When is God glorified before the world?
Psalm 102.16 (17)
כִּֽי־בָנָ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה צִיּ֑וֹן נִ֝רְאָ֗ה בִּכְבוֹדֽוֹ
For the LORD shall build up Zion;
He shall appear in His glory.
When does the glory of the Lord appear?
What brings the nations and peoples to know His glory (Hab. 2.14), so that they fear His Name and glory (Ps. 102.15)?
It is when God shows favor to His people and builds Mt. Zion, His Church (Heb. 12.22). When the Lord works in His people to cause them to increase in unity and maturity (Eph. 4.13-16), so that they consistently embody and proclaim the love of Jesus, then God is glorified.
Then is His Church exalted, the beauty and joy of the earth (Ps. 48.1-3), chief among the mountains (Mic. 4.1-8).
Then does the Law of God and all His Word go forth from Zion to salt and leaven and enlighten the world.
Then do the nations and peoples flow like a stream into the house of the Lord, eager to learn Him and His ways.
Then does the fear of God and His glory pervade the nations, and righteousness, peace, and joy resume and increase without end (Rom. 14.17, 8; Is. 9.6, 7).
The Lord builds His Church as pastors and teachers submit to His Word and equip the saints for ministry (Eph. 4.11, 12). If we will do this, we will see the world awakening to the Lord and His glory. In too many ways, churches today are captive to pragmatic and ultimately feckless programs, diversions, and cultural forms. We are not making disciples. We are not equipping the people in our churches for ministry as a way of life. Our churches are not growing in Biblical ways.
We must examine ourselves to make sure we are looking only to the Word of God to instruct and equip us for glorifying God.
Pray that God will show favor to His Church by moving pastors and teachers to make disciples who know, love, and serve the Lord according to His Word.
What brings the nations and peoples to know His glory (Hab. 2.14), so that they fear His Name and glory (Ps. 102.15)?
It is when God shows favor to His people and builds Mt. Zion, His Church (Heb. 12.22). When the Lord works in His people to cause them to increase in unity and maturity (Eph. 4.13-16), so that they consistently embody and proclaim the love of Jesus, then God is glorified.
Then is His Church exalted, the beauty and joy of the earth (Ps. 48.1-3), chief among the mountains (Mic. 4.1-8).
Then does the Law of God and all His Word go forth from Zion to salt and leaven and enlighten the world.
Then do the nations and peoples flow like a stream into the house of the Lord, eager to learn Him and His ways.
Then does the fear of God and His glory pervade the nations, and righteousness, peace, and joy resume and increase without end (Rom. 14.17, 8; Is. 9.6, 7).
The Lord builds His Church as pastors and teachers submit to His Word and equip the saints for ministry (Eph. 4.11, 12). If we will do this, we will see the world awakening to the Lord and His glory. In too many ways, churches today are captive to pragmatic and ultimately feckless programs, diversions, and cultural forms. We are not making disciples. We are not equipping the people in our churches for ministry as a way of life. Our churches are not growing in Biblical ways.
We must examine ourselves to make sure we are looking only to the Word of God to instruct and equip us for glorifying God.
Pray that God will show favor to His Church by moving pastors and teachers to make disciples who know, love, and serve the Lord according to His Word.