Last week we nailed down Biblical answers to life’s big questions of “who is God?” and “What’s the meaning of life?” The God of the Bible is the one true God and Jesus is his son. He put us on this earth to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. This week we want to crack open a big can of “how to” as we dive into practically living out glorifying God.
You know that feeling you get when you are cutting wrapping paper with scissors and the scissors glide across the paper! It’s like you hit that sweet spot between the paper and the blade. It’s one well aimed cut that makes the rest of the wrapping that much better. The sound is like music, and the feeling is spellbinding. OK, maybe I’m overblowing it a little, but the point is the two things working together in function and practice. Glorifying God and enjoying him are similar to that sweet spot between scissors and wrapping paper. It’s the sweet spot we want to live our lives in. Just how do we do that? Both begin with having a gift to wrap!
The scissor and wrapping paper cut only happens if we have a gift to offer. There’s no point in cutting wrapping paper if you have no gift to offer. In the same way, if we want to live for God’s glory and enjoy him forever, we must have a gift to offer. Unlike finding a present for a loved one, we do not need to go and hunt down a gift for God. He is the giver of good gifts! We just offer back to Him what he has given. Often this means looking at we already enjoy and making sure to give him thanks for it. Sometimes we need to change the way we do things so that we do it in ways that honor God. Sometimes it means sacrifice. Too often we worship the gift and not the giver. It is impossible to sin for God’s glory. Bottom line, we can do just about anything (except sin) for God’s glory. In fact, we are ordered to do so in the Bible: “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” 1 Cor 10:31
The difficult thing about a spiritual “how to” lesson is that so much of it involves self-evaluation. The Psalmist said it best, “Test me, LORD, and examine my heart and my mind;” Psalm 26:2 That being said, a practical “how to” is going to have a list. So here’s the best list I could come up with to help individuals put God’s glory on display. By in large, here’s what most Bible scholars agree on as what believers can do to glorify God:
Exercise Faith and Trust God- 1Cor 5:7. When life gets hard, look back to what God has done to help you look forward to what he is going to get you through.
Confess you sin- James 5:16. Talk to God and talk to believers about your sin.
Forgive- Eph 4:32. Follow the example of Jesus.
Pray- 1Thes5:17. Talk to God about any and all things.
Make disciples- John 15:8. Jesus says that when we produce fruit we glorify God.
Give thanks- Psalm 50:23. Thank God often. For the good, the bad, the fun and the hard things of life.
Use your gifts- 1Peter4:11. Use your abilities in ways that honor Him and maybe even help draw people to Him.
There you go! That’s the best “how to” I list I could come up with for ways to live for God’s glory. Did I forget something? Drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you.
-Your favorite church planter
Mike Watt
Comments