know us well in advance, he also predestined us; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: [4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, [6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” It gives me joy to know that God had me in mind even before I was born.
The second step is the formation of the character of God in us. This is where we struggle to conform to the image of Christ. Our love for God must grow to the point of perfection so that we can boldly and confidently say, “as he is, so are we in this world.” More precisely put; “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17 KJV. Are you working hard enough to getting to this point of perfection? The grace of God is available to you, but you must make up your mind and put in the effort to live for him.
The third step is His calling. The book of 1 Corinthians 1 and verses 26 through 29 clearly tells us we were not chosen because of our material possessions or intellectual abilities. God chose us to confound the mighty and the wise; “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called : [27] But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; [28] And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: [29] That no flesh should glory in his presence.” God has called you so that He will work through you. If you will make yourself available, He will work signs and wonders through you.
The fourth step is justification. This is God showing preference even before you were born. We see this clearly in the story of Jacob and Esau. Carefully read Romans 9:10 through 13; “And not only this ; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; [11] (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) [12] It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. [13] As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” The justification of His preference for Jacob came in Genesis 25 and verses 29 through 34; “And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: [30] And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage ; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. [31] And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. [32] And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? [33] And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. [34] Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.” He despised his birthright and sold it for immediate gratification. Your value for spiritual things; for eternal things, for things that money cannot buy can give you a clue on whether you are justified or not. What are you willing to sell, or let go for immediate gratification?
The last step is glorification. The Bible is clear that glorification awaits every true child of God. Romans 8 and verse 17 puts it this way, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” This is huge. We are destined for glory. We are joint heirs with Christ. We shall all be glorified.
But someone might ask, if it was settled before I was born, is there anything I can do to know my end? The answer is simple. We all agree that something inside the sheep tells it the mud is not where it should be when it finds itself in it. So it struggles to get out and when it does it tries not to go there anymore. On the other hand, even when you take a pig from the mud and wash it clean and put gold ring on its nose, something inside it will drag it into the mud immediately. That is why the Bible says, “Deep calleth unto deep…,” in Psalm 42 and verse 7. Are you comfortable with sin? Or do you thirst after righteousness? Does your heart pant toward God? Are you always excited at the word of God? The scriptures below will help you figure out where you belong:
Matthew 5:6 KJV [6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Psalm 42:1-2 KJV [1] As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. [2] My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
John 10:27 KJV [27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Are you really desirous of living in the glory of God? If you do, there should be a very strong desire in you to be as pure as light. You must be absolutely pure physically. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you,” 2 Corinthians 6:17. Those that desire to live in the glory of God must also be pure mentally. You cannot be purer than the thoughts you think. The Bible says as a man, “thinketh in his heart, so is he…”. Prov 23:7. Also, Philippians 4 and verse 8 admonishes us, saying, “…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” A desire to live in the glory of God also requires that we are pure socially. We must select the social gatherings we attend and the people we hang out with. The things we say and the jokes we tell could get us in trouble with God. Ephesians 5 and verse 4 says, “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” Those who are desirous to live in the glory of God must be willing to be as pure as light spiritually. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
As we conclude, a few scriptural advice will help us stay above board of all the requirements for living in the Lord’s glory. One, we must learn to talk less. This is because the more you talk, the more the likelihood for you to get in trouble. We are going to be judged by even the idle words that we speak. Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:36. In James 1 and verse 26 the Bible clearly admonishes us to talk less; “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” There is strength in quietness according to Isaiah 30 and verse 15 which says, “… in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…”. Apart from making you avoid sin, talking less is also an act of wisdom. Wise people talk less. Proverbs 10:19 concurs, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”
Two, since there is no hiding place for our thoughts and all the activities of the our minds that defile us, what must we do? The Bible says your spirit is the spy of the the Lord. Read it yourself; “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.” Proverbs 20:27. And in Job 42 and verse 2 the Bible says, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.” If no thought can be hidden from God, what must I do then? The answer is in meditating on the word of God day and night. When we keep our minds on the word of God always day and night, we will not have room for defiling thoughts. Psalm 1 and verses 1 through 3, says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. [2] But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. [3] And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” In addition, we must endeavor to do only what is good always. This is because God is constantly watching our actions also. Proverbs 5 and verse 21 says, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.”
Living constantly in the glory of God should be the ultimate goal of every true child of God. God desired that you live in his glory so he applied the law of seed time and harvest time by giving his only begotten Son. I have a strong feeling that God will not sabotage your efforts to live in his glory. He will rather enable you; he will help you. Don’t forget this whole idea of glorification originated from God long before you were born. So don’t hesitate to ask for help in prayer at every point in this journey. We are actually encouraged to call for help in Hebrew 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Don’t hesitate to call for help in prayer no matter how small or big the problem may be. We shall meet in the land of endless days, where the glory of God is all the light we need, where there shall be no night or darkness: no sickness, no disease, no death, no sorrow. Where our joy will be full, unlimited and everlasting. Let’s constantly thank and glorify Him for this heavenly hope and for choosing us to be partakers.
God bless you for reading through.
Pastor Ebi Thourn