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CHAPTER 15
THE GLORY OF THE LORD!
What is the glory of the Lord? It is something supernatural. We can perceive it with our
senses, and sometimes we can see, feel or sense it in our inner being. Have you ever felt
the goose bumps? You may have perceived something supernatural. The glory of the Lord
is a revelation to us in some way; either a revelation of His presence, His character, His
power, His holiness, His reputation or His majesty and splendor.
In the Old Testament His glory (presence) is seen in the glory cloud that led the Children of
Israel and in the Shikenah glory that filled the tabernacle. Once when Solomon prayed and
made a sacrifice to the Lord, the glory of the Lord came in and filled the house. People
outside saw the glory upon the house, and they fell down and worshipped. Notice, the glory
of the Lord often triggers a worshipful response.
The glory of His majesty and power was seen at Mt Sinai. There His glory abode six days in
a cloud which covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord was revealed to Moses. Moses
had asked to see God’s glory. “And he said Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no
man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt
stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee
in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away
mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen” (Exodus 33:20-
23). Here, Moses had received a special revelation of God just for himself.
Finally the Old Testament mentions the King of Glory. Who is that? Jesus! All of the Father’
s splendor, majesty, holiness, perfection and power were manifested in His Son.
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall
reward every man according to his works” (Matt 16:27). Peter, James and John saw Jesus’
glory in His glorified body on the Mt. of Transfiguration.
Jesus gave US His glory as it says in John 17:22, “And the glory which thou gavest me I
have given them—that they may be one—even as we are one.” We don’t have to wait to
experience His glory; we possess it now in Christ. We have access to all He is and we have
been seated with Christ in heavenly places. We have been given access to His presence.
We can come boldly to the throne of God, where we have access to His holiness and
righteousness. Phil 1:11 states that we are “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes
through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God”, and we have His divine nature living
inside of us. We have access to numerous unseen privileges, if we will begin to meditate on
these truths with our hearts and minds and learn to apprehend them for ourselves. David
was a man after God’s own heart, because he meditated (thought about in his mind,
considered, contemplated) on the things of God continually, thus he was able to win battles,
become king, have intimacy with God, get answers to his prayers, and write the Psalms.
What could God do with us if we did this? If we would imitate David in his way of thinking
and what he focused on, our lives could be vitally transformed and useful to God for His
glory!
God has already given us the power to become the sons of God and “The LORD gives
grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps 84:
11).
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into
the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor 3:18)—taking
on more and more of His nature and character and holiness.
The importance of the glory of the Lord for the Israelites occurred when they beheld the
glory cloud. They had faith, strength and courage. It gave them the strength and courage to
follow this cloud into the unknown, to leave all that they knew behind, by faith to follow
Moses into the wilderness.
Martha (Lazarus’s sister) saw the glory of the Lord on her behalf when she saw that the
death of her brother was swallowed up by life, at the resurrection Lazarus. This was a
supernatural thing that she experienced. We need to know that God is supernatural, cares
about us personally, and wants to intervene in our lives as well. When we KNOW this and
believe this, then we can perceive and see His hand more clearly in our personal lives!
Things that happen are not just happenstance, but God’s hand of intervention. God
intervenes on our behalf daily, many times each day really. I can now recognize God’s hand
of intervention, and am able to give Him the glory and credit that He so richly deserves. I go
around thanking Him all day long because I can see His intervention in so many situations
each day. My husband and I pray constantly around here about everything. We own a small
little Real Estate Company right now and deal with a variety of customers. Some are rather
difficult people to deal with and we are tested sorely, but we turn to the Lord in prayer and
ask Him to intervene in situations, or make deals come back to life that look hopeless, as
though they are going to fall apart, and God always seems to turn things around and make
them work out for us. I am so thankful that I can turn to Him because He cares for us. We
can go to God, our Father, about everything! What do people in the world do without our
God? Yes, He is with you all the time! He will however reveal Himself to each one of us in
different ways, probably ways that we, ourselves, will recognize as being of Him.
When you do get a revelation of His glory, your faith becomes stronger! You can go through
anything, for you KNOW He is with you. Jesus told us “Not to faint but to overcome”
because we would be given the crown of life.
We need a vision, a glimpse of God’s glory for ourselves so that we will be able to KNOW
and recognize His presence in our lives. We must ask Him to reveal Himself to us
personally, letting us see His glory for ourselves; however He chooses to reveal Himself to
us. Then we will KNOW, without a doubt that He is with us. We will KNOW that “nothing
can separate us from the love of God”, not peril, famine, storm, sickness, poverty or Satan.
