Daily Bread - 05/15/07

John 5:44 - How are you able to believe when you seek glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that only comes from God?

Truth and reality has never been popular in the social and political structures of man. When Jesus came proclaiming the message of salvation and actually demonstrating the glory of God, many of those who held important positions were threatened by Him. They were so caught away in their own rules and regulations that they had become furious that Jesus worked a miracle on the sabbath (John 5:16). Jesus attempted to explain to them exactly why He did the miracle on the sabbath. He was only doing what the Father showed Him to do. Because His heart was fixed on doing the will of the Father, He did not even consider what they thought (John 5:17, 19-20, 30). Jesus explained to these angry men why the glory of the Father was revealed in His life. The primary focus of the message is that He lived only to honor the Father and to do His will. Therefore, at the heart of everything that Jesus was doing was His relationship that He had with the Father as His Son (John 5:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25). Because of this relationship that He had with the Father, it was the Father who gave Him glory and honor by testifying on His behalf through these miracles (John 5:32, 36, 37).

The concluding statement of Jesus to these leaders is key to our understanding how to function in the faith of God. We must realize above all else that it is essential to be totally committed to the will of God. With this commitment we must also understand that we can do nothing of ourselves and to attempt to - even out of a desire to please the Father - will result in failure. Above everything else, our relationship with the Father must be first.

Jesus makes it imperative that we seek the glory (Gr-doxa), which only comes from God (Exodus 34:29; Romans 2:7; Romans 8:18; 1 Corinthians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:11; 1 Peter 5:10; 2 Peter 1:3). We must be cautious of the fact that if we seek the glory that comes from men it will run direct interference with the glory that comes from the Father. If we are careful to always do everything out of relationship with God, seeking only His honor and glory above all other things, then we will be empowered to function in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Be blessed,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org