All Glory Belongs to God

(Go To Meeting)

Albert Jones—May 16, 2025

 - Video |  - PDF | Audio | [Up]

We are going to be looking into the topic of the glory that is God. We're going to start our study here  off in the book of Psalms, which will set the stage for what we are going to be discussing. Let's read what David wrote and think on this as we open with these words.

Psalm 8:1: "O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens! Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings You have ordained strength because of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens…" (vs 1-3).

Brethren, we have the opportunity today to really comprehend the vastness of the heavens more than we ever had before. We are in awe when we have an opportunity to see that.

Verse 3: "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? For You have made him a little lower than God and have crowned him with glory and honor" (vs 3-5).

David is speaking here, inspired of God. And prophetically speaking forward, that which he understood and that we can grasp even more today.

Verse 6: "You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands…"

And as I said, we see the vastness of space. We see the universe a little bit more. We know that there are galaxies out there, millions of galaxies out there.

"…You have put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the birds of heaven, the fish of the sea, and all that pass through the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!" (vs 6-9).

That is as far as David could take it  there. But we have even more that we have been that has been revealed to us. We're going to talk about the vastness of God's creation and our part in it.

• What is it that God is doing within His Family?
• What is this thing that God is doing upon the earth?

This incredible promise he has extended to mankind, the mysteries of God revealed by His Son, an incredible price brought to bear so:

• that we would have access to this incredible plan
• that we would have hope in achieving the outcome for which God created us

When we think on the incredible offering that God has extended to us, the offering provided by His Son so that we could actually access it! We are contemplating a glorious Plan of God!

When God's Plan is finalized for the firstfruits, that phase of it, we know that beyond our calling is the Millennium, the Kingdom of God upon the earth, ruling with Christ. But we also know that that's not the end! We know that there's a hundred years of life given to all who have ever had the opportunity to draw breath and not had a chance to know God and have:

• access to His Plan
• access to His end product, eternal life

We'll be given that opportunity. Once again, the firstfruits have a prominent part there.

The work of God began with Christ, the First of us, and it will culminate at least in this phase of the plan with the firstfruits. But then there is a work for us to do beyond that, and it's a glorious work. The honor and the glory is not ours to be had. We are products of God's creation. All that we see in this wonderful Plan of God is to be admired, yes, but it is from God to us! We are recipients of it! Let's keep that in mind as we go through.

Speaking of the end-time of this age of man! There is coming a Millennium where Christ's Throne will be upon the earth, and Satan will be put away. So, let's look here in :

Matthew 24:29: "But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (vs 29-30).

That glory that Christ brings with Him is the glory that we shall share in. We shall share His glory and we will be like Him! That in itself is an incredible thing to contemplate! To be converted from this physically weak flesh into power and glory and honor, which is from God toward us!

We are representing at that moment the combination of God's work in our life and it will be glorious! We, as willing participants, are recipients of this glorious work God is doing in our lives. We are recipients of it. It does not originate with us! It isn't a factor of our goodness or our smartness or any of that.

God is doing the work in us, and it is very important that the glory is given to Him! It is given to God because all things point to Him.

• we will direct in the Millennium all people to God
• we will teach them of His ways
• we will instruct them in His grace and His righteousness

all of those types of things in God's Kingdom!

• there is a great glory in the work that will be done
• there is a great glory that will be witnessed at the work that God has done in our lives

bringing us from the speck of dust to a child-adorer of God!

Matthew 25:31: "Now, when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the Holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory."

So, the entirety of the Kingdom of God, His Throne, His Dwelling Place where the canopy has dropped down and provided that shelter, is a glorious Throne, is a glorious appearance. His Light illuminates the entirety of the earth.

Verse 32: "And He shall gather before Him all the nations; and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And He shall set the sheep at His  hand, but the goats at His left. Then shall the King say to those at His  hand, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father…'" (vs 32-34).

Now we're introducing the next component of this glorious work of God, which is the Father and his begettal of you.