Because of this personal revelation of Himself, we will know and have the confidence (faith)
that He will NOT fail us no matter what we go through in this life.
There is coming a time when the Bride of Christ will put on her wedding gown. Right now,
we are still being washed and groomed (cleansed and refined). We are being prepared, by
passing our tests and trials that each day brings us, so that we will be able to endure to the
end. There is going to come a time in the future when Christians will go through very hard
times, through much tribulation. During this time, it will require much faith and a vision of His
glory to hold onto. Christians will be tried and tested, like we never have been before!
Currently we are being prepared for such a time. Maybe it will be in our lifetime and maybe
not. But it will come, for that is what Revelations says, and Christians must have something
to hang onto. Their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and their heavenly Father will
depend on it. Sometimes our strength comes from what we see ahead, not at what we see
at hand! For example Jesus, “…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2).
He saw ahead, past His time of suffering. Paul said, “…, and I count all things but loss for
the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss
of all” (Phil 3:8) and finally Peter, who did not mind being crucified for the glory ahead.
We must remember “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom 8:18). In whom? In us! “For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal” (II Cor 4:17-18). Praise the Lord!
Yes, the Bride WILL put on her wedding dress. She will be without spot or wrinkle, perfect
in every way, purified and holy. She will have been tried by the fires of tribulation which will
have removed all the dross and she will shine forth as pure gold!
Prepare your minds and hearts for this time so that you are not taken unaware or by
surprise. Remember too, that to our flesh and carnal nature, it would be a terrifying time,
but to those who have been prepared to see into the spiritual realm; to see all that God is
preparing us for, and wants to bestow on us, it is will be a glorious time! For we know that
soon our redemption will be complete and we will be like Him and see Him as He is! “And
when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not
away” (I Peter 5:4). “… and (he) showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, having the glory of God…” (Rev 21:10-11).
We have so much to look forward to! So pray and ask and seek and knock for God to
reveal His glory to your heart in some way. Pray that you might have the strength and faith
to endure to the end, because He has so much ahead for you. The best is yet to come!
Praise be to our God!
THE GLORY OF THE LORD!
What is the glory of the Lord? It is something supernatural. We can perceive it with our
senses, and sometimes we can see, feel or sense it in our inner being. Have you ever felt
the goose bumps? You may have perceived something supernatural. The glory of the Lord
is a revelation to us in some way; either a revelation of His presence, His character, His
power, His holiness, His reputation or His majesty and splendor.
In the Old Testament His glory (presence) is seen in the glory cloud that led the Children of
Israel and in the Shikenah glory that filled the tabernacle. Once when Solomon prayed and
made a sacrifice to the Lord, the glory of the Lord came in and filled the house. People
outside saw the glory upon the house, and they fell down and worshipped. Notice, the glory
of the Lord often triggers a worshipful response.
The glory of His majesty and power was seen at Mt Sinai. There His glory abode six days in
a cloud which covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord was revealed to Moses. Moses
had asked to see God’s glory. “And he said Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no
man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt
stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee
in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away
mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen” (Exodus 33:20-
23). Here, Moses had received a special revelation of God just for himself.
Finally the Old Testament mentions the King of Glory. Who is that? Jesus! All of the Father’
s splendor, majesty, holiness, perfection and power were manifested in His Son.
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall
reward every man according to his works” (Matt 16:27). Peter, James and John saw Jesus’
glory in His glorified body on the Mt. of Transfiguration.
Jesus gave US His glory as it says in John 17:22, “And the glory which thou gavest me I
have given them—that they may be one—even as we are one.” We don’t have to wait to
experience His glory; we possess it now in Christ. We have access to all He is and we have
been seated with Christ in heavenly places. We have been given access to His presence.
We can come boldly to the throne of God, where we have access to His holiness and
righteousness. Phil 1:11 states that we are “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes
through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God”, and we have His divine nature living
inside of us. We have access to numerous unseen privileges, if we will begin to meditate on
these truths with our hearts and minds and learn to apprehend them for ourselves. David
was a man after God’s own heart, because he meditated (thought about in his mind,
considered, contemplated) on the things of God continually, thus he was able to win battles,
become king, have intimacy with God, get answers to his prayers, and write the Psalms.
What could God do with us if we did this? If we would imitate David in his way of thinking
and what he focused on, our lives could be vitally transformed and useful to God for His
glory!
