Tag: glorify

21.k. “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,”

 

 

Romans 15:4  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 1 Corinthians 10:11    Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,

 2 Timothy 3:16-17    All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

 2 Peter 1:20-21    knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.  For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

 Hebrews 6:11-12   And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,  so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Word of God teaches us that there will be trials, troubles, uncertainties, testings, and things that hurt us physically as well as emotionally.  Why else would scripture tell us that God is our Rock, ever-present in times of trouble, He is our refuge, In Him we find strength, Come to me all who are heavy laden with burdens and I will give you peace, all things work together for good for those called according to His purpose, Stand fast, be strong, etc…..? 

For those who trust in, cling to, and rely on Jesus Christ – faith and hope mature.  When we face trials, troubles, and uncertainties, is when scripture seems to have more meaning and where God’s power, might, strength, control, grace, mercy, and love is more relied upon, and where we find hope, peace, and rest for our souls.  Things do not happen by chance.  God is in control.  And, though we do not know why something has happened or how it will end, we find a peace that passes all understanding.  Faith and hope are what sustain us (those who believe in, rely on, trust in, and cling to Jesus Christ), and give us the courage and endurance.  

We do not have to look very far into our present world to understand the hearts, minds, and souls of those who do not have faith or hope.  In the absence of faith and hope they fall into despair, hopelessness, worry, fear, confusion, anxiousness, hate, etc….. There is no place for God in their lives and in the absence of God in their lives, there is no refuge, hope, peace, joy, assurance, strength, and confidence.  They are left alone and without hope to face the trials and troubles that are experienced by all of mankind.   

There is one God and in Him alone will we find true peace and rest for our hearts, minds, and souls, through faith and hope, in Him alone.

17.t. “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

John 12:27   “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

 Isaiah 49:3-7   And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”  But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.”  And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength—  he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”  Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

I was a little perplexed by “ Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”  Specifically “I have and I will”.  Jesus was troubled by what He knew was coming and the suffering He would endure.  He does not ask that this pending suffering be removed but rather God be glorified.  And then we hear “I have and I will”.  Does this mean I have glorified it by the virgin birth, sending My Son, miracles, signs, wonders, and proclaiming the coming Good News of grace, mercy, and love?   Does it mean I will continue to glorify it by what is coming, death, resurrection, ascension, redemption, salvation, and infilling of the Holy Spirit?  How is God glorified in this?  Imagine a perfect creation given free will to choose to follow and obey the Creator.  They are deceived by the Father of all lies, Satan.  Creation chooses to disobey (sin) and is separated from their Holy God and receives a death sentence from God as it were.  The All-Knowing God has established His perfect purpose and will in redeeming lost mankind. God is glorified when His creation believes in, clings to, and relies on Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” God is glorified when we freely choose to believe in Jesus Christ’s redemption.  He is glorified when we seek and desire to do His will in our lives.  He is glorified when we surrender fleshly self-centered wants to doing that which honors and glorifies Him.  Nothing honors and glorifies Him more than complete surrender to Jesus Christ and fully trusting in His perfect will, plans, and purposes no matter the circumstances.  Jesus Christ surrendered fully to the will of God for our redemption and salvation.  He alone is worthy of all honor and glory.  How will you live today so that He is honored and glorified?

43. Many are called, but few are chosen.

Deuteronomy 7:6   “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today.

Exodus 19:5-6   Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

Psalms 50:5     “Gather to me my faithful ones

Amos 3:2     “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20     Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Titus 2:14    who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1 Peter 2:9    But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Being chosen and called is an act of God.  “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.”  Being called and chosen is not enough. There must be a response to the calling of being chosen.  There must be an act of acceptance of the call and then act accordingly to that calling.  I fear too many want the benefits of being called/chosen but have no desire to live their daily lives in line with this calling.  I fear the neglect of His word has diluted the influence in their lives and leaving them blind and deaf to His calling.  Being chosen we are to be set apart from the influence of the lies of our culture, society, and worldly wisdom.  This calling and being chosen (setting apart) is more than accepting the call, for in this calling there is a call to action.  A call to make disciples, to proclaim the gospel, to proclaim the day of salvation, to proclaim the need for salvation, to proclaim hope and the reason for our faith, to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey.

