Give Him all the Glory

"On the appointed day Herod,

wearing his royal robes,

sat on his throne

and delivered a public address to the people.

They shouted,

'this is the voice of a god, not of a man.'

Immediately,

because Herod did not give praise to God,

an angel of the Lord struck him down,

and he was eaten by worms and died."

Acts 12:21-23

When the crowd saw what Paul had done,

they shouted in the Lycaonian language,

'The gods have come down to us in human form!'

. . .But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this,

they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd,

shouting: 'Men, why are you doing this?

We too are only men, human like you.

We are bringing you good news,

telling you to turn from these worthless things

 to the living God, 

who made heaven

 and earth

 and sea

 and everything in them.'

. . .Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium

and won the crowd over.

They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city,

thinking he was dead."

Acts 14:11,14-15, 19

I remember watching Return of the Jedi and laughing as the Ewoks, the cute, fluffy creatures of the moon of Endor venerated the proper yet cowardly C-3P0 as a god.  The ever-sarcastic Han Solo, who at the time was held captive by the natives, said, "Well, why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this?"  Surprisingly, the droid declined.  When Solo asked why, C-3P0 responded that, "it's against my programming to impersonate a deity."

Even a droid understands the implications of accepting the worship and adoration fit only for the One True God.  Unfortunately, King Herod did not mind accepting such admiration from men.  The consequences of his decision to remain quiet and allow men to call him a god were swift and horrible, resulting in his death.  

On the other side of the coin lies the example of Paul and Barnabas.  As soon as they heard men were attempting to label them as gods, they immediately showed their fierce revulsion of of the thought.  The two men did everything they could to convince the crowd that God alone deserved praise, but their enemies convinced the mob otherwise.  Paul was stoned and left for dead.

In both cases, the outcome was death.  For Herod, God's judgment was final and true.  For Paul, man's judgment was painful but not absolute.  It only appeared Paul was dead.

Honoring God in the way I live my life does not mean that things will always turn out comfortable and to my liking.  Sometimes, God allows evil to prevail for a time so that God can get all the glory in the end.  Through this and other situations of persecution, Paul learned that God grace is enough and that it is in times when I am incapable of saving myself that God's power is made known.  ( 2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Allowing praise to go to God alone may not result in an easy life, but there are benefits to be reaped in giving Him all the glory.

Peace

Everyone has their own idea of how to achieve peace.  Jimi Hendrix said, "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."  Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that, "Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding."  Nelson Mandela's approach was through friendship. He said, "If you want to have peace with your enemy, you must work with your enemy.  Then he becomes your partner."

While these ideas may seem grand in theory, and may even have enjoyed some success in practice, there is only one way to achieve inner peace.  Jesus gives me peace and provides a way for me to benefit from a relationship with the God whom I have offended with my sin.  When He took my punishment for my sin, He made a way for me to enter into a close, intimate relationship with the God of the universe.  My sin is not longer held against me, through faith in Jesus Christ.

In this way, I am at peace with God.  Harmony with God results in a heart at peace, despite what goes on around me or how I'm treated.  

Following Jesus, however, does not mean I'll have peace with the world.  Quite the opposite is actually to be expected. (John 15:19,Matthew 10:22)  Staying true to God and not accepting credit for what He has done may not be popular with those around me, but it will keep me at peace with God.

There are times when God has clearly worked out a situation in my life.  Those I work with may say, "Wow!  That was pretty smart of you!"  I can either accept the praise, or give God to glory.  When people praise my parenting skills, I can thank them and move on, or I can take the time to give God the credit for guiding me and teaching me.  During times of difficulty, others may notice my peaceful countenance.  It would be easy for me to accept their praise of my strength, but it would be more admirable for me to tell how God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.  (Psalm 46:1)

There are many times that people try to give me the credit, but refusing to accept praise that God deserves will result in peace with Him.

Fruit

Growing fruit in a home garden is not easy.  There are many pests, diseases, and conditions to deal with, making the job quite complicated.  

In an even more powerful way, producing fruit of God's Spirit and results that will be valuable in His kingdom is completely impossible apart from Jesus.  (John 15:5)  I can try hard to win people for Christ, but if He is not leading me, equipping me and drawing them, it will not come to pass.  I can put all my effort into trying to be more patient and loving, but I will find I don't have it in me.  I can make it my life's passion to preach the truth but if it's not flowing from the One who claims to be the Truth, it will have no lasting impact.

When I acknowledge God in all my ways, though, I will begin to see things happen that I can't explain.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)  Lives will be changed, hearts will be softened, questions will be answered.  

