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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
To "glorify" God means to give glory to Him. The word glory as related to God in the Old Testament bears with it the idea of greatness of splendor. In the New Testament, the word translated "glory"...
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Charles Gardner
Supporter
We glorify G-d by being what He intended us to be, by fulfilling our purpose in life. Every human being has a G-d given purpose. Just ask Him.
OTTIS MACHIRI
Supporter
I think there is a difference between giving glory to God and glorifying God. We give Him glory when we worship, Him, praise Him and allude to his greatness. To glorify God is when we make Him proud as it were, by living out our lives according to His Word and His promises manifesting in us. For example, if someone comes to Christ by appreciating or emulating how I live my life as a Christian, then I have glorified God.
Vincent Mercado
Supporter
Scriptures say that the sun, moon and stars, the heavens give glory to God - because they simply be what they are intended to be. Birds and beasts, plants and insects, glorify God by simply being what they are intended to be. You and me, glorify God by simply being fully alive - being what we are intended to be, doing God's will.
Matthew Beerman
Supporter
The Shorter Chatechism asks the question: What is the chief end of man? The answer given is "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." We were made for this purpose, to glorify God in all that we do. John Piper's book The Wasted Life has much to say about this topic. Piper's analogy of us acting like a telescope has been very helpful in my own growth in this area. If I can reveal something of the character of God in my daily life to others, just like the Hubble telescope reveals hidden stars and galaxies, then I am glorifying God in a practical and effective way. All things were made for Gods glory, and every person, whether they are believers or not, will glorify God in this life or at the final judgement. As believers, we have the tremendous privilege of willingly glorifying God in this life, which is the very best that we can do and will lead to our greatest joy in this life. Glorifying God also helps us not to focus on ourselves and our petty wants and desires.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
Matthew 5:13-15 Salt and Light 5:13 “You are the salt 1 of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, 2 how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 5:15 People 3 do not light a lamp and put it under a basket 4 but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 1 sn Salt was used as seasoning or fertilizer (BDAG 41 s.v. ἅλας a), or as a preservative. If salt ceased to be useful, it was thrown away. With this illustration Jesus warned about a disciple who ceased to follow him. 2 sn The difficulty of this saying is understanding how salt could lose its flavor since its chemical properties cannot change. It is thus often assumed that Jesus was referring to chemically impure salt, perhaps a natural salt which, when exposed to the elements, had all the genuine salt leached out, leaving only the sediment or impurities behind. Others have suggested that the background of the saying is the use of salt blocks by Arab bakers to line the floor of their ovens; under the intense heat these blocks would eventually crystallize and undergo a change in chemical composition, finally being thrown out as unserviceable. A saying in the Talmud (b. Bekhorot 8b) attributed to R. Joshua ben Chananja (ca. A.d. 90), when asked the question “When salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again?” is said to have replied, “By salting it with the afterbirth of a mule.” He was then asked, “Then does the mule (being sterile) bear young?” to which he replied: “Can salt lose its flavor?” The point appears to be that both are impossible. The saying, while admittedly late, suggests that culturally the loss of flavor by salt was regarded as an impossibility. Genuine salt can never lose its flavor. In this case the saying by Jesus here may be similar to Matt 19:24, where it is likewise impossible for the camel to go through the eye of a sewing needle. 3 tn Grk “Nor do they light.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general. 