Glorify God

[0:00] I'm talking about glorifying God. Glorifying God. It's a well-known catechism, it speaks of his majesty, of his preeminence, the greatness of our God.

[0:35] He's glorious. And our lives should reflect that, magnify his glory in our own lives. How can we be a God-glorifying people?

[0:46] The old Baptist catechism for girls and boys addresses it as follows. How can you glorify God? It puts it in simple childlike words by loving him and doing what he commands.

[1:00] By loving him and doing what he commands. How can you glorify God? And there's many things we could say we could glorify God as we honour him, as we esteem him, as we exalt him in our thoughts and in our minds, as we give him praise.

[1:17] Psalm 29, 1 and 2, it says, Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name.

[1:30] Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Give unto the Lord glory. Give unto the Lord glory, the glory that is due unto his name.

[1:42] How can we glorify God? Again, some thoughts, we glorify God when we love him. We set our affection on things above. Our Lord is above.

[1:53] On heavenly things. On that which is heavenly, our heavenly calling. We glorify him as we dedicate our own hearts to him. To be the residences of God.

[2:06] As we serve him from our hearts. Prompted by his spirit to do spiritual works. Not fleshly works. Not our own works.

[2:18] Not vain human effort. But spiritual works. That he's called us and equipped us to do. God is glorified in us. When we bear his message.

[2:29] That soul saving message. That witness. Of his love. Of Calvary. Of Christ. Crucified. As we take that message. Of his saving grace.

[2:41] Far and wide. God is glorified. As we share the gospel. Bearing witness to his grace working in us. As testament. Of that transforming work.

[2:52] Of the greatness of our mighty saviour. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 20. And to put in simple terms.

[3:04] Some scriptural commands. Glorify God. In your body. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 20.

[3:21] 1 Corinthians 6 verse 20. For ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God. In your body. And in your spirit.

[3:33] Which are God's. You are bought with a price. What price? The very precious blood. Of Christ. What price?

[3:44] You're priceless. What he's paid for you. And you're not your own. You're his now. His possession. If you're a Christian. You're under new management.

[3:55] There's a new sign gone up. Under new management. No longer your management. Under God's management. You've become God's property. And life takes on new meaning. It's a new dimension of living.

[4:09] You are bought with a price. You're his. In his possession. Under his ownership. No longer do we live to please ourselves. But there's a higher purpose.

[4:21] A high calling. A heavenly calling. And your body. Even your body belongs to God. He has paid the ransom to rescue us. From the slavery of sin.

[4:32] So glorify God. In your body. What does this mean? Now I don't mean to extrapolate. Or read into it.

[4:42] But we can imagine what it could cover. If we're really honest. The body that we walk in. That we live in.

[4:53] That we breathe in. Has a purpose. And that is to be a living temple. Of the holy God. The holy spirit indwells. You.

[5:05] So why would you harm your body? When God has given your body. For a purpose. And he wants you to go the distance. With that body. How could it be unwise.

[5:18] To harm your body. And we know. The world. Can see.

[5:29] How a body can be harmed. With drugs. Drink. Substances that harm you. Brother. Sister. Do not harm your body.

[5:43] Treat your body wisely. And then some. Do. All kinds of things. With their bodies today. And. Now this is not to condemn. Anyone who may have a tattoo.

[5:55] You might have got that. Before you were saved. But. It's strange how it's. It's almost. The dumb thing now. To have tattoos. When you are a Christian. And. I find that.

[6:05] Mind boggling. That someone would do that. But. I guess it is a. A personal choice. But the Bible does. In Deuteronomy. Talk about cutting the body.

[6:17] And. And harming the body. It's an unwise thing. It's an unwholesome thing. It's associated with that. Which is not of God. To do such a thing. And I put to you.

[6:27] My. My. My view. Is don't damage your body. With tattoos. Or piercings. You know. Naturally. A woman might pierce her ears. That's. A personal choice.