• you are begotten of the Father
• you were called by the Father
• you were selected by the Father

So, here we have Christ's work, and now we see God the Father introduced as part of that collaboration. The two of Them are doing this wonderful, glorious work in us!

"…blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (v 34).

This is prophetically a very beautiful thing to contemplate and understand. Because God has given us His Spirit, we have an understanding of it.

Matthew 6:1: "Beware that you do not bestow your alms in the sight of men in order to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father Who is in heaven.

Once again, you're not trying to show off to receive glory from men. You're not trying to convince man that you're good, or that you are something special. The relationship is between you and God. If there is any good to be done, do it. But do it in secret and let your glory be before God and not before men.

Verse 2: "Therefore, when you give your alms, do not sound the trumpet before you…"

Hey, look at me! Look at what I have done! NO!

"…do not sound the trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men…." (v 2).

And I have been in some of the Baptist churches. I've gone to funerals of coworkers and so forth, and I saw their picture up on the wall as they called it, the deacon wall, or those who have contributed very graciously to the church in great amounts. So, they get their picture on the wall.

God says, 'No, that's not His way.' He says:

"…Truly I say to you, they have their reward…. [their picture is on the wall] …But when you give your alms… [your gifts] …do not let your left hand know what your  hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret shall Himself reward you openly" (vs 2-4).

The relationship for what you do is between you and God. You are doing it because you know that God instructs us to have this kind of outgoing concern for others, to be able to help and provide assistance where we can. But it is something that you're doing and God sees it.

We're not going to be like Job, keep an accounting of all the good things that we've done so that we can present that report to God and say, 'Look at what I have done.'

Verse 5: "And when you pray… [same principle] …you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, in order that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward."

Verse 6: "But you, when you pray, enter into a private room…"

Each one of us in our home, have that place of privacy where we go and talk to God. Your private prayer room, whatever it is, it should be secluded. It should be set aside. It should be a special place that you feel that you can be and be undisturbed so that you can have a conversation with your God.

Verse 6: "But you, when you pray, enter into a private room; and after shutting the door, pray to your Father Who is in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret shall reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that by multiplying their words they shall be heard. Now then, do not be like them; for your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask Him" (vs 6-8).

Now we'll come back to this verse, but let's go on. God is doing an incredible work and has from the very beginning. When He entered into the covenant with Abraham, made those promises to Abraham, through His relationship with Abraham He is starting to reveal Himself to nations and peoples from afar.

His work in Israel was meant to glorify Him! He takes a people and He places Himself within those people through a covenant relationship:

• promises are given
• blessings are provided
• access, as limited as it was to the temple, He would come into the temple and they could offer and make prayers there

His relationship with His Church is much different today. A greater and more profound relationship! But let's stay with the relationship with Israel just for a moment.

God will be glorified for this incredible work that He has done from the foundation of the world. He will receive the glory that is due Him. Now, here in His relationship with Israel, in this experience:

Exodus 14:1: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal Zephon. You shall camp before it by the sea, for Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are trapped in the land; the wilderness has shut them in'" (vs 1-3).

In other words, 'I've got them where I needed to have them. I've got them where I want them.'

Verse 4: "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart… [he will be inclined to be about his stubbornness and he will come] …that he will follow them. And I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army…"

They will know what the God of Israel has done protecting His people, and guiding His people from bondage and to safety! This is an incredible event orchestrated, if you will, prime time for God to make an example of this mighty nation that was Egypt at the time.

"'…so that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.' And they did so" (v 4)—just as God proclaimed!

Verse 5: "And the king of Egypt was told that the people fled. And the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people. And they said, 'Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?' And he made his chariot ready and took his people with him. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And he pursued the children of Israel…" (vs 5-8).

This is the people that God was telling Pharaoh, during that time in Egypt, 'Let My people go that they may go out and serve Me.'

All that had to occur, including the death of the firstborn. But this stubborn heart of Pharaoh is allowed to get the best of him, and he pursues.

"…and the children of Israel went out with a high hand" (v 8)—Victor! Made possible by the power of God!