Letting God rule in my life, however, means more than just giving Him all the honor and praise.  It also means letting Him take the lead, submitting to Him and His will.  In this way, everything I do will be attributed to Him.  (Matthew 5:16)  Missionary leader and writer Andrew Murray pointed out an important distinction to be made.  He said, "Do not confound work and fruit.  There may be a good deal of work for Christ that is not the fruit of the heavenly Vine."

How can I know?  By staying connected to Jesus in relationship with Him.  I do this by keeping Him at the forefront of my thoughts, obeying His lead, and responding to His prompts.  When I read His Word and His Spirit moves my heart, reacting with action to change my ways or thought processes in order to line up with what He taught me will lead to an even closer bond with Him.  As I grow closer, His love will naturally flow through me.  The minute I try to take back control or to pay attention to my flesh instead of Him, however, I'll drift further away from my Lord.

I am constantly tempted to control my own life , but when I submit to God's sovereign will, I will bear much fruit.

Kingdom

When I think of a kingdom, I picture a mighty yet benevolent king dwelling in a splendid palace, ruling over his doting subjects.  The kingdom I envision in this scenario is definitely a place.

The Pharisees must have thought similarly as they looked forward to the day when the Messiah would deliver them from the oppressive rule of the Romans.  Jesus, however, set them straight. He said, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20b-21)

Jesus has set up His kingdom in the hearts of His people.  Wherever I go, I take His kingdom with me.  When times get hard, like they were for the Jewish people during Jesus' time, I can take heart because my Lord and Savior has overcome the world.  (John 16:33)

The only way Christ will set up His kingdom in my heart is if I give up my right to establish my own kingdom, ruled by my own selfish desires.  I want to defend my reputation or the privileges I think I deserve.  My kingdom is governed by my craving for my own comfort or sense of security.  There are times when the only thing I'm concerned about is in making sure I get my fair share.  My kingdom conflicts with God's.  (Galatians 5:17)

When my highest desire, however, is to please God and walk with Him, He will rule in my heart. It is then that I'll experience His kingdom within.

Christ will set up His kingdom within my heart as soon as I get rid of the rights I claim to mine.

As I go through my life, I will experience many who try to give me credit, temptations to garner control for myself, or the desire to establish my own kingdom.  If I let God get all the glory, however, I'll experience peace with Him, fruit that lasts and the joy of experiencing His kingdom.  These are all benefits that come with making an effort to give Him all the glory.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will desire to give God all the glory.

When do I tend to steal the glory without realizing it?

How am I setting up my own kingdom where I rule supreme?

Miraculous Rescue

"So Peter was kept in prison,

but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial,

Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, 

bound with two chains,

and sentries stood guard at the entrance.

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared

and a light shone in the cell.

He struck Peter on the side and woke him up.

'Quick, get up!'

he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

Then the angel said to him,

'Put on your clothes and sandals.'

And Peter did so.

'Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,' 

the angel told him.

Peter followed him out of the prison, 

but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening;

he thought he was seeing a vision.

They passed the first and second guards

and came to the iron gate leading to the city.

It opened for them by itself,

and they went through it.

When they had walked the length of one street, 

suddenly the angel left him.

Then Peter came to himself and said,

'Now I know without a doubt that the Lord

sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches

and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.'"

Acts 12:5-11

The woman's heart was suddenly changed and she gave her husband another chance.

The debt was forgiven, relieving the family from the financial burden and answering many prayers.

The son who had been deeply involved in the occult and addicted to drugs turned his life over to Christ.

The man had always believed there was no God, until God showed up and captured his heart.

God is sovereign, all-powerful, loving, gracious, merciful, just. . .but He is also supernatural.  His character transcends the natural world where everything can be explained by the laws of physics, mathematics, time or other scientific principles.  

When I drop a pencil, for instance, the law of gravity tells me that it will fall toward the ground.  If God so desired, however, He is perfectly able to supersede that rule and stop the pencil in mid-air.  God is not bound by His own creation nor the laws man has written to describe how His creation works.

As a result, there is nothing God cannot do.  As the angel Gabriel told Mary regarding her supernatural conception of the Christ child, "For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)  This truth impacts my life in a powerful way.  There is no burden too great, no predicament too complicated, no circumstance too great that my God cannot rescue me from it.  God is able to supernaturally intervene in order to deliver me in many ways.

Unshackle

She always believed she was no good.  In her heart, she didn't think she would ever amount to anything.  I can't do any better than what I'm doing now.  I am incapable of rising out of the pit my life has become.  There's no hope for me.