[6:37] Matter. But. There's that. This weird. Carrying on. Where it's. And. Where do you draw the line. I'd rather draw the line. Back here. Than. Over here.

[6:47] Where it's almost like. There's some strange things going on. In worldly fashion. And worldly. Looks. It's just gone.

[7:00] Gone mental. If I could. Use a colloquial. Expression here. That. There's a damaging of the body. Where it's almost like. It's.

[7:11] It's disfiguring the body. And then we've got people. Who actually do disfigure the body. Changing genders. As if you could. It's a weird world. Isn't it? The point is.

[7:23] Glorify God in your body. You've got a body. And it's. The temple. Of the Holy Spirit. Don't misuse your body. Keep it from. Sexual sin. Keep your body pure.

[7:34] Until marriage. And then. Glorify God in your marriage. Glorify God in what you. Watch. In what you wear. In what you say. Glorify God in your body.

[7:46] The Bible is clear. That we ought to. Have that mind. And. How you interpret that. Look. I put to you. That there is. Room for. Different.

[7:57] Perspectives here. And I'm not wanting to. Set. A bar. That the Bible. Doesn't necessarily set. But for me. I'd rather set the bar. At a level that. I want to be sure.

[8:09] That I'm obeying this verse here. To glorify God in my body. Not to be driven by. The fashions and fads. Of an upside down world. Where it's like anything goes.

[8:20] And there's just. No rules. There's no limits. Or will we rather want to. Commit. To honour God. To glorify God.

[8:30] In my body. Such that. I want to make sure. I'm doing that. I want to. Set the standard. For myself. I want to take care. That what I do. Is.

[8:41] Rightful. And it's. Not indecent. It's modest. It's tasteful. Glorify God. In your body. It's an important instruction. So that can mean. Likewise too. As.

[8:52] As much as. We might like to indulge. And. You know. There's. There's the sin of gluttony. That we don't often. Talk about. And. You know. There's these things. That. Hey.

[9:02] You know. As a Christian. I've got to watch. All that. Span of my life. That I'm taking care of my body. Taking care of my health. My diet.

[9:13] My fitness. It's a good thing. To look after your body. Even in those practical ways. So glorify God. In your body. Number one. And then. He goes on. Paul. To say. Glorify God.

[9:24] In your spirit. And I'd like to more. Focus here. The spirit. Of the man. The spirit. Of the woman. If you're a Christian. Your spirit. Belongs to God.

[9:36] Your spirit. The very core of you. And if you are filled with God's Holy Spirit. More so. That your spirit. It belongs to God. Glorify God. In your spirit.

[9:47] So what does this mean? There's different. Conjecture. Different. Viewpoints. We could. We could. Air here. On this point. Glorify God. In your spirit.

[9:59] I put you. It means. As a starting point. I put. It means. Knowing Christ. As your saviour. How can you glorify God. In your spirit. If Christ.

[10:09] Isn't your saviour. And lord. That. He is the one. Who makes the difference within. That's where it begins. To glorify God. In your spirit. That your mind and thinking.

[10:20] Is. Under his devotion. Your heart. And your love. Is directed unto him. As the master. The controller. Of your destiny. That you're no longer the.

[10:31] The one of your own destiny. That. You're no longer the captain. Of your own destiny. But. The captain of your salvation. Is the one. Who dictates. The course of your life.

[10:43] He sets the sail. And the direction. And. Shows you the way. Glorify God. In your spirit. What should our spirit be like? I put to you.

[10:54] We should have a humble spirit. We should have a spirit. That is humble. Not prideful. Not. Vanglorious. Not. Holier than thou. In that sense.

[11:05] That. That we think. Oh. You know. How does it go. To hear. He thinks he stands. Take here lest he fall. You know.

[11:16] That we can get so prideful. That think. Oh. Nothing's ever going to. Trip me up. That's when you get in trouble. Isn't it? You hear preachers. And. You know.