Verse 9: "So, the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army. And they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes. And, behold, the Egyptians marched after them. And they were very afraid. And the children of Israel cried out to the LORD" (vs 9-10). You can imagine! 'Oh no, help us, O Lord!'

Verse 11: "And they said to Moses, 'Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness because there were no graves in Egypt? Why have you dealt this way with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Did we not tell you this word in Egypt, saying, "Let us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians?"….'" (vs 11-12).

We know that Egypt and our life is a type of the world and Satan's bondage that many people are held in. So, once we have come out of Egypt, come out of the world, we are to not look longingly back as they are doing here.

"…for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians…." (v 12).

Can you imagine us saying that today, brethren? It would be better for us to serve Satan than that we should die in this world or in God's Church or be martyred. No! No! It makes no sense for us to look back and see this because:

• we have God's whole Word
• we understand how it ends

Verse 13: "And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not!.... [as Christ says to you and me, fear not] …Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today, for the Egyptians…"

Pharaoh's army, Satan and his demons, are about to be put to shame. So, that victory that God has won on our behalf, we stand assured of the victory that God has:

• over sin
• over Satan
• over the world
• even this flesh that we are in

"…for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again!" (v 13)

• unless you turn back and go to Egypt
• unless you allow Pharaoh to come into your life

NO! We're going to keep our eyes on Jesus and we're going to go forward! That is the lesson!

Verse 14: "The LORD shall fight for you…"

Christ and God the Father fights for us, fights with us. They will be victorious and glorified in the end! Mankind all over the world will know who God is!

Verse 14: "The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall be still."

Here is that they didn't ask the children of Israel to turn and go and fight Pharaoh. They were to have faith in God's power to fight on their behalf. You be still! God didn't tell them to take up swords and go fight Pharaoh. You be still!

Verse 15: "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward. And you—lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea" (vs 15-16).

Now, that as I read it, you had to be there, brethren, to be there to see this incredible power of God. To take the sea and divide it wide enough so that a column of people could go through. Not in rank, but a column of people to go through on dry ground. This is the power of God. And sure enough, the Egyptians followed them. 

Verse 17: "And behold, I am about to harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. And I will get honor for Myself upon Pharaoh, and over all his army, over his chariots and over his horsemen." I don't think we comprehend that:

• all things that God does is to His glory
• the work that He has done in the creation itself is to His glory
• His calling of Abraham was to His glory
• His work in Israel was to His glory

so that men may know who the Lord is!

Verse 18: "'And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I will be glorified through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.' And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel…" (vs 18-19).

Here we have the Lord God and the angels with Him, His heavenly hosts performing His will on behalf of His people! Brethren, this analogy, this type of relationship is foreshadowing that which God has in your and my life in His Church.

Truly, His relationship with Israel was real and His work in their life was indeed incredible. But these things are written for our admonition, as well.

Verse 19: "And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved. And he went to the rear of them.

Now, this is an amazing thing as you read it and you see it visually in your mind. Here is the great God opening a path that we can go through and God moving to the rear to protect, to guard, to defend, our relationship with God!.

Verse 20: "And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. It was a cloud of darkness to one, but gave light by night to the other, so that the two did not come near one another all night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. And the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground. And the waters were a wall to them on their  hand and on their left" (vs 20-22).

There is an animated movie, unlike the Ten Commandments, that really depicts this in a very marvelous way, I think, and that the sea, the lightnings and the thunders, you see the whales and so forth, swimming around in the wall of water. I would imagine the children of Israel were in awe! So, God provided a way to escape the grasp of Pharaoh.

Verse 23: "And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the middle of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And in the morning watch it came to pass that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and the army of the Egyptians was thrown into confusion" (vs 23-24).

The Lord God is there, brethren. He is there. The Commander of Hosts is there with them. I don't know if we comprehend this incredible thing when God says:

• I will be with you
• I will never forsake you
• You're not alone

'Indeed, come to Me,' He says. 'So He looks down and see the army pursuing, so He loosens their chariot wheels:

Verse 25: "And He loosened their chariot wheels, and made them go heavily, so that the Egyptians said, 'Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.'" Oh, you bet! It's too late now though.