I can relate.  For much of my life, I've struggled with insecurity, a low self-image along with doubt.  Deep down inside, I didn't think I was worth the struggle.  God, however, does think I'm worth a fight, and He pursues me until I surrender my life to Him.  When I do, He begins to supernaturally change the way I think about myself.  He shows me that I am precious in His eyes, created in His image and here for a purpose.  (Zechariah 2:8, Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:13-16,Ephesians 2:10)

As a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I am infinitely valuable to my Father.  As a sinner who has fallen into all sorts of destructive ways of thinking, the fear, doubt, anger and disappointment land me in a kind of prison.  I am powerless to release myself from these chains of bondage that hold me back from becoming the woman God has created me to be.  Only God can free me from these areas of oppression.

An unshackled woman of God can walk freely in the grace of God, forgiving others as I've been forgiven.  A woman released from bondage can walk boldly into the future, free from fear and doubt.  A liberated woman can walk forward without the burden of anger, resentment or bitterness to weigh me down.  Only God can release me from my shackles by the work of His mighty hand.

God is able to supernaturally intervene in my life, releasing me from the chains that bind me.

Provide Direction

Younger generations of late struggle with a lack of direction or sense of purpose. In short, many young men in this modern age refuse to grow up.  Their mind-set is that of an adolescent where the main focus is of pleasure and avoidance of responsibilities.  So prevalent is this problem that psychologists have dubbed it the, "Peter Pan Syndrome."

While I may not suffer from this syndrome, I do struggle with a lack of direction at times.  There are situations which seem so overwhelming that I don't know how to get out of them.  Which way should I go?  I am in debt up to my ears, my marriage is not what I thought it would be, I am lonely with no deep human connections and my life is shallow and without meaning.

Only God can give me a clear sense of purpose.  I may not know all the steps I need to take, but He will lead me bit-by-bit in the direction that will get me out of the seemingly hopeless situation in which I find myself.

Peter found himself in an impossible predicament.  He was guarded closely by a soldier on either side, bound with two chains and locked inside a prison cell that was guarded by sentries.  What could he possibly do to escape?  It turns out, all he needed to do was follow the clear orders of the angel God sent to bust him out of prison.

While I may not have the privilege of being led by an angel, God does give clear direction through the guidance of His Holy Spirit.  When I listen for Him, I'll sense His leadership as He guides me through my day and the difficulties I encounter.  As a result, the insurmountable pile of debt will suddenly seem less of a threat.  Hope will appear in the midst of what had seemed impossible.  Friendships will be forged where once there were none and my life will take on great significance.

God is able to supernaturally intervene in my life, providing direction down the path He has for me.

Grant Freedom

She wasn't sure if she was good enough to make it into heaven so she did all she could to prove her allegiance to God.  She passed out tracts explaining the gospel to all she met.  She tried to do at least one good deed every day.  She looked for ways to help others.  Still, she was afraid she wouldn't measure up.

When I follow Jesus, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)   He doesn't expect me to constantly follow all the rules in the Bible, keeping a list in my back pocket for easy reference.  Instead, He wants me to follow Him. (John 15:5-8)  In so doing, I will not break any of the rules in the Bible and I will please God.  (Galatians 5:18)

Then I will be free of the burden of trying to be good enough.  The truth is this: no one who ever lived was good enough to make it into heaven based on their own merit.  (Romans 3:23)  My only hope of entering into a relationship with God and to live with Him forever is to accept the free gift of salvation that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. (Acts 8:12)  Jesus took the punishment that was meant for my sin; for all the times I fell short of God's standard.  Because of His sacrifice, I am free from eternal death, and instead have eternal life to look forward to.

Due to this unimaginable gift, I am not only free from trying to earn God's love, but I am also liberated of the hold that sin has on me.  I am no longer bound to do as my nature dictates. (Romans 6:18)  When anger rises within, I have the option of letting God dispense justice so I can walk in peace.  For the times when I'm tempted to worry, I have the option of trusting God to take care of my needs.  As lust for an attractive man coaxes me to take another look, I have the option of submitting myself to God and the commitment I made to my husband.  The blood of Jesus gives me power over sin.

God is able to supernaturally intervene in my life, granting me freedom from earning salvation and the power of sin in my life.

There are many situations I face in my life that seem impossible.  With God, the supernatural Being to whom nothing is impossible, I can be released from the shackles that tie me down, receive direction to escape a hopeless situation, and accept freedom that I otherwise would never experience.  Only God is able to accomplish these kinds of miraculous rescues.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can walk in the light where Jesus is.

What impossible situation do I face without giving God a chance to work?

When do I feel hopeless instead of asking the supernatural God for help?