[11:27] People of God. Get in all kinds of trouble. When they think. Nothing's going to touch me. I'm. Invincible. As a Christian. But. We know that.

[11:37] The righteous man can fall. Seven times. The Lord lifts him up. Lifts him up. Lifts him up. Lifts him up. And so. Let's not get prideful. Let's have a humble spirit. Because without him.

[11:48] We can do. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. Zero. Without him. We can do. Nothing at all. So. Everything that we can do.

[12:00] Any good works that we can do. It's only by his enabling. It's only by his empowerment. It's only by his. Pressing us. And. And wooing us.

[12:11] And. And. Equipping us. That we can do anything at all. And so it's all glory to God. How do we have? A humble spirit. Love him. Fear him. Worship him.

[12:22] Serve him. Thank him. Galatians 6.14. Paul says. But God forbid that I should glory. Save in the cross. Of. Our Lord.

[12:32] Jesus Christ. By whom the world is crucified unto me. And I unto the world. When we get saved. God forbid that I should glory. Boast.

[12:44] Brag. Show off. Make a. A big noting of myself. Brag on. In anything.

[12:55] Save in the cross. I want to brag about the cross. I want to boast about the cross. I want to glory in the cross. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we get saved.

[13:07] It's all glory to God. Isn't it? What we count as the key. And meaningful life. Changes completely. Glorify God in your spirit. Are we led by God's spirit.

[13:18] Or the spirit of the world. Of popular culture. Do we follow the pied pipers. And they're all around us. Playing their merry tune.

[13:28] And they're following in droves. The rock and film idols. Taking the lemmings over the cliff. Do we follow them? Or do we go God's way?

[13:39] Rather go God's way. We want to glorify God in our spirit. It changes how we think about things. It changes our world view. The lens, as it were.

[13:51] The spectacles by which we see the world. We view the world. A whole dimension of thinking changes when we become a Christian. It changes how we think about things.

[14:04] Most things. About most every dimension of our lives. When you become a Christian. Everything changes. As we commit to being a God glorifier. We learn to be wise.

[14:17] In how we develop friendships. And ultimately prepare for the covenant of marriage. Glorify God in your spirit. Commit your life. Your future.

[14:28] Your future wife. Or your future husband. Build friendships with other believers. Glorify God with your spirit. Keep your spirit humble. Keep your spirit Christ-like.

[14:41] Glorify God with your spirit. Don't follow the warped way of thinking of the world with its godless philosophies. We're constantly bombarded. And our children.

[14:52] With these messages. With these philosophies. And we've got to keep our spirit tender towards God. How is your heart towards God? And others in your lives as well.

[15:03] Show the love of Jesus to others. You know sometimes that's really hard to do isn't it? I know for me it can be. To show the love of Jesus to others.

[15:15] God will help you to glorify God in your spirit. To keep your spirit loving. Of Daniel it was said he had an excellent spirit. There's an excellence to Daniel in his spirit.

[15:27] How is your spirit? Your heart attitude. Think of the kind of spirit we should want to cultivate. A spirit of prayer. A Christ-like spirit.

[15:38] A faithful spirit. A fearless spirit. A steadfast spirit. A thankful spirit. When we cultivate thankfulness. We think he's the giver of every good and perfect gift.

[15:52] And you know. We can say thanks around the meal time. But really it's beyond that isn't it? It's everything. In everything give thanks. Now we don't have to just say grace around the meal time.

[16:04] I know some are really spiritual and say grace after they've eaten too. Don't they in some cultures? But yeah. But don't just say the thankfulness for meal times. Amen. But here's the giver of every good and perfect gift.

[16:19] So have that thankful spirit. Have a spirit that trusts in the Lord. And really you have got a mighty high calling.

[16:29] I know. I was thinking, you know, job wise. What would be a really super duper job to kind of aspire to. If you were like someone who's a highfalutin kind of, you know, high graduate of uni or whatever.

