Tag Archive for 'glory'

Seeking Our Own Glory

Published
by
Dan
on 11/1/2008
in Bible Study
. 1 Comment

John 7:18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

I remember when I learned that no one in a desperate situation can be trusted. That was also when I learned not to ask people “can you do such and such?” because the guy I was asking would think, “my child hasn’t eaten in 4 days and this guy is going to pay me to do this, so I can figure it out.” Desperation brings out some of the worst things in people. I remember seeing women at the Shoe Carnival push and shove other women, over 40 even-I’m not talking about rowdy teens! over a 6 pack of socks! (if that can be referred to as desperation. I guess they felt like they were, nonetheless.)

I think of that same thing as I read about Jesus talking about people seeking their own glory. Here I am on the weekend before a big election and the news is nothing but people seeking their own glory. And what crazy foolishness God lets people get into when they are focused on their own glory! What silly things we do when we try to get people to like us! And the more diverse the people, the crazier our antics!

The fact that Jesus was not seeking His own glory but the glory of God must have been so absolutely foreign to the Pharisees. To imagine them doing something that would make someone else look good, at their expense, seems impossible. Jesus taught the truth without any care of his reputation or standing with other people. He was free from the bondage of acceptance-shopping, so He could treat everyone equally, rich or poor, powerful or weak, intellectual or simple.

I know I’ve written about this before, but Jesus didn’t need other people to tell Him who He was. He knew who He was, and He knew what God thought of Him, and that was all that He needed. That’s how we know that God does not show favoritism, because Jesus showed us what a person is like that needs no approval, and does not judge people on their outward appearance, or what they are tricked into thinking of our outward appearance.

Thoughts on being an Heir

Published
by
Dan
on 1/5/2008
in Bible Study
. 1 Comment

I read this before I went to bed last night and was wondering about the whole heir thing. It is easy to think that the heir doesn’t get his inheritance until the estate owner dies. But there is more to it that that! How many people do you see in the news that are the heir to some great fortune, and have all kinds of exploits of living large?Even better–in ancient times, in a kingdom or in a rich power-holder’s household, where was the power? First and foremost, it would be the ruler, the king, the duke, the sultan, the sheik, etc. The next most powerful person in the place? THE HEIR. The next in line to the throne has full access to all of the wealth of the king, but none of the responsibility of keeping it. He didn’t earn the family fortune, but someday he will be the one responsible for it. Until then, he enjoys the benefits of the kings riches without the pressure to keep it, earn it, or use it.He doesn’t have to think about whether he should defend his border against Belgium. He doesn’t have to expand his territory past the borders of the Mongols, that is all the king’s job. As the heir, he need only concern himself with the love of his father, which was never earned, but born into by the grace of his parents.So isn’t that just like the full wisdom of God? All of His riches of glory are available to me, but I don’t have to defend them or protect them or expand them! I don’t have to figure out how to put a strong wall around my salvation and redemption, that’s my Dad’s job. He is the King, and I’m in the family. And since He’ll NEVER DIE, I get to enjoy my inheritance forever! If He were to die, then I would have to budget my inheritance, or protect it, but since He lives forever, He continues to INCREASE my inheritance and keep it.Here’s another part. I used to work at a bank and work on the software that printed up the IRA documents. There would always be a hang-up, and yes, I even had bank branch managers call me about this, when they wanted to divide the beneficiaries 3 ways equally. You could put 33% into each field, but that only adds up to 99%. You could put in 33.33% (it only went to 2 decimals) but it would still be unbalanced. Would you believe the children, the heirs of the IRA, would argue about who got to be 34% on the form, and which other two were 33%!? There would be arguements, more than once, about who was the favorite child, and who got the most, etc–all while the IRA person was sitting right there!Ok, enough of man’s foolishness, look at God’s wisdom. How much more enjoyable is it to give away your inheritance to your children while they are alive, so you can see them enjoy it? If left to themselves, they would be greedy and selfish, but when it is doled out by the owner, there is peace. God is just that way, He gives out our inheritance every day, and when we would complain that others are getting too much, He says, “don’t I have a right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous.” and we see that we’ve been given more than we deserve ourselves.I am happy to be an heir that will never receive my inheritance through a will, but through His Will, He gives it to me every day.[ratings]