“Lord Jesus, please help us to apply this principle in our lives that we always seek Your glory and will take the attention away from ourselves. We desire to be released from ourselves. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
Act 3:11-12 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. (12) So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
We dwell one more day on how Peter and John were taking the attention away from themselves, after the healing of the lame man, and were giving the glory to Jesus.
This matter of taking the attention away from ourselves but giving glory to God liberates us. We are set free from ourselves. This is a quality of life that we must desire, from the Lord. The tendency of the sinful nature within us is to give honour to ourselves.
When we seek praise for ourselves then we are not being true, there is unrighteousness in us and we are no more walking by faith in Jesus.
John 7:18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. John 5:44 How can you believe, who receive honour from one another, and do not seek the honour that comes from the only God?
Our praise, glory and honour are what we seek from God. We seek His approval over our lives.
The Lord Jesus demonstrated this life for us, where He did not seek after His glory from people. John 5:41 “I do not receive honour from men.
Seeking our own glory against seeking the glory of God has eternal consequences. _Romans 2:7-9 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour, and immortality; (8) but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, (9) tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
Apostle Paul gives the definition of who is a Jew. Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
The Jews, in general, were seeking praise and honour from one another. Whereas, a Jew is one whose praise is not from men but from God.
This was the kind of life lived by John the Baptist. Jesus gave John high praise. Matthew 11:11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
This was John’s manner of living out his life. John 3:27-30 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. (28) You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ (29) He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. (30) He must increase, but I must decrease.
John explains this so beautifully to us that Jesus is the Bridegroom and He has His bride, the church. John saw himself as a friend of the Bridegroom, desiring His glory. John rejoiced in giving all the glory to Jesus and taking the attention away from himself.
May this be the unique character of His church. That we will seek God’s glory and take the attention away from ourselves. II Corinthians 10:17-18 But “HE WHO GLORIES, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD.” (18) For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
May we be those whom the Lord commends.