4 tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151). Men may glorify God, that is, give to Him the worship and reverence which are His due (Matthew 5:16, and generally in the Synoptic Gospels and in some other passages of the New Testament). --Walter R. Betteridge Matthew 5:16 Not a Glare, But a Glow “Let your life so shine (Matt. 5:16). It is not a glare but a glow; and we are simply to let the light shine. God prefers stars to comets. The figure is a candle, not a firecracker.” Vance Havner, Leadership, IV, 4, 1986 Reformation Days At the beginning of the Reformation, Martin of Basle, Switzerland, came to the knowledge of the truth. He accepted Jesus as his Savior. Afraid to let his friends know that he no longer believed the many falsehoods taught by his formal church, he wrote these words on a leaf of parchment. “O merciful Christ, I know that I can be saved only by the merit of Thy blood. Holy Jesus, I love Thee.” Removing a stone from the wall of his chamber, he hid behind the stone these beautiful words. The parchment was discovered more than a hundred years later. About the same time, Martin Luther of Wittenberg, Germany, also found the truth in Christ. Boldly he confessed, “My Lord has confessed me before men: I will not shrink from confessing my Lord before princes and kings!” We all know what followed. Everybody has heard what Martin Luther accomplished by his public confession of Christ. On the contrary, no one knows of Martin of Basle. If your life is to bear fruit, we cannot hid behind a stone in the wall our love for Jesus (Rom. 10:9, 10) The Christian Herald, Leadership, IV, 4, 1986
James Kraft
Supporter
Since God sent His own son, Jesus, to die and pay the sin debt of everyone on the world, First John 2:2 God gets all the glory because we did nothing for it. Jesus paid it all and we paid 0. The GIFT of God is eternal life. Paid in full. John 3:18 We glorify God for what He has done. God desesves all the glory great things He has done. If God had not loved us sinners and sent His only Son to pay our sin debt in full, no one would be saved. Acts 16:31.
Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
What does it mean to glorify God? To glorify God means to honour, praise, and magnify Him, acknowledging His supreme greatness, holiness, and love in all aspects of life. It involves reflecting His character, following His commands, and giving Him credit for everything, essentially making a "big deal" of God. Some Aspects of Glorifying God: Worship and Praise: Offering adoration through music, prayer, and gratitude. Obedience and Lifestyle: Living in a way that aligns with His will (e.g., in work, relationships, and actions). Reflecting His Image: Acting in love and righteousness to show others His nature. Enjoying Him: Finding ultimate joy and satisfaction in God, rather than focusing on self-centred gain. Some Examples: In Daily Tasks: "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). In Suffering: Remaining faithful and trusting in His purpose during difficult times. Through Service: Using talents and gifts to serve others as an act of worship. Through Gratitude: Expressing thanks for His grace, similar to the leper in Luke 17. Essentially, it is recognising God as the ultimate reality, and directing all admiration and affection toward Him. Scriptural Example: Rev 4:11 ESV, "11 Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honour and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created." The foundation of glorifying God is your inner state. It involves: Treasuring Him: Valuing God above all earthly things. As one common definition states, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him". Faith and Trust: Relying on His power and faithfulness, especially during difficult trials. Gratitude: Recognising Him as the source of all good things and maintaining a thankful heart. Visible Living: Scripture instructs believers to "do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31), meaning even mundane tasks can be acts of worship. Obedience: Following His commands and living according to His principles. Excellence in Work: Working "heartily, as for the Lord," whether in a career, school, or home responsibilities. Service and Love: Using your talents and resources to help others, reflecting God's own generous nature. Caring for Your Body: Treating your physical body as a "temple of the Holy Spirit" by making healthy and moral choices. The Israelites of Isaiah's day glorified God with their lips, but most lacked sincerity. If we truly believe these things, we should glorify him with all our hearts. The inspired apostle aptly expresses the situation when he says: Romans 1: 20-21 ESV: "For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: 21 because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened." Vrs 28: "And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting." Many will admit that Creation testifies to the existence of a Supreme Being, and they may even agree that the Bible is His Word. But the fact remains that they do not glorify him as God. Titus 1:16 ESV: "They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Conclusion: Can we actually bring glory to God? Yes, we can. One way we give God glory is by telling others about his awesome power and his heartwarming qualities. We also glorify God when we give him credit for things we accomplish in his strength. Isa. 26:12 ESV: "Jehovah, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou hast also wrought all our works for us."
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