[16:46] So be an ambassador of Australia. Wouldn't that be something? To be an ambassador of Australia. But just think, you're something much, much more important than that.

[16:56] You are an ambassador of heaven. We are ambassadors of Christ. Not just anybody can be an ambassador, but every Christian can be an ambassador of Christ.

[17:09] What a blessing. What an honour that you are so highly esteemed to be such a people. To aspire to be in the company of those. Again, to have that spirit.

[17:20] To aspire to be in the company of those who are above reproach. Above reproach. You know, in ministry there's that requirement.

[17:33] Above reproach. You know, you see certain politicians that are digging up the dirt. You know, in Australia, in America, whatever, they want to find the dirt.

[17:47] And there's the dirt files, they call them. You know, there's some, there's some, the skeletons in the cupboards, as it were. But for the Christian, really all of us should aspire to be that, shouldn't we?

[17:59] Above reproach. But they can't dig up any dirt on us. There's no secret file. There's no secret video capturing this or that of what you've been up to. There's nothing that we have to be ashamed of.

[18:10] Because we've got the spirit right. We've got a spirit right with God. We're above reproach. We're declaring his glory by living right. Be prayerful.

[18:21] That gives him glory. And, you know, think of it as ambassadors. This high calling that you have, sister, brother. This high calling as an ambassador of the kingdom of heaven.

[18:33] That we are a communicator of his values. Of his attributes. You know, we've been parachuted into this foreign land.

[18:44] And it's foreign for all of us. We don't belong here in this nation of Australia. We might have been born here or made a citizen of this fair land. But really, this is not our homeland.

[18:55] We are just, we've been parachuted in behind enemy lines. To be ambassadors in this nation. To be communicators of God's values.

[19:07] Of God's attributes. And so, of your spirit, I put to you, keep your virtue. Keep your spirit pure. Pure.

[19:18] Uncontaminated. And dedicated to God. Steer clear of temptation. Guard your spirit. So that it doesn't get misdirected.

[19:32] Or soiled. Unspotted. From the world. Does what you worship glorify God? And when we say worship, we think, well, some people just about worship their cars, don't they?

[19:48] Or, you know, see some people, not picking on anybody who rides motorbikes, but you see some people, those motorbikes just shine. Not picking on your brother, believe me, but, you know, you just, and you look at my car, you can see I don't worship my car.

[20:04] But, you know, some people, they worship things, don't they? They worship the things that they have such that they bow down to them and pay homage to them almost, don't they? And we can make that mistake, can't we?

[20:16] That the things of material value, we almost worship them. And it gets, we get out of kilter with God, don't we? And rather worship God.

[20:28] Glorify God. And commit all your commitments to the Lord. Commit all your commitments to him. What is it that we count as worth our time and our effort and our adoration?

[20:39] What is it that we put our energies into? That's what we worship effectively, isn't it? Is it the Lord Jesus? Now, of course, we've all got to make a living and feed our families and take the necessary practical employment that we need to undertake.

[20:59] But what is it that occupies us, that we're committed to? In John 16, verse 13 through 14, our Lord says, So here it's saying, we're talking about how you glorify God.

[21:38] If you're a spirit-filled Christian, and every Christian is spirit-filled, as much as some, the spirit-filling might be just an eensy-weensy bit, but we should be, we're being spirit-filled, shouldn't we, constantly.

[21:53] If God's spirit fills us, his spirit is promised us, and if the spirit of God is in you, he shall glorify me, Jesus says.

[22:03] The spirit of God is in you, he shall glorify me. So if we're truly a spirit-filled people, it's saying here in John 16, 13 through 14, that he, the Holy Spirit of truth, shall do two things.

[22:18] He will guide, he will show you the way, and he will glorify. He will guide your way, and he will glorify, magnify, honour, bring glory to the Lord Jesus.