Verse 26: "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.' And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea. And the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared. And the Egyptians tried to flee from it. And the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. There did not remain so much as one of them" (vs 26-28).

God's defense is complete! It is total! And again, it is to show how He protects His people.

Verse 29: "But the children of Israel walked upon dry land through the middle of the sea. And the waters were a wall to them on their  hand and on their left. So, the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. And Israel saw that great work, which the LORD did upon the Egyptians. And the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses" (vs 29-31).

Now that day, God got their attention! Well, brethren, a greater event than that has occurred. A most spectacular thing has happened in our lives. This same Lord God has come into our lives! We have him introduced here in:

John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God" (vs 1-2).

• He is the One Who brought Israel through the Red Sea
• He is the One Who called Abraham
• He is the One Who brought Noah and the seven [8 TOTAL—transcriber's correction] across the Flood
• He is the One Who has provided a means by which you and I can have a relationship with the Sovereign God

Verse 3: "All things came into being through Him, and not even one thing that was created came into being without Him."

That creating is still occurring. God is still creating perfection in you and me!

Verse 4: "In Him was life, and the Life was the Light of men."

So, when John is writing this, he is writing it to a people to understand that for the first time. But today you and I have it real time. That Light that came into the world is the Light that enlightens you and me day-by-day.

Verse 5: "And the Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness does not comprehend it."

God is doing an incredible work in you and me. Yes, He will be glorified. Let's just read a couple of more verses in the Old Testament here.

Isaiah 44:23: "Sing, O heavens; for the LORD has done it. Shout, O lower parts of the earth. Break out into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel. Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, and He Who formed you from the womb, 'I am the LORD…" (vs 23-24).

Again, all the way across from the Red Sea, He is still announcing who He is.

"…'I am the LORD Who makes all things; Who stretches out the heavens alone; Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; Who brings to nothing the signs of the liars, and makes fools of diviners; Who turns the wise backward, and makes their knowledge foolish; Who makes the word of His servant sure, and makes good the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, "She shall have people"; and to the cities of Judah, "You shall be built," and I will raise up the waste places of it; Who says to the deep, "Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers"; Who says of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd, and shall do all My pleasure… [we know that story, how it ended] …even saying to Jerusalem, 'You shall be built'; and to the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid'"' (vs 24-28).

That is where Ezra and Nehemiah came back and rebuilt the walls of the city, and the temple restored. Promises made by God, great and powerful promises.

Isaiah 55:5: "Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know; a nation that did not know you shall run to you because of the LORD your God…"

This example set by God in His relationship with the children of Israel, there would be individuals, even then who joined themselves to the God of Israel, to the God of Israel; strangers would join themselves to the God of Israel. Yes, they would be circumcised according to the Law, but this relationship, this exemplification of God's work in a nation, and people seeing the blessings of having a relationship with the one true God is still ongoing.

Today it is exemplified through His people, the Church, . Even more today, that message of:

• unity with God
• loving God
• obeying God
• walking in God
• believing in God

is exemplified by the Lights that are us:

• His Church
• His begotten ones

So, let's keep that in mind!

Verse 3: "Bow down your ear, and come to Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given Him for a witness to the people, a Prince and Commander of people" (vs 3-4).

Now this same Lord God is about to do something incredible in the history of men, never before done, never to be done again, at least in this age.

Verse 5: "Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know; a nation that did not know you shall run to you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you"—speaking about the firstfruits.

Verse 6: "Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return… [mankind reconciled to God through Christ] …to the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (vs 6-7).

Verse 8 "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down…" (vs 8-10)—the certainty of:

• God's actions
• His work
• His deeds

produce the outcome that He desires them to produce, as exemplified in a rain shower!

Verse 10: "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from the heavens, and does not return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater." This wonderful gift from heaven poured upon the earth, producing fruit.

Verse 11: "So shall My Word be which goes out of My mouth… [God Word produces outcome and success] it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall certainly do what I sent it to do." God is doing a work in us!