God has already given us the power to become the sons of God and “The LORD gives
grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps 84:
11).
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into
the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor 3:18)—taking
on more and more of His nature and character and holiness.
The importance of the glory of the Lord for the Israelites occurred when they beheld the
glory cloud. They had faith, strength and courage. It gave them the strength and courage to
follow this cloud into the unknown, to leave all that they knew behind, by faith to follow
Moses into the wilderness.
Martha (Lazarus’s sister) saw the glory of the Lord on her behalf when she saw that the
death of her brother was swallowed up by life, at the resurrection Lazarus. This was a
supernatural thing that she experienced. We need to know that God is supernatural, cares
about us personally, and wants to intervene in our lives as well. When we KNOW this and
believe this, then we can perceive and see His hand more clearly in our personal lives!
Things that happen are not just happenstance, but God’s hand of intervention. God
intervenes on our behalf daily, many times each day really. I can now recognize God’s hand
of intervention, and am able to give Him the glory and credit that He so richly deserves. I go
around thanking Him all day long because I can see His intervention in so many situations
each day. My husband and I pray constantly around here about everything. We own a small
little Real Estate Company right now and deal with a variety of customers. Some are rather
difficult people to deal with and we are tested sorely, but we turn to the Lord in prayer and
ask Him to intervene in situations, or make deals come back to life that look hopeless, as
though they are going to fall apart, and God always seems to turn things around and make
them work out for us. I am so thankful that I can turn to Him because He cares for us. We
can go to God, our Father, about everything! What do people in the world do without our
God? Yes, He is with you all the time! He will however reveal Himself to each one of us in
different ways, probably ways that we, ourselves, will recognize as being of Him.
When you do get a revelation of His glory, your faith becomes stronger! You can go through
anything, for you KNOW He is with you. Jesus told us “Not to faint but to overcome”
because we would be given the crown of life.
We need a vision, a glimpse of God’s glory for ourselves so that we will be able to KNOW
and recognize His presence in our lives. We must ask Him to reveal Himself to us
personally, letting us see His glory for ourselves; however He chooses to reveal Himself to
us. Then we will KNOW, without a doubt that He is with us. We will KNOW that “nothing
can separate us from the love of God”, not peril, famine, storm, sickness, poverty or Satan.
Because of this personal revelation of Himself, we will know and have the confidence (faith)
that He will NOT fail us no matter what we go through in this life.
There is coming a time when the Bride of Christ will put on her wedding gown. Right now,
we are still being washed and groomed (cleansed and refined). We are being prepared, by
passing our tests and trials that each day brings us, so that we will be able to endure to the
end. There is going to come a time in the future when Christians will go through very hard
times, through much tribulation. During this time, it will require much faith and a vision of His
glory to hold onto. Christians will be tried and tested, like we never have been before!
Currently we are being prepared for such a time. Maybe it will be in our lifetime and maybe
not. But it will come, for that is what Revelations says, and Christians must have something
to hang onto. Their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and their heavenly Father will
depend on it. Sometimes our strength comes from what we see ahead, not at what we see
at hand! For example Jesus, “…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2).
He saw ahead, past His time of suffering. Paul said, “…, and I count all things but loss for
the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss
of all” (Phil 3:8) and finally Peter, who did not mind being crucified for the glory ahead.
We must remember “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom 8:18). In whom? In us! “For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal” (II Cor 4:17-18). Praise the Lord!
Yes, the Bride WILL put on her wedding dress. She will be without spot or wrinkle, perfect
in every way, purified and holy. She will have been tried by the fires of tribulation which will
have removed all the dross and she will shine forth as pure gold!
Prepare your minds and hearts for this time so that you are not taken unaware or by
surprise. Remember too, that to our flesh and carnal nature, it would be a terrifying time,
but to those who have been prepared to see into the spiritual realm; to see all that God is
preparing us for, and wants to bestow on us, it is will be a glorious time! For we know that
soon our redemption will be complete and we will be like Him and see Him as He is! “And
when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not
away” (I Peter 5:4). “… and (he) showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, having the glory of God…” (Rev 21:10-11).
We have so much to look forward to! So pray and ask and seek and knock for God to
reveal His glory to your heart in some way. Pray that you might have the strength and faith
to endure to the end, because He has so much ahead for you. The best is yet to come!
Praise be to our God!
| Women for the Lord www.WomenfortheLord.com "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10 |