[22:32] So how is your spirit? Glorify God in your spirit. I put to you that can include glorifying God in your attitude. Sometimes our very attitude, let's face it, I'll put it in a colloquial term, our attitude can stink.

[22:49] Some people have a stinking attitude, a toxic attitude. It's like they're always negative. Glorify God in your spirit. Don't get like that. Bitter and twisted. Oh, woe is me.

[23:02] I'm going to have a pity party, and no one else is invited. Glorify God in your attitude. Glorify God in your relationships. Let there be no broken ones.

[23:13] Mend what you can. It may be irreparable, but you can try. Glorify God in your relationships. Glorify God in your worship, in your prayer life.

[23:24] Do not waver in unbelief. Keep your spirit sweet. Sweet. It talks about people having a bitterness, doesn't it? Rather keep your spirit sweet. And it seems so tragic when you see of some a life lived, especially when you come to the close of their life and you're in the service at their commemoration, and you think how tragic to see a life lived in vain, a life that didn't bring glory to God, a life where there's no thought to the glory of God, a life where there was not an insy-weensy bit, it seemed, of giving glory to God, and rather, perhaps in some, a denying of God.

[24:06] What a tragic end to a life. The great loss of an unbeliever who fails to give God the glory. Truly that is a life lived in vain. Rather for us, give him glory.

[24:20] Give him the glory due unto his name. 1 Chronicles 16, 29. 1 Chronicles 16, 29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name.

[24:31] He's due that glory. Bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Worship him. How is our spirit? Do we worship with the right spirit?

[24:43] We know of Abel and Cain that Abel's sacrifice in Genesis 4 was a God-glorifying sacrifice. He glorified God. Cain's worship did not.

[24:57] And you wonder where that was different. We may not have the whole story, as it's quite a brief account, but we see that, of course, Abel brought the firstborn of his flock and he gave the richness there of the fat portions, as it were, and trusting the Lord to provide other sheep for his needs.

[25:23] But Cain almost worshipped as a kind of afterthought that it was just what he could grab, as it were, what was kind of left from his crop.

[25:34] Is our worship God glorifying, or is it kind of like just more as it's convenient rather than what's fitting?

[25:45] May our spirit worship and glorify God. Truly give him glory. The glory due unto his name. That is what we are called to do. And we glorify God every time we fellowship, we glorify God.

[25:57] Every time we get together, when we hear the blessed preached word of God, and when we praise him together, there's something that happens as the saints gather. In Psalm 50, 23, it says, Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.

[26:12] Psalm 50, 23, Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me. And to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God.

[26:23] So, just to recap, glorify God in your body, and glorify God in your spirit. And really and truly, when you think about it, your body, your spirit, it's your whole life, isn't it?

[26:39] It's the whole of you. Because we're meant to be a living sacrifice. And so I put to you my third point, glorify God in your daily walk. We're not talking about glorifying God just on a Sunday.

[26:54] Now, the sun, the Christianity is skin deep. It's superficial. It's almost like it's a token. It's almost as if they're just ticking that box, as it were, and doing the least.

[27:13] But really, we're called to glorify God in our daily walk, our whole life, as we see in 1 Corinthians 10, 31. For example, 1 Corinthians 10, 31.

[27:25] Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all, A double L, now in the Greek, that means all, do all to the glory of God.

[27:40] Amen? Glorify God in your daily walk. It's what it's saying, isn't it? Do A double L, to the glory of God. And really, you can't get it more encompassing than that.

[27:55] And really, we find our highest purpose, our greatest fulfilment in this, this truth. He wants our all. Our all. And it's why we are here.

[28:08] It's our reason for being, that why we are here on this planet, at this moment in history. There's no higher purpose or calling for any of us.

[28:19] And yet, our neighbours don't have that. So, when you think, not that we're, um, thinking of ourselves as better than our neighbours, because, but for the grace of God, we'd be like them.