How are we too except to know any of this if we daily neglect His word and take a complacent attitude toward the calling of God.  The simple truth is we will not.  We mock God if this is our approach.

We all are to be obedient to God. We cannot just accept the wonderful calling of God and continue to live a life following our own desires. We are to be the “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”

Paul very clearly stated the responsibilities of the called: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful”  The called and chosen must be faithful! They must continue to actively believe, obey and rely on God. The called and chosen will need to faithfully endure, both in good and in bad times.

The man in the parable who was invited to the wedding had a duty to come dressed for the occasion, which symbolically meant that he was to put on righteousness, but he didn’t do that. So Jesus made this famous statement that “many are called, but few are chosen.” Therefore, the called-out ones must be spiritually prepared and be clothed with righteousness which is a manifestation of His word in our lives.

If His word is not ever-present in our heart, mind, and soul the world will take it captive with lies and deception.

While they are yet speaking I will hear

Exodus 16:9    Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”  In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

Numbers 16:16     And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD,

Ezekiel 34:30    And they shall know that I am the LORD their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 39:22    The house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God, from that day forward.

Joel 3:17     “So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.

Zechariah 13:9    And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

Zechariah 10:6     “I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.

Psalms 34:15-19     The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.  The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.  When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.  The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Psalms 50:15    and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalms 91:15     When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

Isaiah 65:24    Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.

Jeremiah 29:11-12    For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.

Romans 10:12-14    For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

I am intrigued by these verses.  God, showing His love, mercy, awesome power to a nation of grumbling people.  They were not calling on God but rather grumbling against Him.  They were not believing in Him, trusting in Him, relying on Him but rather living in the circumstances and the situation they were in.  They are just weeks from where God showed 8 great wonders prior to delivering them out of the hands of Egypt, days past when the Red Sea was parted and fewer days from water being supplied.  Still, these great wonders of God did nothing to change there heart.  Did they see these things as works of an Awesome God or just flukes of nature?  Did they not question how these things could happen apart from God?

When you think about it, complaining and grumbling does not take much effort.  It comes easy.  It does not need much of a push to get us there.  This seems to be our natural state of mind if left unchecked.  Still, it is a choice.

Just as it is an intentional choice to grumble and complain, it is an intentional choice to believe (trust in, rely on, cling to) God.  For those who do, they will see the Mighty hand of God at work.  They will hear His whispers of leading, encouragement, hope, peace, and joy, with eyes and ears wide open.  They will cling to His promises.   They will call on Him.  They will pray to Him.  They will rely on Him.  They will trust in Him.  They will seek and desire Him.  They will honor and glorify Him.  They will humbly serve Him.  They will wait on Him.  They will follow Him.  They will obey Him.

Yet I wait

Psalms 100:5  For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalms 119:68    You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

Psalms 119:90-91     Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.  By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants.

Exodus 34:6-7    The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,  keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Deuteronomy 7:9     Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

Romans 15:8-9    For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,  and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”

Tit 1:1-3  their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word

When I read these verses of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to all generations I wonder what should be manifested in a life that believes this with all their heart, mind, and soul.  What thoughts come to mind when trials, troubles, and issues run full force into our lives?  Do I wait for the one who is my refuge, hope, rock, strength or do I fret, worry, and have thoughts of defeat and giving up?  See the depth of faith in time of great fear;  Habakkuk 3:16-18     I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.  Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,  yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God is Great

“for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”

Psalms 95:3  For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Psalms 86:8-10   There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.  All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.  For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.

Psalms 96:4     For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

Psalms 97:9    For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

Psalms 145:3     Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

Jeremiah 10:6-7     There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might.  Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you.

Jeremiah 10:10     But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.  Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”  It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.  When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.  Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.  They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.  Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name.

