Giving Glory to God - 1 Kings 8:54-61 Prayer for God to be involved in all aspects of their lives, whether they are faithful or not. Solomon addresses the people - 8:54f. Purpose for all that has been said: 8:60. 8:61 - "Therefore" because of verse 60. That all may know that Jehovah is God. Here is one of the great examples of a proper prayer. James addresses those who pray but never get what they pray for. Why? They ask amiss. James 4:1-3 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. James is addressing a group that is supposed to be Christians, but their highest concern is themselves. All of creation is for the glory of God. this is what we are to be seeking, even above our own glory. Those that recognize our true purpose and place in creation are the ones that God works with and blesses. 1. The Prayers of Moses - Exodus 32:11-12, Num. 14:15-16 Speaking of the time in Exodus 32: Deuteronomy 32:26-27 I would have said, "I will dash them in pieces, I will make the memory of them to cease from among men, Had I not feared the wrath of the enemy, Lest their adversaries should misunderstand, Lest they should say, "Our hand is high; And it is not the Lord who has done all this." ' 2. The Concern of Joshua after the Defeat at Ai - Joshua 7:9 He would naturally be concerned about the 36 men and their families and the defeat of the nation, but this is not his greatest concern. 3. The Main Motive of David - 1 Samuel 17:46 Yes, personal reward was involved! Today, personal reward is involved. Many passages speak of the rewards of heaven to be gained. Fear of hell to be avoided. Main motive we must grow into is all for the glory of God. David asked twice about the reward offered by Saul. But there is a motive that is the greatest of all - the glory of God. (We sing songs "I've Got a Mansion", "Sing to Me of Heaven", but our greatest desire should be to let all know there is a God in Israel) 4. The Largest Invasion in the Bible. It is mentioned very briefly. Numbers of the enemy not what is important. God was with them and that is all that mattered. Because God was with them, this invasion was recorded in only 4 verses. No human tactics are mentioned at all. That was not what was important. 2 Chronicles 14:9-12 Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. 10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, "Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!" 12. So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 5. The Reason For Elijah's Prayer - 1 Kings 18:37-39 Elijah is not praying for himself to be justified. He has been rejected, mistreated, but this is not the issue. God's Glory is the issue! 6. Reason Hezekiah prayed for deliverance - 2 Kings 19:19 Yes they were in trouble. The country was devastated. Assyrians had captured 46 cities. Jerusalem is the last stronghold. They have gone to Egypt for help and Egypt has let them down. They are alone in their stand against the Assyrian army. There is some concern about personal preservation. In the midst of this situation, Hezekiah prays for the glory of God to be revealed. 7. Daniel's Prayer for the Return from the Babylonian Captivity - Daniel 9:19 Daniel prays for God to return Israel back to their land. Why? Because they don't like being prisoners in a foreign land? Daniel 9:19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name." 8. Chastening of the land by an invasion of Locusts - Joel 1:1 - 2:11 Call to repentance - 2:12-16 Joel 2:17-18 Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, "Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' " 18 Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. They should be concerned about the devastation of the Locust plague. God points it out to them. The greatest concern is that this is an occasion for the enemies to reproach their God. 9. When We Pray for Forgiveness - Psalms 79:1-10 It is natural that we want to be forgiven. We do not want to be separated from God. We do not want to continue in the misery of guilt. Yet, our greatest concern is still should be the glory of God. God's reputation among the heathen is linked to the lives of His people! Psalm 25:11 For Your name's sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. 10. Reason to pray to be Blessed Psalm 67:1-2 God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us. Selah That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. It is not to consume on our own desires, but the greatest concern is for the glory of God. The Purpose of the Church Ephesians 1:5-6 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 3:21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. God is Worthy of Glory Revelation 4:11 You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created." Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Everything is to be for His Glory 1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Do it in such a way that God is glorified. Do it His way, not our way. as husband, wife, child, parent, work, any relationship Titus 2:10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. 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. Romans 15:5-6 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Titus 2:4-5 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 1 Timothy 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. Failure to give God Glory brings condemnation Romans 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Acts 12:21-23 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. Why do you do the things you do? Who are you thinking about? Are you going through life like many, thinking of self. "What makes me happy, what I like, What I want" or is it all to the glory of God? This is the heart of the problem with the self-esteem movement in our country today. It teaches people to be concerned with their own glory rather than the glory of the one who created them. The Sacrifice of Solomon 1 Kings 8:62-64 Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the Lord. 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the Lord, 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 On the same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the Lord; for there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings. 2 Chronicles 4:1 Moreover he made a bronze altar: twenty cubits was its length, twenty cubits its width, and ten cubits its height. (30'x 30' 15' high) What are you willing to offer? Psalm 115:1-2 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, "So where is their God?" Wayne Wells wayneliz@twave.net http://users.twave.net/ncc