[28:33] But, our purpose and calling is, it should move us and change us. It should make us be different from our neighbours, who don't know the Lord.

[28:48] And that's not saying there might be nice people, and nice to have round for a cuppa, or whatever it be. And they, they desperately need the saviour, those who do not know him, as we know.

[29:00] And we want to reach them in love. But, the point I'm making is, we should glorify God such that, we're not just like the neighbour. That our lives, have got something tremendous, and eternal, in dimension.

[29:16] And, we have a God to glorify, that they don't even know. Isaiah 43, 7, it says, Isaiah 43, 7, even everyone that is called by my name, for I have created him, for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.

[29:36] Everyone that is called by my name, now it's Old Testament, and it's, it's likely referring to the Israel here, but, I put to you that we could apply this, if we are called by his name, and we are, he says, I have created him, for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.

[29:56] He has created you, he has made you, he's formed you, for his glory. God formed man, for his glory. He made Adam, in his own image.

[30:08] It was his ultimate, intent, that we should reflect, the glory of God. It's why we've been made. Wherever you walk, you take the presence of God, with you. You know, I like to think, you know, sometimes we almost say, I will dismiss the meeting now, and we kind of, we kind of leave God behind, and we, you know, we leave God in the building, when we go out to the car park.

[30:32] You know, it's almost like, that thinking isn't it? That, oh, you're dismissed now, as it were, and we leave the holy presence of God, because that just stays in the building, as it were. But no, wherever you walk, wherever the sole of your foot treads, you take the presence of God, with you.

[30:49] He is with you, wherever you go. And you are salt, you are light, you are sitting on a hill. May your words glorify him.

[31:01] Tomorrow morning. You know, when you get someone rile you, and get under your skin, and make you want to be aggressive, be light, be salt, keep your spirit right with God.

[31:15] Be carriers of his glory, to others. And may your words glorify him, your actions, your attitudes. Glorify God in your body, glorify God in your spirit, glorify God in your daily walk.

[31:27] 2 Corinthians 4, it tells how God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.

[31:40] But we have this treasure, in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, not of us. The excellency of the power may be of God, not of us.

[31:54] Truth is, God's glory, is transportable. It led the children of Israel, and it leads you, it leads me, each one of us. And it now, his glory, his person, he, now fills human hearts.

[32:09] And his present day, holy temples, are wherever you are, God is. Every Christian is called to be their influence, on their world, an influence on their culture, an influence on their workplace, in your daily decisions that you make, in your daily interactions, in your daily work and living, in your daily choices and use of time.

[32:31] Glorify him, glorify him. Really, truth is, it's a sin, not to glorify him. Because we're commanded to glorify him. So rather, avoid what is questionable, and doubtful.

[32:46] It tells us, 2 Timothy 2.22, flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them, that call on the Lord, out of a pure heart.

[32:59] Flee, some things, and stand for some things. Make a stand. Dare to be different. Dare to be a Daniel. Have an excellent spirit. 1 Peter 2.11, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.

[33:17] Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. There's a battle going on. Keep your spirit right. Glorify God. That's the ultimate, that's the ultimate protection, isn't it?

[33:30] If you glorify God, then you'll be right. Because there's a difference between the God-glorifying, separated life, and those who are not God-glorifying people.

[33:42] It's like chalk and cheese, isn't it? Really. It's like the light doesn't go on for some people. They don't realise, hey, I must glorify God. I'm commanded to. Not that it becomes a yoke of bondage, or an irksome, slavish thing, but the God who we love and worship, the God who has transformed and saved us, and redeemed us, and set our feet in his righteousness.

[34:07] We want to glorify God. We have to. We must. Our life is incomplete without that. That wanting to do his will, to surrender to him, to honour God first and foremost, in what we do, in the decisions we make, to make glorifying God, your number one consideration.

[34:28] Number one. Is what I'm planning, or what I'm doing, or what I'm intending to do, does it glorify God? That must be the number one consideration.