Isaiah 44:8    Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

People believe many things contrary to God.  Much of what they believe is found in various types of media.  (TV, radio, books, internet, magazine articles, video’s) All proclaiming there is no God.  All of these comments are placed in these various forms of media by someone.  No one would believe they just appeared there by chance or developed on their own.  These authors have placed their thoughts for others to see – to convey a message.  Many who read/watch these have no doubt the author exists even though they have not met or seen this person(s).  God has communicated in a much grander way -through creation of all there is.  One only has to look up into the sky at night, or at a seed sprouting in the spring, or a new born baby, or the mountains, or laws of physics.  There is no delusion in His creation – it it there for all to see the work of His hand.  And yet there are those who choose to believe a lie proclaimed in some form of media by a person they have never met.  These people see the work of God’s creation and choose to call a “chance happening”.  God is very much alive and very real and ever present.  See God through His creation, know God through His word, and desire to live to honor, glorify, serve, follow and obey Him.

I will glorify You forever and ever

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

“I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Psalms 86:12  I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.

Psalms 103:1   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,  who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

Psalms 104:33     I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

Psalms 145:1    I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.  Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.  One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.  On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

1 Chronicles 29:13     And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

Proverbs 3:5     Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Revelation 5:9     And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”  And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

1 Corinthians 6:20     for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Revelation 19:5     And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”  Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Sometimes we get side tracked and don’t remember the blessings we have been given and are living with. When we forget there is no doubt that being thankful, grateful, singing praise, shouting for joy, commending His might acts of grace, mercy and love, are also left behind.  Look at David and his comments stating that “I will give thanks”, “I will bless you name”, “I will sing praise”, “Bless the Lord O my soul”, and then again where multitudes of angels, creatures, elders saying “worthy is the Lamb”.  We were bought with a great price for a single purpose, to bring us into fellowship with God where we would humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey Him.  We would praise Him and with thankful hearts glorify Him with all we think, say and do.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.  Blessed the Lord.

This is eternal life

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

“know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

John 17:1  When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.  “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.  Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

John 5:21     For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.  For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Jeremiah 9:23     Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

God searches all hearts and knows the thoughts and plans of man.  He knows the sinful nature that rules or is trying to rule each of our lives, and yet, He sent His Son to redeem us from this life of destruction.  If we seek Him, He will be found.  Scripture says: For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.   His love for us is demonstrated in the fact that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  While we gave no thought to Him and were only thinking about ourselves He sent Jesus Christ to redeem all who would believe.  To believe means to cling to, rely on, and trust in Him alone for forgiveness of our sin.  This redeeming act, when believed, results in a new life filled with the Helper (Holy Spirit).  His word is given so that we might know Him more and live to honor and glorify Him.  Do not neglect His word but rather spend time in it and training yourself to be a workman of God that needs not to live ashamed.  Apart from His word we walk in darkness.  In His word we walk in light of our Redeemer.

Before the world existed

“ And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;”

“And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

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.   All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.   In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Genesis 1:1    In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Proverbs 8:22    “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.  Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.  When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.  Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,  before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.  When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,  when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,  when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,  then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,  rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.

Colossians 1:17    And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together

Psalms 33:6     By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

Isaiah 45:12    I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.

Hebrews 1:10    And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;

It is hard to understand the awesomeness of God who with the word of His mouth He created all there is.  I think about those who have fame and prestige in this world.  People will drive or fly miles to just see them at a distance.  I am not saying there is anything wrong in going to see them but rather making the point of their fame in light of God and His awesomeness.  There is no comparison.  We set sports players, performers, leaders in almost higher esteem than God.  Some may challenge this but when you think about giving your whole heart, mind, and soul to fully humbly serve, honor, follow and obey the Creator of all there is, it appears there is a gap in our lives.  It seems as though we state God is first in our life but in reality He is only first when we are sick, broke, hurt, or need divine intervention or direction.  We become complacent and negligent in our walk with Him.  Make Him more than a passing thought in your life.  Look for His leading each day.  Listen for His whispers of direction and follow obediently.