God's Glory; God's Will

We want God's glory above all our personal concerns lest we be found reprobate and in need of true conversion. God's glory must always come first above all else, even our most prized possessions, above all relations, above all health concerns, above all financial concerns – God's glory ought to be and must be our chiefest concern.

Whether you eat or drink and whatever you do – do all – to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things – to Him be glory now and forever Amen (Rom. 11:36).

We are saved for God's glory and if we live without God's glory our chiefest concern - how can we possibly say we are His child who have the new heart – that honors the Lord for who He is? Let us examine ourselves and be truly honest – Is God my chiefest concern or am I? Is your concern about putting God and His interests first in your life? Is it your aim to please God in all matters by faith? Is Jesus really your Lord – and you His servant? Are you a servant of Jesus Christ? Are you glad to be owned by Him? Or are you simply glad to go to Heaven on His robe's coat tails while you enjoy your freedom to do as you please – since we are not under law but under grace?

We must have God's glory – God's name and kingdom and will as our chiefest concern!

Let us make one more point about the petition: Thy will be done. We said that this refers to our resignation to doing and performing the revealed will of God. But it also includes are resigning to the Lord's afflicting providences in our lives. We must let God have His way with us so that we resign ourselves to His will and way being best in our lives even when our will would have our circumstances differently.

I willed not for my tumor. I willed not for my job to end and my ability to drive. God willed it so – to afflict me for my good and His glory – and I must will to have His will and way without complaining, whining, or full of distemper. My will must be submissive and even joyful not for the pain of it but for the outcomes that the affliction will produce.

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect (complete) and complete (intact, all together), lacking nothing (missing no parts).

In other words, we as believers are not whole persons in character; we lack parts, various sorts of character; and, the Lord has ordained that we go through trials so that we by those trials may become more and more of a complete character – picking up along the way those pieces of our character that need to be part of who we need to be in Christ.

Let us call on the Lord for wisdom and grace to resign our wills to His so that we will sweetly be changed from one point of glory to the next – all by faith until the Lord of glory returns from glory changing our vile bodies into His the likeness of His glorious body.