[34:40] And steer away from what is doubtful, because it's no less than 100% whatsoever you do. In our everyday friendships, our everyday work, our everyday use of time, in our everyday use of money, in who we hang around with, in who we, in all these practicalities.

[35:04] And when you have a question about something, if you're not sure, ask yourself, will it glorify God? Does this bring honour, or shame, to my Lord?

[35:17] Does this increase his glory, or diminish it? Does this reflect on the person, who I am meant to be, as an ambassador, of the kingdom of heaven? Am I intent to glorify my Lord, or does it take away from that?

[35:32] So, there's all kinds of areas, we could talk of, and you know, I sometimes labour these things, maybe too much I suppose, but, does the music you listen to glorify God?

[35:48] If it's doubtful, don't do it. If you think that doesn't glorify God, why are you messing with it? Why do I do that?

[35:59] Does the TV program you watch glorify God? Does what you're posting on Facebook glorify God? Does your recreation, does your amusements, does your entertainment, does it glorify God?

[36:10] And that's not to say, it has to all be spiritual, or all be, you know, in that, Christian vein, there's, there's harmless entertainments, and, and necessary occupations of life, that are not necessarily spiritual.

[36:26] But it's when that which is, that which occupies us, such that, we're, overly engaged in it, to the exclusion, of God. Is it advancing the riches of his glory?

[36:39] And, when it's doubtful, ask yourself, is this a testimony, to the glory of God? Is this, is this showing forth his praises? Showing forth the praises of him?

[36:52] Is this worthy of my Lord? Or could it be seen to dishonour him? It's making that decision point, that whatsoever you do.

[37:07] So when you've got a choice, about doing something, or not doing something, you come to that decision point, and ask yourself that fundamental question, is it directed to God's glory?

[37:17] Does it enhance it, or diminish it? And, it's a good thing to, have that mindfulness, to that. Because, living for the Lord Jesus, it's 100% of our life.

[37:31] Not, not just, 99%, 99%, all of our life, every portion. And, Spurgeon said, this should be the single desire of the Christian, to glorify God.

[37:42] God, the single desire, is to glorify God. And, of course, we can glorify God, with healthy recreation, and family, engagements, and, and, the practicalities of, making a living.

[37:59] We can glorify God, glorifying God, doesn't switch off, when you go to work, or, or you do necessary, household duties, and such. Yet, all of it, should be, to the glory of God.

[38:14] That there shouldn't be anything, we're ashamed of, or, we feel that that's, neglecting God's glory, or, diminishing God's glory. Friends, the word tells us, ascribe him greatness.

[38:27] It says, magnify him. Give him the credit, the thanks. Have a thankful spirit, spirit. Think of what he has done for us. There is now, no condemnation for us, in Christ.

[38:39] We, we walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. We've been set free, we've been redeemed. And, we exist for the glory of God. He puts within us, a renewed passion, a zeal for the glory of God.

[38:53] So, take stock today. Is our desire, to lift up our Lord, to exalt him, to honour him, and, to do what's good, and wholesome, and helpful, and a blessing to others.

[39:12] Does what we desire, honour our Lord, in how we make choices, how we occupy our time, what activities we pursue? Is it something questionable?

[39:24] If so, leave it alone. It's better, it's better, it's better to set a standard high for yourself, I put to you. This is not for me to condemn you, or to put a standard on you, but it is for you, to think, honestly, before God.

[39:40] What standard should I set for myself? To be a man, a woman of principle and truth. A man, a woman with character and integrity. And that, really, where the rubber hits the road, is where we treat others.

[39:57] It's how we treat others. Are we a bully, or are we fair? Do we, do we treat others as, as Christ said, to love one another, as I have loved you?

[40:09] Put yourself in other people's shoes, and just, be, be thoughtful and kind. Matthew 5, 16, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.

