To God Be The Glory!

SCRIPTURE

Acts 3:11-16 (NRSV)

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's God glorifies Jesus

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's Portico, utterly astonished. When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

DEVOTION

Today’s scripture is one of the most beloved in my tradition. This is the story where Peter, James, and John heal a blind beggar man who had been handicapped from birth!

Who doesn’t love the account of his legs being strengthened and his walking, jumping, and praising God as he went into the temple courts with Jesus’ disciples?

This reading reminds me of the importance of giving glory to God when good things happen to you or by your hand.

Peter, James, and John could have accepted the people’s astonishment, adoration, worship, and praise, but they did not.

Instead, they adamantly declared, “By faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.”

It seems to me that if we are willing to brag on God and make the name of Jesus famous everywhere that we go, then God will be able to trust us to do great and marvelous things--in Jesus' Name!

God does not use our hands, feet, mouths, brains, and hearts so that we can get the glory. Rather, God takes our willingness to submit our lives in service to the Kingdom of Love as a sacrifice of praise meant to glorify God’s Son—Jesus Christ!

When I was a little girl, my church choir sang a song. The chorus said, “To God be the glory! To God be the glory! To God be the glory, great things He has done!”

I always want to live my life so that God gets the glory. No matter what good may befall me, may God get the glory! No matter what ministries I may carry out nationally or internationally, may God get the glory! No matter where I work or what I do, may God get the glory! No matter who my husband is or what my children accomplish in life, may God get the glory! In all things, seen and unseen, known and unknown, natural and supernatural, may God get the glory!

I hope you feel the same way. If so, please pray with me:

Holy One, you are great and greatly to be praised! Please help me to live my life so that every person who encounters me, encounters Christ! Please forgive me for the many times I have taken credit for my own success. I know that all good and perfect gifts come from you. You deserve all the glory for the great things you have done! Thank you so much for loving the whole world as you do; thank you for giving Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life. Please fill me up with your Holy Spirit so that I can share your love and good news with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaL

To GOD be the glory!

SCRIPTURE

Acts 12:20-25 (NRSV)
A leader fails to give glory to God

Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king's country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. The people kept shouting, "The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!" And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.

DEVOTION

Have mercy, JESUS!

Today’s scripture makes me mighty glad for the amazing grace of God! Aren’t you happy-glad that every time we fail to give glory to God, we aren’t struck down by an avenging angel, eaten by worms, and killed?

Wow!

If we keep it real with ourselves--and with God--we know that there have been many times when we have missed out on opportunities to glorify God to our neighbors, friends, family members, colleagues, and even our enemies.

We have accepted the praise of others, when we know good and well that if it had not been for the Lord on our side, we would have failed (or flopped) utterly.

In my preaching ministry, I am often complimented after the service as people leave the building. I am often tempted to get a “big head” as person after person passes through the line, shakes my hand, and tells me what a wonderful job that I did. But, my mother taught me long ago that there is only one response to such praise, “Thank you so much. To GOD be the glory!”

Now, I will confess that this phrase rolls right off of my tongue as it relates to my preaching ministry, because I know that only God could cause me to do what I do on Sunday mornings.

But, I want to encourage all of us—myself included--to remember to give God the glory in other (I mean all) circumstances as well.

For instance, when someone praises us for the behavior of our children, our response should be “Thank you so much. To GOD be the glory!” When someone compliments the beauty of our home…“Thank you so much. To GOD be the glory!” When someone wishes for the type of marriage that we enjoy…“Thank you so much. To GOD be the glory!”

In all things we must remember to give God thanks and recognize God’s glory!

As we remember to acknowledge God’s glory over our lives, our non-Christian friends will marvel over how intimate our relationship is with God who gives us all the good gifts we could ever need.

Today’s scripture says that although Herod did not give God glory, the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents because of the witness of Barnabus, Saul, and John Mark.

When one person fails to glorify God, another will always be raised up so that the good news message that God loves us so much that God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life, will continue to go forth into the entire world!

I want God to be able to count on me! I want to be one of those people who glorifies God in all things and shares the good news that God loves, gave, and saves with everyone I meet.

Do you want the same thing? If so, please pray with me:

Dear God, I glorify your holy name! You are so holy, awesome, loving, kind, generous, giving, merciful, and full of grace! Every day you bless me beyond measure. Please forgive me for failing to acknowledge your glory and for taking credit for your blessings. Please fill me up with the Holy Spirit so that I will be empowered and equipped to share good news with everyone that I meet. I love you and I want to share our love with others. I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.