God is telling us; v 12: "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break out before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn, the fir tree shall come up; and instead of the brier, the myrtle tree shall come up; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off" (vs 12-13).

So even in that day, Christ will be glorified, and His saints with Him! There are many opportunities through which we have an opportunity to honor God, but the simplest one is obedience. Obedience through faith, walking in faith, living that way which we believe is true, as inspired by God's Spirit working in us. God has called each and every one of us to a way of life so that we can exemplify His way to mankind. Yes, we are lights in this world and God has called us to represent Him in that way.

Hebrews 3:1—Paul brings out a very important thing here: "Because of this, Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of the faith we profess—Jesus Christ"—Who is our faith, Whom we profess!

Our faith is in Christ and the work He has done and the work He is doing on behalf of the Father. Yes, there is work that will be done after the resurrection even. But here we are today, Passover, the victory is won!

We take the Passover Covenant based upon our faith and what Christ has done. This is the Christ Who was. Christ Whom we are engaged with today:

• He is the Christ Who is alive
• He is at the right-hand of the Father
• He is fulfilling His office as High Priest
• He is advocating for us
• He is, indeed today, fighting for us
• He is in our midst
• He is within us

Not only Him, but His life, death and resurrection has also made possible the indwelling of the Father. Think on this!

• not in a cloud
• not in a pillar of fire

but in you! God is dwelling in you:

• fighting for you
• guiding you
• wanting to lead you correctly on the path to eternal life
• we're walking in faith
• we are standing in faith

All of this is a part of what God is doing today in the life and the affairs of people who are His begotten sons and daughters!

Verse 2—Christ Jesus: "Who was faithful to Him Who appointed Him… [the Father] …even as Moses was in all his house…. [the type] …For He has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses… [yes, no doubt] …even as He Who built the house has so much more honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but He Who built all things is God. Now on the one hand, Moses was faithful in all his house, as a ministering servant, for a testimony of those things which were going to be spoken afterwards. But on the other hand, Christ was faithful as the Son over His own house; Whose house we are, if we are truly holding fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm to the end" (vs 2-6).

Verse 7: "For this reason, even as the Holy Spirit says…"—that indwelling power which:

• allows you to comprehend spiritual things
• helps you to comprehend this Truth

Verse 7: "For this reason, even as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart… [speaking to God's people] …as in the rebellion, in the day of temptation in the wilderness" (vs 7-8).

That example was given so that we would have a warning, so that we would have an example that we should not be as they were.

Verse 9: "Where your fathers tempted Me and tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Because of this, I was indignant with that generation, and said, 'They are always going astray in their hearts…'" (vs 9-10).

• don't let your heart betray you
• don't let your heart lead you astray
• look on
• go forward
• don't look back

Keep your eyes fixed on Christ is the message!

"…and they have not known My ways" (v 10)—we have the ways of God:

• written in our heart
• written in our mind
• carved upon our heart and mind

But they always were going astray. Again, not having God's Holy Spirit and that critical ingredient necessary. But the life and death of Christ made possible the receiving of this power on high.

Verse 11: "So, I swore in My wrath, "If they shall enter into My rest—"' Beware, brethren, lest perhaps there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in apostatizing from the living God" (vs 11-12).

• don't turn for a moment
• don't turn an inch
• don't turn a micron away from God

Verse 13: "Rather, be encouraging one another each day…"

Because as we get closer to Christ, the days become difficult, the times become difficult, and we are pressed upon on all sides by Satan and his demons. Remember Pharaoh and the sea. He would not relent. His objective was to destroy the people of Israel. Save for God's intervening hand. God is with us!

Verse 14: "For we are companions of Christ, if we truly hold the confidence that we had at the beginning steadfast until the end."

• remember baptism
• remember your first love
• remember the faith that you began with

Recapture it if you have lost an ounce. Stay strong within it if you have been dedicated and persistent.

Verse 15: "As it is being said, 'Today, if you will hear His voice…"

Today is the beginning of every day. If you will hear His voice, every day you have an opportunity to go before God in repentance and hear His voice anew. Every day you can access the Father and His forgiveness through Christ's blood.

