Promised Glory

 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”  Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”  Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”  And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” John 11:38-44

Jesus reminds Martha that He has already mentioned that it has been predestined for her to see the glory of God upon her believing.  Wow!  He is ushering her into the glory realm by reminding her of what He had promised her.  Full of the Holy Spirit, since HE is God, and His Spirit is one with God's; Jesus speaks words of life to bring hope to her who has almost lost all hope.  

Then He goes on to show the glory of God, by giving life to the dead.  But first He prays!  So is the glory of God that a man on earth could pray to our Father in heaven, and if it be in His will the dead are raised to life again?  How did Jesus know what to do? He only did what He saw the Father do.  He was intimate with God our Father, and had open communication with Him by His Holy Spirit.  Glory!!! That those watching Jesus, would believe that HE was sent from the Father, who so loved the world.

Oh Jesus! thank You for revealing the love of our Father to us!  May I be always watching You that I can know Him, and we may be one: one heart, one mind.  Thank You for the blood, of One spotless Lamb of God, Jesus who takes away my sins, and the sin of the world.  I dare to believe that You did come from God, and that You are once again coming soon!  

Greater works than those You did are promised to us who believe, and I thank You for all the promises.  Let Your glory shine around and through me that I may know You God!  I want to experience open communication, tangible relationship, and the blessings of having not seen believing in You!  Give me more faith Lord!  In Jesus name, I ask for wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You, Lord.  Thank You that my eternal weight of glory, out-weighs any struggle and affliction in this life.  Thank You Holy Spirit, I love You.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Life Giving Glory

 ¹O GOD, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.  Ps 63:1-3

King David, a mere broken man empowered by the love of God to see and feel His Holy heart, searches.  David seeks the power, the glory of God.  Where does he look? in the sanctuary, the dwelling place, the secret place. Why does this highly esteemed king look for God? Because God's loving-kindness is better than life!!  Life as king is nothing compared to experiencing the love and kindness of God!  David believed in the riches of the knowledge of God, he must have taught his son Solomon this gem of wisdom, as he writes in the proverbs, the wise sayings of king Solomon:

  

 ²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a thing. Proverbs 25:2

³³Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)! Romans11:33

 ²⁹The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all of the words of this law. Deut 29:29

It is our glory! It is our glory to hunger for more of God, to search for His ways, that we may know Him! He is holding out an invitation to share in His glory, and we are fools if we turn Him down.  God became a man so that we could know Him in His glory! God so loved us that He gave! God has given us an opportunity for eternal glory and this comes from relying on Him, who loved us!  Teach us Father to trust You in each moment of our lives, and to never become weary of waiting on You.  Lord thank You for Jesus, thank You for dwelling within us, and for the promise that we will see Your face.  Show us Your glory even now, that we may know You!  I love You God.  All glory, honor, and praise to our God, forever!!!

¹ Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should giveeternal life to as many as You have given Him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John  17:1-3

Glory Judgement

And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, Fear not, for you have borne a son. But she did not answer or notice. And she named the child Ichabod (no glory, inglorious), saying, The glory is departed from Israel!--because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, The glory is gone from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken. 1 Samuel 4:20-22

In this passage we see the glory of God leave, depart from Israel.  The glory of God, His presence, His goodness goes with the ark, His dwelling, His chosen sanctuary when it is captured by the Philistines.  God allows this to happen because of the wickedness of the priests in Israel.  

Something that strikes me is that God's glory can inhabit a nation, a people group! The departure of His glory can be felt so much so that it causes a woman who just gave birth to a son to be utterly in despair.  She has one thing on her mind: God's glory has left us!  She even names her son after that terrible thought, and finds no strength to go on living.  

Now that is serious!  If we knew of God's glory departing from us would we lament?  Is the wickedness in our land so great that His glory has left?  Where is His dwelling place in these days?  Are we not the dwelling place of Holy Spirit, who is God?  But how can such a Holy God make His dwelling place near such unclean people?  By theBlood of The Lamb, the chosen Lamb, Jesus, God's Son, who paid the price for our sins.  Not that we should go on sinning, but that we should give God the glory and honor due Him, by looking to Jesus for life, joy, peace, all satisfaction, because every good thing comes from God, and without Him there is no good things.

 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 

James 4:4-6 (nkj)

  And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:22

Oh God! You are Holy! You are blameless, powerful, and righteous.  Truth and love, mercy and judgment are shown in Your faithfulness as You deal with us, Your chosen ones.  Thank You for choosing to love us!  Thank You for removing the gap between our hearts!  Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, that we may feel Your glory, and cry out when it departs!  Let it not depart!  Let Your praise be upon our lips constantly remembering Your mercy in sending Your Son to dwell among us that we may enjoy Your presence forever!  Thank You God!  Purify our hearts and hands, we plead the blood of Jesus and ask for mercy for ourselves and our country.  Lead us God!  We will follow You till the day we see Your face and forevermore!  I love You Father, You are good and Your mercy endures forever!

Glory God

Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”
 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Exodus 33:13-14
 

What did Moses learn about the way of the Lord in this passage?  God showed Him that He is a God who will accompany those who seek Him, and that He is the God who gives rest, peace in times of uncertainty.  Later in this chapter Moses will also be shown that God protects us, hides us in the cleft of the rock that we stand on.  He is God who has mercy, and gives us second chances (Ex 34:1).  

So why would God go with people?  Why would He ensure our safety and fill us with peace?  Showing us the way He works, His character, and being with us must bring Him glory.  HE must get glory by loving people.  A God who can be humble, and lowly is a glorious thing!  

So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”  But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”  And the LORD said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by.  Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.” Exodus 33:17-23

I've been wondering if God is love, can God be glory?  Moses asks, "Let me see Your glory" and God says He will make His goodness pass before Him.  Can God be separated from His goodness? God basically walks past Moses, and shows him His glory, but not His face.  So could it be that God would even come close to humans is His glory?  I am sure His glory unsearchable!  Is His compassion and graciousness His glory, in dwelling with people?  Will we see His glory too?  Can we see it now?  Oh God, show us Your glory, show us Your ways, that we may know You, and love You like You love us, like You love Jesus, our humble King and God.  

They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.  Revelation 22:4-5