[40:24] Your works can glorify God. Isn't that wonderful? I think, and you might think, well, oh, I didn't get any thanks for that. Ha, they didn't even thank me. You know, you're driving along, and you, or you, you give way, and oh, Julie says, oh, they didn't even wave, you know.

[40:40] But anyway, I mean, anyway, it doesn't matter, does it? Because, let your light so shine.

[40:52] It doesn't matter whether they thank you or not, for the good things that you do, you might stop and help someone, and put yourself out. They may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.

[41:04] Sometimes it's about, just do it, isn't it? Just, just do it. Make your life a testimony, a witness for him, or is it a reproach, such that, you see some, they blab, blab, blab, I'm a Christian, and they think, does their light so shine before men, that they may see their good works, and glorify the Father, which is in heaven?

[41:30] Or does it bring shame to his name? And, what a tragic testimony that would be, and, and how we all need to be mindful of that, because we're all ambassadors, and, and as ambassadors, it's a 24 by 7, isn't it?

[41:45] Now, the ambassador doesn't clock off, you know, you suddenly, you know, the ambassador, of Australia, over in, whoop whoop land, and Scott Morrison gets on the phone to you, and says, right, I want you to do this, or do that, and you've got to jump out of bed, and, and get onto it.

[42:03] And it's like that, as an ambassador, of the kingdom of heaven, that, really, we should be, ready for action, ready to serve, our master. And, you are his missionary.

[42:15] In, John 15, 8, it says, herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples. My Father is glorified in this, that you bear much fruit.

[42:28] And so, we want to be fruitful Christians. Like John, he was a man sent from God. You are all men, women, sent from God.

[42:39] You've got a mission. You're a man with a mission. You're a woman with a mission. And our mission is to know him, and to make him known. So, let your whole life shine.

[42:50] Let your life so honour, our Lord, that you'll be above reproach. God helping you, you can aspire to that. And if you fail, he can get you right again.

[43:02] And you can aspire to that, to be above reproach, and to be ambassadors, of this kingdom of heaven, of this mighty king, of this mighty saviour, a witness for him, for all his glory.

[43:16] And at the bottom line of it all, to God alone, be all the glory. Amen. To God alone, not unto us, but unto you, Lord, be the glory.

[43:27] glory. And the spirit of God is transforming us, such that he's changing us. In 2 Corinthians 3, 18, it says, in part, talking about the glory of the Lord, we're changed into that same image, from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord.

[43:46] Now, I like to pick on Brother Don, when he's in church here. Brother Don, 20 years ago, you didn't have the glory, that you've got now, because you've been changed.

[43:58] Amen. Changed from glory, to glory. And Brother Don Harvey, is more glorious today, than when I first met him. And it's all glory to God, isn't it?

[44:10] And it's the same for all of us, isn't it? Shouldn't it be? We've changed from, changed into the same image, from glory, to glory, to glory, to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord.

[44:23] And just two closing scriptures, Romans 11, 36, for from him, sorry, for of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory, forever.

[44:37] Amen. Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory, forever. Amen.

[44:48] And lastly, Ephesians 3, 21, unto him, be glory, in the church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end.

[44:58] Amen. Unto him, be glory, in the church, in the assembly, in the gathering of the saints. Unto him, be glory, in our getting together, by Jesus Christ, throughout all ages, world without end.

[45:14] Amen. I put to you tonight, glorify God in your body, glorify God in your spirit, glorify God, in all of your life. Let us pray.

[45:24] Lord, we thank you that, any working of our own, is inadequate, because without you, we can do nothing. Yet Lord, you do call us to this, to glorify you.

[45:37] Help us Lord, to obey that, in any capacity we can. Your spirit enabling us to, Lord, that we can show your glory, in our works, in our witness, in our living.

[45:52] Help us to be mindful, that we're ambassadors, in this heathen, foreign land, in this pagan, God-hating culture, that we can be, God-glorifying people.

[46:04] Lord God, help us we pray, in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.