"…do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion. For some, after hearing, did rebel, but not all who came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was He indignant for forty years? Was it not with those who had sinned, whose dead bodies were strewn in the wilderness?" (vs 15-17).

Let's not allow sin to come back into our lives and we become casualties of war. That we become dead bodies strewn in the world. Let us hold fast to our relationship with God until the end.

Verse 18: "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter into His rest, except to those who had disobeyed? So, we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief" (vs 18-19).

• Where does that unbelief begin?
• Where does it start?
• Is it something that we are aware of and fail to react to?

The way that we guard against unbelief is practicing Truth. The way that we guard against sin and false information is to study the Truth and to be applying God's principles in our life eagerly, diligently!

Recognizing that it is an assignment, it is a task. It is one that you and I are on a mission to achieve, and we're not relaxed with our back against the Red Sea. We know that a path forward has already been blazed. Jesus Christ has provided the way in which we should go, and we are to be walking in it! What is God doing? He is doing a miracle, brethren! He is reproducing Himself in a people made of flesh! It is a spiritual operation. I'm sorry, I cannot define it totally because it's a spiritual operation. It is the Spirit working in you and me through the indwelling of God who sent it by grace. The calling was His choosing to call us! He only asks us:

• to be willing participants
• to yield
• to desire
• to seek after
• to be hungry for Him

• How does God reproduce Himself?
• How does God perfect Holy righteous character in us?

It is nothing short of a miracle that is true! So, here we have a statement by Peter:

1-Peter 4:1: "Consequently, since Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished living in sin to this end: that he no longer live his remaining time in the flesh to the lusts of men…" (vs 1-2).

Now, let me emphasize the lust that dwells in mankind—that weakness of the flesh that we all wrestle against—we do not any longer live our lives in that condition, but are focused on doing the will of God!

Verse 3: "For the past time of our lives is sufficient to have worked out the will of the Gentiles…"

• those who had no relationship with God
• those who had no knowledge of God
• those who were subject to every whim of the mind and the heart

So we are not to walk in that way any longer!

Verse 3: "For the past time of our lives is sufficient to have worked out the will of the Gentiles, when we ourselves walked in licentiousness and lusts, and were debauched with wine, carousing, drinking and wanton idolatries."

• the weakness of the flesh
• the carnality within man
• the law of sin and death at full work

So, when men see the difference in the Light that God has given us, this is what happens:

Verse 4: "In seeing this difference in your behavior, they are astonished that you do not rush with them into the same overflowing debauchery, and they revile you." Suffering because of righteousness now, they revile you!

Verse 5: "But they shall render an account to Him Who is ready to judge the living and the dead. And for this purpose the Gospel was preached to those who have died so that, although in the flesh they may in fact have been judged according to men's standards, on the other hand, they might live according to God's will in the Spirit" (vs 5-6).

So, God's Spirit at work in you. Convicting your heart of Truth and Righteousness and your desires to do God's will. You're not inclined to:

• give yourself over to Satan
• go back to Egypt
• go back to the world of the dead
• want to go back to the world and longingly desire the things of the world when those things only drew you in to destroy you

Verse 9: "Be hospitable to one another without complaining."

Verse 8: But above all, have fervent love among yourselves because love will cover a multitude of sins."

Verse 10: "Let each one, according as he has received a gift from God, be using it to serve the others as good stewards of the grace of God, which manifests itself in various ways. If anyone speaks, let it be as the words of God… [giving glory to God, not to ourselves] …if anyone serves, let it be as from the strength which God supplies; so that in everything, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to Whom is the glory and the power into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 10-11). Yes, he is coming back, a glorious God!

In this standing that we have with God, in this condition, of justification before the Father made possible by the work of the Father and Christ, working in us first through Christ and now and always toward us, always toward us.

Romans 8:1: "Consequently, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit; because the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has delivered me from the law of sin and death" (vs 1-2).

• God is doing a work in us
• Christ dwells in us
• we dwell in Him

There is a wonderful and powerful work in play here!

Colossians 1:9: "For this cause we also, from the day that we heard of it, do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."

This is regarding the revelation given to us about God through His Spirit. As we come to understand God's Truth, and we are walking in it, sharing it, encouraging one another with it.

Verse 10: "That you may walk worthily of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, unto all endurance and long-suffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father, Who has made us qualified for the share of the inheritance of the saints in the Light; Who has personally rescued us from the power of darkness and has transferred us unto the Kingdom of the Son of His love; in Whom we have redemption through His own blood" (vs 10-14).

This wonderful Plan of being revealed here through Paul and his writings through Peter and his writings through John and his writings and indeed the entire Bible.

"…even the remission of sins; Who is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation; because by Him were all things created, the things in heaven and the things on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether they be thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before all, and by Him all things subsist. And He is the Head of the Body, the Church; Who is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead so that in all things He Himself might hold the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell; and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself; by Him, whether the things on the earth, or the things in heaven. For you were once alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works…" (vs 14-21).

Egypt, Pharaoh, Satan, the world had you captive and played you like a slave. You were willing, brethren, had no clue of what Satan had done. But God, it says:

"…but now He has reconciled you in the body of His flesh through death, to present you Holy and unblamable and unimpeachable before Him; if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which you have heard, and which was proclaimed in all the creation that is under heaven; of which I, Paul, became a servant" (vs 21-23).

We are talking about this incredible Plan of God for which Jesus Christ is at the center.

Note Matt. 6-13 regarding the Lord's Prayer. The glory and the honor is to God.

Ephesians 3:1—we are given inspiration here: "For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles… [not just for the Gentiles but for all of us] …if indeed you have heard of the ministry of the grace of God that was given to me for you; how He made known to me by revelation the mystery (even as I wrote briefly before, so that when you read this, you will be able to comprehend my understanding… [Paul's understanding; we want to understand this Truth as well as Paul did] …in the mystery of Christ), which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His Holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (vs 1-5).

The work of the Spirit is doing great things. Here is one:

Verse 6: "That the Gentiles might be joint heirs… [this revelation of Truth] …and a joint body, and joint partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel." Again, up until that time, this miracle, this work had not been done.

Verse 7: "Of which I became a servant according to the gift of the grace of God, which was given to me through the inner working of His power. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints…" (vs 7-8).

Verse 13: "So then, I beseech you not to faint at my tribulations for you, which are working for your glory…. [the glory that God has in store for you and me] …For this cause I [Paul] bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (vs 13-14)—praying to the Father for:

• help
• strength
• wisdom
• to teach
• to preach this Truth

Verse 15: "Of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory… [that glorious coming] …to be strengthened with power by His Spirit in the inner man" (vs 15-16).

The power of God will be unleashed to full glory; that is coming.

Verse 18: "And that being rooted and grounded in love…" It begins with the love of God; loving God means:

• obeying God
• believing God

These are principles we have been taught!

"…grounded in love, you may be fully able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ, which surpasses human knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (vs 18-19).

• that full glory
• that full understanding
• that full spiritual influence

Verse 20: "Now, to Him Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us, to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all generations, even into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 20-21).

What a glorious work God is doing. As you and I have part in this work, as you and I have been qualified for a share in this Light:

• let us hold fast
• let us keep our eyes on Christ
• let us go forward into the Kingdom that is prepared for you and me

And it, brethren, shall be glorious!

Scriptural References:

• Psalm 8:1-9
• Matthew 24:29-30
• Matthew 25:31-34
• Matthew 6:1-8
• Exodus 14:1-31
• John 1:1-5
• Isaiah 44:23-28
• Isaiah 55:5, 3-13
• Hebrews 3:1-19
• 1-Peter 4:1-6, 9, 8, 10-11
• Romans 8:1-2
• Colossians 1:9-23
• Ephesians 3:1-8, 13-16, 18-21

Scripture referenced, not quoted: Matthew 6:9-13

AJ:bo/po
Transcribed: 6/5/25

Copy 2025—All s reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copy owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.